Focus Your Mind: 10 Ways to Keep Clarity

Sometimes, the hardest part of getting things done is staying focused on the task at hand. Our minds may have a tendency to wander, or get distracted by any number of things. Concentration is something that we have to practice. Here are 10 things you can do to help yourself stay focused and be more productive:

Eliminate Distractions

Even one distraction can knock you off track, so try to rid yourself of as many attention grabbers as possible. Just make it about you and your project.

• Desk: If you’re sitting at your desk, clear it off — even if you just put everything in a pile on the floor to deal with later.

• Internet: Refrain from connecting to the Internet or opening computer programs that aren’t necessary for your project. E-mail, instant messenger, and online news feeds should remain off until you’re done.

• Entertainment: Avoid TV or radio unless it’s important to the work you’re doing, or unless you work better with music playing.

• Phone: Stay off it if you can. If someone calls, let it go to voice mail and call them back when you’re done. Imagine that you’re in a meeting and you can't be interrupted.

Visualize

Take 5-10 minutes to visualize your project, what you need to get it done, and how much time you should be reserving to complete it.