Focus

Focus (absorption, concentration) is the ability to narrow the attention so as to apply it in a more detailed and penetrating way for sustained periods of time on some chosen part of your present experience.

  • Whatever your primary motivations are in life, you won’t get anywhere by waiting for something to happen. Plan! It’ll never be the right time.
  • Environmental changes can make it easier to attend effectively to the right things.
    • Removing clutter and other distractions can make attention less difficult, for which the virtues of orderliness and simplicity can help.
    • Disable notifications and badges so that you don’t mindlessly open distracting apps.
  • Mindfulness meditation, e.g. breath-counting, seems to be a go-to technique for developing focus.
  • Periodic exposure to nature and out-of-doors in a relaxing, undemanding way can restore attention capability.
  • Attention is a scarce resource. Everything in the world is fighting to get yours.
  • When a problem becomes the top idea in your mind, you reach the 50%+ focus tier that drives Productivity. You can only hold one such slot at a time. Stay with one problem even when blocked to force Problem Solving breakthroughs instead of context-switching.
  • Batch low-value chores into a fixed window and close open loops fast to protect Time.
  • Some sounds or music can help you focus.
  • The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing.