How to Powerfully Improve Your Focus During Work

Focus is the most powerful tool for accomplishing tasks and getting stuff done. So, what can we do on those days where focus is missing?

Here I’ve gathered the most powerful tips (including a few of my own) to get you back on the path of high productivity and soaring levels of focus!

Powerful Tips and Techniques to Revitalize Your Focus

1. Drink Caffeine (In Moderation)

TIP: According to studies, 20-200mg is the optimal amount for enhanced cognitive focus (about 1.5 – 2 cups of coffee).

Caffeine has been proven time and time again to be an amazing nootropic agent and a powerful fighter in your battle to regain focus.

As cited in this PubMed article: “Evidence shows that caffeine has clear beneficial effects on attention, and that the effects are even more widespread than previously assumed.”

Here’s the kicker though: Caffeine is only truly effective when taken in moderation. 

If you’re downing 2-3 of your favorite energy drinks per day, don’t expect caffeine to have much effect on you.

So as a fellow caffeine head, I highly recommend toning down the amount of caffeine usage. This way, you can take full advantage of all the benefits caffeine offers.

2. Optimize Your Work Environment

TIP: When working, create an environment that encourages focus. Let this environment contain everything you need to be focused and productive.

This is something I’ve learned for myself. I’ve always been a very distracted individual (probably because of my ADHD — who can tell), so I have had to create ways of increasing focus when I settle down to accomplish projects.

Here I’m going to give you my personal POWER TIPS to create an environment that works for you:

• Invest in a very nice chair. A chair that is perfectly comfortable, conforms to your back, and can keep you comfortable for extended periods of time.

Gaming chairs are a terrific investment. Two coworkers and I use ours on a daily basis. I no longer have lower back pain and can focus for much longer in my new chair.

Looking to buy a gaming chair? Here’s a good list of the best in 2021.

• Invest in a stand-up desk. A stand-up desk allows you to stretch your legs after prolonged periods of time.

I highly recommend investing in a stand-up desk. Put plainly, humans were never meant to sit all day. Sitting for extended periods of time is harmful to your health, and the science supporting this is far from lacking.

So save yourself the future back pain and buy yourself a good stand-up desk.

Here is a good list of the best stand-up desks for 2021.

• Distract at least three avenues of focus. 

Sounds odd, but let me explain. 

This is something I picked up from a podcast with Dr. Caroline Leaf, who was interviewing a successful doctor with ADHD.

His tip was to listen to subtle, calming music while you work.

So I rewired the idea to something that worked even better for me: Distracting avenues of focus.

We generally have five senses: taste, sight, touch, smell, and hearing. But we don’t need all of them blaring at 100% when we need to focus — it’s just distracting.

So I occupy as many senses as possible with small distractions to ensure my focus for the actual task is operating at full capacity.

I use headphones (playing soft, non-distracting music or white noise) to distract my ears. I have a small container of chocolate (dark chocolate for its ability to help with focus) to distract my sense of taste. And I have my raising desk to help me not overthink whether I’m oversitting or not.

Distracting avenues of attention has greatly increased my productivity.

Find ways that work for you!

3. Get Outside!

TIP: Science proves that taking time to see nature improves overall cognitive focus.

It may seem counterintuitive to stop work altogether to go outside during working hours, but believe me, taking the time to refresh your mind actually INCREASES focus!

In fact, a 2014 PubMed study found that even including some plants in your work environment had a positive impact on focus and concentration.

So get some plants and go outside. Even science says it works wonders for your concentration!

4. Try Nootropics

WARNING: Always speak with your doctor before trying new supplements.

TIP: Taking brain-focused supplements can help with overall cognition.

This route isn’t for everybody, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t include it in the list.

Nootropics are chemicals compounds or supplements that enhance cognitive ability. Many things you eat now are considered nootropics, like coffee and dark chocolate.

So if the brain fog is still prevalent, try giving a mental supplement a try.

Here are the best brain supplements of 2021 I recommend you look into.

In Conclusion

Those days of brain fog and distractions happen to even the best of us, and there isn’t one sure-fire way to solve this problem once and for all — we are all too different.

But the tips in this article have really helped me boost my productivity in a very short amount of time. Maybe they can help you, too.

Try them out, and let us know how it goes!