In a world full of distractions and short form content we’ve become world class procrastinators. Me included. (*It took me 3 days to write this relatively short blog post). What can we do to increase our concentration? Let’s regain that laser beam focus we had when we were younger.
In this article we’ll discuss a variety of techniques we can use to increase our focus and concentration and as a result increase our output.
Ditch the Phone
First of all, if you’re working on a computer or even brainstorming in a notepad make sure your smartphone is not in the vicinity. Put it in a different room, lock it in a draw, turn it off, even throw it out of the window if you have to. The masterminds behind these things have done an amazing job of gluing us to them. Most of our lives are now in the hands of a touch screen device. When it comes to work, we need to go back to basics and get rid of the chief distractor for a while.
Log Out
When working on your laptop or PC you might be logged in to Instagram, Facebook or Coingecko. Log out of everything that’s related to your social life. A good idea is creating a personal and work account on your laptop so the temptation to check what your aunt’s having for breakfast isn’t there. Separating work life from social life is especially important for people who work from home as the lines can be so easily blurred.
Grab a Matcha
Often our biggest problem is actually starting work. Once we get started and get in the flow, we can be highly productive. But sometimes you have to break down the barrier of “I can’t be bothered”. A good way of doing that is utilizing a hit of caffeine. If you’ve been here before you know we aren’t big advocates of coffee. However, if you’re a good sleeper and don’t suffer from anxiety and don’t really experience a crash then go for it. Our preference is a Green Tea. It provides a subtle amount of caffeine and a nice little serene boost of mental energy. If you want to something a little stronger go for a mug of Matcha. Green Tea and Matcha provide a more sustained mental boost, and a massive punch of antioxidants, plus there’s no crash.
Dark Chocolate
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, get yourself two squares of Dark Chocolate (containing 70%+ cocoa). Not only does this pair beautifully with coffee or Green Tea, but it gives us an immediate mood boost and even more mental energy.
Flow State Music
Now that we’ve got distractions out of the way and a cup of herbal tea in hand it’s time to flip the laptop lid. Go onto Youtube and navigate past the eye-catching thumbnails and alluring short form content and search for some flow state music. Once you’ve found one you like bookmark it and go straight to it in the future. Chances are you’re going to be typing at some point so music without lyrics is optimal. As for genre, that’s up to you. Lo fi, liquid dubstep is often a good option. This is what I’m listening to as I write this:
Deep Work
Working on something for a couple of hours without any distraction will yield great results. Have a break and then do another stint. Four hours of work like this will produce more output than a full day’s work in a busy office environment full of distraction.
Optimize Other Areas of your Life
To have high levels of focus and concentration we need to make sure we are getting adequate sleep, we’re eating a balanced diet and we’re exercising.
A lack of sleep can make us groggy and not at our sharpest. Read our article on optimizing sleep here.
What we eat has a profound effect on our overall health. Our diet needs to nourish the microbiome in our gut, as the gut acts as our second brain. It is in fact connected directly to our brain via the vagus nerve. Limit processed foods where possible. Wholefoods, fruit, and vegetables is the route to go.
Exercise keeps us in physical shape, as well as improving our cardiovascular system, immune system and boosting our mood. It releases feel-good hormones including endorphins. After exercise we have greater mental clarity, and this is ideal for working. Get in an early gym session before work or perform a quick HIIT session on your exercise bike at home to get the blood flowing.
CBD
CBD has a whole host of benefits. It helps to clear the mind and slow down overthinking which is perfect when we want to get into a flow state and produce a couple of hours of deep work.
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*Only joking. Four drops of CBD, a Matcha, and two squares of Dark Chocolate and I blasted this post out in just a few minutes!
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