How To Improve Focus in the Workplace: Strategies and Tips

Your ability to focus on the task at hand is a significant component of your overall success in the workplace. Being able to focus for extended periods of time can allow you to complete more work in an efficient and accurate manner.

In this article, we will explore the importance of using mental focus techniques and provide several tips on how to improve your focus at work.

Why is it important to use mental focus techniques?

Using mental focus techniques is important because it allows you to remain focused on a task for longer periods of time. As a result, you are more likely to successfully complete a task in a timely manner. This can ultimately boost your overall productivity and output in the workplace.

Utilizing different mental focus methods is also useful because it can enable you to resist the temptation of everyday distractions. Emails, texts and other notifications both in and out of the workplace can slow down your productivity and make focusing for an extended period of time challenging. By mastering one or several mental focus techniques, you can learn to be less susceptible to distractions and remain concentrated on a task until it is complete.

Learning how to direct and maintain your focus and concentration can prove to be beneficial in nearly every aspect of your life. From learning new things to accomplishing goals, your focus is key in being successful in a number of situations.

How to improve focus and concentration at work

Improving your focus and concentration may seem challenging at first, but with continuous practice, it can become easier and even second nature. The following are steps you can take at work to boost your focus and increase your productivity.

1. Identify the current state of your mental focus.
2. Limit or remove distractions.
3. Create a comfortable and clean environment.
4. Increase your focus slowly.
5. Concentrate on one task at a time.
6. Take scheduled breaks.
7. Assess and adjust your stimulation level.

1. Identify the current state of your mental focus

Before you start working to improve your mental focus, it's a good idea to determine the current state of your ability to focus and concentrate. This will provide you with a measurable way to improve. One way that you can identify your focusing abilities is to look at your present focus-related habits. If you regularly allow distractions to take you away from work or if you often find yourself losing track of your progress, your capacity to focus is probably low. You can also set a timer and work on a certain task. As soon as you find yourself distracted from the task, look at the timer and see how many minutes you were able to concentrate on it. For example, if you were able to focus on the task for five minutes, make note of that. After you have practiced focus techniques for several days, retest yourself to measure your progress.

2. Limit or remove distractions

Limiting or completely removing distractions can be very beneficial to your overall ability to focus at work. Turn off the television and your phone (or at least silence the notifications) and set your email notifications to do not disturb. You could also utilize an app that prevents you from using certain distracting websites like social media sites for a period of time. Also, set clear times for when coworkers can approach you with questions or conversations. This can help to prevent you from becoming distracted by a casual chat while you are in the middle of a task.

3. Create a comfortable and clean environment

If you are regularly finding yourself distracted by the clutter in your office or on your desk, set aside five minutes each morning to tidy up your workspace before sitting down to work. File away papers, throw away any trash and make your work area as clean and comfortable as possible. The less clutter there is, the less likely you will find yourself cleaning your desk when you should be focusing on work.

4. Increase your focus slowly

Increasing your focus and concentration can be challenging and you will likely not be able to make significant changes overnight. Set realistic goals for improving your focus and start small. For example, if you can currently only concentrate for five minutes before being distracted, aim to work on a test for seven minutes at a time. Set a timer and don't stop working until it goes off. Then, when you have mastered seven minutes, increase it to 10 minutes. Slowly working your way up can help prevent you from becoming frustrating and allow you to feel accomplished with each small focus goal you achieve.

5. Concentrate on one task at a time

Multitasking is often a primary contributor to a lack of focus and concentration in the workplace. While it may seem as if you can get more done if you do multiple things at once, this is rarely the reality. Concentrating on one task at a time is often much more productive and can enable you to complete each task with a higher level of accuracy and efficiency.

6. Take scheduled breaks

Focusing on work without taking breaks throughout the day is unrealistic and can be taxing on the mind and body. Schedule small breaks each day to give your mind a break and a chance to reset. For example, every hour you could take a five-minute break to stretch your legs and get a drink of water. Set your timer and don't allow yourself to take longer than five minutes at a time. This will both give you the much-needed break you deserve but also ensure that you don't become distracted and end up taking a 30-minute break.

7. Assess and adjust your stimulation level

If you find yourself with a list of tasks that seem boring, you are less likely to exert the concentration needed to complete them. For more mundane tasks, try to boost the stimulation of the task by finding ways to make it more exciting. For example, you could set a timer and see how quickly you could complete it, making it a game. Or, you could play soothing music that promotes calm and relaxation and eases your tension or resistance to the task. The more excited you can get about a task, the more likely you'll be to focus on it.

5 mental focus techniques you can practice to increase focus in the workplace

In addition to the above tips, you can also practice the following five techniques to improve your overall focus both inside and outside of the workplace.

1. Meditate: Research has shown that practicing meditation can boost your overall ability to focus throughout the day. There are several apps and programs you can use to start a meditation practice. Spending five to 20 minutes each day meditating is enough to begin seeing improvements in your concentration levels.
   
   
2. Exercise: Exercising can provide a short boost in your ability to focus and concentrate. It can also help you feel more motivated and accomplished as well as increase your energy throughout the day. Exercising for 30 minutes several days a week is often enough to boost your attention span.
   
   
3. Make a distraction to-do list: Many people find themselves distracted by unimportant things such as checking the weather or looking up movie times. While these tasks may seem simple, they can draw you away from your work and negatively impact your focus. Keep a piece of paper nearby and every time you feel the urge to participate in an unimportant task, write it down. Then, when you are done with the task you are working on you can decide if the items on the list are important enough to go through with.
   
   
4. Read a book: Spending time reading a book can help to improve your ability to concentrate. Many of the things we read each day are short, and many people don't even read an entire article before scrolling to the next one. By sitting down and concentrating on one book for a period of time, you can teach your brain how to focus on a single task.
   
   
5. Try concentration exercises: There are several concentration exercises that you can incorporate into your daily life. For example, watching the second-hand of a clock for five minutes can help to improve your focus. You could also focus on your breathing for several minutes. Find which concentration exercise works best for you and try to practice it for several minutes each day.