Focus Hacks
A working list of ways to work
1-3 minute skim
If your work requires thinking, then this is for you.
Work consumes much of our attention and time.
Hours in front of screens are a necessity, but tax the body and brain.
We need to do good work, resist distractions, power through, and keep going.
We need our bodies to keep up while they sit inactive, losing strength and seizing up.
This hack list is to help your body, productivity, and sanity.
Tips you already know can be a reminder to reset.
Occasionally, we’ll update this with your input.
From hereon, the list is written staccato-style for quick skimming (not to seem bossy).
Credit: Kelly Sikkema
Disclaimer
Suggestions here are meant to compliment healthy lifestyle choices. If you have COVID-19 or other health conditions please defer to advice from a qualified practitioner.
Why?
Start with a sanity check. Why are you doing this task?
If it's worth doing, then it’s worth doing well
However, not everything deserves your attention
Where possible, delete or delegate tasks like a boss
This grid works wonders>
JBL Headphones (credit: Cheil Hong Kong)
Conditions
Uncluttered work area
Comfortable lighting
Fresh air, weather permitting
Nature in sight: buildings don’t have the calming fractals that nature does
Phone to your side, not in between your arms
Noise-cancelling headphones, reviews here
Body
Exercise:
Essential for focus and to avoid burn-out (yes, we all get it)
Experts suggest 20+ mins of cardio per day
Weight exercise counts as cardio, too
If you need motivation, watch this 10-min TED video about dementia
Credit: Trail
Core wake-up:
Politely declined the exercise above? Then wake up your core muscles each morning
A strong core helps us desk-workers to stop slouching and stay alert
Careful core work need not take much time. Try Yoga With Adriene
Sleep:
Critical for everything: focus and brain health, too
For those who sleep less than 7 hours a night: 1-min read
Position:
You probably know the quip, ‘sitting is the new smoking’
Try to alternate standing & sitting at your computer
There’s a neat box set-up here, and other options here
Pomodoro (below) will remind you to switch positions (win)
Opinion: a quality kneel chair is better for posture and ideal for short interval use
Posture:
Rounded shoulder slump is the enemy, it’s not a sexy look either
That means shoulders back, chin up, and boobs out (yours too, guys)
Strengthening the scapular area of your back helps to hold a good posture, it’s well worth seeking instruction
Future-you will be grateful for your effort
Mobility:
Work out stiffness with a lacrosse ball. Other hard ball options work, too
This technique comes from Kelly Starrett, author of Becoming a Supple Leopard (recommended for those who battle with body pain)
Upside: works fast, saves on physiotherapy bills. Downside: it hurts
Author Kelly Starrett
Brain
Mindfulness:
Begin & end each day with meditation, not just medication
We’re fans of Waking Up by Sam Harris (try The Headless Way practice)
Only have 10 seconds to spare? Give full attention to one inhalation & exhalation. Nice, that was a mindful meditation
Music:
For concentration, there’s Baroque which modulates brainwaves
For different tastes, check out focus playlists on YouTube and streaming services. White noise is also a good option.
Lion’s Mane:
The smart mushroom that helps the brain focus and modulates anxiety
If you’re unconvinced, read research, scroll to headlines & highlights
Useful for thinking work, study, and anything that requires concentration
Also helps staying calm when you need to multi-task
Unsurprisingly, we recommend ours - Moksha Lion’s Mane
Credit: Arif Riyanto
Rant: let’s ban early standup meetings. They interrupt morning larks and night owls are still fighting brain fog. From midday on seems a better plan.
Routine
Prep:
Before going to bed, be sure of your priorities for the next day
Habits rule:
Our definition of a habit: doing without thinking
Frequency is key for good habits, so don’t wait for the right mood - keep turning up each day
Hijack procrastination:
Don’t wade into thinking work with chit-chat, social media or email, the only way is to dive straight in
Know thyself:
Are you a morning lark or night owl?
Wherever possible, think without interruption during your golden hours, talk/meet later
Exceptions are inevitable and being inflexible may cause stress with your team
It’s a tricky balance, good luck
Pace
Pomodoro:
Boost productivity: change your work from an endless marathon into manageable sprints
Pomodoro is a work/break/repeat hack
The countdown clock changes a phone from a source of distraction to a productivity weapon
Tips for break time:
Mentally disconnect from your task, this ‘low focus’ time can spit out solutions
Use breaks for those daily stretches & exercises
Movement loosens stiff muscles, pumps oxygenated blood around your body
Ideas: squats, stairs, sparring, rope skipping, downward dog and pigeon pose. However, please listen to your body and defer to your health practitioner’s suggestions
Attention
Your mental energy is precious and finite in supply.
Choose where your attention goes, recognize distractions and master these common culprits…
Email:
Email can monopolize your time, but it’s not your job
Shut off email before and during thinking time
Try the same for Slack, Trello, etc.
Use auto-responders with reckless abandon to manage colleague expectations
Checking email less often is such an easy way to boost productivity
Social media:
No peeking before thinking -dessert comes after dinner
Another ‘to-do’:
Free up brain power, and lower anxiety: get that 'to do' out of your head and on a list
Apple users: we live on the OmniFocus app. It's not free but worth every penny
Meetings:
Probably the single greatest barrier to human progress (social media and email come a close second)
When unavoidable, tell everyone how long you have and stick to the limit
That said, there is a time for relationship building. When it is, make it count
Final words
Many of the recommendations come from the books you see here >
If you’re after more motivation, then read on:
Sincere, not serious:
The idea here is to better manage your work life
If work is getting you down, you may be taking it too seriously (note to self)
You might want to reframe your mindset to be sincere but less serious
Seriousness squashes enjoyment, optimism and creativity whereas sincerity leaves the door open for them to flourish
If you have other hacks then please add below.
Good luck!
This is it
Moksha