How To Increase Focus and Avoid Distraction

Distraction and Procrastination

Procrastination is the habit of putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention

The Danger of Procrastinating

• Stop you from achieving your goals
• Stop you from acting
• You don’t challenge yourself
• High-stress levels

Why do we procrastinate?

• Fear of failure
• Procrastinators are perfectionists
• Low energy levels
• Lack of focus

Decreasing Your Chances of Procrastination

• Accepting that we are not perfect
• Understand that failure is not fatal
•  Aim to do your best and be happy about the output
• Try to develop a healthier lifestyle to get more energy
• Go to bet earlier
• Reduce screen time before bedtime

Social Media Addiction

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter for reward reinforcement and pleasure

How to influence Dopamine levels

• Posting on social media
• Likes elevate dopamine levels
• Similar effects on drugs or alcohol

Use Dopamine to increase productivity

• Get dopamine reward from somewhere else
• Complete small tasks or goals
• Exercise, go sightseeing
• Finish a good book

Melatonin is a hormone that governs circadian rhythm or your sleep-wake-cycle

• Late-night computing a screen use suppresses melatonin production
• Delays your sleep cycle and robs you of few hours sleep

Use Melatonin to increase productivity

• Get Some sunshine (actual outdoor sunlight)
• Avoid screen late at night (of use night mode)
• Warm bath or shower
• Read before bed

Oxytocin is Neurotransmitters that affect social interaction, Sexual chemistry, and bonding between family and friends.

• Oxytocin increases with real social interaction. Hugging, kissing, etc.
• Virtual Interaction increases oxytocin slightly but nothing like the real thing

Use Oxytocin to increase productivity

• Meet read friends and family in the real world
• Play with your kids
• Real conversations and physical contact

Serotonin Neurotransmitter that contributes to a feeling of happiness and well-being

• High levels boost mood and make you feel happy and energetic
• Low levels linked to depressions and lethargy
• Low levels cause negative thought, irritability, anxiety, etc.
• Social media can affect self-worth and cultivates a culture of envy and inadequacy

Use Serotonin to increase productivity

• Exercise and sunshine (at the same time is even better)
• Try to maintain a positive outlook
• Practice being grateful

“Social Media is Dangerous because it rewards you for posing and getting likes (dopamine). It makes you feel artificially connected (oxytocin) – even if you are isolated deep inside. It makes you feel bad about your self (serotonin) as you vicariously live the life of your friends.” – Stephen Haunts

Self-Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation when internal desires motivate people.

Extrinsic motivation comes from an external source, such as your boss telling you that you need to be more productive.

Locus of control is the capacity to which you believe you have complete control and power over what happens to you in your life.

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." - Reinhold Niebuhr

Productivity and Time Management

• Stay hydrated
• Regular exercise
• Set goals
• Keep a to-do list
• Block out time in your calendar
• Reward yourself for hitting goals
• Focused and Timed work sprints (ex: Pomodoro technique)
• Batch similar tasks together
• Perform Dreaded Tasks in the Morning
• No Social Media on phone
• Try a Change of Scenery to Help Focus
• Listen to Music

“Those doing repetitive tasks work more efficiently when there is background music” – Applied Ergonomic, 1972

“Surgeons are more accurate and efficient when they operate with background music” – The journal of American Medical Association, 1972

“A study conducted to correlate number identification and classical or rock music concluded that participants were able to identify while listening to music” – Neuroscience and Behavior Physiology,1999

“Music is proven to aid in positive moods, better quality of work and improved efficiency” – Journal of Psychology of Music, 2005