{"id":48977,"date":"2017-05-01T19:56:52","date_gmt":"2017-05-02T03:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=48977"},"modified":"2017-09-12T14:14:45","modified_gmt":"2017-09-12T22:14:45","slug":"four-clever-ways-to-improve-focus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/four-clever-ways-to-improve-focus\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Clever Ways to Improve Focus"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/p>\n

You have just 24 hours. And, you\u2019ve got to do everything in these many (but few) hours. Practically, there\u2019s a limit to the efforts you can put into a day, but then,
\nthe paucity of time shouldn\u2019t be a deterrent to achieving your goals.<\/p>\n

You can achieve more by increasing your productivity which is contingent
\nupon improving your focus.<\/p>\n

Focusing on the task at hand is the surest way to make the most of your limited
\ntime.<\/p>\n

Here are four clever ways to improve your focus<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t allow your mind to trick you<\/strong><\/p>\n

The human mind is a trickster. It\u2019ll make you underestimate or overestimate
\nyour capabilities. And, both of them are dangerous.<\/p>\n

Your mind will trick you by suggesting that you can complete a task in less
\ntime than you usually take. This is a fallacy that will make you allocate
\ntwo hours to do a job that may eventually take five hours to complete.
\nIt\u2019ll end up eating up more time than you initially planned and also drain
\nyour energy. It will demotivate you to the extent that you may stop
\nplanning your day.<\/p>\n

Thus, understand your real strengths and weaknesses. Know your speed and do
\na precise estimation of the work and plan accordingly.<\/p>\n

Shorten your to-do list<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good habit to make a to-do list. But don\u2019t include every small task
\nin it. It\u2019ll only increase your stress and distract your mind every time
\nyou see it.<\/p>\n

Instead, make a small list with just 2-3 most crucial things to do in a day
\nand assign sufficient time for each of these activities.<\/p>\n

Keep your list short and succinct. Don\u2019t overburden it with things that
\naren\u2019t going to add to your productivity.<\/p>\n

Make a schedule for petty but important things<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are a lot of things which don\u2019t add to your productivity but are
\nnecessary.<\/p>\n

Checking comments on your social media posts or wishing people on their
\nbirthdays and anniversaries is not productive but required.<\/p>\n

Watching or reading news, taking a coffee break, attending meetings, or
\nanswering phone calls or emails are other things that consume a lot of
\ntime.<\/p>\n

But, you can\u2019t avoid such activities. They don\u2019t add to your output, but
\nyou\u2019ve to do them anyway.<\/p>\n

Allocate time for them and make them a part of your schedule. What\u2019s more
\nimportant is to stick to the schedule.<\/p>\n

Take your two coffee breaks at the same time each day. Answer emails once
\nor twice a day.<\/p>\n

For instance, I have fixed a schedule for all meetings, interviews,
\nresponding to emails and queries, etc. between 12-2pm. For the rest of the
\ntime, I focus on things that delivers output.<\/p>\n

Do the hardest thing first<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do the most difficult or the worst thing upfront.<\/p>\n

Mark Twain coined the term \u201ceating the frog.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve to eat a frog and you have the entire day to do it, when is the
\nright time?<\/p>\n

The answer is first thing in the morning. Why? Because it\u2019s the worst thing
\nto do.<\/p>\n

If you keep avoiding it, it\u2019ll linger in your mind breaking your focus.<\/p>\n

Instead, get it done first.<\/p>\n

Have a tough client to deal with? Meet him at the earliest. Have to
\ncomplete a complicated project that\u2019s paying you well? Do it now.<\/p>\n

Doing the toughest thing first will boost your confidence and also take the
\nthing out of your mind enabling you to focus on other things for the rest
\nof the day.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

With these four clever hacks, you can improve your focus manifold.<\/p>\n

By eliminating things that aren\u2019t productive or those which are stressful,
\nyou can focus better.<\/p>\n

While doing so, aim at your long term goals but focus on the task at hand
\nin a manner that there\u2019s no tomorrow.<\/p>\n

This way, you\u2019ll strive to achieve more, ultimately increasing your
\nproductivity and chances of success.<\/p>\n

\n

Adela Belin is a private educator and a writer at\u00a0Writers Per Hour<\/a>. She shares her teaching experience with colleagues, students, and writers. Feel free to contact her on G+<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You have just 24 hours. And, you\u2019ve got to do everything in these many (but few) hours. Practically, there\u2019s a limit to the efforts you can put into a day, but then, the paucity of time shouldn\u2019t be a deterrent … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12120,"featured_media":49211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[17,21,31,39],"tags":[5305,5936,66,4639],"yoast_head":"\nFour Clever Ways to Improve Focus<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You can achieve more by increasing your productivity which is contingent upon improving your focus. 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