Each generation thinks of itself as superior to all that came before. More modern, more sophisticated, more knowledgeable, and dealing with much more complex issues than any in the history of humanity.
We tend to consider productivity a Modern concern and development. We talk about how, in our modern age, people face all kinds of electronic distractions.
However, 2,000 years ago, people had the same fundamental problems. Although they didn’t have iPhones, they, too, were distracted from doing the work they intended when their minds wandered and people interrupted them. They struggled with maintaining focus and doing deep work.
The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Concentrate every minute like a Roman—like a man—on doing what’s in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions.” Meditations.
Focus is the key to productivity
In his groundbreaking book Hyperfocus, Chris Bailey writes, “The more we can manage our attention with intention, the more focused, productive, and creative we become.”
The ability to focus is the superpower of productivity. Without focus, we can’t accomplish the important work we intend to do.
How to Achieve Focus
So, how do we achieve focus?
To achieve focus, we must eliminate possible distractions. In our quote, Marcus Aurelius said, “And free yourself from all other distractions.”
Distractions come from outside ourselves like someone texting us or walking into our office to ask a question. But even when there are no external distractions, our minds will find a way to distract us.
We must preemptively eliminate as many of them as possible to prevent distractions before they occur.
• If you’re working in an office, close the door. You might want to set up “do not disturb” hours to focus and other times for open office hours.
• Turn off app notifications on your electronic devices for all apps except those you consider essential. That can be done in your device settings.
• Use the Pomodoro technique to set boundaries and specific amounts of time where we intend to focus. Setting a timer on my Apple Watch helps me stay focused. If I attempt to distract myself by thinking of something to do, I tell myself I’ll be able to do that when my break time comes. This helps to keep me from jumping up and breaking my focus.
• Use focus modes in Apple devices to exclude and filter notifications while we’re working. Using focus modes, you can determine which apps notify you and which people can contact you while you work.
• Use meditation to strengthen your focus muscle. Try focusing on your breath for just 5 minutes. You will inevitably find yourself thinking of other things. When you realize you’ve wandered off your focus on your breath, gently bring yourself back to your intended focus.
Even though we do what we can to eliminate distractions, our minds will still distract us if nothing else does. When you realize you’re getting distracted and thinking about something other than what you intended to do, bring yourself gently back to the topic.
Intending to Focus is the Key
More than anything, the best way to achieve focus is by intending to focus and concentrating on doing what’s in front of us.
As Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Concentrate every minute…on doing what’s in front of you.” Before there can be focus, there has to be the intention to focus.
Focusing is a mental muscle that can be trained. “Train yourself to be fully and completely immersed in what you are doing at the moment, and it will become a habit.” Todd Henry, Daily Creative.
You can use a couple of aids to encourage your intention to focus.
Time-blocking tasks on your calendar force you to form an intention about what you want to focus on during a period. Decide what you intend to work on during the day, then block the time on your calendar to do the work. Of course, this approach only works if you treat those time blocks as appointments to yourself and treat them with the same respect as an appointment with a doctor.
Using the Anchor Technique also prompts you to make intentional choices about what to focus on. In this approach, you list several topics and focus items you want to work on that day and then intentionally choose which one you want to “visit” or work on. When you’re done visiting that item, you make another intentional choice about what to work on next.
Bringing Ancient Productivity Tips into the Modern World
Distraction is not just a modern concern; it has been challenging for centuries.
The timeless advice of Marcus Aurelius reminds us that focus is the key to productivity. By eliminating distractions and setting clear intentions, we can train our minds to concentrate fully on what’s important to us.
Take a moment to identify one distraction you can eliminate and one technique you can implement to improve your focus.