What are some ways to improve focus and concentration at work?

For some, especially those with executive functioning difficulties, previous trauma etc, this first step is a massive hurdle. Utilising another person can be helpful, a collegue, friend, partner, workplace assistant for example. A brief discussion and joint identification of goals can help to give external validation and accountability. Setting a time for later in the day to review the set goals is useful for structuring the day. If both parties are setting goals, a body double approach is put in place, reducing the internal pressure and impact of automatic negative/critical thinking we may place on ourselves, and improving the chance of successful completion goals.

Mantenha sua área de trabalho limpa e organizada para reduzir distra??es. Elimine itens desnecessários e mantenha apenas o que é essencial para a tarefa em quest?o. Focar na respira??o pode ajudar a acalmar a mente e melhorar a clareza mental. Alternar entre diferentes tipos de tarefas pode ajudar a evitar o cansa?o mental e manter o interesse ao longo do dia.

The average attention span is less than 9 seconds, therefore mind starts wondering and thoughts popping into our mind even if we think we are concentrated on one specific task. What helps me to keep being focused on an important task is: - Self-awareness: noticing when the attentions starts to fade and knowing that it is the time for mindfulness practice. - Mindful breathing: The moment attention starts to fade I focus on my breath and then shift attention back to the task. - Body-awareness: The moment attention starts to fade I focus on my fingers or toes for a moment, realising that I am here and now in a present moment and shift back the attention to the task.

Setting intentions at work involves defining specific, achievable goals before starting tasks. For example, you might intend to prioritize important assignments or focus on clear communication during meetings. This mindful approach aligns your actions with purpose, providing a roadmap for sustained focus and heightened concentration. By consciously directing your efforts, you create a positive impact on productivity and work quality.

Yes, we can set goals. However, I've found that asking ourselves the questions: 'How do I want to show up today?' 'How do I want people to feel as they work with me? 'How much am I paying attention to what really matters?' These questions can connect us to a deeper sense of purpose and beingness than simple prioritising can.

When it comes to boosting focus and concentration at work, I've found that cutting out distractions is key. Personally, I like to create a serene workspace, free from clutter and noise. Taking regular breaks for mindful breathing helps me stay centered and recharged, ready to tackle tasks with renewed focus. By integrating mindfulness practices into the workday, both myself and my clients have noticed a significant improvement in productivity.

No matter how hard you try, distractions will happen. Life is unpredictable. But there are ways to reduce the chance. As discussed there are external and internal. External are easier to manage, internal harder. Automatic negative thinking, impulsiveness due to difficulties such as ADHD, trauma response, low mood, hormonal variations are slightly trickier. Routine is be helpful, however boring it may be! And as a professional with adhd, I am able to reflect on the need for routine, but also the excitement of the unexpected and the positive feelings of dealing with crisis situations. Blocking out time in diary, using do not disturb function on teams, forwarding calls, using noise cancelling headphones, Pomdoro working are all helpful

One tip that may help is to schedule time for distraction! We all get distracted and it is rare to have the energy and focus to maintain attention for a full day. We can schedule time to allow the mind the chase all the thoughts and distractions and daydreams that it wishes and then return to whatever work we have chosen.

Start by identifying your most intrusive distractions (the things that *can't* happen, or you're just not going to be able to focus). Find a place and a time to work that can accommodate these needs. You certainly can't control everything - and distractions are a part of life, but you can take out your biggest offenders. This offers us a feeling that we're positively managing our distractions, which can have a positive impact. I recommend turning off all notifications in addition to getting rid of your biggest distractions. Notifications were MADE to distract you, so don't try to fight a losing battle on this one.

Eliminating distractions is simply good working practice and not really anything to do with mindfulness. Mindfulness is a way of becoming less easily distracted and less distractible because it helps you to pause and assess your response to stimulus before acting.

Mindful breaks are really useful in helping with Internal distractions. Mindful doesn't need to be emptying your brain of all thoughts, simple acknowledgement of the distraction and an active response is mindful. Acknowledgement of " I am distracted" is the first step. Then stopping. If you are distracted, then why are you fighting it? It's ok to get up, walk around, get a drink, go to the loo, and try to come back to the task. Sitting, try to complete a task you are distracted from, knowing you are struggling, being self critical, won't help. It's like shovelling snow in a blizzard. Stop, have five minutes, and be kind to you. You increase the chances of task completion by doing this.

It is important to remember to take breaks. Depending on how you function best, you can plan work breaks or take them when you are noticing yourself becoming distracted.

By incorporating mindful breaks into my day, I've noticed a significant improvement in my creativity and focus. Instead of powering through tasks non-stop, I now make it a point to get up at least once an hour. These breaks have been instrumental in rejuvenating my mind and enhancing my overall productivity. It's important to experiment and see what works best for you.

Many people I know are swamped by the plethora of meditation techniques, approaches and theories. As a result, many people try a few different techniques from YouTube or apps and find they don't work for them. A better approach is to locate an experienced meditation teacher for mentoring. This mentoring relationship allows your uniqueness, motivations, experience and learning style to be catered. Then the teacher can recommend meditation approaches that are more suitable to you.

It's easy to write practice meditation, but as someone who works with those with adhd, meditation can and is really tricky. Adhd brains are always busy, thoughts are always racing around, to calm the brain to one thought is hard and for many not instantly achievable. Again, using a mindful approach rather than pure meditation can be helpful. Acknowledgement that I am struggling, or indeed if attempting meditation, Acknowledgement that my brain will wander, and that is OK is really important. Reducing self critical thoughts and the feelings these bring will help with focus Remembering " it's OK to struggle" and "I am not perfect and that's ok" is nothing but helpful.

Meditation can be hard to learn on your own and the focus on sitting still and on the breath can be triggering for those with trauma, asthma (or similar lung problems), or those who overthink. Walking/moving meditations can be much more helpful for those groups, also meditative practices like Tai Chi or Experiential Focusing.

Mindfulness is not a one-time activity for when we’re stressed out. It’s a training process to enhance and refine our attention regulation capabilities. Practices such as focusing on the breath, open monitoring (choiceless awareness), and body scan techniques have been shown to enhance our ability to concentrate and improve our overall engagement with tasks. This is trained through a structured iterative approach of (1) focusing, (2) noticing interference (distractions or interruptions), and (3) redirecting attention back to the objectb of focus.

Emotions and emotional regulation for any human being is tricky. There are so many factors that influence how we deal with our emotions, but acknowledgement that we have emotions is good place to start. We aren't robots, we are human beings, we feel, we experience, we grow, we learn, from positive and negative emotions. Having time to reflect on any emotion is helpful. If you know you are about to enter into an emotion driven situation, for example potential conflict with a collegue. Give yourself me time after to reflect. Even ten minutes in the toilet after is useful!

Sometimes when I've been very focused and productive, I feel inclined to keep going (since I've been on a roll). Don't fall prey to this - reward yourself for productivity and focus with a break! It might seem counterintuitive - but if I'm doing great, keep going, right? - but pushing through can lead us to burn out, get anxious, etc. Having a break as a reward makes sense, too. You wouldn't reward yourself for doing something hard by making yourself do the same hard thing, right?

Rewarding yourself at work can enhance focus and concentration. Break tasks into manageable segments, and after completing each, treat yourself to a short break or a small, enjoyable reward. This technique, known as the Pomodoro Technique, boosts motivation, reduces burnout, and helps maintain a high level of attention throughout the day. Remember, the key is to strike a balance between productivity and moments of rejuvenation to optimize overall performance.

Another way to improve focus and concentration is to avoid multitasking. When we try to multitask, it only appears to us that we are doing multiple tasks together. However, our brain switches between the tasks rapidly and so it gives us the impression that we are multitasking. This lowers our ability to remain focused and decreases productivity. To improve focus, allocate sufficient time to each task and practice to remain focused on one task at a time with full concentration. Grow Your Mind, Grow Your Life!??

Reflect on emptiness. Everything around us is devoid of inherent essense. We attribute meaning and importance to things, so a task is not by default important or urgent; it is when we think it is. Keeping this in the back of your mind may help reviewing your priorities from time to time.

The practice of "Clearing a Space" from Experiential Focusing can be extremely helpful in regaining focus, calming down, and feeling centred and resourced.

Being mindful of emotions plays a crucial role in attention regulation. Emotions can significantly impact one's ability to focus. Cultivating an awareness and understanding of one's emotional state can aid in managing distractions more effectively.