13 Tricks to Help You Focus at Work

With distractions coming from chiming iPhones, app notifications, and never-ending emails and text messages, it’s a wonder how we ever get any work done.

The funny thing is that the hard part isn’t always how to focus but how to stay focused and how to concentrate long enough to get a task done.

What Is Focus?

Focus, very simply put, is directed attention.

When you focus, you are concentrating your attention or effort on a job or task. It sounds easy, so why can it be so hard at times?

Focus is essentially a muscle. So, if you’re wondering how to focus better, it’s a skill that has to be constantly worked on. This means you have to actually work on not looking at your phone every two minutes so you can get that project done, it won’t just magically happen.

Think about focus in terms of running. You can’t just wake up one day and decide to run a marathon; you must work towards and train for it. 

Where Focus Has Gone—Our Distracting World

If I had to bet, I would say most people could name at least five things at any given time that distract them: things like phones, social media, Netflix, children, spouses, their chatty coworker, a light layer of dust on the top of your computer monitor, or their email notifications from their boss.

It’s not hard to find distractions, which might lead you to wonder how to stay focused in today’s distracting world.

Everyone and everything is competing for your attention, and it’s up to you to use your focus muscle to limit those interruptions, practice self-discipline, and get to work. But it’s easier said than done.

In addition to the continuous string of distractions, there is the factor of attention residue that results from shifting our attention frequently.

After years of extensive research, Dr. Sophie Leroy, Associate Professor of Management at the University of Washington Bothell, has developed and coined the term "attention residue" to help explain situations in which people find it challenging to be entirely focused on the task at hand.

"I’ve spent the last 17 years studying the brain and how we deal with having to constantly switch focus. What research shows is that, generally, the brain finds it difficult to switch between tasks.

In particular, my research reveals that, as we switch between tasks (for example from Task A to Task B), part of our attention often stays with the prior task (Task A) instead of fully transferring to the next one (Task B). This is what I call Attention Residue, when part of our attention is focused on another task instead of being fully devoted to the current task that needs to be performed," Dr. Leroy says.

When we leave a task unfinished or are interrupted while completing a task, our brain has difficulty letting go of the previous task, and it lingers in the back of our minds. So, while you are trying to focus on the new task during your work day, your thoughts are still stuck on your last unfinished task.

This means that you have fewer cognitive resources available to perform the new task because your focus is split between both. This is exactly the reason why multitasking is never as productive as we’d like it to be.

How to Improve Focus—A Step-by-Step Guide

We know focusing can be hard, so what exactly can be done to help us focus? Here are some actionable steps to follow to help you concentrate and stay focused:

1. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

According to Dr. Epstein, editor of the Harvard Special Health Report Improving Sleep: A Guide to Getting a Good Night's Rest, “going without sleep for 48 hours impairs cognitive abilities to the same degree as having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1%, above the legal limit for driving in every state.”

This shows us the importance and value of a good night’s sleep. To set yourself up for success, make sure you’re getting enough sleep which means the seven to eight hours of recommended sleep each night. It’s going to be a lot easier to focus when you’re feeling fresh and feeling a wave of fatigue cloud your judgment.

2. Work at Your Best Time of Day

Whether you’re a self-proclaimed morning person or a night owl, you likely know what time of day works best for you.

If you know you’re sharper in the morning, plan to work on your most significant and most difficult tasks in the morning. The constant distraction of Instagram, Facebook, other social media notifications, and anything else on the Internet will be less alluring during that time while you're doing deep work.

It would be counterintuitive to wait until 3 p.m. to do your daily activities when you know you’ll crash by 8 p.m. The same goes for those who work best at night. Schedule your day and workload around your optimal work times. There’s no need to make it harder than it needs to be.

3. Take Care of the Small Tasks That Will Add Up to Big Distractions

This means getting the small tasks that lead to procrastination out of the way before sitting down to work. For example, my house is always the cleanest when I have a lot to do. Why? Because I will find any reason not to sit down and do the hard stuff.

That means that before I sit down at my computer, I’ll do the dishes, sweep, throw in a load of laundry, and every other household chore, so when I sit down to work, I have zero excuses to get up and distract myself from the task at hand.

This can also mean making that cup of coffee, grabbing water, and printing out resources you may need before you sit down to focus on a project.

Whatever little things you know you’ll use as an excuse to distract you, even if they’re great forms of procrastination, take care of them first. Productive procrastination is still procrastination, but there's a better chance you'll get back to the important stuff when you do it first.

4. Set Your Space Up for Success

Whatever space works best for you, this is the time to set it up. For some, it’s a clean desk, clear from clutter. For others, it’s the kitchen table or a private room.

Some people even like to get away from the comforts of the office or home to a place that’s slightly more unfamiliar and uncomfortable, like a coffee shop or library.

Removing themselves from the comforts of their desk or couch allows them to focus fully. Why? When the task is complete, they can go back home.

It’s all about creating or setting up in a space where your attention span can thrive, ideally away from distractions.

5. Limit Your Notifications

This is easier said than done. Phones, email, kids, partners—they all disrupt your concentration skills (although lovingly) from the task at hand. When you’re trying to focus, it’s best to keep these notifications, be it digital or in person, to a minimum.

Turn off your phone, silence it, put it in airplane mode, or even put it in another room. Set the expectation with your family or coworkers that you’re dedicating this time to concentrate so that you can spend undistracted, quality time with them later. 

6. Make a To-Do List

If you’re wondering how to focus on yourself and how to focus at work, a to-do list is a great place to start. Getting clear on what you need to do and then prioritizing from most important to least important helps you to get clear on your priorities and gives you a roadmap for your day.

If you have a big work project to complete but also want to get a workout in, make time for meditation, and make cookies for your kid's classroom, take a look at your day and see how you can make it happen and map it out.

Integrating your personal priorities, mental health, and work responsibilities ensures that everything important to you gets checked off your list.

7. Set a Time Limit

Some find it easier to focus when they know there’s an end in sight. It doesn’t have to be a long time limit; you can start with something small, like 10 or 15 minutes.

The length of time you pick should be short enough to focus but not so long that you start to zone out or let your mind wander. Once you get into the task, you’ll likely find the energy to keep going.

Working in small intervals is the idea behind the Pomodoro Technique. This time management method, developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, uses a timer to break down work into intervals. Each interval, called a Pomodoro, is traditionally 25 minutes, and intervals are separated by a short break. The purpose of the technique is to reduce interruptions so you can focus.

When you know the work isn't open-ended, you can use your problem-solving skills efficiently.

8. Coffee Helps!

No, really, it does. Any caffeine can serve as a much-needed boost.

Numerous studies have shown that caffeine can increase concentration and mental focus. So before you sit down to work on that big project, grab a cup of joe, green tea, or cold brew. 

Focus in the Workplace

You might find it easier to focus on tasks you enjoy rather than tasks you have to do (i.e., the work you get paid to do). You don’t always have the luxury of picking and choosing what jobs you can get done where.

So how are you supposed to focus when you absolutely have to? We have some tips on how to focus at work.

1. Put Your Phone Away 

It’s easiest to focus when you're not being lured by the constant call of social media and the pinging of emails on your phone. Put your phone in a drawer or leave it in your purse to completely avoid being distracted for a short while.

This is also a great rule of thumb for meetings. If you’re heading into an important meeting and your phone is not 100 percent necessary, leave it behind. Your boss and other meeting attendees will appreciate your undivided attention.

2. Schedule Important Tasks on Your Calendar

Scheduling time with yourself ensures you’re dedicating that time to focus on that specific project or deadline. Set it for a time when you are most productive to ensure you optimize the time available.

This is also a great way to make sure no one books you for a meeting during your most productive time.

3. Communicate With Your Team

Don't be afraid to tell others if you’re really trying to concentrate.

Letting them know you have an important deadline or task to complete is a great way to ensure that they don’t unnecessarily distract you. The added bonus is that it holds you accountable. 

You said you were taking the time to get it down, so now you have no reason not to.

4. Take Breaks

Get up and go for a short walk, refill your water, or catch up with a coworker. Do something that requires you to move and not look at your phone for a few minutes.

Working for an extended period without taking a break can lead to stress and exhaustion. You’ll find you’re more productive and creative when you take a few moments to step back from what you’ve been focused on.

5. Plan and Prioritize

This is a good idea whether you’re looking to focus or just trying to figure out how to structure your day. Taking a few moments at the start of a day (or the night) before to outline your tasks and priorities ahead of time will help you stay on track.

Without a plan, you may feel like you’re grasping in the dark to figure out what to do next and find that you’re having trouble focusing. A few good minutes of planning can save you much time and frustration on the back end.

5 Lifestyle Habits to Improve Your Focus Skills

In addition to the list above, some other lifestyle habits can help you focus and concentrate better.

Focus Skills to Master

Once you have your habits in place and you're ready to move from novice to expert level of understanding for focus, here are the skills to master:

How to Show Focus Skills on Your Resume + Cover Letter

You’ve mastered the art of focusing, but how do you convey this skill on your resume and cover letter. The best way is to get specific. Focus has different definitions in different industries, so speak to specific examples of how you focus. 

This is especially true in your cover letter. You can dive into your professional story in detail in your cover letter, more so than in your resume.

If the job you’re applying for mentions specifics in the job description relating to attention to detail and concentration, elaborate on how your experience directly relates to those skills and give a detailed description.

On your resume, the same rule applies. You’ll just need to get more precise. Provide bullet points on your experience relating to focus using your specific examples and language such as:

Another huge way to show focus, make sure there are no typos on your resume, and make it clear and concise. It will be hard for someone to believe you can demonstrate extreme attention to detail when they find an error on your resume.

If you're looking for more resume and cover letter tips, we’ve got you covered!