COMMON OBSTACLES THAT TAKE AWAY FOCUS

Many factors are going to impair your ability to stay focused, and you may be more likely to fall prey to one more than the others, but it is possible that each of these could become your enemy at some point. 

Some of the most common obstacles that you can face when you are trying to stay focused include: 

• Mental fatigue 

• Restlessness 

• Stress 

• Interruptions 

• Lack of mental clarity 

• Unresolved problems 

• Poor planning 

• Physical clutter 

• Social media 

• Your phone 

Let’s take a look at each obstacle and how it interrupts your ability to focus. Mental fatigue If your brain is tired, it is difficult to focus, making you more prone to distractions, which makes it difficult for you to zero in on the tasks that you want to get done. Mental exhaustion can come from several factors, but the biggest one is a lack of sleep. Even when you get to bed on time, if you spend the majority of the night tossing and turning, you are going to rob your brain of restful slumber and it will not be prepared for the hard work you give it the next day. 

Restlessness

Restlessness is a general feeling of anxiety—something is going on that causes you to feel ill at ease. When you are restless, your brain is getting signals that something is wrong, and it is going to devote some of your cognitive resources to investigating and resolving the issues. However, it is often difficult to figure out the reason that you feel restless, which results in the brain spinning its wheels to resolve something that it can’t pinpoint, making it difficult to focus on the important tasks. 

This is a classic case of spending mental energy in the wrong way. 

Stress A little bit of stress on occasion is actually good for you. It can keep you alert and help you hone your focus. However, if you suffer from chronic stress, you are always in a state of anxiety. 

Many causes can bring about this persistent stress. Some people feel stressed when they do not have control over their day, when they are close to a deadline that they are not ready for, or after a major life event. The more stress you have in your life, the more it is going to erode at your ability to focus. 

Interruptions Have you started working on something only to have a continuous string of interruptions? 

This includes emails, phone calls, and coworkers, all of which can be frustrating. Interruptions destroy any momentum you may have, and it takes a long time to get back on track after the distraction is gone. It’s extremely easy to get derailed from a very positive and creative train of thought, by being interrupted by a remark, sound, or alert. Lack of mental clarity Sometimes your mind is full of trivial ideas and thoughts that may have nothing to do with what you are trying to get done. 

These thoughts and ideas are called mental clutter and make it impossible for you to concentrate. A mind that is cluttered is one that is unfocused. Unresolved problems Having an unresolved problem in your brain is like having a faucet that is leaky, keeping you awake at night. It is there in the background, and it is constantly calling attention to itself. It will not go away, which means that the brain is devoting resources to it, making it difficult to concentrate. It is important to take care of these unresolved problems so that you can get work done. 

Poor planning It is hard for you to stay focused on a project or a task when you do not have a clear and methodical plan to follow. 

Your brain will do its best to fill in the gaps of poor planning but will ultimately be too distracted to focus on the task at hand. Think about the last time you went to the store without a list. Your attention was probably drawn to the numerous items on the shelf as you walked down the aisles. The visit that would only take a few minutes if you had come with a list, could take a lot longer, and you are likely to forget something. 

You might be distracted after seeing something on sale, leading you down a whole new distracting path. Without a plan, your brain is in an unfocused state. Create a plan and work from it, and you will see some great results. Physical clutter Do you keep your workspace messy or tidy? 

Physical clutter in your workspace will impair how well you focus. While some people say that they are still able to concentrate when they are working in an environment that is messy, there are studies that show this is not true. 

The Journal of Neuroscience published a report in 2011 examining the effect of clutter on focus. This study concluded that working at a desk that is messy will hamper your ability to concentrate on tasks. Learning how to keep your workspace clean and clear can make a big difference. Social media Research shows that social media has a short-term effect on how well you are able to concentrate. One study that was done in the journal Computers in Human Behavior showed how many students were not able to go more than a few minutes without checking their social media sites. 

Social media can pose a big distraction, making it impossible to focus on the work you need to get done. Your phone Of course, your phone can also be a major distraction as well, even if you are not looking at it. It is going to constantly ring, vibrate, and chirp to let you know about updates on social media, voicemails, and incoming texts. Ignoring the phone is not possible and can prove a major distraction. It is best to keep your phone somewhere else so that you can pay attention when there is work to do. You might be surprised to see how much you can focus when your phone isn’t within reach.

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Jose Amoros