An Era Demanding Focus
In today's information-overloaded world, focus has become one of the most valuable abilities. Notifications, emails, social media—elements competing for our attention continue to increase. With the spread of smartphones, the environment of constant exposure to external stimuli has become normal, while opportunities to immerse ourselves in deep thought are decreasing.
To maintain high productivity and produce quality results in such an environment, skills to consciously manage and strengthen focus are essential. Focus is not just about paying attention, but the ability to eliminate distracting factors and maintain consciousness on a single task. This ability has become an important element for building competitive advantage in modern society where intellectual work is increasingly valued.
According to research, once focus is broken, it takes an average of over 20 minutes to return to the original state. In other words, in an environment with frequent interruptions, reaching a state of deep thinking itself becomes difficult. To do quality work, you need to secure uninterrupted time and minimize external interference during that period.
Impact of Decreased Focus
When focus decreases, it doesn't just mean longer work time but causes various negative effects. Continuing to work with scattered attention increases mistakes, decreases creativity, and ultimately reduces the quality of output. Also, when tasks remain incomplete, mental stress accumulates.
- Increased time needed to complete tasks
- Decreased quality of deliverables
- Increased mental fatigue
Scientifically Backed Techniques
Many methods have been proposed for enhancing focus, but here we introduce techniques whose effectiveness has been proven by scientific research. What these methods have in common is understanding characteristics of the human brain and designing work styles suited to them.
Pomodoro Technique
A method of alternating 25-minute focused work sessions with 5-minute breaks. It was conceived in the 1980s by Italian university student Francesco Cirillo. "Pomodoro" means tomato in Italian, derived from the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used.
The effectiveness of this technique is backed by multiple studies. The human brain is not good at maintaining high concentration for long periods. However, for short periods with a visible end, you can maximize focus. Also, regular breaks restore brain fatigue and enhance focus for the next session.
- Select a task
- Concentrate only on that task for 25 minutes
- Take a 5-minute break
- After 4 sets, take a longer break (15-30 minutes)
This rhythm suits the brain's concentration and recovery cycle. 25 minutes is a delicate balance—not too short to produce sufficient results, and not too long to maintain concentration.
Time Blocking
Manage your daily schedule with time blocks. Rather than relying on task lists, work proceeds systematically by allocating specific time slots to each task. This method utilizes the calendar not just as a schedule but as a tool for designing how to use time.
The advantage of time blocking is that by deciding "when to do what" in advance, you reduce in-the-moment decision-making. Decision-making consumes cognitive resources, so if you think "what should I do next?" many times throughout the day, fatigue accumulates just from that. If you set time blocks, you just need to work on the predetermined task at the predetermined time.
"What's not scheduled is the same as not doing it"
- Group similar work together
- Place important tasks in the morning
- Secure buffer time
Environment Preparation
Focus cannot be maintained by willpower alone. By properly preparing the environment, it becomes easier to enter and maintain a focused state. Environment preparation requires approaches from both physical and digital environment aspects.
Physical Environment
Physical conditions of the work environment directly affect focus. A cluttered desk becomes visual noise and unconsciously scatters attention. Also, inadequate lighting or temperature creates physical discomfort and hinders concentration.
To build an ideal work environment, start by removing everything except what's needed from your desk. Place only the tools needed for work within reach and store everything else out of sight. Lighting ideally is brightness close to natural light, and temperature around 20 to 25 degrees is considered suitable for concentration.
- Desk organization
- Appropriate lighting and temperature
- Noise countermeasures (noise-canceling headphones, etc.)
Digital Environment
The biggest cause of distraction in modern times is notifications from digital devices. When constantly receiving notifications from email, SNS, chat apps, etc., maintaining a deep state of focus is impossible. When doing focused work, you need to intentionally block these notifications.
There are many ways to prepare the digital environment—putting the smartphone in another room, turning off computer notification functions, using apps for focused work. What's important is not telling yourself "I'll look at it later," but creating a state where notifications physically don't arrive.
- Turn off notifications
- Close unnecessary tabs
- Use apps for focused work
Importance of Rest
To maintain focus, appropriate rest is essential. Continuing to work for long hours without rest causes focus to decline, mistakes to increase, and creativity to be lost. Effective rest is not just stopping work, but recovering the brain and preparing for the next focus session.
To improve the quality of rest, it's important to do activities different from work. Especially since continuously looking at screens burdens eyes and brain, leaving screens during breaks is recommended. Consciously incorporate activities that rest the brain like short walks, deep breathing, or looking out the window.
Effective Break Methods
The effect varies greatly depending on how you take breaks. Breaks like checking SNS on your smartphone don't rest the brain but rather provide new stimulation. The following activities are effective for promoting brain recovery and preparing for the next focus session.
- Short walks
- Deep breathing and stretching
- Looking out the window
- Light chatting
Avoid continuously looking at screens and rest your eyes and brain. Also, hydrating during breaks helps maintain focus.
Summary
Focus is not talent but a skill that can be improved through training. You can develop the ability to create a deep state of focus by finding methods that suit you and practicing continuously.
There's no need to try to perfectly practice all techniques from the start. First, choose one method and start by making it a habit. Whether you try the Pomodoro Technique or start with environment preparation, choose a method that suits your situation.
Try one technique starting today and experience its effect. Through continuous practice, you can make the valuable ability of focus your own.