Focus → The Secret Weapon for Success
- Bojan Varga
- Apr 24, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 25, 2024
Today's world is full of noise. Car horns, people chattering, notifications from our devices, you name it. No matter if you're working from the office, remotely or from home, noise around us destroys our focus.
And without focus, there is no productivity!
In order to stay focused and productive, it’s important to set aside time for yourself to work without interruption. This might mean finding a quiet place to work, turning off notifications on all your devices, or setting specific work hours. The more you can minimize distractions and interruptions, the more effective you will be in achieving your goals.
Here are several benefits of focus:
Productivity Amplification Definitely the most important benefit of focus. By concentrating your energy and attention on the task at hand, you will become more efficient, by accomplishing more in less time which is going to move the needle for your business.
Innovation and Problem-Solving Contrary to popular belief, focus and creativity are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they often go hand in hand. Focused minds are better equipped to think creatively and find innovative solutions to any challenge.
Better Decision-Making Steve Jobs said: “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are.” Therefore, focus plays a pivotal role in enhancing your decision-making abilities. When you are concentrated, you are well aware what your goals are, and you can weigh your choices against your objectives, making it easier to identify the best path.
Accomplishment of our Goals with Clarity and Precision Focus serves as the compass that guides us towards our goals. It helps us to cut through the clutter easier, allowing us to identify our core objectives and the shortest path to achieve them.
According to Hypercontext, focus time improves mood, engagement, reduces stress and frustration:
Tasks with interruption, compared to tasks with no interruption resulted in 10.83% increase in mental workload 18.86% increase in stress 38.45% increase in frustration 15.30% increase in time pressure and 16.31% increase in effort This indicates that interruptions have a serious impact on employee productivity, morale, and efficiency, leading to increased costs for businesses.
Distractions are killing productivity Distractions can come in many forms. Notifications, chats, or email have a significant impact on productivity. Researchers found it takes over 23 minutes to fully regain focus after a distraction and employees reenter their task with 20% more frustration and 30% more stress. (University of California, Irvine)
Science behind focus time The neuroscience behind focus time is related to a concept called attentional control, which refers to the ability to focus on important information while ignoring irrelevant information. When you focus on a specific task, your brain is able to filter out distractions and direct your attention to the task at hand. This allows you to work more efficiently and effectively, and it also helps to reduce mental fatigue.
Focus time duration According to research, you need 2+ hours of uninterrupted time to get into flow. Some people need more or less so be flexible as you test it out. On average, individual contributors have 15 hours per week of focus time. Of course, the amount of focus time necessary to meet your goals varies by role. For instance, a salesperson may need (or want) less focus time than an engineer, or managers, who are expected to be in more internal meetings, etc.
Here are some suggestions how to implement focus time and improve productivity:
Two hours of deep focus a day move the needle Pat Walls, founder of Starter Story has a simple 2 hour rule. 2 hours of deep work. Every day. No matter what. And that's it! He likes to start his day with focus time in early mornings because there are 10x less distractions at that time and more importantly, the awareness that he finished the most important work at the beginning of the day. Guilt free, he can enjoy the rest of his day.
Analyze your work week and schedule focus time According to the Pareto Rule, (also known as the 80/20 rule), 20% of our daily tasks account for 80% of our results. Identify the 20% of activities that contribute the most to your success, find the best time for focus mode without interruptions, select the most important tasks for you to tackle and distribute the rest of your time for meetings, admin work, chats, lunch or exercise. Embracing the 80/20 rule is a strategic move towards efficiency and effectiveness in the ever-evolving world of careers.
Eliminate distractions while in focus time Remember the time without cell-phones and computers, when we had landline telephones only? (if you're too young, ask older folks) It was simple, you did what you had to do without distractions in real-time. Today's world made us available at any time, anywhere, which is fantastic in terms of advancement of the civilization, but it's # 1 focus & productivity killer. After you've scheduled quiet time in your calendar, inform all of your colleagues and friends that you will not be available during focus time. Turn off notifications on all devices around you. This is a game-changer for boosting your productivity!
Make yourself comfortable in your work environment No matter the time you need to spend on preparation of the best environment for your focus mode, just do it, it is worth it. Cleaning your desk, stretching, or preparing your favorite beverage for your quiet time will help you reach deep focus easier and will keep you in such state longer without interruptions.
The power of music Music is important aspect of everyday life. But it may also be a fantastic focus improvement tool, especially if you're working in noisy environment. According to "A Brilliant Mind" article, music is a very powerful tool that connects with us in ways language often falls short. For enhancing focus, experts recommend listening of binaural beats or instrumental music, but as far as we can judge, there haven’t been any studies comparing instrumental music with music with lyrics, so their comparative efficiency remains an open question. Our advice is to put the headphones on, pick whatever music you like. You will definitely figure out what works best for you in time.
To cut a long story short, in today's, fast-paced world where everyone is lacking attention, the ability to focus is super-valuable.
By harnessing the power of focus, we can accomplish our goals, maximize productivity, enhance quality, overcome challenges, cultivate mindfulness and creativity. It is not merely a skill to be acquired but a mindset to be cultivated and a firm commitment to directing our attention towards what truly matters.
Through continuous learning and refinement, the Bevox Team has developed practical strategies and actionable tips for improving focus and productivity for all industries and teams within the company.
Armed with this expertise and with 15+ years of experience, we are equipped to empower others to unlock their full potential, guiding them on a path towards greater effectiveness and fulfillment in both their personal and professional lives.
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