At Evernote, we love productivity, but we also care about maintaining balance in our lives. This month, weāre diving into how experts on minimalism stay productive without losing focus on whatās important. In part one of this series, we discovered that thereās a difference between being busy and being happy. Between work, academics, family, and personal relationships…
Thatās good to know. But if youāre a chronic multitasker who finds it hard to focus, is there any hope of getting your attention span back? While neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, psychology professor at McGill University in Montreal and author of wonāt speak definitively for everyone, he says there are some general things most of us can do to improve our focus…
I confess to being as prone to the distractions of the Internet as anyone else: I will start reading about something that interests me and disappear down the rabbit hole for hours (even days) at a time. But my ability to focus on a single task has dramatically improved, and that one habit has changed my life. While a few years ago I couldnāt sit down to work…
Iāve written about a range of habits related to learning, but one I have not yet covered is concentration ā perhaps because I find it among the hardest of habits to truly master. ā¦.or simply to become distracted by the shiny new learning objects that I encounter on a daily basis, ā¦or to start writing about one thing and find myself wandering to other topics as…
We all have goals and dreams, but it can be difficult to stick with them. Each week, I hear from people who say things like, āI start with good intentions, but I canāt seem to maintain my consistency for a long period of time.ā Or, they will say, āI struggle with mental endurance. I get started but I canāt seem to follow through and stay focused for very long.ā…
data-attribution= contenteditable= false > In an interview with Bustle over email, motivational trainer (plus business and life coach) Karen Strunks says, Many people think money alone will be enough to motivate them, and whilst that may do so initially, it s very hard to sustain financial motivation if the work you are doing actually drags. If you…
Many of the goals you will set in life will take some time to achieve. If you want to achieve them in the most effective manner, you must learn to make the most of each day. To make the most of each day, you must learn to stay focused throughout the day. Your ability to focus has a great influence on your ability to manage your time effectively. As there are…
Sub-vocalisation is the least of your reading problem. The biggest problem is that you are not physically engaged and intellectually stimulated when you are reading, probably resulting from not knowing/using efficient and effective reading strategies of fast and versatile readers. I like to share my reading ritual with you, based on my experience as a fast…
Photo: Columbia Pictures/Getty Images Woody Allen has never sent an email. He does not own a computer. (He admits to owning an iPhone, but only for making calls and listening to jazz while traveling.) After over 50 years in the film business, Allenās daily routine hasnāt changed one iota: He still sketches out his script ideas in freehand on a yellow legal pad…
Concentration, or the ability to focus on a task at hand while blocking out distracting stimuli or thoughts, is one of our most powerful mental tools. When at optimal levels, concentration helps make our work flow easier, retain information better, and complete tasks in appropriate amounts of time. It can become difficult to focus our attention and proper amount…
While mental exercise is important for brain health, that doesnāt mean you never need to break a sweat. Physical exercise helps your brain stay sharp. It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise also enhances the effects of helpful brain chemicals and reduces…
The science behind concentration and improved focus Isnāt it sweet when you lose yourself in the work youāre doing? You get the rush of real productivity, not just ābusy workā. You have a strong feeling of purpose and completely lose track of time. Whether you call it concentration, focus, flow, or even work-induced trance, you have to admit itās really an exhilarating…
I often hear my clients complain of difficulty concentrating. Be it on the job, on their creative tasks, or even in their daily routines, I frequently hear them talk about difficulty keeping track of their ever-growing list of to-doās and their frantic efforts to keep themselves organized and on top of their various roles and demands. I hear them tell me about…
Attention Game: Stroop This game is a variation on the famous Stroop effect. It s a fun way to test your ability to focus while processing information. It will train you to focus, improve your concentration, and pay attention. Attention and Age As we get older the challenges associated with inattentiveness grow. Deteriorating visual attention can affect behavior…
Funny things happen when I snap my fingers. On a stage in Syracuse, a grown man fell instantly and deeply into a state of total relaxation and collapsed onto the floor. At a training event in Philadelphia, a woman became convinced she was communicating with extraterrestrials and started shouting in beeps and whistles. During a conference in Cleveland, an executive…
A wandering mind is common for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Whether youāre talking to your boss or best friend, you might easily lose track of conversations. Or get easily distracted and forget what you were working on. Or miss details and make careless mistakes. But this isnāt an oversight on your part. An inability to focus is…
In case you havenāt noticed, I write about all the stuff I suck at. And hereās my worst struggle yet: staying focused. But this discipline is a non-negotiable for a writer. Itās essential for anyone who is serious about doing great work. I donāt care if you have to trick yourself into it. If youāre going to do stuff that matters, you will need to find a way to…
They say the key to success is to simply show up every day and do what needs to be done. But showing up is the easy part. How to focus and stay on-task is the real challenge. Like an old lawn mower, it probably takes a few tries to get going. However, when you do, you enter a state of focus where you forget the world and are able to get lost in your work. Itās…
There is no shortage of distraction in life. If you re trying to focus on work, your family needs your attention. Try to focus on family, and the duties of the job get in the way. People load up with hobbies and trips and learning and aspirations and TV and Internet surfing and video games and social media. And then there are all those distractions caused by…
Reduce Hyperactivity and Improve Your Childās Ability to Focus with These Simple Diet Changes Diet and behavior go hand in hand so itās no surprise that many of the symptoms of ADHD like hyperactivity and inability to focus can sometimes be improved by changing the way your child eats. Studies have shown that eating foods high in protein, controlling sugar intake…
Photo: Adam Levey 1 of 5 I m so scatterbrainedāI must have ADHD. It s a lament that doctors like Michael Coates, MD, are hearing more and more from adult patients, many of whom assume medication is the answer to their woes. Yet most people don t have ADHD, nor do they need a pill, says Coates, who chairs the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Wake…
If you start hitting wayward passes and miscuing your shots (more than usual), take a break ā itās a sign your football brain is running low on power. A study in Australia on how players react to mental strain found technique suffered just as much as physical output. Players passing and shooting was found to be less accurate, and even their reactions and forward…
Many people who turn to meditation for stress relief find focused meditation easier than traditional meditation practices. That is because this meditation exercise allows you to focus your attention on an object, sound or some other stimulus rather than trying to achieve a clear mind. Focused meditation is something that everyone can do at home without an instructor…
How you identify a single, concrete, measurable goal. Humanistic. Focus on who you want to help rather than jumping to solutions. Empathize with your audience to develop Points of View (POV): [USER] needs to [USERāS NEEDS] because [SURPRISING INSIGHT]. Actionable. Use tactical micro goals to achieve long-term macro goals. Testable. Identify metrics that will…
