Here are 3 daily rituals that I’ve been practicing and that help me improve and maintain focus.
#1. Starting the day with a question: What is the one thing I am committed to learning today?
Why is this important?
I’ve been practicing this ritual for the past two years, and can honestly say that it’s changed absolutely everything about my day. It keeps things simple and in a way calms my mind because I already know there will be that ONE thing I’m committed to finishing—and if I do more, that’s great, but if I don’t then I still have achieved my main goal. I found that it helps my brain focus better because it takes a lot of decision-making out of the way very early. Finally, it helps me streamline my work so that I can dedicate more time to what’s top priority for me right now.
How can you start this ritual?
Write it down in big bold letters on a sheet of paper and hang it on your bedroom or bathroom wall. If you’re looking for ideas, here are a few examples of what your one thing can look like.
Read it out loud as you start each day—as you’re brushing your teeth, eating breakfast or getting dressed, for example—and come up with an answer on the spot.
Keep your answer top of mind as you go through your work for the day—remind yourself of what you’ve committed to—so that you don’t get distracted by other things that might stand in the way.
#2. Doing deep work before lunchtime.
Why is this important?
Deep work consists of any cognitive tasks the brain does that are mainly focused on analytical thinking and that require the most concentration. For example, deep work can be reading, writing, coding, analyzing, critical thinking, or problem solving. Most of my deep work consists of creating a strategy for projects I’m working on, planning and doing research on topics I’ll be writing about, and doing the actual writing. Ever since I've made a big lifestyle change of switching from night owl mode to morning person mode, I’ve noticed my brain stays focused faster and better in the mornings.
How can you start this ritual?
Make your mornings count. Many scientists say that the brain’s peak performance happens 2-4 hours after we wake up. If, for example, you wake up at 7, your peak times are between 9 and 11 a.m. You can extend this time to the rest of the morning to maximize your peak time.
Adjust your daily schedule to fit deep work. Whenever possible, leave meetings and phone calls for the afternoon. Don’t think of running errands or cleaning up your room at this time—leave that for a later hour after you get the toughest cognitive tasks out of the way.
Turn off all distractions. Set your phone to Airplane mode when you need to focus without any disturbances. Let coworkers, classmates, friends, and family members know you won't be available in the next few hours. Check your email and social media apps in the afternoon.
#3. Making the most of time spent on the daily commute.
Why is this important?
If you add up all the time you spend each day going from place to place—school, work, running errands, waiting in line at the post office—it’s a ton of time each month during which the brain doesn’t really need to be actively engaged. My commute times are often quite long, sometimes over two hours, and that doesn’t count being stuck in traffic as I’m trying to get to the gym or meeting friends for dinner. To maximize the time and give my brain something to focus on, I started listening to podcasts. It’s helped me manage time better, improved my productivity since I’m always learning new things I can apply to my personal and professional life, and even boosted my creative thinking with ideas I come up with as I’m listening to them.
Hope this helps you.
upvotes and replies are highly appreciated.
have a great day and always stay active..:)