We have a lot going on in our lives on a daily basis and sometimes we have so many different things to consider that we struggle to focus. Sometimes we sit down at our desk to focus on an activity and just seem to get distracted like Dory. So how can we get back to focusing more effectively
This article by HBR helps by assisting us to understand the impact of distractions and some simple steps we can take to address our procrastination and distraction and get back to feeling more focused.
Feeling distracted and unproductive is something most people struggle with, says Susan David, founder of the Harvard/McLean Institute of Coaching and author of Emotional Agility. Especially because most of us are constantly bombarded by news alerts, text messages, and other interruptions. And even on days when you might feel industrious, you have to contend with what’s going on with your co-workers. “We very subtly pick up on others’ behaviours and emotions,” David says. “When this happens, we can start to lose our way.” Rich Fernandez, CEO of the non-profit, Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, a global mindfulness and emotional intelligence training organisation, notes that we’re actually wired this way. “One thing we all have in common is a fundamental neuroanatomy that orients us toward stress that isn’t always productive,” he explains. To overcome this and regain your focus, you can consider taking the following steps.
Understand the dangers of multitasking
Start by understanding the impact that distractions, like a constantly pinging phone or quick Instagram break, have on your brain. Fernandez explains that we have a network of brain structures related to focus. There’s the default mode network, which is responsible for analysing the past, forecasting or planning for the future, and reflecting on oneself and others. “We’re in this mode at least half of the time,” he says. But when you need to focus your mind, you tap into the direct attention network, which allows you to put aside ruminations and stay on task. Distractions, in whatever form they take, pull you back into default mode, and the cognitive cost of regaining your focus is high. “Some research shows it can take 10–18 minutes to get the same level of attention back,” Fernandez says. This is why it’s critical to reduce interruptions.
Allow for your emotional response, but stay in charge
Feeling overwhelmed can bring up a lot of emotions — frustration, anger, anxiety — that take a further toll on your productivity. So, you have to “break the cycle,” David says. To “regain a sense of agency,” so you don’t feel “at the mercy of the events going on in the world or in your office,” label your feelings and then ask yourself questions about them. You might say, “OK, I’m feeling angry, but who’s in charge — the anger or me, the person having the emotion?” Fernandez agrees with this approach: “You want to acknowledge that these feelings are there — they’re legitimate and significant — but not get swept away by them.”
Gather your attention
When you do find yourself distracted, “Pause, take stock, be aware that you’re being triggered,” Fernandez says. “Then switch the spotlight of your attention.” This might feel easier said than done, but remind yourself that most of the things we worry about “aren’t immediate existential threats.” To reconnect with the logical part of your brain, focus it on “something more immediate or visceral, like your breath.” You might say to yourself, “I’ve become consumed by this Twitter thread. I’m going to pay attention to my breathing” to pivot away from what’s causing the anxiety. Fernandez says this isn’t the same as trying to ignore the distraction: “You don’t have to stifle it or suppress it. Make note of it, acknowledge it, and put it in a mental parking lot to think about later, when you can discuss it with someone else, or when you’re not at work and have lots to do.”
Rely on your values
Once you’ve gathered your attention, you can choose where to focus it. David says that concentrating on your values gives you a sense of control. “When you’re overwhelmed, it feels like a lot of power and choices are being taken away from you,” she says. “But you still get to choose who you want to be. If one of your core values is to be collaborative, focus on that. How can you help people feel like part of the team?” And consider how your lack of focus is affecting your sense of self. “If fairness is important to you, how is your distraction contributing to your ability to be fair? If you’re on Facebook for three hours a day, how fair is that to your team or your family?”
Put up boundaries
Once you have more awareness about what distracts you, set rules for yourself. If you realise that checking news in the morning means that you’re upset and unfocused when you get to the office, tell yourself that you won’t catch up on world events until lunchtime. Or you can decide that you’re going to get a certain amount of work done before you go on Facebook. If you don’t have the self-control for this, there are apps you can install in your browsers or on your phone to control how much time you spend on particular sites. You also have to practice. “There’s a lot of research that suggests the difference between elite focus and non-elite focus is deliberate focus,” Fernandez says. He points to athletes who train by telling themselves, for example, “I’m not going to leave the free-throw line until I make 10 free throws.” So, spend time training your brain to stay on task.
Choose whom you interact with wisely
Social contagion is real. “We’ve all had that experience when you go into an elevator and everyone is looking at their phones, so you start looking at yours,” David says. She points to recent research that shows that if someone next to you on an airplane buys lollies — even if you don’t know the person — you’re 30% more likely to also buy lollies.
The same goes for productivity. If you have colleagues who are constantly distracted themselves, or who tend to pull you away from work, try to spend less time with them. You don’t have to be rude; you can say something simple like, “Can we continue this conversation later? I want to get this report done and then I can take a break.”
Give and get support from your colleagues
Instead of avoiding your distracted colleagues, you could try to encourage each other to stay focused. Make a pact with your co-workers. Set up a time where you will work without interrupting each other or without getting on social media or Slack. Your team could decide to designate Thursday afternoons as uninterrupted work time. You can take this collegial support one step further and actively support each other. “Your peers are in the trenches with you, and they can relate because they’re in the same culture and organisation,” Fernandez says. Go out to coffee with a co-worker and “ask for advice, counsel, and coaching.” They may have tactics that have worked for them that you haven’t thought of. Make a commitment to one another that you’re going to change your behaviour and check in regularly on your progress. When you tell someone else that you want to reform your ways, you’re more likely to follow through.
Take care of your body
If you’re tired and worn out, you’re going to be more vulnerable to feeling overwhelmed, David says. It’s important to get enough sleep and exercise. Also, she suggests making “tiny tweaks in your environment” that improve your well-being. Take breaks, eat a healthy lunch (just eat some lunch), put your phone on silent. “If you normally spend your lunch hour on Facebook, leave your phone behind and go outside for a walk instead,” she says.
Principles to Remember
Do:
Use breathing to break the immediate cycle of anxiety and frustration with being distracted
Think about how you want to act as a colleague and a leader and let that self-image guide your behaviour
Set boundaries around when you’ll go on social media or check email
Don’t:
Fool yourself into thinking distractions aren’t harmful to your focus — they have high cognitive costs
Spend time with people who are distracted — you’re likely to end up feeling the same way
Want to enhance your focus, attention, manage procrastination and improve your time management? Send me an email at michelle@bakjacconsulting.com to enquire about coaching and training to develop strategies.
Michelle Bakjac is an experienced Psychologist, Organisational Consultant, Coach, Speaker and Facilitator. As Director of Bakjac Consulting, she is a credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a member of Mental Toughness Partners and an MTQ48 accredited Mental Toughness practitioner. Michelle assists individuals and organisations to develop their Mental Toughness to improve performance, leadership, behaviour and wellbeing. You can find her at www.bakjacconsulting.com or michelle@bakjacconsulting.com
