As we grapple with the news that we are in lockdown and try to imagine what the next few months will have in store for us, we are finding ourselves plagued by a brain fog making focusing impossible. Why is this?
When your workspace becomes your home space, it is easy to lose the ability to separate the two. Your daily routine has been kicked to the curb by this global pandemic, and it is up to you to find the motivation to stay focused on your work. You no longer have the structure of an office to keep you motivated, and your bed probably seems more appealing than your work.
Here are some tips and tricks to staying motivated and focused at your new home office
Designated workspace
Having a designated workspace is probably the most important part of staying focused at home. You need to create an area in which you only associate with work. This will enforce that switch in your brain from home mode to work mode. It needs to be private, quiet, and have minimal distractions. Once you do this you have completed the first step in becoming more focused when working from home
The Pomodoro method
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management system that encourages people to work with the time they have—rather than against it. Using this method, you break your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks. These intervals are referred to as Pomodoros. The idea behind the technique is that the timer instils a sense of urgency. Rather than feeling like there is an endless amount of time in the workday to get things done and then ultimately squandering those work hours on distractions, you know you only have 25 minutes to make as much progress on the task at hand as possible. Additionally, the forced breaks help to cure that burnt out feeling most of us experience toward the end of the day. It’s impossible to spend hours in front of your computer without even realizing it, as that timer reminds you to get up and take a breather. This is one method to drastically boost your focus and productivity.
Morning exercise
Exercising in the morning can do more than kickstart your physical energy, it can also do wonders on your mental state leaving you more focused and productive. Recent research has found a positive link between physical exercise and job performance. Exercise releases toxins from your body and gets your blood going, giving you a fresher start to your day, not to mention the endorphins it releases, which improve your mood drastically. However, morning exercise is not for everyone, if your not a morning person don’t worry we have other tips and tricks for you.
Sleep
Ever have one of those days where you find yourself reading the same sentence or paragraph over and over—and you just can’t seem to concentrate properly? This is probably because you didn’t get enough sleep the night before. However, I know actually getting sleep is much harder than it sounds, there will always be one more email, one more phone call. However, getting sleep is so important that even if you only get one more hour than usual you will see improvements. You will see that staying on task becomes easier and that your ability to digest new information improves.
Yoga
Multiple studies have been carried out, which show how yoga can drastically boost our brainpower. This is for three main reasons. First, to properly complete the poses you need to be focused, over time this helps to improve your focus on everything. Second, it releases endorphins. Endorphins relieve your stress and clear you brain fog. Finally, yoga increases the grey matter in your brain. Grey matter is responsible for memory, decision making, and much more. However this is a gradual process which you will have to be committed to, so if that’s not for you don’t worry we have other ideas.
CBD
There are alternatives with a much shorter activation time, for example, CBD. CBD is among some of the most effective ways to improve focus and concentration. CBD has both short- and long-term benefits when it comes to improving your focus. It can provide an immediate boost in your productivity. When you feel that brain fog coming along using CBD will help prevent it. With continual use, CBD can help aid you in your job performance and focus.
CBD is available in many different forms, from oils to edibles, but the method with the shortest activation time is vaping. This is because it enters your bloodstream within minutes of inhalation. A CBD vape will be perfect for you to feel more on top of your work and help you stay focused throughout your day.
With such a variety of products and methods to help you overcome your lack of concentration, you will need to find what works best for you. Try a bit of everything, maybe even try pairing some of the methods and products together. For example, if you decide to try the Pomodoro method, you could use a CBD product in those 5-minute breaks to ensure that your focus stays even more on point. Once you discover what world best for you, implement it into your new daily routine. With your designated workspace and new methods to overcome your lack of focus, you will see how your focus rapidly improves. The longer you stick with your method of choice the more your ability to focus for longer amounts of time will improve.