9 Tips on How to Stay Focused at Work
Do Your Levels of Concentration and Motivation Drop The Minute You Get To Your Office?
How many times have you been sitting at your desk in your office and your mind wanders to the bill that needs to be paid, making sure you remember to check in on your best friend to see how her date went last night, Jim from two doors down pops into your office to ask a “quick question” (it’s never quick with Jim, he always adds extra), or your stomach is growling because you’re hungry but it’s not even lunch break yet.
My point is there are so many distractions around between our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and the environment we work in, getting distracted will happen.
It can be frustrating, anxiety-producing, and create a lot of stress, especially if there are deadlines and important projects that need to be done.
So what can you do about it?
Keep reading to learn 9 helpful tips for staying focused when you’re at the office.
I am an anxiety therapist in Wilmington, NC, and provide therapy for high-achieving women experiencing anxiety and stress. We discuss topics such as perfectionism anxiety, feeling like an imposter, and experiencing burnout.
I provide online anxiety therapy for high achievers in North Carolina and Maryland.
Ready to get started? Click the button below to schedule your free 15-minute consultation with me.
Keep reading to learn tips on how to stay focused at work.
9 Tips for Staying Focused When You Work
Whether you are living that work-from-home life or you are in the office, it is easy to get distracted and lose focus. Experiencing stress and anxiety only adds to difficulty concentrating. Check out these tips to help you reduce distractions, help refocus, and get things done.
Tip #1 For Staying Focused: Low Traffic
Try to get your workspace in a low-traffic area. If you are in the office stay away from paths that others take to the break room or restroom.
If you’re working from home try your best not to set up your work area at the dining room table. Even if you are the only one at home you may associate this area with busyness or chores that need to be done etc.
Tip #2 For Staying Focused: Small Goals are Key
This is one of those things that can be easily overlooked or forgotten.
It is important to set goals and sometimes it is important to break those goals down into smaller more manageable goals or tasks.
This can help to keep focus and motivation.
Tip #3 For Staying Focused: Prioritize Tasks
This might be a two-step process but it is worth knowing.
First, what time of day do you do your best work? Are you a person that works best in the evenings and enjoys being able to sleep in? Do you feel energized in the morning and hit that afternoon slump around 2PMish?
After you figure out what time of day you work best then you can figure out how to prioritize your work.
For this, the Eisenhower Matrix is a helpful tool that can assist you in breaking down tasks by importance and urgency.
Click the link above and you can find a download of the Eisenhower Matrix.
Tip #4 For Staying Focused: Brain Breaks FTW
It is not possible to work nonstop all day long.
Taking brain breaks is important for being able to keep focused and concentrating especially if you feel easily pulled away or want to be doing other things than what you are doing.
I suggest trying the Pomodoro Technique. You can set a timer for X minutes to get work done and then take a 5-minute brain break, rinse and repeat.
Tip #5 For Staying Focused: Stay Hydrated
The importance of hydration is often overlooked.
Being hydrated is not only physically important for your body but also can help mentally too.
Studies have shown that even mild dehydration can cause cognitive impairments such as concentration.
So grab your favorite water bottle or better yet go buy yourself a new one and start hydrating your brain.
Tip #6 For Staying Focused: Set Boundaries
Boundaries are important. You can set boundaries when at the office and it is possible to set boundaries when you work from home.
It’s okay to close the office door or set your phone to Do Not Disturb for an hour while you’re trying to get something accomplished.
Tip #7 For Staying Focused: Reduce Stimulation
If you are in a work environment with a lot of stimulation, such as noise and lots of movement, there could be some steps you can take to try to reduce the stimulation as much as possible.
Here are some things you can try:
Rearrange your desk or office space. Don’t head on face the traffic areas or windows.
Use noise-canceling headphones or earbuds.
Listen to music or sounds that promote focus. (I love using the brain.fm app for this)
Have some kind of organization
Tip #8 For Staying Focused: Get Some Sleep
Nothing can throw you off your game like a bad night of sleep.
Maybe you have a case of the Sunday Scaries and the anxiety is hijacking your mind and keeping you up at night or revenge bedtime procrasitnation is getting the best of you. Either way you are missing out on some very important shut eye.
Having healthy sleeping habits and getting good rest is essential for your brain because it helps to improve memory and learning.
Tip #9 For Staying Focused: Self-Compassion
You are not perfect.
Not every day or moment is going to be productive.
There will be days and times when it is harder to concentrate and be focused than others. This is normal and natural. Some days might require you to push through and some days you might be able to step away and try again later or the next day.
Self-compassion is essential in these moments when you find yourself giving internal lectures about what you “should” be doing or not doing or beating yourself up and being unkind because you are struggling for whatever reason.
Being kind and giving yourself grace during the moments when you’re not operating at your best, can make it easier to get started again, provide motivation, and overall change the hurtful narrative you tell yourself.
Anxiety Counseling in Wilmington, NC at Calm Waters Counseling
It can become so easy to get distracted. Between your mind and thoughts and feelings to the environment you work in, it can sometimes be near impossible to stay focused on a task.
Remember it’s not possible to remain completely laser beam-like focused all day long. But there are things you can do to increase the likelihood of being focused and on task.
I use a style of therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Having difficulty focusing at work can be attributed to many different things such as anxiety and burnout. Learn more about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for anxiety and burnout below.
Using ACT for anxiety treatment
Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for burnout
Get started in therapy at Calm Waters Counseling by following these 4 simple steps:
Click the button below to schedule your free 15-minute consultation
Complete the brief questionnaire sent to your email before the consultation
Meet with your anxiety therapist
Start meeting your goals and living your life in rich and meaningful ways
Therapy for High Achievers in Wilmington, NC at Calm Waters Counseling
Before we commit to working together, it is important to know if we are a good match. Take the first step and learn about me and my Wilmington, NC therapy practice.
I work exclusively with stressed-out and anxious high-achiever women because I understand the challenges of being a high-achieving woman and why therapy is important for high-achieving women.
Check out the helpful services at Calm Waters Counseling, listed below:
Anxiety therapy in Wilmington, NC
Treatment for Perfectionism in Maryland
Burnout Counseling in Wilmington, NC
Therapy for Imposter Syndrome in Wilmington, NC
Online Anxiety Therapy in North Carolina
Coming into the therapy office isn’t always high on the priority list and you know you benefit from the help and support therapy brings.
Online anxiety therapy can be a great option for you.
Virtual anxiety therapy is effective and can provide the anxiety relief and support you need.
Are you interested in online ACT for anxiety treatment?
If online therapy seems like a good option for you, click the links below to learn more about where you live.
online therapy for anxiety in North Carolina
online anxiety therapy in Maryland
Still, have questions? Click the buttons below to learn even more!
Written by: Laura Rippeon, LCSW, LCSW-C