“Focus is a muscle, and you can build it,” says Elie Venezky, author of Hack Your Brain. Did you know that? That you can get better at focusing? Venezky says, “Too many people labor under the idea that they’re just not focused, and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Once you drop this mistaken belief, you can take a much more realistic approach to building focus.”
So you can get better at focusing. But how? Let’s look at 3 different techniques you can use to build your focus muscle, each with scientific research backing them.
Choose the Right Background Noise
One of the things that might keep you from being able to focus is distracting background noise. Whether we realize it or not, our brains continue to process background noise while we are working, even if we are not directly focused on it. So it could help you work more efficiently if you take control over the type of background noise to which you are exposed.
Everyone has different preferences for their work environment. But researchers recently tested how different types of background noise affect brain activity. They “compared the effects of silence, a pure 240 Hz tone, classical music, and binaural beats at 5, 10, and 15 Hz on a verbal working memory task, and saw that the 15 Hz (beta) beats significantly improved performance.” You might try listening to these brain boosting 15 Hz beats while you work. I tried out this technique while writing. While it took me a minute to get used to the sound, I eventually felt like I was better able to focus. (Note: You will need headphones to listen to them.)
Build In Breaks
One of the ways to combat distractions is to build them into your work day. If you find yourself constantly checking social media or your email, set specific times when you do those activities. Use alarms on your phones or a printed reminder on your desk of when you have “social media” breaks.
Even if you aren’t distracted by something like social media or your phone, you should still plan to take regular breaks. Research from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that participants who were given breaks during a task performed significantly better on that task than participants who plowed through without a break. Researcher Alejandro Lleras said, “prolonged attention to a single task actually hinders performance.” On the other hand, he said, “deactivating and reactivating your goals allows you to stay focused.”
Pay Attention to Your Natural Rhythms
Finally, if you have the flexibility, consider working when it comes most naturally to you. Most of us tend to feel more awake and productive at certain times of day. This is natural. And individual. Say you aren’t naturally a morning person. Trying to focus during that time of day may feel like you are trying to swim against the current.
Research has shown that our natural tendency to lose focus over time (called vigilance decrement in the scientific world) can be combatted simply by working when we feel the most alert. So consider switching up your work schedule. Move the tasks that require the most focus to the times of day when you know you’ll be able to focus better.
The next time you have to prepare a big presentation or focus on a difficult task, try one of these three strategies. Choose background noise that leads to greater productivity. Build in breaks while you work so that you can retain focus. And work at a time of the day when your energy and focus is naturally higher. And then flex that focus muscle to use your time more efficiently and productively.
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