Move and Groove #16 - Focus

It's a busy Monday morning. You've just settled into your office chair, coffee in hand, ready to tackle the day. And then, the distractions start rolling in. A flood of Slack messages, a new task from your boss, an urgent customer escalation. To escape, you pick up your phone and see what's happening in the world. Before you know it, it's noon, and you haven't checked a single thing off your to-do list. Sound familiar?

Neuroscience Nugget: In the whirlwind of a busy day, maintaining focus is crucial for productivity and mental clarity. The brain's frontal lobe, particularly the prefrontal cortex, is instrumental in managing attention and resisting distractions. Research published in Psychological Science (Clapp et al., 2010) shows that our ability to focus on relevant information while ignoring distractions is a key determinant of cognitive performance. By enhancing our focus, we can improve our efficiency and reduce the mental fatigue that often accompanies a chaotic start to the week.

Pep Talk: As we embark on this week, let's prioritize our focus. Simple actions like setting intentions, cleaning your desk, and organizing your tasks on Friday afternoon set the stage for a successful day (see the Friday Afternoon Strategy Hack for details on how to do this). Then, turn off notifications on your apps, resist the urge to check your email/Slack/Teams every 30 seconds, and put the phone away. Work on the most important thing in your list and give it your undivided attention. Before you know it, you will be rewarded with dopamine and will fly through the task. Move to the next one and before you know it, your day will be incredibly productive and rewarding.

Stay focused, conquer distractions, and see you next Monday! ????

Be well,

Eric

P.S. Enjoy these free resources and learn more:

• Be Well Mind - blogs on neuroscience, sports science, and performance.
• Schedule a free call - enjoy a powerful one hour coaching session for free.
• Group Flow Checklist - improve your team's ability to enter group flow for more productivity, innovation, and joy.
• Support Room to Read and push me to do my best at the 24-hour race on April 6th!