How to Stay on Task & Keep Focused At Work

Emails. Notifications. Meeting requests. Considering the deluge of distractions that our devices constantly dangle before us, it’s a wonder we get anything done. Getting sidetracked inevitably leads to procrastination – alongside the possible invention of extraneous tasks…

My partner and I have a running joke. Whenever he catches me doing something random hours before a deadline, I say "You'd never guess I have work to do..."

For context, here are just three things I’ve been found doing in favor of filing copy:

1. Baking (for no specific occasion)
2. Cleaning the bathroom/sorting through the kids’ endless tiny garments
3. Moving a wardrobe from my daughter’s room into the office – which involved a flight of stairs

In this blog, we’ll explore practical tips to help you cut through the nonsense, prioritize your workload, and keep your focus sharp. Whether you’re working from home or in an office, these insights will help you take control of your time and energy so you can perform at your best.

What does “good focus” feel like?

So, what is focus? And how do you know if you’ve harnessed it? It’s easy to say a person is considered focused when their awareness is honed in on a singular point of interest. But what does it feel like?

Below are just some ways you know you’re experiencing good focus and – by extension – peak productivity:

Conversely, this is what bad focus feels like…

• You engage in frequent forays into daydreaming over incidental things. For instance, you'd rather ruminate on that thing you said at a dinner party six months ago than focus on the task at hand.
• You’re extremely susceptible to distractions – especially those that come courtesy of devices.
• You find monitoring your progress tricky.
• You’re getting so overwhelmed due to lack of focus that A) you feel like you're wading through syrup or B) you try multitasking (which is a myth) because you can’t do anything else.

If any of that sounds familiar, read on to find out why that might be the case.

The struggle is real – why staying focused can be tricky

Yes, we have notifications pinging at all hours, but the ability to stay focused can be indicative of your physical and mental wellbeing.

Not “being present" goes beyond everyday distractions – like entertaining internal diatribes about what to have for dinner. Sometimes, more intrusive thoughts creep in, unrelated to work.

It’s all too easy to get caught up in a snowballing mindset, which can throw us off our game. This becomes more heightened if you’re pulling all-nighters or ordering fast food to meet a deadline; you’re probably going to slip up more than you’d prefer.

So, how can you mitigate this cycle? It's worth taking stock of your lifestyle. You can implement all the focus hacks you want but they're not going to work long term if foundational issues aren't addressed.

Try adopting this three-step plan to help pinpoint any underlying issues.

1. Examine how your day unfolds over the course of a week.
2. Consider keeping a journal. Jot down a few thoughts at specific junctures, and see when and where in your day/week you feel most bogged down.
3. Then you can iIdentify the main things that knock your focus off-kilter.

Keeping sharp is not just a short term challenge – it’s an art form that needs some introspection and a good dollop of self-control to hone correctly.

Lifestyle changes to consider

Once you have a gauge of how your week is working (or not working) for you, then you can apply your findings to answer the following questions.

1. Are you getting enough sleep? Naturally, sleep and focus go hand-in-hand, so ditching the boxsets for some early shut eye might be in order.
2. Do you hit a slump after mealtimes? In which case, perhaps a change in mealtime or diet is required. Fresh is best for sustained energy, e.g., water-rich foods – like strawberries, cucumber, celery sticks, or ALL the melons.
3. Are your colleagues luring you away? Listen, we can only blame our workmates for a certain amount of distraction – ultimately, we need to take accountability. So, If your teammates hit their stride at different times than you, don’t force yourself to match their schedule. Work at your own peak times and socialize with colleagues when it suits you both.
4. Perhaps you feel more focused at certain times of the day/week? For instance, might you be more of a night owl instead of a morning lark? Maybe you get more done at the weekends? If your work is more flexible in nature, then setting up your work day to operate at night might improve your overall focus.

Wellness ways to bolster overall focus

Now that you’ve addressed certain lifestyle choices that might be hampering your ability to focus, let's look at some further wellness tips to keep you switched on throughout the day.

1. Take a meditative minute

If you’re feeling swamped and unfocused, pause for a breathing exercise. Mentally counting your inhalations and exhalations can free your mind of distractions. As you improve, gradually up the breath count. Always remember – exhale for longer than you inhale, this way you're unloading any stress into your exhalation. It’s the 4-7-8 breath method.

2. Keep hydrated

Water is your friend. Coffee will only get you so far (and, in some instances, send you entirely over the edge).

3. Tidy your workplace for headspace

If there’s a load of clutter in your eyeline, it’s going to be harder to stay on track. So, set aside five- to- ten minutes before you start working to make sure your desk/work area is clutter-free. Besides, you’ll need the room to stretch (movement is good for a stagnated brain).

4. Keep on top of your sleep hygiene

It’s one thing going to bed at a reasonable time, but it’s counterproductive if you spend hours doomscrolling on social media. So, no tech in the bedroom. In fact, there should be no tech at least an hour before you go to bed on account of the blue light disrupting your circadian rhythm.

5. Make a mantra

If you find that your brain wanders, come up with a saying that will get you back on track. Something simple like “My hard work will pay off”, or “I am a focused being with a limitless amount of energy”, or “Jessie never gives up, Jessie finds a way!” (one for the Toy Story fans reading) can work wonders. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. No one needs to know 🤫

Practical quick fixes to keep focused at work

Below are some further tips to help you seize and maintain focus at work – at home or in the office. You might need headphones for number 3.

1. Ditch the distractions

This obvious point always bears repeating. Close those extra tabs, mute your notifications or – if needs be – put your phone in another room.

2. Get ergonomic

If there's one thing we all learned from working at home during the pandemic, it was not to work just at the kitchen table. Or the couch. Or definitely not from bed. Attempting to get comfortable so you can start work is a time suck. Shifting about, trying to find the most comfortable position is not a productive use of your time. That's why it's essential to invest the required resources into optimizing your workstation so you know you're in the best position to start working – from the moment you sit down.

3. Add binaural beats

It sounds counterintuitive, but a diversion like music can sharpen focus and boost productivity. Consider it a way of blocking out ambient and jarring noises while working. Streaming platforms – be it Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music – have lots of options in terms of "focus" tracks for work. There are lots of subgenres (Lofi, chill hop, ADHD relief offerings) to choose from, but what they all have in common is a rhythmical, slightly repetitive beat that helps focus.

4. Prioritize

Have you ever noticed how tackling a daunting task early can make it seem less intimidating and give you a boost? Plus, you're more focused earlier on in your working day. By keeping simpler tasks for later, you’ll find your day’s efficiency can flow with proper planning. Failing that, there’s nothing quite like a looming deadline to focus the mind.

5. Schedule regular breaks

We’re all over the short bursts of work for increased productivity – so much so that we’ve written about it here, and here. Join us as we count the ways!

6. Realize there’s an app for that

Productivity & work tracking tools are there to help. They can monitor your progress, streamline the way you work, and keep you focused. We recently released our 11 Top Time Tracking App Picks for small businesses, but even if you don’t have one, you can still find something for yourself there.

Wrapping up

Implementing even some of the above tips will hopefully help you attain that coveted “flow state” when you sit down to work. Marathon runners call it “the zone”; that moment they feel like they can continue to run in an almost weightless state for a further few hours. And various time tracking apps can get you to that flow state.

It’s worth remembering that Memtime can be your silent assistant. It fastidiously records your activity in the background while you work, and will track every distraction you were facing during the task, down to every detailed minute.

The result? You can see when you’re most focused and therefore most productive. It won’t interrupt your work and is an amazing retrospective insight tool at the end of your day – whatever time that might be at.