Attention Management: How to Regain Your Attention After You've Lost Your Flow

In today’s world of on-demand services and instant access, we face more distractions than ever, which makes it a challenge to stay focused on personal goals like writing a book. Once your attention starts to wander, getting refocused can feel impossible. Fortunately, there are tips you can use to get back on track whenever your attention wanes.

• Remove unnecessary distractions from your work environment. Turn off the TV and set your phone aside — put it in another room if the temptation to scroll is too strong.
• Break large tasks into smaller ones. It’s easier to hold your focus on “dust the bookcase” than on “clean the whole house.”
• Start your day with your most challenging, attention-heavy tasks. Knock out the hard stuff first, while your focus is freshest.

Staying present when you have a lot of thoughts

Have you ever been completely focused, only to be interrupted by your own random thoughts? Those thoughts can derail your workflow, leaving you Googling questions or getting up to run an errand. Create a tidy space for them: keep a small notebook handy, and when a random thought pops up, jot it down. Think of the notebook as a compromise with your attention span. You’re giving yourself a chance to return to those thoughts later, when you can actually focus on them.

The myth about taking breaks

If you’re struggling to manage your attention, give yourself permission to take a break. This may seem counterintuitive, but scheduling short breaks is an excellent way to maintain your overall attention span. Think of attention like a muscle: if you work it constantly, it grows too weary to keep going. Let yourself take a short break between tasks. Grab a snack, watch a funny clip, or walk a lap to clear your mind and give your attention a chance to refocus.

Keep yourself focused using the senses

A great way to return to the present after a break is a five-senses exercise. Close your eyes and take two or three deep breaths. Name one thing you can hear, then one thing you can smell, then one thing you can taste (your toothpaste from this morning? the coffee from earlier?), then one thing you can feel (a breeze from the fan, a stiff back). Finally, open your eyes and focus on one thing you can see. Take a few more deep breaths and soak in the moment before returning to work.

Be realistic about your to-do list

Some days you feel unstoppable — house cleaned, bills paid, errands run. Those days are wonderful, but that level of focus won’t happen every day. If you’re struggling, look at your to-do list. Are you stacking large, thought-intensive tasks on the same day? Is the workload realistic? Organize tasks by priority, give yourself enough time, and schedule breaks.

Controlling distractions by setting boundaries

One of the biggest attention-suckers is requests from other people. Learning to set boundaries protects your attention from unnecessary distractions. If you constantly let others monopolize your time and focus, it’s hard to get your own work done. Setting a boundary can feel awkward at first, but it protects you, your attention, and even your relationship, through clear, open communication.

Keeping your body well to maximize focus

When you aren’t caring for your physical health, your ability to manage attention suffers. Drink plenty of water (your brain needs it), get enough sleep (missing quality sleep is an attention killer), and eat nutritious foods full of vitamins and minerals. Treat your body well and you protect your ability to focus.

If you’d like a copy of my free Attention Management Workbook, email me and I’ll send it your way.