How to Focus- 5 Tips for Ultimate Productivity!
Hello everyone!
Today we are talking about how to focus on anything and giving 5 tips for ultimate productivity! Focusing on tasks for long periods and being productive may be hard for some. Especially for those in school, it can be easy to burn out and feel unmotivated while doing work. To stay focused on your goals, be productive, and avoid burnout, you must build a sustainable and effective work schedule! While in school or working, it may be difficult to find that perfect work-life balance but this is essential for not only productivity but for enjoying your life!
So let’s get into it!
1. Pomodoro Timer
The Pomodoro Technique has been a lifesaver for many people! This simple timer helps you stay focused by allocating a certain amount of time for work and then for a break. It is super straightforward, you set a timer for 25 minutes in which you will focus on the task at hand without any distractions or breaks. After the 25 minutes are up, you receive a 5-minute break where you can relax and take a step back from your work. You repeat this three times and you can take a longer 10-minute break from your work. You repeat this work and break the timer until your task is finished!
We like to use this technique when we’re having a hard time focusing on our work! It’s not necessary to use this every time you work, but it is perfect for those days when it feels impossible to get started!
Here are a few links:
2. Ambient Music
Sometimes a little ambient can get us to focus! Not only music but movies, TV shows, podcast, and YouTube videos can be of use as well. Try not to listen to anything super dramatic or distracting but having ambient music as white noise can make your mind relax and focus more! Some people hate to listen to something while doing tasks and that’s completely understandable! White noise sounds such as rain, soft conversation, etc can also be a tool for productivity. This super-popular YouTube channel plays “lo-fi” music for studying which is used by people across the world.
3. Daily Scheduling
Using a daily planner to schedule your day can help your stay on track with your tasks! When you put down all the work you have to do in one place, it can help you remember what you need to do. It can also give you a sense of satisfaction when you finish your list! Some people like to put in the estimated time to complete each task for motivation. You can also organize your list in hardest to easiest or longest to shortest tasks or vice versa.
There is also a one-touch rule that some people have! The rule is to touch or at the very least each task on your to-do lists. The 5-minute rule is another effective tool. The rule is to get everything done that takes underneath 5 minutes and to work on your tasks for at least 5 minutes. If you commit to doing 5 minutes of something hard, usually you will preserve! Even if you choose to stop, at least you got 5 minutes of work done! You can change this to 10 minutes or 15 minutes- whatever works for your schedule! Try out different ways of scheduling and use what works best for you!
4. Wake Up Early
Waking up early can be such a great addition to a productive day. Some of us are night owls and some of us are early birds but waking up too late isn’t beneficial for anyone. We would recommend everyone to at least wake up before midday. Not everyone can comply with this whether it be a work schedule or other special situations. But waking up anytime between 6-10 am is best for our natural circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle! When you’re off your sleep schedule or not getting enough sleep, it can affect your productivity and focus for the worst! So avoid caffeine after 3-4 pm, reduce your screen time closer to bedtime, and have a great nighttime and morning routine!
5. Reduce Social Media Use & Distractions
This tip is a no-brainer! Reduce your social media use and remove distractions when you are trying to focus on a task! Some apps will lock you out of social media apps for a certain amount of time. There are also lockboxes with timers to put your whole phone away. Reduce your distractions and work in a clean and relaxing space.
Bonus: Reward Yourself!
Lack of focus and productivity can come from a lack of motivation! Reward yourself for finishing work and tasks accordingly and create a vision board to help you keep your mind in the right place!
Do you have trouble focusing? What do you do to stay productive? Let us know in the comments!
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