POP QUIZ: TEST TO SEE HOW MUCH YOUR FOCUS CAN IMPROVE

You have to learn that every distraction is going to sidetrack you from your work, no matter how harmless it seems. Each one can break you from your concentration and can disrupt your momentum. 

Moreover, distractions will wreak havoc on your productivity and affect the quality of your work.

Therefore, with this chapter, we are going to look at the extent that you have difficulty concentrating. 

With each of the 15 statements below, give yourself a score from one to five depending on how true each statement is to you. A score of one means that the statement describes you, and a score of five indicates that it does not at all. 

When you are done, tally the results to see how big of a problem focus is for you.

1. Thoughts that are irrelevant to the situation will constantly surface when you are working

2. Your workspace is always filled with lots of clutter

3. You forget a lot of things and are absentminded

4. You do not set objectives and goals each day

5. Your mind tends to wander during meetings

6. You get distracted easily

7. You become bored quickly

8. You neglect to plan your day

9. You regularly fail to notice some of the important details

10. You try to work on more than one project or task at the same time

11. If you are working on a task, you become fidgety or restless 

12. You are often late to appointments and meetings 

13. You have trouble remembering where you put personal items 14. Your days do not follow any kind of routine 

15. You find that it is difficult to focus on what people say to you during conversations 

Remember that you are giving yourself a score between one and five for each of these statements and when you are done, you can add up your points. If you scored between 60 and 75, you have a lot of control over your attention, probably more than most people. 

You can already ignore distractions and you have a good handle on getting into a flow state when you work. Even so, you may still find a few of the tips we talk about in this guidebook helpful. 

Regardless, you certainly are ahead of many people in terms of focus, already. Congratulations! If you scored between 45 and 59 points, you are doing pretty well with managing your attention, but doing so consistently will continue to remain a challenge. 

You will find that reading through this guidebook is really going to help you with your focus. You will reap many benefits by reading through the tips. If you scored between 30 and 44, you have a consistent problem with staying focused on your work. You have trouble concentrating on your activities, studies, and work and sometimes have trouble keeping track of what people say when you speak to them. 

You are not able to concentrate for a long period because you are super susceptible to distractions that are in your immediate environment. You will see a big improvement in your concentration if you start using even a few of the tips in this guidebook. 

If you scored less than 30, you need a lot of work in order to see productivity go up for you. Mastering your attention is going to require consistent application of many of the tips that we provide in this guidebook. The good news is that this book has many different tips to try out, and if you are able to combine them, you are going to find that focus can be yours for the taking. 

It’s important to realize, however, that you have your work cut out for you.After looking at the results, take some time to go through and determine which areas you would like to work on the most. 

After a few weeks or months of trying some of the tips, you can come back and take this test again to see if you scored a bit higher or not. This is a good way to gauge whether you are seeing results or if certain tips are working for you.

Easiest $20 you can earn with KickEX Referral Program! Register via this link to get your reward. 🚀 Earn even more by inviting users to KickEX 💥 #kickex #referral

Jose Amoros

WHAT DOES PROCRASTINATION ?

Procrastination is a big issue when it comes to keeping your focus. All of us have had times when we do not want to get work done. The work may be boring. You may think the work is too overwhelming, so why even try to work on it at all? 

Alternatively, perhaps there is some other reason that you decide to put off work. It might not even be a reason that you can readily identify.

If you receive a project and then decide to procrastinate getting it done, you can guess that your focus is going to be low. You have no interest in even starting, so why would you put your focus towards doing it? 

That certainly doesn’t make any sense, does it? 

While a bit of procrastination is not the end of the world, it can end up being a big issue if you partake in it all the time. Human beings have limited self-control. Self-control is like a muscle, in that it can become quickly exhausted, and in some people, this happens much faster than in others. It all depends on the individual’s discipline and habits. 

When self-control is close to being depleted, you are going to choose to do something that is more pleasurable—other tasks that lead to procrastination—rather than the work that needs to be done. 

To make it simple, procrastination is a great avoidance strategy. 

You decide to look for distractions and avoid focus because you do not want to do the work. 

You may find it boring or too hard or something else, and so you refuse to give it the focus that it requires. Procrastinators are going to choose to work on something else rather than what needs to be done, simply because it is easier to choose the thing that brings pleasure rather than pain. This might be the easy choice, but not the productive choice. 

Learning how to have more focus can help you to avoid procrastination. 

You can put it at bay, but it is going to be difficult. 

If you are a procrastinator, you will really find that some of the tips in this  book are hard to follow because you are more inclined not to do the work at all, and your focus is probably limited. 

Here are some things you can do to help avoid procrastination so that you can gain more focus quickly:

1. Identify your triggers: There are actually different types of procrastinators and knowing which one you are can help you to break the cycle. a. Perfectionists will not get the work done because they know they cannot do it perfectly, or they are always waiting for the perfect approach or timing. Tasks are never done because, to them, things are never perfect enough. b. An ostrich prefers to stay in the dreaming stage. When they do this, they do not have to work for real or deal with any stress, and they feel that the dreaming gives them a sense of achievement because they are envisioning their big plans. 

Unfortunately, those plans stay dreams and don’t really ever accomplish anything. c. Self-saboteurs think that by doing nothing, bad things will not happen. They are worried about making mistakes or doing things wrong, therefore, they choose to do nothing. Of course, this is ineffective for anyone trying to achieve any meaningful goals. d. Daredevils believe that by waiting until they reach a deadline is a way to make them push to do better. 

They believe that starting early is not important and that it will sacrifice their time for pleasure. e. Chickens do what they feel they should do, rather than thinking through what they should be doing. 

2. Face the triggers: Once you figure out which of these is your trigger, you need to face it. Learn how to fight off the type of procrastinator you are and you will see results. Of course, this takes a certain amount of honesty and self-reflection on your part. 

3. Take breaks: Sometimes you need to take a break from your task because the brain is not supposed to work nonstop. Even five minutes can make you feel better and can ensure that you are not worn out or tired. Fatigue can sometimes be a big reason for procrastination, so take those breaks so that you can maintain your focus. 

4. Reward yourself: You may find that rewarding yourself can make your work more fun. If you are someone who procrastinates because you are worried about the fun stuff that you are going to miss, then this is a strategy that might work for you. Set up some rewards that you can look forward to that will keep you moving towards your goals. 

5. Find smart ways to keep track of your time: In order to avoid procrastination, you must find a way to keep track of how you spend your time each day. There are apps, such as Rescue Time, that help you keep track of the way you spend your time. It will give you a breakdown of how you spend your time and can help you find out how often you are actually on task. You can turn it into a fun game to figure out if you need have been slacking during times when you thought you were productive.

Easiest $20 you can earn with KickEX Referral Program! Register via this link to get your reward. 🚀 Earn even more by inviting users to KickEX 💥 #kickex #referral

Jose Amoros

WHY IS FOCUS SO IMPORTANT?

You may be surprised to find out that the ability to focus is going to have a big impact on your life. Musicians, artists, and writers stand to produce much more work with more passion if they are focused. 

There are all sorts of actors and musicians that can admit that a project failed because of their lack of passion during that period in their life when they look back on their careers. Professors and teachers can create better exams, assignments, and lectures to help their students succeed if they have more focus. Parents can come up with better activities that are more creative, fun, and educational for their children if they have more focus.

It is actually our lack of focus, or our inability to focus, that can produce uninspiring results in all the things that we do, but this is not the way it has to be. You can take the steps needed to manage your attention, which will be covered extensively in this guidebook. 

Why should you work so hard to increase your own focus? 

Consider these reasons: Better productivity Focus makes it easier for you to stay on task because you are better able to ignore distractions. When you are able to focus, you will be more likely to get into a flow state, which is when your attention is completely absorbed by the task in front of you. 

You will direct your attention in a more productive way and block out the distracting stimuli that would usually break your concentration and stop your momentum, which results in you getting more done in less time. Improved relationships When you are not good at managing your attention, you are more likely to spread yourself too thin, leaving yourself with too little attentional resources, energy, and time to offer to the ones who we value and love. 

When you get better at controlling your attention, you find that it is easier to be present when you spend your valuable time with loved ones and friends. You can form stronger connections with them, more intimacy and trust, which can make you feel more fulfilled. 

Boost your critical thinking Critical thinking is not something that you may have learned to do in college, and then never needed again. It can greatly benefit you at all points of life. For example, thinking critically while reading a book helps you feel more immersed in the story. If you are going to render a judgment, such as dealing with a fight between your kids, critical thinking will better equip you to do it with reason and fairness. 

Focus is important for you to think critically. 

If you are able to master the first one, you are going to improve the latter. More grit Experts often claim that intelligence is not a good measurement of success, however, one of the best ways to tell if you will be able to overcome challenges in your life is your grit or resilience. 

With it, you will likely experience more success in everything you do, but resilience is going to demand some sharp focus. It requires you to zero in on a challenge and devote more cognitive and physical resources to overcome it. You can learn how to direct your attention so that you can handle the challenges that you run into each day and face them with positivity and certainty. 

Greater decisiveness If you are decisive, you have the ability to make good decisions without overanalyzing everything. It lets you evaluate your circumstances, consider the different options, and then choose the one you want with confidence. 

This is important no matter what you do in your life. 

Luckily, it is a skill that you can develop. 

Moreover, attention mastery is an essential ingredient to this. 

It can allow you to make smarter and better decisions in your life.

If you struggle with indecisiveness, you may find yourself getting stuck when it is time to make a decision because you worry about all of the factors to consider. When you are indecisive, you could spend weeks thinking about a decision or second-guessing the decisions that you do make. With better focus, you pay attention to the details and make decisions with confidence. 

Better retention of information that you get Have you ever had trouble remembering new details such as a new concept, a person’s name, or the best route to a destination? 

This is common because many factors affect your ability to hold onto information, including your levels of stress, the amount of sleep you get, and your levels of energy. Your ability to focus has the greatest impact of all. 

Being able to focus allows you to cut through your brain fog, ignore distractions, and concentrate on the details that are important to you or that you want to commit to memory. All of us have things that we need to remember. You need to be able to remember the information that your boss tells you, the names of the people you meet, and so much more. Human beings have to remember all sorts of data, whether it’s e-mail addresses, inspirational quotes, or work deadlines. 

Moreover, with the help of the right amount of focus, you can make this happen. Improved levels of confidence Imagine what it would be like if you were able to master your own attention to the point that you were able to achieve all the other benefits that we discussed in this chapter. How do you think that would affect your self-confidence? It is likely that you are going to feel as if you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to. 

Imagine that you get to enjoy more productivity, have the ability to think in a more critical manner, have stronger relationships, are better at making decisions, have improved memory, and can be more resilient, all at the same time. You are going to feel more self-assured when you are ready to start on a new task or a new project, no matter what it is!

Easiest $20 you can earn with KickEX Referral Program! Register via this link to get your reward. 🚀 Earn even more by inviting users to KickEX 💥 #kickex #referral

Jose Amoros

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.

Easiest $20 you can earn with KickEX Referral Program! Register via this link to get your reward. 🚀 Earn even more by inviting users to KickEX 💥 #kickex #referral

Jose Amoros

WHY DO I KEEP LOSING FOCUS?

You know what it is like to be sitting at your desk with a lot of work, but for some reason, you just cannot seem to concentrate. You are distracted. Every noise that goes on around you—from the traffic outside to a notification on your phone—has the power today to pull your attention away from your work. Moreover, when you do finish the work, you have a big feeling that the quality has suffered because you were not able to focus.

This is something with which most people are familiar. The work takes twice as long and quality suffers because you are just not able to control the distractions around you. This can lead to selfdoubt. It can also be frustrating until you learn how to master your own attention. In order to help you strengthen the focus that you do have, it is important to learn why you may be losing your focus in the first place. There are usually five factors that contribute to a lack of focus: 

• Lack of interest 

• Negative emotions 

• Poor organization 

• Low energy levels 

• Lack of control Let’s break each one of these down and take a quick look at them to get a better understanding of why it is so easy to lose focus.

Lack of interest It is much easier for you to concentrate on a task that interests you. In order to focus, you need to feel engaged in some manner with the task. You need to feel stimulated somehow. 

When you have an interest in the task, you are more likely to zero in on it, and thus ignore the distractions that go on around you. It is truly remarkable what you can do if you are passionate about your work. Like Confucius said thousands of years ago; “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” Negative emotions When you are in a negative emotional state, your ability to concentrate suffers. If you feel lonely, hostile, depressed, annoyed, or stressed, it can be next to impossible to focus on the important things, at least until you get the feeling under control. 

Your mind will be so preoccupied with these emotions that you will not have enough cognitive resources available to use to manage your attention. Poor organization When you have planned well and organized your day, you will have a better chance at concentrating and ignoring distractions. 

You will find that it is much easier to manage your attention when your day follows a consistent and familiar pattern. With good organization, you will be better able to keep chaos at bay, and it will do wonders for helping you stay focused, regardless of the task. Low levels of energy Another factor that can take away your focus is low energy, something that most people don’t consider. 

You would be surprised at how much energy you need when you have to focus on things for a long time. Your body needs fuel—regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and good food—in order to keep it going. Do not allow yourself to neglect one or more of these elements because your focus will suffer. Staying up late to get other priorities done, spending too much time on the couch rather than moving around, and not eating healthy foods all have a negative impact on your ability to focus. Your brain needs to have enough energy throughout the day so that it can function the right way and provide you with plenty of focus to get things done. 

No matter how energized or focused you are, a lack of sleep can truly affect an individual’s mental state and potential. Lack of control The way that you choose to control your time can also be a big determining factor for how well you can concentrate. If you allow others to interrupt you, you will be unable to achieve the flow state that you need and want in order to work unencumbered by distractions. If people are always distracting you, it is hard to feel immersed in the task. You must learn how to control your own time if you want a chance to develop razor-sharp focus. 

It is not always possible to avoid interruptions, nevertheless, there are steps that you can take to avoid unnecessary interruptions so you can get work done. It doesn’t matter whether the issues revolve around family members, friends, or a significant other – a lack of control can be draining and be a tremendous obstacle to obtaining real focus. 

Is the mind wandering a bad thing? 

When you start to lose focus, your mind is going to wander, however, this isn’t always a bad thing. The key is learning exactly how to make it work for you and use it to your advantage. Mind wandering can be nice because it allows the brain some time to be creative. Mind wandering can help you figure out nontraditional solutions to problems that you are having trouble resolving. 

It can allow you to view things from a different perspective or analyze events or ideas from a more creative perspective. However, this does not mean that you should let your mind wander whenever it wants, because doing so will cut into your performance and productivity. Make sure that you are focusing on the circumstances that need you to do so. The steps in this guidebook will teach you to do this. There are times—taking a walk or going to the gym—when there is nothing wrong with letting your brain wander a bit. 

You may even be pleasantly surprised by the things that your mind can come up with when you allow it to wander at the right times. 

Now that you know the five biggest factors that can make you lose concentration during the day, it is time to move on and learn some of the common obstacles that you may face when you want to stay focused.

Easiest $20 you can earn with KickEX Referral Program! Register via this link to get your reward. 🚀 Earn even more by inviting users to KickEX 💥 #kickex #referral

Jose Amoros

UNDERSTANDING FOCUS

UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF FOCUS 

When you think about having focus, you may equate it with having tunnel vision—the belief that you can ignore everything, and just focus on the task that is right in front of you. However, attention management and focus are actually much more complicated than that. In reality, you are managing many different types of attention throughout the day, whether you realize it or not. 

These types dictate what you notice, do not notice, as well as what you ignore, or focus on. They can also have some different uses and impose different challenges. Taking a closer look at focus will help this make a little more sense.

Voluntary and involuntary attention Two main types of attention are voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary attention is what you use when you want to consciously, or purposely, focus on something. 

For instance, if you are in a room while someone else is watching television, and you want to read a book, you may find it difficult to concentrate on what you are reading. You would have to voluntarily pay attention to the book and block out the other noises so that you can focus. With voluntary attention, you are in control, and you get to decide what captures your attention and what does not. 

Remember that voluntary attention is like a muscle that needs to be used in order to remain relevant. Unfortunately, most people do not use this skill as often as they should. The good news is that you can strengthen your ability to voluntarily pay attention by using it more. 

Essentially, you can flex your ability to voluntarily focus, the same way that you can flex a muscle!

You will be able to learn how to overcome any distractions and develop a better ability to concentrate on demand, but you are going to have to put in some work to make it happen. It’s important to remember that so many goals, including learning how to focus, take time, effort, and energy. On the other hand, involuntary attention is the exact opposite, meaning you do not have any control over this type. For example, if you hear a gunshot, it is going to grab your attention, no matter how much focus you have. 

If you are concentrating on something important at work, a blood-curdling scream can still break your concentration. This involuntary attention has a lot of value when your safety is at risk. In fact, it has evolutionary value. Imagine for a second, that your ancestors are hunting for food. They would have been vulnerable to attacks from wild animals and any other aggressive tribes nearby; but involuntary attention was a tool that kept them alert and safe. 

Essentially, involuntary attention kept them alive. You are probably not going to be in many situations that threaten your life today. This is because in modern times, we no longer live a hunting-gathering lifestyle or have to kill prey to feed ourselves. However, this involuntary attention is still there and it works hard to draw our attention to any changes in the environment that the body thinks we need to pay attention to. Instead of wild animals, it is going to sound the alarm to things that are relatively trivial. For example, when your phone vibrates or chirps, it immediately draws your attention so that you can check why the phone reacted that way. 

Alternatively, you may notice that there is a new email on the tab and you want to go see what it is about right away. It often can become second nature. Involuntary attention does not have as much use in our lives today since most people are not under a constant threat. However, it can continue to exist in the background, trying to keep you alert. It ends up creating an endless stream of distractions that you will need to learn how to avoid and ignore if you want to get anything else done.

Broad vs. focused attention There are a few other different types of attention as well. Broad attention allows you to evaluate your circumstances from a “bird’s eye view.” You are going to see the forest, rather than looking at the individual trees, as the famous saying goes. For example, if you are a general in a war and are working on a military strategy, you would use the broad attention idea to map out any types of strikes, envision the supply lines, and forecast how a large group of troops is going to move. The broad attention allows you to see the big picture, and plot accordingly. 

After you have been able to see this big picture, you would then be able to use the focused attention in order to address the details. 

Focused attention, on the other hand, allows you to appraise what happens in a specific situation, and you can come up with the best approach, given your specific goals and the resources that you have around you. In the example above, a challenge that you may face is how to overtake some area in the war, given the strength and number of the adversaries. This is when you would use the focused attention to help resolve the challenge. The good news is that you get to be in complete control! Unlike what you find with involuntary attention, you get to decide how you should wield these tools, which means that you get to use this to your advantage.

Keep in mind that both the focused attention and the broad attention can be good, but they do pose some potential pitfalls. For example, if you only concentrate your efforts on the big picture or the broad attention, it is more likely that important details will fall through the cracks. You have to simultaneously keep both in mind. 

The same can be an issue going the other way as well. If you zero in on one specific situation, which is focused attention, and exclude the overall big picture, you are going to end up with what is known as “tunnel vision”. This is going to have the effect of impairing your overall awareness of the situation and can lead you to ignoring or being unaware of important factors. This is just a brief overview of what can happen with attention, and why it is so important to you. There are some types of attention you have no control over, and it can be difficult to ignore them, and not let them take over your day. Some types of attention are going to be voluntary and you will have control over them, which will be discussed in this guidebook. When you learn more about how to control your attention and avoid the distractions, you are going to see so many amazing results within your own work.

 Easiest $20 you can earn with KickEX Referral Program! Register via this link to get your reward. 🚀 Earn even more by inviting users to KickEX 💥 #kickex #referral

Jose Amoros