How to Focus Better: 3 Tips to Try Now

Did you know the nature of your mind is clarity? Isn’t it odd then how easily you lose your focus.

In no time, distractions and uneasy feelings take over and clutter your mind. It’s like clouds covering up the sun. And, the only reason this happens is because of mental habits – most you’re probably highly unaware of. Once you realize this, these habits can be replaced with new ones that make your focus better.

On my second trip to India, I went to a Hindu temple for the first time. I didn’t know exactly what to do and my friend shared with me that I could sit and meditate on a mantra which he gave me. So, I did and still that mantra arises at times when I’m feeling uneasy.

I learned much later this was a version of the mantra Gandhi said for most of his life. And, it formed his last words that day right after he was shot (which was 69 years ago from yesterday). Rama, Rama, Rama. These words are meant to invoke the deep joy naturally abiding within you. His focus was on joy.

Imagine what your daily activities can move you toward. Joy, peace, happiness, love, calm…

And imagine what you’re life would be like with constant thoughts like – I’m stressed, I’m too busy, I feel bad, I messed up, I can’t do all of this – flooding your mind.

Becoming conscious of this can make all the difference in what direction you move. When you know where you’re going, it becomes simple to keep your focus. And, when you know where to focus – you save a lot of time.

Here are a few tips to get you going in the direction you truly desire.

3 Tips for Better Focus

1. Get to Know Your Distractions

Your distractions arise from your own mental habits. Give yourself some space. When you feel distractions come up, list them out and don’t fight with them. Get familiar with them. Maybe you’ve got 5 or 10 distractions arising during a day.

Look at what your mental thought habits have in common. Ask yourself – what’s missing in your life that’s causing all of these to pop up. Name one step you can take to dissolving them.

2. Name Your Why for the Day

I love Gandhi’s example because he simply focused his mind on joy. That was his why. The mental habit of naming your why makes everything easier.

Start simple. Write down your one-word why for tomorrow. This why represents the single most important thing you want to create tomorrow. For example, my constant why these days is peace. This helps me keep my focus on being peaceful in what I see, hear, say, and do. I think of it as I plan my day, reflect on different experiences during the day, and at the end of the day.

(Keep this in mind: many times it takes simply letting go of your logical to-do list mindset and trusting your sub-conscious mind do the work for you.)

3. Take Decisions from Your Heart

Give yourself some space. Experiment a little. For any decision tomorrow, ask yourself which option will lead to your why. It could be deciding what to eat, who to spend time with, what conversation to engage in, the attitude you show up with, how you go about doing your work, how you take care of yourself.

If you say why to yourself at least 20 times today, that’s a great sign you’re going to put your focus on what’s really important to you. And, if at any time during the day, your mindset’s not great or your body doesn’t feel right, these are definitely ideal times to ask yourself why a lot.

In Summary

Turn your thinking upside down. Set aside all the to dos and worries and name your why. It could be your why for tomorrow, for an activity, or for your whole life. This doesn’t have to be perfect – something is way better than nothing. Once you do that, the clouds will start lifting from your mind. Your focus will become better and you’ll naturally move toward what’s most important.

Please share what your why is in the comments. It’s healing to share and express yourself. Try it and you’ll gain the familiarity that’s essential to this whole practice.

Wishing you clarity of mind.

Jennifer