If I took enough time, I could probably fill a good chunk of a notebook with my to-do list for all areas of my life. With so many ideas bouncing around in my head, it can be hard to concentrate on completing one thing.
Have you ever seen the meme that says something like “If you want to know what a woman’s mind is like, picture a browser with 2,500 tabs open all.the.time.” Well, that’s how I feel most days!
But – I do know that focus is important for actually turning “to-do’s” into completed projects. So, I’ve been working on being better focused on my goals.. and not doing so many things at once. Even if I AM great at multi-tasking 😉
So here are some of my best tips for focusing and getting things DONE.
Take Care of Yourself
First of all, it’s a lot harder to focus if we aren’t taking care of ourselves. If we aren’t getting adequate rest and taking care of our bodies then none of the other tips will really help. So first makes sure you are taking care of YOU!
Prepare
Take a few minutes to prepare your space, fix a cup of coffee or tea, and get settled in so you can focus.
If I have some blogging tasks I want to get done, I know I can focus better if I get some household chores done first.. I find it too distracting to work when I know there’s a sink full of dirty dishes!
I also work much better with a cup of coffee by my side!
Remove Distractions
What distractions get you off track from what you’re doing?
A messy space?
Social media?
Your cell phone?
Whatever it is, block it out, turn it off, do what you have to do to keep it from distracting you. My biggest distractions are usually my phone and social media. I have to be very intentional about ignoring those distractions when it’s time to get some work done.
Set a Timer
Setting a timer works great for so many reasons. It keeps you from spending too much time on a task. Or can turn a dreaded to-do into a race against the clock. A timer can help you keep track of how long things take and track the time you spend working.
See? So many uses. (I’ve heard great things about this one. But the one built into your phone would work too.)
I find that 30-minute blocks are a good amount of time to work before a quick break.
Do One Thing at a Time
It’s almost painful for me to write that. I’m usually the multi-tasking queen. Hello, 50 browser tabs open at once… not that I’ve ever done that…
But lately, I’m trying to put more focus on the task at hand. That task always gets done faster and more efficiently if I do just that one thing.
Going along with this…
Batch Tasks
Another great way to stay focused is to batch like tasks. That way you’re not hopping around from one thing to another. I’ve found that batching things together saves time in the long run!
Some examples of this would be freezer cooking and meal prep, taking care of all the paperwork and bills at once, or setting aside one day for errands.
As much as we think multitasking saves us time, in a lot of cases it really doesn’t. So take the time to prepare, remove distractions, do one thing at a time, and maybe even set a timer.
The result you’ll most likely end up with is more focus and better productivity.
*This post contains affiliate links. For more info, read my disclosure policy.
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I don’t want to tell you how many browsers I have open right now. 😉 Doing one thing at a time is sooo hard for me!
I agree with setting a timer. It’s ridiculously simple for how much it helps.
Haha! 🙂 It’s hard for me too to do one thing at a time, but I’m working on focusing more! Thanks for visiting!
Doing one thing at a time really does help me finish things on my to-do-list faster. I too fall in the trap of having too many tabs open on my browser on the PC.
It’s so easy to all of a sudden have so many tabs open! Thanks for visiting 🙂
My favorite way to prepare is to take out a small yellow notepad and write out a to do list. I do one for blogging and one for household stuff. I find it really helps me stay focused and on task.
Great idea! I too split household and blog stuff.. it’s too overwhelming to combine them! 🙂
This is awesome! I’ve been hearing lots about timers lately, and how much more effective you can be when you et a time limit for yourself and take breaks. And I too am so bad about multi-tasking. 50 windows at once online is totally me. I also have been learning that I am so much less productive when I try to work in my bedroom, sitting on my bed. I’ve been doing more in the living room, and it makes a difference.
I agree that the space you work in can make a huge difference!
I can be very scattered in my thoughts these days. Each of my three children has so many things going on, then add in my own things that need to get done, and it seems overwhelming. That is when my mind starts racing like a hamster on a wheel with “I need to”, “I should”, “I’ve gotta”…but none of them get done because I immediately start the next thing that pops in my head.
I agree so much with make a list and then tackle one item at a time. My trick is that I do my best to prioritize the list and then tackle one item at a time with a time limit. I try to keep the time limit reasonable. I can clean my bedroom or the bathroom in 30 minutes of work, but I obviously need more time to sort schoolwork or grade papers (unless I’m chunking them into piles to grade a pile at a time, but I like just doing it all and moving on).
Setting a time limit is a wonderful idea! I think that’s a great way to really stay focused on what you’re doing because then you don’t want to run out of time. Thanks so much for visiting!
I must clean my house today (for a party tomorrow). I dread standing up and my computer is a real distraction. I need to put away the laptop!
Oh my goodness! I need to print this article out and put it up on my wall next to my desk. I am the worst with time management and concentration. Thanks for these tips and your inspirational messages! I will see you on facebook! Your IBN Pal, Jackie
These are great tips! I too have *never* had fifty tabs open! When I sit down with a cup of coffee and focus I get so much more done than if I try to do fifty things at once. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
Yes, coffee is a must for focus!! 😉
Excellent advice. I’ve read before that we can’t really multi-task – that we just try to do everything all at once but what really happens is our brain just jumps from task to task quickly which causes stress and frustration. Focus definitely is something we must be intentional about. Thanks for the post!
Yes, so true! It can be so hard to get out of the habit of multi-tasking, but in the end focusing is more helpful. Thanks for visiting!
I’m a multi-tasker by nature. I have 10 browser tabs open right now. LOL Even when talking on the phone I have to be doing something else. It makes me feel scattered sometimes. The doing one thing at a time is difficult for me, but I’ve started by doing one thing for an hour and then moving on to the next thing. Great tips!
I naturally multi-task too, it’s a hard habit to break! Good idea setting aside an hour for focusing on one thing at a time. Thanks for stopping by!
I love your site! The idea for setting a timer when doing a task is called the “Pomodoro Technique”. It is often used for focus & productivity by people with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). I am a 55 and I have ADD. I have found it very useful. Your tips, ideas & printables have been very helpful too. THANKS!!!
Aww I’m SO glad you enjoy the blog and find it helpful!! Thanks for sharing more about the technique of setting a timer – I had no idea it had an official name 🙂
Excellent advice! My desk is a mess right now and I really need to spend 5 minutes and tidy it up. I’d be a lot more productive if I took my own advice sometimes 🙂 Congrats on being featured at Thrifty Thursday!
What great tips! I need to stop multi-tasking!! That is my biggest issue!!
So I have never heard that analogy about a woman’s mind and just looking at how many tabs I have open right now, I am thinking that it is more than accurate! lol
I, too, agree so much with the do one thing at a time. I often tell my kids, myself, and even my readers how important it is just to pick something and get started when feeling overwhelmed. Nothing will ever get done if you don’t just start!
Great artcle here to help with reading focus and tracking! Thank you for providing this information!
You and your readers might also be interested in just a few more low-tech AND digital ways to improve tracking and focus. As a result, comprehension and retention increase, too: http://www.focusandread.com/products
Hi Laura… The most person that can be described in a word – prostration – is writing to you 🙂 I am so happy I found this article – concentration is a real problem for me. This causes many problems not only in my work but in my life. I gonna use all the tips you mentioned above!
Over time, we tend to lose our focus. According to studies, after 90 minutes of intense work, our concentration begins to wane. Including short restorative breaks during your workplace will help you perform better overall. It allows your brain to relax and recharge. To refuel, all it takes is a five-minute walk, meditation, or a talk with a friend.