Are you finding yourself easily distracted or hopping from one thing to the next without accomplishing anything? Are you craving more motivation and less procrastination? Do you always have an excuse in your back pocket waiting to pull out? Well, if you answered yes to any of these, then this is the blog for you.

Here are five things you can start doing to improve your focus and concentration and actually get things done:

Get into a routine: 

Stop being so willy-nilly with your wake time and bedtime and get yourself into a routine. Get off your screens, go to bed at a decent time, and set an alarm to wake you up at the same time every day. I’m not saying you need to wake up at 5 o’clock every morning, but find a time that works for you. Know yourself and when you’re most likely to be more productive.

Eliminate distractions: 

This isn’t new news. If anyone anywhere ever wants to increase their focus, concentration, and productivity, you need to eliminate other distractions. Turn off your phone, turn off your notifications, and stop multitasking. Instead, focus on starting one task and finishing it to completion.

Schedule your tasks: 

Speaking of eliminating distractions, try scheduling your tasks and giving that task your full attention. I know, from experience, that I’m not nearly as focused on the task at hand when I’m also flipping back and forth to check emails. But, when I started time-blocking my days, I could actually focus on the task I was doing because I knew I had time set aside for emails. So, when I’m working on client work, I’m focused there. When I’m working through emails, I’m focused there.

Take breaks: 

Don’t forget to schedule breaks in your day too. Studies show that you will be more focused and productive when you return from a break. Grab something to eat (a healthy choice is ideal), a drink of water (put the coffee down and drink your water), or go for a quick walk. The best system is to take a 15-minute break after every two hours of work.

Start: 

I think this goes for nearly everything –but just start. Someone once told me, “think less, do more,” which was great advice. Sometimes we can get so caught up in having the perfect plan that we end up holding ourselves back. But, if you want that laser-strong focus, you just need to start. Implement one strategy or try them all, but just start and work your way through it as you go.

Improving your focus and concentration isn’t something that will happen overnight. It takes time to implement these strategies and create new routines and habits. But, if you really want to make changes, you can!

By improving your focus and concentration, you will quickly realize that you can be more productive in accomplishing tasks, and you will feel better doing them. Plus, it will take you less time, which will free up your time for the things you REALLY love doing!