How To Focus On One Thing At A Time: My Thoughts For Work

Being able to stay focused during long periods can sound challenging. Staying focused is certainly a skill to master over time, and it can help you accomplish quicker. If you’re interested in learning how to focus on one thing at a time, allow me to share my experiences. Not a lot of people are fans of doing the “one thing at a time” approach, but I think it will benefit you if stick to that practice.

In this post, I will briefly go over what I do to stay focused, especially when it comes to maximizing my productivity. Whatever helps me could possibly help you as well, and it can benefit you in the long run.

1. Take The “One Thing At A Time” Approach
2. Get Rid Of Distractions
3. Use The Pomodoro Technique
4. Avoid Social Media
5. Get Enough Rest

Take the “One thing at a time” approach

What I mean by this approach is to literally do one thing at a time. So there’s no multitasking, or trying to do everything all at once.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a fan of multitasking. In reality, it can slow you down and not get as much done as you think.

I’ve tried it in the past, and multitasking did not do me any good. I found myself being less productive and even stressed sometimes.

So when I do one thing at a time, I will put all my energy into doing that one task without stopping. When you’re focused on one task, you can get more done than if you were to switch between tasks every few minutes.

Get rid of distractions

Eliminating or getting rid of all distractions is essential to maintaining your focus. What I do is what helps maximize my productivity, including:

• Locking my phone somewhere (either in a drawer or another room)
• Having a notebook near me
• Being in front of a computer (it has apps that block common distractions)
• Set a timer on my computer

When I have these things set in place, I’m setting myself for success. The fewer to no distractions, the more productive I’ll be.

Use the Pomodoro Technique

I’ve discussed this term in prior posts, which I find to be an effective technique to try. The Pomodoro Technique works very well for staying focused from time to time.

Basically, you set a timer to work for 25 minutes non-stop on just one task. After that time is up, you get up and take a 5-minute break. You then do it again three more times, followed by a longer 15-30 minute break.

I’ve used this technique for a few years now, and it worked out well on my end. I can’t tell you how much I can get done doing a few tasks in about half a day. 

On a side note- that is exactly what I’m doing right now as I write out this post. It’s amazing that I can write this post in less than an hour.

Avoid social media

Unfortunately, we live in a society where social media addiction is very common. It can be very tempting to go scroll on Facebook, or even watch random videos on Youtube.

So when I need to focus, social media is completely restricted. Even if it’s to take a peak, it’s still a no-no under my radar.

Get enough rest

This one is still something I struggle with at times. But I can’t emphasize how important it is to get enough sleep to stay focused.

Without proper rest, you feel more fatigue and don’t feel energized to do any work. When that happens, you feel slower and tend to not get as much done.

Although it’s something I’m still working on, it’s still crucial to maintaining focus. If you can get enough sleep, you’re one step ahead of the game.

Final Words

The idea of staying focused is still one that many people struggle with. Even on my bad days, I know there were times I couldn’t stay focused.

The ability to stay focused is a skill to master over time and one that can pay off if done the right way. If you start working on that today, you’ll notice some differences right away.

It may be difficult to start out working on one task at a time. But trust me, you’ll find it to be beneficial as you get more practice. The more you practice staying focused, the better you’ll become down the road.

Your Turn: How do you remain focused when working on a single task?

I would like to get your thoughts on this issue. Do you have trouble staying focused every now and then?

Which of the tips mentioned do you find helpful? Is there anything else that you do that was not covered?

Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I look forward to reading your responses, and I’ll gladly respond promptly.

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Eric is a content writer and the site owner of notimekillers.com. He takes great pride in helping people manage their time and grow their businesses. Eric is a firm believer in time freedom, as he believes in taking ownership of time. 

“Time is your most important asset. It can be your best friend or worst enemy. How you use your time can shape the future you desire to have.” In his leisure time, Eric loves to write and read whenever possible. He enjoys going for long walks outdoors while doing in-home workout videos every week. You can follow Eric on LinkedIn.