5 things to do when you can't focus
Hi there,
I was finding it impossible to concentrate at the beginning of last week.
Nothing was getting ticked off my ever-expanding to-do list. Every attempt was met with a feeling of listlessness. It felt like my productivity was at an all-time low.
This got me thinking: what’s the best way to deal with those times when you just can’t focus?
Spoiler: getting into a vicious cycle of not being able to focus, getting anxious about not being productive, and then being so consumed by anxiety that focusing is even harder, is not the answer.
Why do we struggle to concentrate?
Distractions
For many of us, our phones are the main source of distraction.
WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, or even just the regular old internet are always just a short stretch of the arm away. It’s hard to resist the temptation for a quick scroll in a moment of boredom or when you’re feeling stuck.
Even if you do manage to avoid the temptation, research shows that simply having your phone near you is a distraction.
In this study, researchers found that even if you’re paying attention to the task at hand, the presence of your phone affects working memory capacity and functional fluid intelligence. This applies regardless of whether you can see your phone screen (whether it’s face down or face up) and whether the phone is on silent or not.
The solution they suggest is simple: separation.
Technology often gets the blame for ruining our focus, but it’s not the only thing.
Multitasking
Doing more than one thing at a time may seem productive, but it’s actually not.
Your brain can only focus on one thing at a time, and there are switching costs when you move from one task to another.
Switching costs may seem small (less than a second per switch), but they add up when you do this repeatedly. Researchers suggest that switching between tasks can cost as much as 40% of one’s productive time.
Multitasking feels productive, but it’s disrupting our focus.
Stress & anxiety
Worrying and overthinking can make it difficult to concentrate.
You need to be in the present to focus on the task at hand. But when you’re feeling anxious and stressed, you’re preoccupied with thinking about something else.
This can feel like an endless loop of stress and inability to focus.
What to do when you can’t focus
1. Remove distractions
I discussed why we might be struggling to concentrate above. These reasons give us some clues as to how to regain our focus.
When I’m trying to concentrate (for example right now, as I write this), I leave my phone in a different room.
You can also use tools like the Cold Turkey website blocker to stop you from visiting websites other than the ones you need to do your work.
Other tasks are also distractions from the task at hand. Work on one thing at a time rather than multi-tasking.
2. Create a quick win
Traditional productivity advice is to “eat the frog.” This means doing the hardest task first. If you do this, everything else will feel much easier.
Generally, I agree with this concept, but when you’re struggling to concentrate it feels like an impossible prospect. You need to give yourself a quick win to break out of the inertia.
There are two ways to do this:
Start with an easy, achievable task. This goes against the conventional advice, but I find it works. You get into the mode of doing rather than not doing and feeling guilty about it. Once you’ve built up some focus, move on to the more complex tasks.
Break it down. If you do want to start with the most important (and likely most difficult) task, try to break it down into smaller sub-tasks which are more achievable to complete. Or use the Pomodoro technique, and only commit to working on it for 25 minutes, to begin with.
3. Find a new environment
Sitting at the same desk and looking out the same window every day can make you feel like you’re in a bit of a rut.
Changing your environment can help to regain some focus. Go to a cafe, co-working space, or a friend’s house. A simpler option is to sit in another room of the building you’re already in, though I find this to be less effective.
4. Take a walk
Forcing yourself to stare listlessly at the screen and hoping your task will magically complete itself doesn’t work. I’ve tried.
Going for a quick walk in my local park is one of the first things I do when I’m finding it impossible to concentrate.
Spending time outdoors can make you healthier and happier. It can help to reduce stress, which is one of the reasons you might be struggling to focus.
Going outside can also help improve memory and attention. This study found that memory performance and attention spans improved by 20% after participants spent an hour walking in a botanical garden. This improvement wasn’t seen after walking in an urban environment. So if you do try this, make sure to find a green space.
5. Be kind to yourself
It’s okay to not always be productive.
Don’t beat yourself up about having an off day, dwelling on all the things you’re not doing. It’s okay. You’re human, and this is a normal thing that happens to us.
Acceptance can help alleviate the anxious-unproductive cycle. If you believe it’s okay and happens to everyone, you’ll give yourself the support you need to get going again.
Question of the week
Being kind to yourself doesn’t come naturally to many of us. We tend to be harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else. It’s easier to focus on our failures than our successes.
Self-improvement doesn’t need to mean self-punishment. We can grow while talking to ourselves like we would to a friend.
With that, my question: What is something you’ve made progress on recently that you’re happy about?
Link of the week
One of the podcasts I listen to semi-regularly is The Slow Newscast. They thoroughly investigate and report on stories, providing a considered alternative to the world of fast journalism.
I recently listened to a harrowing episode: Fallen Women.
27 women fell in suspicious circumstances. 17 died. Did they fall, or were they murdered?
In the episode, investigative journalist Louise Tickle tells the story of one of these cases: Bianca Thomas, who died in August 2018 at just 25 years old. She also takes an in-depth look at the data on deaths from falling. The stark difference between the nature of deaths of women and men in this circumstance is telling.
That’s all for now. Have a great week!