Strategic Breaks
A few strategically placed breaks could make all the difference. Gloria Mark, a psychologist, recommends taking breaks at natural stopping points in tasks. Take one after finishing a paragraph, or when you move from physical to digital work. It's much easier to resume working if it's clear where you left off, instead of spending time and effort figuring out what you were previously doing.
Utilize tools
Tools exist to assist us. It would almost be doing a disservice to not use them.
- The Pomodoro Technique: Using a timer, set yourself 25-minute work intervals followed by 5-minute break intervals. Times can be adjusted per person.
- Screentime Limits: Limiting your screentime could be beneficial if you find your phone to be too distracting.
- Planners: Many, many people use planners in their day-to-day lives. A physical one works, but there's also a calender app on most phones.
What works for you?
At the end of the day, it really is a case-by-case basis. What works for one person might not work for the next. So, it's worth trying different methods of focusing at least once, just to see. Meditate, use a planner, set alarms, change environments... et cetra and so forth.
