Work

When should you set aside time to focus? How long should your focus sessions last? Hyperfocus requires planning, according to productivity expert Chris Bailey. In his book Hyperfocus, he discusses scheduling focus sessions, using timers, setting deadlines, and spacing out tasks. He also writes about scheduling focus time within the context of biological and external realities. Read more to learn when and how to schedule a time to focus.

Does your mind often get off track when you’re trying to focus? What are some strategies to help you keep your mind from wandering and get it to stay on task? If your mind wanders when you work, you might be bored or anxious. If you’re hyperfocusing, your mind might wander during the extra time that has been freed up by your productivity. Productivity expert Chris Bailey offers two strategies for keeping your mind from wandering: 1) matching your tasks to your skill level and 2) increasing the number of high-impact tasks you do. Read more to learn how to

Do you struggle to focus on the right things? How can you make sure you’re channeling your attention in the most effective way possible? According to Chris Bailey, the author of Hyperfocus, the quality of the tasks we pay attention to determines the quality of our lives. When we focus on high-quality tasks, we perform high-quality work and have a high-quality impact. When we focus on low-quality tasks, even if we perform high-quality work, we will have a low-quality impact. Here are two helpful attention management strategies to help you decide what truly deserves your attention.

What is task-shifting? How is it different from multi-tasking? We often talk about multitasking—doing more than one task at a time. While we certainly do this, we probably are engaged far more often in task-shifting—rapidly switching our focus from one task to another. Productivity expert Chris Bailey explains task-shifting and provides two reasons why it lowers productivity. Read on to learn about task-shifting and its impact on success.

What is meta-awareness? How could attention tracking help you focus on the right things? In the context of attention, meta-awareness is simply being aware of what you’re paying attention to. By practicing meta-awareness in the form of attention tracking, you can become acutely aware of where your attention goes. Here is how meta-awareness can help you focus more deliberately and, as a result, be more productive.

Are distractions harming your productivity? What are some practical ways to limit distractions so you can get more done? Distractions are inevitable, but you aren’t completely at their mercy. Whether you’re at work or at home—and whether you can or can’t control the distractions—you can implement certain strategies that limit how and how often you’re distracted throughout the day. Keep reading to learn how to manage distractions effectively.