In an always-on world where we have so much consistently competing for our attention it has never been more difficult to find and maintain focus.
Devices like our computers, smart phones and the apps installed on them can be used to optimise our lives in so many ways that it’s hard to distinguish the line between what’s helpful and what’s distracting us from what matters.
Indeed, with so much competing for our attention and the epidemic of ‘busy-ness’, how many of us even find the time to take a step back, think, plan and find the clarity about what is important?
Almost all of us have experienced days, weeks, months even when we’ve been fully engaged in tasks or activities all day, to the point of exhaustion, but then look back and feel empty with the realisation that it wasn’t time that really helped anybody in any way, that brought us joy, satisfaction, or led us productively towards an end goal of any significance.
And that is the nature of modern life. With so much information, notifications and media ready and waiting at our fingertips it’s rare that we ever feel bored, or give our imaginations the chance to wander. But it’s precisely for this reason that we need to be proactive and deliberate in preserving time and head space to find clarity, and to cultivate habits that maintain focus, to ensure that the precious time we have on this earth is spent engaged in things that fulfil us, make us and the ones we love happy, and help us achieve the things we want to.
This cannot happen by accident. You can be sure that almost anybody you look up to for achieving something you admire did so by carving out time to focus on it. They didn’t perfect their craft in 5 minute gaps between meetings, or launch their business whilst simultaneously scrolling their Instagram feed.
The experts are unified in their assertion that Focus is the most important skill of the 21st Century, so this week’s edition of The Power Up is here to help you find it.
In this week’s issue:
- How to create more clarity in your life
- How to regularly find focus & flow
- The first question to ask when you sit down to work
- 5 ways meditation improves your daily focus & concentration
- Focus is the No. 1 work skill of the future
- 9 workday habits that help with focus, energy & satisfaction
- Why focus is a mental health must
Plus plenty of bonus content too…
As ever, I hope this edition helps you find the clarity & focus you need.
M I N D
How to create more clarity in your life
Clarity and focus go hand-in-hand. When you have clarity on what’s most important to you in your life, in your work, in your relationships – finding focus comes a lot easier.
This piece explores the critical importance of finding clarity and the qualities we can develop to find more of it.
M I N D
Must watch:
How to regularly find focus & flow
In this short but powerful video The Power Up regular Dr. Benjamin Hardy breaks down the science of how we can easily create flow and focus to accomplish a lot more in less time.
Hardy tells us how we can train our brain to focus, the importance of ‘strategic ignorance’, ‘the totalitarian principle’ and more.
S E L F L E A D E R S H I P
The first question to ask yourself when you sit down to work
Time management expert Laura Vanderkam shares the mindset tactic she stumbled upon by accident, that can help us create urgency and find deep focus at the very beginning of every day to get our most important tasks done, before mid-morning.
S P I R I T
5 ways meditation improves your daily focus & concentration
This surely won’t be the first time you’ve heard that meditation improves focus and concentration. Indeed, the very practice of many forms of meditation is focusing intently on one thing – be it your breath, an object, or a feeling.
So, just like you’d regularly practice anything you want to improve, if you’re trying to sharpen your focus & concentration, regard meditation as an essential daily exercise to build your focus ‘muscle’.
F U T U R E
Focus is the No. 1 work skill of the future
Attention and focus are the raw materials of human creativity and flourishing. And as automation increases in the workplace, the most sought after skills will be creative problem-solving, novel solutions and the kind of human ingenuity that comes from being able to ignore the onslaught of distractions to focus deeply on the task at hand.
Start setting yourself apart from the masses and the machines today by following some of the tips in this article.
R E C O M M E N D E D
The Full Focus Planner
Over my career I must have tried every productivity system and digital tool going before I came to the realisation that digital solutions actually invite more distractions and prompt the procrastination that comes from fine-tuning ‘the perfect system’.
Ever since switching to The Full Focus Planner my days are far more focused, less stressful and I make much better progress towards my goals.
Get 10% off using the link below.
B O N U S
C O N T E N T
9 work day habits to increase your focus, energy and job satisfaction
A 10 minute clarity routine to reprogram your subconscious mind
Develop your focus practice
Smartphone too distracting? Here’s how to reclaim your focus
What to do if you can’t stay focused in meetings
Want better results? Unclutter your goals, simplify your work
Replace your To Do list with an ‘Enough List’
How short walks boost your focus and productivity
“Most people think they lack motivation when really they lack clarity.”
JAMES CLEAR
