"Staying focused for an entire workday can feel like a losing battle. Between constant notifications, shifting priorities, and mental fatigue, even the most disciplined professionals struggle to maintain momentum from morning to evening. To understand what actually helps people stay in the zone, we turned to experts who study attention, performance, and productivity. They shared nine practical, research-backed strategies for sustaining deep focus and getting meaningful work done throughout the day."
"When my nervous system starts running hot, or I notice I'm rushing when I have to present, I pause for two minutes. I close my eyes and mentally put my inbox and to-dos into an imaginary jar outside my door. Then I breathe in a simple cadence: inhale four counts, hold four counts, exhale four counts, hold four counts, for four cycles."
Maintaining focus across a full workday is undermined by constant notifications, shifting priorities, and mental fatigue, causing even disciplined professionals to lose momentum. Nine research-backed strategies can sustain deep focus and enable meaningful work throughout the day. One effective approach is box breathing, a self-regulation technique used by elite performers and medical practitioners to reduce stress and restore calm. The method involves a brief two-minute pause, closing the eyes, mentally setting aside tasks, and cycling through inhale four counts, hold four counts, exhale four counts, hold four counts for four cycles. Regular use restores presence, clarity, and reliable attention for high-stakes work.
Read at Fast Company
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