Extreme Focus for Effective Performance

What is focus?

An unfocused mind is deprived of valuable mental resources.

• Focus is productivity.
• It takes 20 minutes to recover from distraction.
• Focus is a roadmap to success.
• Focus is wellness.
• Focus builds relationships
• 70% of the information you process is visual

Types of focus

Focus is conditional

• Broad focus = awarness
  • Deliver a presentation to an audience
• Narrow focus = precision
  • Complete a project to meet a deadline
• Internal focus = focus on one’s own performance
  • Need ideas to flow to brainstorm
• External focus = focus on a task or a target
  • Deliver a presentation to an audience (combined with broad focus)

Focus on work

• Environmental distractions
• Difficulty getting started
• Wandering attention

Top-Down Focus
Generating focus by actively practicing focus habits.

Focus ebbs and flows, it is impossible to remain fully focused 100% of the time.

Schedule 20-30 minute time blocks with breaks in between. These breaks will allow you to remain alert. Each time block should have a specific objective.

“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion” – Cyril Parkinson (Parkinson’s Law)

Breaks

• Stand and stretch
• Take deep breaths
• Clear your mind

Focus and your environment

Does your environment help or hinder your focus?

External Distractions

• Meetings
• Co-workers
• Notifications
• Messages

Internal Distractions

• Thoughts
• Worries
• Internet rabbit holes

Look for distractions in your workspace

• Music is good for focus, but avoid music you can sing along to.

• Make sure your workspace is well equipped and accessible.

• Limit your use of nonessential technology.

• Turn off notifications and alerts
• Keep track of your productivity

Know your distraction patterns

Understanding your distraction pattern is crucial to improving focus.

Working from home might be challenging when juggling family life.

Create a distraction journal

• Activity Start Time
• Distraction Time
• Distraction Type

Make a list of your distractions with a strategy to address them.

Why is it hard to focus?

A racing mind is a stress response.

• Your mind is an idea generator.
• Your brain is typically in information overload

Focus takes time and effort.

Devices and distractions

Devices offer intermittent rewards.

1. How much time are you losing to distraction?
2. How do distractions affect your flow?
3. How can you take control of your devices?
   • Limit browsing access
   • Reduce the time you spend using devices
   • Schedule 20-30 minute time blocks

Focus and stress

Maintain focus under pressure. Stress is tension. Stress can be a motivator. Stress can improve performance. Stress can have negative effects.

Stress
A physical, mental, or emotional factor which causes physical or mental tension.

Work-related stress:

• Promotions
• Deadlines
• Co-worker conflict
• Delivering presentation
• Overbearing managers
• Job insecurity

Life-related stress:

• Marriage
• Money troubles
• New baby
• Moving
• Death in the family

Internally generated stresses:

• Self-perception
• Desire to succeed
• Diet
• Peer pressure
• Sleep habits
• Self-talk

Stress impacts focus during high-stakes decision making. Stress impacts focus during unsafe and uncertain situations.

To Reduce Stress:

• Get a full night of sleep – 7 hours or more
• Cut back on caffeine
• Eat well
• Exercise regularly

Task switching, not multitasking

Multitasking has limitations. For more demanding tasks, you are actually “task switching”. Task switching creates shallow focus. Task switching creates potentially dangerous distractions.

Task switching inhibits your ability to learn and think critically.

Mindfulness
A nonjudgmental state of awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.

Thinking slow

Thinking slow takes intention and effort.

System 1 – Fast Thinking
The state in which relatively simple tasks are carried out.

• Effortless
• Intuitive
• Automatic
• Reactive

System 2 – Slow Thinking
How you think about specific instructions, each steps of the process.

• Takes effort
• Long-lasting
• Logical
• Procedural

Slow thinking prepares you for fast thinking. Slow thinking forces you to pay attention.

Focus and grit

Grit helps you get things done. Grit achieves goals through persistence. Motivation drives grit.

Grit
Perseverance of effort combined with the passion for a particular long-term goal.

Grit = (Perseverance + Passion) / Time

Focus and preparation for performance

Presentation is a performance.

Practice

• Play
• Experiment
• Improve

Performance

• Persevere
• Adapt
• Continue

First impressions are critically important. Practice before performing.

The Observer Effect
The mere observation of a phenomenon changes that phenomenon; your performance will change when there is an audience.

Focus and connection to others

You need focus to make lasting connections. Your habits and environment affect your focus.

In Conversation

• Did you interrupt?
• Did you jump ahead?
• Did you make eye contact?
• Did you check your phone?

Focus guides attention. Focus keeps you present. Focus keeps you track. Focus facilities connection.

Focus and flow

Flow State
The feeling of being fully immersed in an experience with energized focus and total involvement.

Pick an activity that intrinsically motivates you. Pick an activity that is challenging but achievable.

Mental rehearsal and focus

Mental rehearsal
Imagined, mental practice of performing a tasked as opposed to actual practice.

Mental rehearsal helps you learn and focus.

Doubts, fears, and anticipation will ruin your focus.

Tips for Mental Rehearsal

• Block the time off
• Take 5-10 minutes
• Pick an activity
• Visualize it clearly

Focus and the mind and body loop

Use active focus to focus your body and mind.

Strategy

• Sit in a chair.
• Slow and deepen your breathing.
• Feel your body against the chair.
• Feel the chair against the floor
• Take a breath – tighten your body.
• Exhale – release the tension.
• Repeat five times.
• Visualize success.
• Tell yourself your focus cue.

Creating a home focus environment

Create a home environment for optimal focus.

Internal Distractions

• Thoughts
• Feelings
• Habits

External Distractions

• Noise
• Notifications
• Interruptions

Priming Effect
Exposure to one stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus, without intention.

Working in a space where you typically relax can slow productivity.

Creating a work focus environment

Create a work environment for optimal focus.

Organize Your Time

• Keep office hours
• Plan around productivity
• Short bursts of focus
• Take short breaks

Organize Your Thoughts

• Breath deep and slow
• Visualize success
• Mentally rehearse

Conscious
Attention is effortful and focused

Unconscious
Attention is an unfocused assessment of your environment

Address Stressors

• Noise
• Deadlines
• Public speaking
• Work challenges
• Coworkers
• Sleeplessness