Working in a focused way can greatly boost our productivity. It also helps us stay calm, as we tackle tasks with our full attention rather than flitting from thing to thing. Here are some ways to regain your focus and combat distractions.

List it
Lists help because we don’t have to keep everything in our memory. That frees up space for us to focus on the task we’re doing in the present moment. If, instead, you try and keep a running To Do list in your memory, your mind will turn again and again to those things you need to remember to do. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about everything you have to do, try writing a list of all the tasks. This simple step can make a difference to feeling you are in control of the tasks – before you’ve even done any of them! Then, you can focus on doing one thing on the list at once (don’t try and multitask). There’s no need to think or worry about the next thing on the list until you get to it – the list is doing that job for you. A list can also help direct your focus for making good use of your free time. This is a way to guard against a week or a month going by without getting round to anything you really wanted to do. At the start of each month, think about what you want to get out of your free time in the month ahead. Set some intentions (big or small) and note them down. They might be as simple as meeting a friend for coffee or going for a run each Tuesday. You could also give each month a theme, if you wanted to concentrate, for example, on health one month, or creativity the next. Make sure the list is not so long it’s unachievable or overwhelming – remember there’s always next month.

Monitor distractions
The first step in tackling distractions is to assess your level of distraction. Sometimes we don’t even notice that we’re repeatedly breaking off from our work and losing focus every time our smartphone beeps. Start to become aware, not just of your own distraction, but of the distraction of people around you. Look at how often people reach to respond to their phones. Notice when you switch to check email. Notice when you end up browsing the Internet with no particular purpose in mind. When do you tend to get distracted? Is it always at the same time of day or when faced with a certain task? How long do you get distracted for? Start to time how long each distraction is taking up. Perhaps decide to have five minutes of deliberate distraction before you get on with a task (time it). How does that feel? Notice who is distracting you today. Other people can be a major cause of distraction. Try saying you’ll get back to them later and write yourself a note (so you don’t have to remember). See what you can find out about what distracts you and when you get distracted. Try changing one thing about your behaviour so you begin to take control of distractions.

The feeling of focus
Most people enjoy the feeling of focusing on a task. Remind yourself what it feels like to concentrate fully on something. Turn off distractions or potential distractions, such as your smartphone and your email. Then sit down – for an hour if you can – and get on with something that really needs your attention. Enjoy the feeling of not being interrupted and of being able to give your 100% attention to this task. If you feel tempted by distractions, or an urge to “just check” your messages, try getting up and walking around for five minutes instead of checking, then return to your task. One clear benefit to focused work is the boost in productivity it creates. Measure your output in your hour of focused work. How much did you get done? Is that more than usual? Choose times that suit you to work in a focused way like this. Most of us work better at certain points in the day – so work with these productive times if you can. Make sure you take regular breaks and don’t expect yourself to sustain this level of focus for hours on end.