Prepare Your Brain

Take a minute or two to sit in a comfortable position and breathe deeply into your stomach.

Let your body calm down before you approach your work. You’ll find it really helps you concentrate.

Take the time to identify what deserves your focus for the year, for the month, for the week, and for the day. Then look at your calendar and block time dedicated to focus.

If you need to focus, log out of email and social media. Log out for 30 minutes either at the beginning of the day or for a period in the afternoon. You won’t believe how much you can get done when you’re not always interrupting yourself to return emails.

It helps you focus on the day.  While caffeine doesn’t improve learning or memory performance, Astrid Nehlig found it does increase physiological arousal, which makes you less apt to be distracted and better able to pay attention during a demanding task.

If it’s too hot or too cool in your work environment, it could impact your focus. 

A study from Cornell University found that workers are most productive and make fewer errors in an environment that is somewhere between 68 and 77 degrees. 

Too much background noise can be very distracting. According to some studies, having music playing helps you focus on your own thoughts. The catch? You have to like the song.

A study found that participants who were given short breaks during a 50-minute task performed better than those who worked straight through.

The study examines a phenomenon called “vigilance decrement,” or losing focus over time. Taking a short break in the middle of a long task reenergizes the brain.

If you’re sitting in on a long meeting or conference, improve your focus–and your artistic skills–by doodling.

Doodling aids in cognitive performance and recollection.