Grow Your Focus

July 23, 2024

"Concentrate every minute like a Roman on doing what's in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions."
- Marcus Araelius

"Resistance is like a telemarketer; if you so much as say hello, you're finished. The pro doesn't even pick up the phone. He stays at work."
- Steven Pressfield

Without focus, life is wasted.

It doesn't matter if you are a student, working a day job, or on a date. Lack of focus inhibits connection, productivity, and enjoyment. And far too many people accept that they cannot focus.

"I have ADHD. I can't make myself read more than a page."

"This class is too hard. I can't finish all of the homework."

"No matter how many dates I go on, I never seem to connect with anyone."

Concerns are often legitimate. Maybe you suffer from a disorder that inhibits your ability to pay attention. Maybe you have never learned how to focus. In the end, reasons and excuses (however valid they may be) don't change the result. Not focusing on the task at hand will negatively impact your life.

Luckily, everyone has the ability to grow their focus.

Focus is not an inherited trait like hair color or height. It can be widened and deepened. It can be trained and strengthened.

Here are some thoughts on deeping focus.

Write down the things that distract you

We choose when to eat, what to wear, and how to treat other people. We choose whether or not to answer the phone, go to the gym, and get out of bed. Giving into distraction, much like checking your phone or smoking a cigarette, is a choice.

When you sit down to get some work done, take a moment to recognize the distractions around and within you. Your stomach growls. Your chair is uncomfortable. Your underwear rides up. You are upset about what your mom said to you last week. Plus, you have to pee, even though you just went.

If you do not have power over these urges, then they have power over you. Write down a list of distractions when you are trying to focus to account for the things preventing you from focusing. Once you know your enemy, you can fight.

Negate and prevent distractions

What is the first thing on your list? Maybe you check social media after 15 seconds of reading. Maybe you aren't exactly sure what you need to do with a school assignment and your mind ends up wandering.

If texting, social media, or email is a constant distraction, prevent yourself from giving into those distractions by removing them. Leave your phone on the other side of the room, or in a closet, or buried in a drawer somewhere. Turn off all notifications during your work session to remove distraction. Now, when your mind starts to wander, it won't have as many stimulating places to go, and the task of holding your focus will be easier.

Here are a few general rules for negating and preventing distraction.

Schedule work time

Set aside 60-90 minutes with no distractions at all. Carve out time when no breaks are needed and no messages or email need to be checked. Can you do it before your kids wake up? Can you do it before your coworkers arrive at the office or after your boss leaves, or in the afternoon right after class gets over? Do what needs to be done to schedule focused time.

Have a plan for your work time

Try to pick one thing to work on for your session. If you have a lot to do, try to bunch work together that is similar (homework, writing, physical chores, etc.).

Minimize distractions

Eat your snack, fill your water bottle, and go to the bathroom before starting your task. Designate a clean, distraction-free place for work. Put your phone away, sit down, and work.

The Roosevelt Dash - exercise for your focus

President Theodore Roosevelt is a wannabe focus-master's hero. He focused with an intensity that took him from homeschooling to Harvard to the White House.

The following is an exercise I learned from Cal Newport's book Deep Workfor increasing focus based on the habits of President Theodore Roosevelt. It is called "The Roosevelt Dash".

1. Pick a task.
2. Estimate the time it will take to complete the task.
3. Set a time limit for completing the task that is shorter than your estimation.
4. Start a timer and try as hard as you can to get your task done within the time limit.

This exercise is applicable to working, reading, writing, doing laundry, cleaning dishes, and working out. It will be discouraging at first, and you will often not finish the task at hand in the allotted time. However, your natural ability to focus will engage during your dash to complete your task.

As you consistently push the limits of your focus with this exercise, your ability to focus will grow.

Let yourself be bored

"You'll struggle to achieve the deepest levels of concentration if you spend the rest of your time fleeing the slightest hint of boredom."
- Cal Newport

This may be the biggest secret to focus.

Boredom means having nothing for your brain to do. Our brains are constantly assaulted with stimuli. If no time is taken to disengage your mind, engagement becomes a burden. How can you ever expect your mind to focus if it never has a break?

When boredom sets in, don't chase it away. Welcome it with open arms. When a moment of nothing arises between tasks and scheduled events, don't reach for your phone. Don't go grab a snack to fill the void. Just be bored.

On occasion, I draw a small dot on the whiteboard in my office and stare at it for 2 minutes. It is harder than it sounds. When the 2 minutes are up, my brain begs me to start work. Give it a try.

Even if your ability to focus sucks, your capacity to focus is greater than you think. You can do your work. You can do it well. You can focus.