From Distraction To Focus: Mind-Setting
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become”- Buddha.
Re-directing attention and giving the mind an opportunity to settle is imperative. During the day, the mind inadvertently becomes cluttered. New information comes in, new ideas circulate and unconscious thought patterns form.
There is an old adage that says ’a fast mind is dangerous – a still mind is divine.’ Fast minds disrupt workflow and hamper personal productivity; the more thoughts circulate, the more opportunity for distraction. Almost as soon as focus is returned, another thought captures attention.
These push/pull mechanisms affect personal productivity and create agitation. Once the mind is distracted, other aspects of work performance are compromised. Energy is sapped, concentration dwindles, happiness dissipates and stress arises. This is why the mind needs a daily refresher.
Mind-Setting
Re-setting the mind, taking it out of thought, and bringing it back into awareness is the best way of creating optimal work experiences.
Employees are clearer, more engaged, and able to negotiate the days up and downs as they come. They are less prone to lapses in concentration and are more effortful, having the impetus to get things done without succumbing to stress.
Having the opportunity to slow down and stabilise the mind is empowering. It allows employees to understand the workings of their mind while simultaneously enhancing their ability to control it.
Between stimulus and response
Not only can reactions be witnessed, but they can also be altered. If the mind is loud, it can be quietened. There is an opportunity to direct the inner world, but it requires awareness and balance – out of reaction and hyper-stimulation.
Your concentrative abilities also shape your reality. You’re more in control, flexible, thoughtful, and introspective when you create the necessary space; unfettered by the revolving roster of thoughts – disordered and disoriented.
Here are the 6 Techniques to Help Focus Your Mind:
1. Use Inversion
We keep thinking about what we must do to become productive. As a result, we try everything we read. Yet, we have no idea about what works and what doesn’t. We waste more time researching how to become productive than taking action. Instead, apply inversion — a mental model that makes you think backward. Negative thinking comes easily to human beings. We find it easier to think about what we should avoid rather than what we can do.
Takeaway: Instead of trying to work on improving your willpower, ask yourself, “How can I lose my willpower?” Note down the answers, and take steps to avoid them.
2. Turn Off Notifications
Notifications are one of the biggest distractions. A WhatsApp message or Twitter mention is enough to set you off course for almost an hour. So turn off ALL your notifications.
Takeaway: Turning off all notifications on your phone and laptop might appear alarming at first. But you’ll become less distracted and more focused. You’ll also witness an improvement in your willpower. If you want to be productive in the true sense, take this step now.
3. First Things First
This is one of the rules in Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
When you pick a task, finish this specific task first. Block out everything else. You won’t always succeed. But each time you enjoy a small win, you strengthen your willpower by a fraction. The cumulative result of these fractions, in the long run, is mind-blowing.
Takeaway: When you pick a task, finish it first. You can cave into distractions later. They will stay right there.
4. Use the 5-Second Rule
Pulling yourself out of distraction or laziness is tough. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s human nature. But you can take conscious steps to get yourself on track.
Have you heard of Mel Robbins’ Five-Second Rule? It states that when you don’t feel like doing something important, or when you know you must pull yourself away from harmful activity, tell yourself, ‘I’ll [insert activity] in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.’ When you end the countdown, start the activity in the self-dialogue.
Takeaway: When you become aware of doing unproductive work while more important tasks loom overhead, tell yourself, ‘I’ll start [insert deep work activity] in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.’ Then stop what you’re doing and return to the important task.
5. Exercise
Conventional wisdom states exercise helps you lead a healthier lifestyle. Coupled with a good diet, it helps you live a healthier life. But the results of the exercise are much more. They cascade into all aspects of your life, including boosting your productivity. Research shows that exercise releases endorphins, the happiness chemical, in the brain, which enhances your state of mind.
Takeaway: Physical exercise will train your mind to push itself to the next level. Exercise 3 days a week and witness your willpower strengthen with time.
6. Switch Off
We love staying connected 24/7. It makes us appear like we’re on top of things. In reality, though, we become slower. Staying involved in something all the time pulls you into tactical issues of every moment. This impedes your ability to focus on larger and more strategic aspects of life. As a result, you’re like a hamster on the wheel — running hard, but barely moving forward.
Takeaway: Switch off for some time every day. It gives your mind some space to breathe. Become wise enough to recognize that constant activity is not a productive way to live.
Attention implies singularity. As in, if you’re paying attention to lots of things—that’s not truly paying attention. It’s an understatement that focusing on one thing at a time can be difficult. But it’s kinda the big key to succeeding at work and in life.
The good thing about focus is that it’s a learnable skill. It takes practice and it takes experimenting with different methods, but you actually can improve your ability to do it. And you can do it without downloading any apps or studying up on hacks.
Here at Inbloom, we believe that offering a Virtual Corporate Mindfulness Meditation Session to your team will make a big difference in their productivity level. Email us and we’ll discuss!