How Can I Improve My Focus? (with Regan Billings)

“To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the outcome, not the obstacles.” ~ T.F. Hodge

Breathe for Presence

There are conflicting ideas out there regarding the status of human attention span.

Has our attention span decreased due to the digital revolution and metaverse-type things we have access to now? Or is it just an increased demand for items that can capture our attention?

We’re not here to settle that debate today but rather give you tools to complete the task more efficiently.

If you’ve spent time reading the other articles on the Tiger website, you’ll notice that the topic of breathing comes up often. Why is that? It is because breathing can dramatically impact many aspects of your body, mind, well-being, and performance.

The first step is to check your breathing and use a slower, controlled breathing pattern to help bring you back to the present task you’re doing.

Ways to Improve Focus

1. Give Your Eyes a Break

It is vital to avoid staring at your screen(s) all day long.

Instead, every 10-15 mins or so, look up and look out from your devices.

Spend 15-30 seconds looking at something 20+ feet away routinely to help with eye fatigue.

2. Timer App

This is not a personal favorite but can be effective throughout the day if you want to give yourself a certain amount of time for different tasks.

Set a timer counting how long you want to dedicate to studying, reading, emails, etc.

3. Segment and Plan Your Day For Success

You could combine this with the Timer suggestion above, but this is more of how to structure your whole day and assign a specific time. This includes everything from emails to meals, exercise, reading, etc.

An example could look like is:

7 am-8 am: Wake up and work out
8-8:30 am: Eat/Get ready for work
8:30-9 am: Important emails/Calls
9-11 am: Team meetings/Work-specific tasks
11:05-11:15 am: Breathing/Meditation
Etc.

4. Fuel

Staying hydrated and ensuring you eat well are essential to keep your brain and body functioning at their best.

Many of our clients mention how they forget to eat lunch throughout the day because they’re so busy working.

Being adequately fueled is necessary for focus and fighting fatigue.

5. Sound to Enhance Focus

Numerous sources state the benefits of using sound to help enhance focus.

Something to consider is classical music, which according to a 2007 study, is said to help with stress.

Try a few different types of sound and see what works best for you.

Check out Binaural beats, white noise, brown noise, or even a specific “focus” playlist.

I enjoy the Deep Focus playlist on Spotify.

6. Put Your Phone On Silent Mode

Decreasing notifications and constant vibrations, pings, etc., can drastically help reduce distractions.

7. Get Into Nature

Start with once a month going on a walk in the woods, a hike, or the beach. Do this without any technology actively being used.

Of course, take your phone because that’s safe, but maybe don’t listen to music while hiking or post your view on social media. Just try to focus on being present for the duration of your time.

Tiger Takeaways

Focus can be one of our most underused strengths.

Much of our environment is set up to decrease our focus with notifications from every single app, email text, etc.

With so many stimuli, it is essential to combat it with these tips to gradually improve your focus over time, which will also help your time management.

For further reading, view the following articles on:

You have what it takes inside you to make a definite choice that will change the future trajectory of your health.

Our team at Tiger Medical has the experience, clinical skills, and coaching acumen to help you get your focus and energy back.

To talk to one of our professionals, click here to schedule your call!