{"id":98302,"date":"2023-04-07T13:26:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-07T17:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=98302"},"modified":"2023-04-12T15:20:32","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T19:20:32","slug":"what-does-it-mean-to-be-focused","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-focused\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does It Mean to Be Focused & What Causes Distractions?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What does it mean to be focused? How do experts define focus? Why do we get distracted<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some time now, psychologists, productivity experts, and tech industry gurus have sought to define the true meaning of focus and why we get distracted<\/a>. In their efforts to discover how we can learn to stay on task<\/a>, they’ve uncovered fascinating insights about what it means to be truly focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to learn how they define focus and why we lose our concentration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Does It Mean to Be Focused?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you often feel that there isn\u2019t enough time to finish all the projects you\u2019d like to get done? Does it seem that when you try to concentrate on a task, your attention gets pulled in a thousand directions? Do you often feel like there are so many things on your to-do list<\/a> that you never have any energy left for the things that matter to you most? Rather than blame the outside world for chipping away at your energy and time, it may be more productive<\/a> and fulfilling to improve your ability to focus.<\/strong> But, what does it mean to be focused? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many authors have tackled this subject to learn the true meaning of focus, from psychologists to productivity experts, business consultants, and tech industry gurus. Their consensus is that the ability to focus\u2014to concentrate your attention on an individual task for a sustained period of time\u2014is key to personal success and fulfillment, not just in your career but also in your personal life. They also agree that it doesn\u2019t come naturally. Focus is a skill you have to learn through practice<\/a>, deliberate repetition, and strategies to minimize the constant distractions of the modern world.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Definition of Focus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To understand what it means to be focused, let’s take a look at how experts in the field of productivity define focus. In general, psychologists and productivity experts agree that \u201cfocus\u201d is the ability to direct your attention<\/a> to a single task and maintain it without distraction. In this article, we\u2019ll look at different authors\u2019 approaches to thinking about focus and why we get distracted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Do the Experts Say?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Concept #1: Focus is selective attention<\/a><\/em>.<\/strong> One way we can understand what it means to be focused is by learning about open vs. selective attention. In his book Focus<\/em><\/a>, psychologist Daniel Goleman highlights two mental states, open awareness<\/em> and selective attention<\/em><\/a>. Open awareness<\/a><\/em> <\/strong>is a state of fluid, passive attention where you\u2019re not focusing on one specific task. Selective attention<\/em> <\/strong>is a type of effortful focus you use to filter through the flood of sensory stimuli and narrow your attention to what is relevant. As the name suggests, selective attention helps your brain select what is relevant and choose where you direct your attention.<\/strong> Later in this guide, we\u2019ll discuss ways to improve your selective attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concept #2: Focus is deep work<\/em>. <\/strong>Computer science professor Cal Newport discusses focus in Deep Work<\/em><\/a>, which he defines as focused, uninterrupted, undistracted <\/em>work on a task that pushes your cognitive abilities to their limit. Newport explains that skills you need to succeed in the modern economy\u2014like complex problem-solving, data analysis, and computer programming\u2014require deep work to learn<\/a> and execute. Your ability to do deep work will determine how much you thrive in the information economy<\/a>, and in this guide we\u2019ll explore several ways to set the stage for doing deep work in your daily life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concept #3: Focus is singular<\/em>.<\/strong> In Eat That Frog!<\/em><\/a>, business consultant Brian Tracy argues that there\u2019s no such thing as multitasking\u2014you can only focus on one thing at a time<\/a>. What seems like multitasking is actually \u201ctask shifting,\u201d or switching your attention between different things<\/a>. After being interrupted, it takes 17 minutes to totally refocus on a task and continue. Starting and stopping repeatedly can increase the time needed to complete a task<\/a> by 500%. In contrast, when you work without interruption, you can cut the time required to finish by half<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The State of Flow<\/strong>

Being focused can also mean achieving a state of flow<\/a>. A heightened state of attention and complete focus, commonly referred to as \u201cflow,\u201d was first identified by psychologist Mihali Csikszentmihalyi<\/a>. When you\u2019re in flow, he discovered, you become engrossed in an activity, lose track of time, and lose yourself in the process, not pursuing any rewards at the end.<\/strong> Csikszentmihalyi\u2019s research determined several features of flow:

1) To get into flow, you need to devote yourself to only one task.

2) The task must be intrinsically motivating.

3) The task must be just right\u2014not too easy and not too hard. If it\u2019s too easy, your brain won\u2019t devote all its power to the task. If it\u2019s too hard, you\u2019ll become discouraged, which will prevent you from reaching a flow state<\/a>.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why Do We Get Distracted?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Now that we understand how experts define what it means to be focused, let’s turn our attention to what causes us to lose our focus. The enemy of focusing your attention is distraction. Daniel Goleman outlines two main types of distractions<\/a>: emotional<\/strong>, in which feelings take center stage and interrupt our attention, and sensory<\/strong>, in which a physical sensation such as pain or a loud noise commands our attention. Modern technology, especially our personal devices, is a relentless source of sensory distraction and can lead to addictive relationships with digital media. Whether the distraction is emotional or sensory, avoiding distraction and maintaining your focus requires a deliberate, conscious act of will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whereas experts generally agree on what it means to be focused and the nature of our ability to do so, there\u2019s debate about what causes us to become distracted: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Theory #1:<\/strong> In Stolen Focus<\/em><\/a>, Johann Hari makes the case that in the digital age, we\u2019re being distracted on purpose. Tech companies carefully engineer their products to keep your attention for as long as possible, <\/strong>because the longer your eyeballs are glued to the screen\u2014where advertisements are placed strategically among your friend\u2019s cat videos\u2014the higher the companies\u2019 revenues. <\/strong>If your goal is to focus on your screen, tech is your friend; if your goal is to focus on anything else, tech is your enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Theory #2:<\/strong> In Indistractable<\/em><\/a>, Nir Eyal provides a different take on distraction\u2014he argues that distressing internal emotional and sensory experiences are the reason why<\/em> you become distracted<\/a>. External distractions, such as digital technology, are essentially avenues we use to escape <\/em>internal physical and emotional discomfort. Without internal triggers<\/a>, your attention wouldn\u2019t be driven to escape into social media or binge-watching television.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What does it mean to be focused? How do experts define focus? Why do we get distracted? For some time now, psychologists, productivity experts, and tech industry gurus have sought to define the true meaning of focus and why we get distracted. In their efforts to discover how we can learn to stay on task, they’ve uncovered fascinating insights about what it means to be truly focused. Read on to learn how they define focus and why we lose our concentration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":58936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,43,30],"tags":[978],"class_list":["post-98302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motivation","category-self-improvement","category-work","tag-the-master-guides-focus","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Does It Mean to Be Focused & What Causes Distractions? - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What does it mean to be focused? 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