In both our personal and professional lives, many of us struggle to clear our minds of unwanted thoughts and focus on the task at hand. If you are someone who has always struggled to focus on anything you do, it’s important to learn some tips and tricks to help improve your concentration. So today, we’re going to share some of the best techniques to help clear your mind of unwanted thoughts and become hyper-focused in everything you do.
Essentialism
by Greg Mckeown
⏱ 14 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Focus on the Present Moment
Many of the thoughts that cross through our minds are either about the past or the future. To try and overcome this issue, you need to find a way to focus on what you are doing right now. Tap into your five senses and think about what you see, smell, touch, hear, and feel. By doing this, you’ll remain in the present moment and won’t be so distracted about what’s ahead or behind you. You’ll find that you then can increase your focus on the task you are currently working on before moving on to another task when the time is right. You’ll see that you get through your to-do lists much quicker when you use this technique; instead of finding that you have far too much on your plate, now you are just worrying about what you need to do.
Meditation
Anyone who struggles to stay focused could benefit from adding a regular meditation practice to their life. Many people are reluctant to try meditation, especially if they know they have an overactive mind or don’t like to be alone with their thoughts. If you have never tried meditating, we recommend starting with just a minute or two at a time. Once you’ve mastered the basics of meditation, you can work up to five, ten, or twenty minutes. We recommend taking a few moments out of your day before starting a big task so that you are truly focused and ready to get your work done. Then, when you learn to meditate, you can tap into this tool at any time, helping you to get ahead with anything in life.
Reduce Distractions Around You
In this day and age, there are so many possible ways for you to become distracted. The best way to clear your mind of unwanted thoughts is to reduce the number of distractions around you in the first place. For some people, this may mean removing their smartphone or other technology from the same room they are working in. The constant ringing or pinging of your phone doesn’t help you get anything done, and without it, you’ll find that you finish your work day so much quicker. Technology has so many benefits in our lives, but by learning the time and place where you should use it, you can set boundaries surrounding the distractions available to you when you need to focus.
Set an Intention for Your Work
One of the top reasons that many of us struggle to focus on any task is that we don’t have a clear goal or intention in mind for our time. By setting an intention for your work, you can be sure that you will have a guiding light in everything you do. When you sit down at your desk to work, think about the number one thing you’d like to get done during your time there. By having this in place, you’ll be sure that you don’t get distracted by unwanted thoughts. When a thought pops into your mind that is going to take away from what you are doing, remember what your intention was for your time and keep moving forward towards this goal.
Stop Multi-Tasking
If you are someone who prides yourself on being an amazing multitasker, you need to consider whether this is actually helping you to be more productive. For many of us, multitasking isn’t the best way to get through our to-do list each day. In fact, when you are focused on too many tasks at one time, the quality of your work is likely to go down. When you have a lot to do in one day, write a clear to-do list in order of priority. From there, you can work through the list one task at a time until you have ticked off everything. You’ll soon see that this is one of the best ways to focus and save time on your work in the future.
Notice Your Triggers
Unwanted thoughts often come about as a result of a specific trigger, which will differ for each and every one of us. If you notice that a certain thought reappears during a specific task or event, then you need to do all you can to stop this from returning over and over again. It can be a huge challenge to admit that a certain person, event, or action triggers us. Still, when you tap into your inner knowledge and start to acknowledge your personal challenges, you’ll come out much better on the other side. You may need to hold some tough conversations as a result of this, but it will work out for the best in the end. Removing all negative thoughts and triggers will help you to get one step further towards your personal goals, so use this as your motivation in everything you do.
By clearing your mind of unwanted thoughts, you’ll find that you become hyper-focused in everything that you do. So many of us struggle with all of the distractions of modern-day life, but the more of these you can eliminate, the more likely you’ll achieve your personal and professional goals. By taking the time to find your triggers and stop multi-tasking, you’ll notice that you get through your to-do list in record time each day. You’ll then find you have so much more spare time to focus on your personal goals, offering you a better quality of life and improved mental health.
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