Working with Focus - Reduce Distractions and Improve Concentration

Do you find yourself easily distracted, and do you want to learn how to concentrate better? These tips can help you get less distracted and improve your focus.

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. – Anne Lamott

Distractions Happen to All of Us

The past decade has shown that we are increasingly and more easily distracted. Surrounded by devices and apps constantly vying for our attention, we have created a habit of distraction. Not only are we more distracted by people and apps, but we also get distracted by our minds.

How It Works

We have become so accustomed to constant distraction followed by a reward (such as a ’like’ on social media, a piece of news, or a message from a friend) that our brains start seeking distraction on their own.

Sensory Overload

Back in the ’60s, if you were working on a difficult task, your brain probably sought distraction, too, but not at the intensity we experience today. The options were limited: playing an LP, flipping through a magazine, making a phone call, or watching something on TV if you were lucky.

Today, you can almost unconsciously pull out your smartphone and get flooded with stimulating information and entertainment that you can lose yourself in for hours. Distraction has always existed, but its intensity is relatively new.

Normalizing Distraction

We’re not the only ones doing this; people around us are getting distracted more quickly. This behavior has become more normalized. We understand if our conversation partner checks their phone a few times during a conversation, and we find it logical that part of a workday is spent on social media and YouTube. We normalize distraction by participating in it, but it comes at a cost. All this distraction leads to fragmented attention, making us feel rushed and tense. It also reduces our chances of diving deep into a task and entering a state of flow, which is crucial for a fulfilling life.

So, let’s explore how we can improve step by step. Here are ways I experience less distraction, develop better concentration, and enhance my quality of life.

The secret of multitasking is that it isn’t multitasking. It’s just extreme focus and organization. – Joss Whedon

Learn to Detox from Distractions

Firstly, I regularly detox from distractions. This isn’t something I do once – it’s an ongoing process. It starts with addressing digital distractions on my smartphone and laptop. I go through notification settings and turn everything off, enabling only notifications for apps that:

• Send messages from real people I care about.
• Improve my quality of life (like public transport apps, diary apps, and notifications if the web server goes down).

I generally don’t check email on my smartphone and don’t receive notifications from social media or media apps like YouTube and Netflix. My computers are set up similarly. I only get messages from family and friends; the rest is muted.

If I find myself using my smartphone more than I would like (getting sucked into the downward spiral of distraction), I get stricter with myself. I delete apps that constantly distract me – like Reddit – and set my phone to block remaining distracting apps in the evening. During these periods, I also made a point of leaving the house without my smartphone. Without it, I can’t distract myself, and I end up simply looking around when I’m at a café with a friend who goes to the restroom.

It is a rather unique activity these days.

I sometimes check and respond to emails only once or twice a week during busy periods. If I expect essential emails, I set notifications for those contacts. This way, I avoid constantly checking my email because I expect an important message, but I stay informed when it happens.

Additionally, I train my brain to be less distracted by regularly meditating. Even a few minutes of meditation daily can significantly improve concentration and reduce self-induced distractions, mainly because I recognize the thoughts leading to distraction earlier (“This is boring. I want to do something fun. What’s happening on YouTube?”).

Reducing distraction isn’t something you do once. It’s a process, a balance you constantly maintain. You don’t find balance; you learn to balance better.

Do One Thing at a Time

The more things you try to do simultaneously – or rather, interchangeably – the harder it becomes to concentrate. Multitasking is like running on quicksand. At first, you move fast, but soon you get stuck in the mess.

Doing your tasks one by one with full attention makes you feel less stressed and rushed, and it becomes much easier to concentrate deeply. This helps you slide into a flow state more quickly, making you work more effectively and feel happier.

My approach to single-tasking is straightforward:

I usually work in blocks of at least an hour and a half. Fortunately, I have a perfect focus, especially when something highly interests me. If you’re not accustomed to this yet, you can try the Pomodoro method. You set a timer for 25 minutes and work solely on the selected task during that time. When the timer goes off, you take a five-minute break. Then, start a new timer and work with total concentration again.

The more often I concentrate intensely, the easier it becomes, and the less distracted I get. You can train your brain to become better at concentration.

Plan Your Tasks Better

Better planning of my tasks increases the likelihood of working with focus. Often, we get easily distracted when working on vague tasks. We become susceptible to distractions if we’re not clear about what we aim to achieve.

Many people see planning as “overhead”—wasted time—because time spent planning cannot be used to perform the tasks. But in my experience, some planning makes me much more productive.

For example, when I write an article, it helps immensely first to plan what I want to write about and what the article’s general content should be. If I don’t, I will likely stare at a blank screen and quickly get distracted by other things.

The more practical and concrete you can make a task, the easier it is to perform it without getting distracted.

Declutter

If I want to be less distracted, I make sure my environment is tidy—not just my house and workspace but also my digital environment—since this takes up a large part of my life as a writer and blogger.

It helps me experience more peace of mind and easily slip into deep concentration.

In practice, this means:

• Before I start working, I at least tidy up and clean the surface I’m working on, like the dining table, if necessary.
• I also keep my computer clean since I often work on it. My desktop and download folder are always empty.
• I do the same with my physical mail and email inbox. I discard as much as possible as soon as I can and archive the rest if needed. This way, I keep my living and working environment tidy, reducing distractions from what I need to do.

Be Patient

I’m teaching myself to focus less on the outcome and more on the process. Working this way, I feel less frustrated when things don’t go as smoothly. It also helps me work more calmly and happily through my tasks, making me feel less distracted.

But what does it mean to focus on the process?

Suppose you want to walk from Utrecht to Paris; you have a long journey ahead. Instead of constantly focusing on the end goal (Paris), you determine how to reach that goal (in this case, by walking) and focus on that. Although Paris is the end goal, you make the next stage or even the next step the goal for now. Just keep walking; that process helps you achieve the goal.

The same applies to other goals:

• A successful book will come if you sit down and write as well as you can daily.
• A healthy body results from making small daily choices for healthier food and more exercise.
• A great relationship develops by sharing love and appreciation every day.

By focusing on the process, I experience more peace and patience. I know the task ahead and don’t have to worry about the more challenging goals daily.

Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein

Personalized Guidance Available

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