3 Ways to Improve Your Focus at Work

3 Ways to Improve Your Focus at Work unsplash.com When you’re a college student, making the transition from attending just a few classes a day to completing a full work day in the real world can be quite daunting. We look at adults working that 9-5 shift and wonder, How do they do it? Especially when the job involves sitting at a desk and slaving away at project after project until the day is done, maintaining a steady level of motivation and focus seems impossible. In contrast, during the academic year, I spend my days bouncing back and forth among various activities: a few classes in the morning or afternoon, an hour or so at the gym, some time to do homework and study, and occasionally the chance to hang out with friends. And even for my previous summer jobs as a lifeguard and swim instructor, my work days were usually segmented with small breaks in between. This summer, however, I experienced the 9-5 life firsthand with a marketing internship at a data analytics company. While I certainly enjoyed the work I was given, sitting in front of a computer in a cubicle for most of the day sometimes meant that keeping up my focus proved to be a challenge. Of course, once we college students finally do transition into the working world, we want to be able to give our jobs our full attention no matter what kind of job it is. To prevent yourself from slacking off or losing focus at work, here are some ideas to help you stay sharp, attentive, and motivated. Get up and move around pexels.com You don’t have to be chained to your desk all day. If you feel that you’ve been spending too much time sitting in the same spot, staring at a computer screen until your eyes glaze over, take a break. Stand up and stretch or take a short walk; you can do a couple laps around your office floor or go outside for some fresh air. Maybe get a drink of water or something light to snack on, if you think that will help. The point is, moving around even a little bit will get your blood flowing and facilitate a change in scenery. Perhaps by the time you get back to your desk, even if your little adventure only lasted five minutes, you’ll feel more refreshed and mentally energized. Make the most of your breaks You might not get many breaks throughout the day, but that’s just an opportunity to get more value out of them. When you take your lunch break, for instance, don’t spend it scrolling through social media on your phone while absentmindedly shoving food into your mouth (as I have been apt to do). Instead, use that time to unwind as much as you can and appreciate what you’re doing in the moment. If you’re eating, take the time to savor your food. If you’re going for a walk, focus on enjoying and just being in a new environment outside of the office. You can even find ways to make the most of your bathroom breaks (for the few minutes that they last). Certainly, having to use the bathroom while you’re working can be distracting and uncomfortable, so make sure you go when you need to. If you’re feeling tired or just generally in a hazy mood, you can also splash some water on your face and fix yourself up in the mirror. Taking the time to freshen up, even if it’s doing something as minor as applying more lipstick or adjusting your shirt, can go a long way to help you feel more put together which ultimately allows you to be less distracted by little things and more focused on your tasks at hand. Create a schedule pexels.com Having a schedule will help keep you accountable and focused on what you have to accomplish. Write up a list of all your tasks and estimate how much time you expect to devote to each one. Most likely you won’t end up sticking with it exactly, but it will serve as a good guideline throughout the day. Plus, setting a time limit for each task e.g. one hour to complete this or that assignment will make you feel as if you’re working against the clock, and therefore keep you focused on whatever you’re doing for that allotted time.