Productivity Hacks for People Who Struggle to Stay Focused

Conquering your daily to-do list confidently and efficiently is possible by reframing your perspective and maintaining focus. Use these productivity hacks to stay focused on your short-term and long-term goals, no matter what’s happening in your life. You’ll find a much better balance for your mental health and achieve more throughout the day.

1. Give Yourself Breaks

Allowing room for laziness seems the opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish. However, most people overlook it as one of the best strategies for improving concentration. Short five or 10-minute breaks allow your mind to recharge, increasing your job satisfaction and ability to stay on task. When it’s time to return to work, your renewed focus will make everything easier.

Not sure how to fit breaks into your day? Outline a schedule you wish you could make work. After adding breaks throughout your workday, see how you can fit your responsibilities into the timeframe. You’ll eventually learn how to say no to extra work impeding your ability to rest, ultimately garnering better time management skills for productivity.

2. Change Your Environment

Switching where you work positively affects your mood and focus. Research shows when people change their work environments, they gain greater commitment to their tasks because their moods improve.

Replicate this effect by working in a different room in your home or completing your work in a public place like a library. Even working in a conference room in your office instead of your desk makes it easier to use productivity ideas like this without overhauling your schedule.

3. Listen to Music

Listening to instrumental music can improve your focus during tasks. Researchers found that listening to classical music lulled participants into a relaxed state where they could mentally commit to their work more efficiently. These productivity hacks instantly lower stress and improve focus. Therefore, pressing play on a classical music playlist could be what you need to reach your productivity goals.

4. Eat Energizing Meals

The donuts in your break room might satisfy your sweet tooth, but your brain needs consistently nutritious meals to work efficiently. Adjust meals and snacks during your daily routine to incorporate more essential nutrients for brain functionality.

Things like omega-3 fatty acids in organic seafood improve brain functioning, while fresh produce delivers other vital vitamins and nutrients. For instance, broccoli provides vitamin K to slow cognitive decline over time. Before your next grocery trip, research your food choices to understand what each ingredient does for your overall health.

Structuring your meals with a productivity-focused diet could be one of the best focus tips for work this year. Start your day with a banana to give your brain the 25 grams of glucose it needs to function at its best. Time additional nutrients to fuel your brain with whole foods at lunch to power through your shift. You’ll avoid sugar crashes by avoiding processed foods, allowing you to maintain energy and focus.

5. Create a Distraction List

Your distraction list should include anything hindering concentration, like scrolling social media, chatting with coworkers or watching videos prolonging your lunch hour. You’ll more easily see when those distractions happen in real-time if you keep your list of unhelpful activities in front of you.

6. Juggle Your Multitasking Sessions

Doing more than one thing simultaneously will leave you feeling exhausted. Instead of striving to multitask every second of your day, opt for timed periods of singular focus. You’ll regain your energy without stopping your work and improve productivity.

Giving yourself breaks for multitasking with simple responsibilities is among the most helpful focus tips for work. Concentrate on something straightforward, like copying and pasting data or organizing your inbox. You’ll reduce your stress so your brain has more energy when it’s time to resume multitasking.

7. Try Some Breathwork

It’s easy for the nervous system to get overwhelmed as the day progresses. When your thoughts and heartbeat remain fast-paced, your focus disappears. Try guided breathwork to ease your nervous system into a state of concentration.

Breathwork improves a person’s focus by slightly reducing their oxygen intake, slowing their heartbeat and easing the nervous system into a relaxed state. Five or 10 minutes of breathwork during a meeting or phone call could help when your schedule has you too busy for a break.

8. Upgrade Your Sleep Routine

You can’t improve your focus or productivity if you don’t start your day with a full battery. Consider upgrading your sleep routine if you think it negatively influences your productivity levels. For instance, limit screen time before bed to minimize external stimulations while your brain tries to settle for the night.

Instead of watching TV or being on your computer, listen to calming music, meditate or practice breathwork. You’ll slow your mind into a relaxing state for improved sleep quality and duration.

9. Break Big Tasks Apart

Big tasks might seem the most important to tackle, but they also take the most time. It’s discouraging to spend hours or days on a singular task without getting very close to finishing it. 

Breaking the job into several parts is one of the fastest productivity hacks anyone can try. Spend short periods on your biggest task interspersed with more minor responsibilities. You’ll reduce your stress so you don’t feel defeated or overwhelmed.

10. Become Your Own Cheerleader

Encouragement helps people stay energized about their goals. Becoming your own cheerleader could be what you need to motivate yourself. Pat yourself on the back for focusing by rewarding yourself with social media time or your favorite snack. If you learn to appreciate your efforts, you won’t feel like it’s wasted time.

Improve Your Productivity and Stay Focused

Anyone can try productivity hacks like these to sharpen their focus. Reflect on your current routine to see what isn’t serving your best interests, like not sleeping well, eating processed foods or working without breaks. You’ll concentrate more easily as you break out of unproductive habits holding you back from your full potential.

Author bio: Cora Gold is a freelance writer who strives to live a simple but productive life. She is the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist. Connect with Cora on LinkedIn and Twitter.