Need Help Staying Focused? Try These 10 Tips

If you have trouble staying on task or paying attention to the details, eliminating distractions like your phone or trying techniques like Pomodoro timers or SMART goals may help. If there’s one thing we could all probably use a lot more of, it’s the ability to focus. But telling yourself to stay focused on a task, especially a mundane one, is often easier said than done.
The good news? Several techniques can help you zone in on the task in front of you. If you need help staying focused, try one — or all 10 — of these tips.

What causes poor attention to detail?
All people can experience poor attention to detail or have trouble focusing sometimes. Some contributing factors may include:
• being hungry
• being tired or having poor-quality sleep
• being stressed
• feeling worried or anxious
• being distracted by something in your environment

Sometimes, managing the cause of your inability to focus can help resolve the issue. But if you often experience poor attention to detail or have difficulty staying engaged in tasks that require your full attention, it may be a symptom of another condition.
These may include:
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• anxiety
• depression
• autism
• learning disorders like dyslexia
• conditions that affect the quality of your sleep, like insomnia or sleep apnea
• conditions that cause fatigue, like hypothyroidism
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• concentration deficit disorder

Doctors may also want to rule out conditions such as hearing loss and developmental disorders in children.
If your difficulties staying focused result from a condition, a healthcare professional can help you find a treatment that may improve your focus.
You may also find that the following behavioral practices may help you approach your tasks with greater engagement and attention.
1. Get rid of distractions
First things first: You need to eliminate distractions. While you can’t do away with everything, you can make an effort to reduce or get rid of as many distractions as possible.

۲. Coffee in small doses
Drinking coffee, or other caffeinated beverages, in small doses may positively impact your ability to focus.

۳. Practice the Pomodoro technique
Staying focused helps you get more done in less time. While that sounds simple enough, it’s not always easy to put into practice. So, the next time you’re wrestling with your attention span, try the Pomodoro technique.

This timing method helps you train your brain to stay on task for short periods. Here’s how it works:
• Set your timer for 25 minutes and get to work.
• When the buzzer sounds, take a 5-minute break.
• Then, set the timer again and get back to work.
• Once you’ve done four rounds of this, you can take a longer break, approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

۴. Put a lock on social media
5. Fuel your body
6. Get enough sleep
7. Set a SMART goal
8. Be more mindful
9. Make a to-do list
10. Focus on similar tasks