Focus: what is it and why is it good for us?
What is it?
Focus is your ability to direct and hold your attention on what is in front of you - from daily work tasks to your long-term vision and goals.
There are two modes of attention: directed (voluntary) and wandering (involuntary).
Like a light switch, when one is on, the other is off. When we focus on something, we're using directed attention. When our mind roams, such as on a walk or in the shower, we're using wandering attention.
Directed attention is a limited resource. Think of it like a battery. The longer we focus, the lower the battery level gets. When it drops too low, our focus drops with it, our work becomes sloppy and everything takes longer than it should. Step away and let wandering attention switch on, and the battery recharges, along with our ability to focus when we return to our desk.
Why do we need it?
In the distracted, digital world of today, focus is becoming an increasingly rare and valuable skill. Too many people spend their days dragged from one distraction to another, a puppet pulled around by their inbox and push notifications.
A busy, distracted day can give the illusion of a productive one. But motion and productivity are not the same thing. The more we let our attention get pulled in every direction, the harder it becomes to sit with anything for more than a few minutes - because focus is a skill, and the more we train distraction, the weaker our ability to focus becomes.
Focus is what enables us to do great work and build an intentional, meaningful life. Without it, we cannot do the deep work that matters or make real progress on our goals.
How do we get it?
We start with our environment. We don't want to rely on willpower, it's a fickle friend.
Put your phone in another room while you work. Close the tabs you don't need open. Tell people when you're doing deep work and won't be available. The goal is to design a space where fewer distractions are within reach, so focus becomes the path of least resistance.
We then get clear on what actually deserves our focus. Not everything on the to-do list is equally important, but it's tempting to treat it that way - ticking off easy, low-value tasks because it feels productive to do so. Before the day starts, instead ask what one or two things would make today genuinely productive, and protect time for those first.
Then build in proper breaks, not scrolling breaks.
Scrolling feels effortless, but we're still using directed attention while we do it, which is why our focus is worse after a scroll than before. A walk outside or a few minutes away from screens allows our directed attention to switch off and our wandering attention to turn on - providing the opportunity for the battery to recharge.
3 questions to ask yourself:
What is currently distracting me from my work and how can I remove it from my environment?
What's the one thing today that, if I achieved it, would really move the needle?
Where am I trying to focus on too many things at once, instead of giving the one most important thing my full attention?
