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Jun 4 2009
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What Do You Do To Get Totally Focused?

focusSort of silly short post here – I was wondering what you do to get totally focused on something you need to do? (Please list your favorite tip in the comments here.)

I was reading this month’s Inc magazine and a quote from Matt Mullenweg founder of Automatic kind of stopped me – “When you’re coding, you have to be in the zone. I’ll listen to a single song over and over on repeat.”

I can’t focus with music because I get too involved in the music – much better with headphones and little white noise.

So, how about you?

Image credit: marfis75

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  • http://www.StaleyTraining.com/ Charles Staley

    Ear Plugs

  • http://www.iamsmartacus.com/ Rudy

    Music for me too, but not just any music — orchestral stuff I've heard tons of times works best (like movie soundtracks). Hopping stuff like Pearl Jam or Zeppelin just gets me focused on the music and drifting off the task at hand.

  • http://www.yourmarketingguy.com/ Kyle Hunt

    In my Outlook I click “Work Offline” – with no email flying in, my focus and productivity skyrockets!

  • Jason McSteen

    Eat tuna fish, the omega 3 will be enable your brain to focus ;)

  • http://www.celltherapyblog.com/ Lee Buckler

    I take the laptop and sit somewhere different than the office. I don't turn on the internet. The new environs and the lack of e-interruptions convinces me I am there for a single purpose that is otherwise next to impossible retain!

    Classical music also inspires focus & productivity.

  • http://www.makinendsmeet.com/ Kris Freeberg

    I clear my desk using David Allen GTD tools & techniques, so that the thing on which I want to focus is all there is.

  • Jenna

    I just had a great experience with a promotional marketing and events group called Marden Kane. It's a great place to go for event planning and even loyalty programs – I highly reccommend it!

  • http://www.lotusjump.com/ Robert Brady

    12 minute power nap

  • http://blairwilliams.com/ Blair Williams

    I agree with Matt — I just listen to the Tiesto or Matt Darey podcast over and over again. Trance music is fantastic for bringing me focus.

  • http://whackradical.blogspot.com/ hinsonian

    procrastinate

  • http://blog.winningworkplaces.org/ Mark

    I make lists…lots and lots of lists. I love the visual of checklists being completed. I just crossed off my fourth of 8 things for today.

  • http://www.business901.com Josep T. Dager

    I am most productive when I take the time to make a list. Just like Mark said, but maybe one step further when I actually lay out my day and stick to it.

    P.S. Best thing I ever did years ago before we got “fancy” was create daily inbox folders and dragged e-mails into it. Had to go home with empty inbox.

  • http://www.lotusjump.com/ Andrew

    I write down my top priorities on a whiteboard that I keep in front of me. Everything I do during the day needs to be related to one of those top 3 items. If I need to re-focus for a particular task, I like to take a 5 min walk outside to get some fresh air, then I come back and hit it hard.

  • http://DavidKamatoy.com/ David Kamatoy

    As a juggler and a high creative I have had this problem often….

    1. 5 hour Energy or a blend of caffeine and b-12 helps.

    2. Music or Media helps.

    a. If I have long copy to write then music helps. Sometimes sans lyrics jazz or classical. I have the complete Miles Davis Sessions sitting there right now.

    b. I love watching HULU.com or Netflix but because of the nature of storylines it sometimes casts me more time. TV is better for Internet work. This helps a lot especially when I am having problems settling down.

    Clear the Desktop both virtual and reality and keep the only thing on the desk to be the task ahead of you. This works quite well and I dont do it enough. lol

    More random thoughts at http://www.DavidKamatoy.com

    John you are the man.

  • suedarby

    Every few days/weeks/months (depends on what is going on in my life) I make a Master To Do list. The list usually ends up about 100 items long and I make it at the beginning of a week. As I go I check things off which helps me focus on what is next on the list. I don't prioritize or set exact dates or times for most things I just pick something I want to do and get it done. My motivation is my desire to get it off the list and by listing the baby steps on a larger project eventually I accomplish everything.

    I put together a 10 page Power Point 3 1/2 years ago detailing what I wanted to do in the next 5 years and our of everything in the original PP I have 1 thing left and I'm about to get even that done (finally!). When I realized my long term goals were all nearly done I had to sit down and do another PP for the next 5 or so years…. I'm working on one of the major projects for that now.

    My focus or even a daily refocus happens by looking at that master list and at the things completed. The more that is on the list the more I want to have those items move to a completed list which makes me pick the next thing and GO GO GO!

  • http://www.allinoneposters.com/ shannon

    Remove all other distractions. Anything that might get in the way of work.

  • http://www.poweredbytofu.com/ Powered by Tofu

    First, lots of coffee. Next, “plan the work and then work the plan” ;)

  • ljoehle

    I throw on the instrumental bluegrass station on Pandora. I have found words draw me into the music. If I am going to listen to to “regular” music, I will play something relatively mellow just to drown out the background noise. As always, gotta have the Gchat, email, Twitter muted.

  • joe

    Select one topic, set kitchen timer for 30-60 minutes and do nothing but that one thing until alarm goes off…if I'm rolling then hit timer and go some more…

  • http://www.mccloudphotography.com/ Justin

    Our day starts by a morning workout to wake-up and think about the day ahead. From there, its coffee and list time. Once the list is made, all tasks must be met so focus is in full go.

  • Michelle

    I drink Red Bull. It really really works.

  • http://www.leissagebert.blogspot.com/ Leissa

    I listen to Mozart and chew lots of bubble gum. It seems to take care of the manic multi tasking urges so I can focus on the task at hand.

  • http://www.irunabiz.com/ Jeff

    4 Steps: 1. Write in on my to do list. 2.Clean up my work area (a messy environment clogs my mind) 3. Do the Task. 4 Check it off my to do list and pour myself a drink

  • http://www.jcgarrison.com Jeff Garrison

    Classical music or something else with energy. It has to be music without words or stuff that I am not familiar with or I will get distracted. See … now I have to change the channel because this question has me thinking about what I am listening to and all of a sudden I am listening to the words. Shoot.

  • http://stldesignworld.wordpress.com/ Donna J Gamache

    Not a silly question at all! I will reblog it to my site, if you don't mind!

    Personally, I work best in long stretches, without interruption, so I like to work late, or on a week day at home, when nobody is around.

    I take the white noise approach, as well. I put on some of Brian Eno's ambient sound recordings. If you are not familiar with Brian's work, check it out. It's technically music, but not really. It blends into the atmosphere like white noise. It is extremely relaxing to have it on, and I hear it for about the first 60 seconds, and then it begins blending, and the next thing I know, it's an hour later.

    If I have to work in the office, people walking by my door distract me, conversations in the hall distract me, everything distracts me, but not when I have the ambient stuff on. I've had people come by my office to see what I was listening to, and I've turned them on to it, as well. They always come back and tell me how much they love it.

  • http://www.crazyeye.com DaveLopez

    Early in the day things usually start in a spiral bound notebook. Then I place those items into one of two task managers. Dot Project for work related, time sensitive items or Action Method Online for personal stuff. AMO is great because it's very simple. After that I only work from the lists. If something new comes in I put it in the notebook and add it to one of the lists at a later time. Oh, and music is on the entire time. With or without lyrics.

  • http://www.karmur.com/ Alex

    I'm kind of new to the internet and the amount of potential incoming and outgoing information, I tend start early and read around in ever decreasing circles, taking nibbles of info until I have settled into the task(s) at hand for the day.

    Not sure it's most effective way yet but it's a learning curve!

  • http://www.hippiespelunker.com lisamariemary

    I put on my classical channel on Pandora – usually at a very low volume. Occasionally, I will listen to something upbeat – if I'm really pumping out content like a madwoman, or if I'm extremely passionate about the particular topic I'm writing about. Generally, though – I shut up my ADD-brain with classical music. That keeps it busy so that I can get to work.

    I am intrigued, though, by Matt's method of putting a song on repeat. I have used that in other instances and it's been either very helpful or comforting. I may have to try that!

  • http://www.adventurouswench.com/travel/ Adventurous Wench travel store

    To be in my zone. I go somewhere quiet. Meditate for 30 minutes. Visualize the finished work . And do the task.

  • http://www.ericungs.blogspot.com/ Eric Ungs

    Music and complete silence is a distraction for me. I also need white noise to be fully engaged and focused in what I am doing.
    I put on my ear buds and direct myself to simplynoise.com, which I discovered through one of your weeks in review posts. Great stuff!

  • http://www.business-sanity.com/ Susan Martin – Business Coach

    As a business coach, many of my clients talk to me about problems with focus, and often the answer lies in taking some kind of practical action to get you going, such making lists or listening to music. What I find, is that the strategies often need to be different for each individual.

    Some people feel that there to do list is an enormous mountain that needs to be conquered, if that's what going through you mind, it's often helpful to to break things down into the smallest possible chunks, things you can complete something in one sitting.

    Others get distracted because there is a lot of chaos in their environment, and find it hard to concentrate until some of that chaos is eliminated, and sometimes starting with some housecleaning can help like clearing off your desk or answering a bunch of emails or voice mails that have been piling up.

    If you're feeling as though the phone is always ringing, or too many emails, texts or IM's are interfering with your productivity, often setting some boundaries, turning off the electronic devices and scheduling “focused work periods” with yourself to complete one specific task can be very helpful.

    And of course, if there are underlying issues that are getting in the way, focus is often hard to come by until you've allowed yourself to deal with things you'd rather avoid.

  • http://www.virgildodson.com/ Virgil Dodson

    I chew up a pen. Really. Usually a plastic pen. I figured out a long time ago that when I put a pen in my mouth while I'm concentrating on a problem that I can get into the zone and finish what I'm working on. Maybe for the reasons that Leissa chews gum,”to take care of the manic multi tasking urges”, but whatever the reason, many plastic pens have met their demise to help me solve a problem.. :)

  • http://milliondollarbusinessquest.blogspot.com/ Tim Rosanelli

    The biggest hurdle is just getting started. Many times, if I am avoiding a task, I put the simplest step on my To Do List. For example, if I want to write an article, I will put Open up and write title in MS Word Document. Once I do that, inertia takes over the rest.

  • http://milliondollarbusinessquest.blogspot.com/ Tim Rosanelli

    The biggest hurdle is just getting started. Many times, if I am avoiding a task, I put the simplest step on my To Do List. For example, if I want to write an article, I will put Open up and write title in MS Word Document. Once I do that, inertia takes over the rest.