Introduction
I've been working from home for almost 2 years now and it's been quite an adventure. There are challenges that I've encountered along the way and I had to find lifehacks that allowed me to either conquer or at least put a damper on them.
In this article, I am going to share a #lifehack I adopted that allowed me to conquer the number 1 enemy of getting stuff done, namely...distractions. This series is written for the aspiring home based business entrepreneurs and the already established one who want to better their life. I've already wrote 3 article in this series that you can enjoy reading:
- YNAB - The Budgeting Software That Changed My Financial Life
- Home Business Essentials - Staying and Getting Strong - My Review of Stronglifts 5x5 program
- Sitting is the New Smoking? My Experience with Standing Desks
The Internet Is An Attention Game
My job as a marketer is to get my message across to people within the average person attention span. It's incredibly short! Attention is the name of the game and as the average attention is shortening the more valuable this "commodity" is becoming.
The findings revealed human attention span has fallen from an average of 12 seconds in the year 2000 to just eight seconds today. Humans now have less of an attention span than a goldfish (nine seconds average). Source: medicaldaily.com
Now, with the attention shorter than a goldfish, imagine someone trying to get things done while working online 8h+ per day. How long can you work on a project in your browser without being tempted to open a window to check a youtube video or look at your Facebook status or messages?
People who can find a way to "hack" their brain to focus longer on any given subject will come out on top when it comes to productivity.
Lifehacking Your Brain to Get "In The Zone"
Neuroscience is bringing us some very interesting insights when it comes to attention span. What people want to know is how they can maximize focus so that their environment becomes less distracting and their attentional "spotlight" is continuously focused on their projects. Auditory neuroscience and psychoacoustics (the psychology of sound perception) can help us answer this question.
Here comes my favorite tool to "hijack" my brain into focusing more intensely. This tool alone is responsible for bringing my average focus from 10min to 50min on any given projects. When I use it, after 5 minutes, I get "in the zone" and get things done without feeling like I have to go play with other tabs than what I'm currently working on.
This tool is:
If you are a neuroscience geek, make sure to read their study that support their claim that by using Focus@Will "people show a typical 11-12% positive increase in focus biomarker and up to 400% extended session time." You can also learn more about the science behind it here.
But my personal experience is all that I needed to be very enthusiastic about it. Basically, they have built playlist specifically designed to hijack the part of the brain that want to be distracted and by "satisfying" it you can just plow along to whatever project you are working on. I personally need something that is "high tempo" in order for it to work but for other people they would need something "chill". It all depends on your temperament.
Also, every playlist can have a different level of intensity to help you find the sweet spot that fits your specific need.
Not all music boost your focus. I've tried playlists on youtube and other apps that claimed to boost focus. In my experience, it's the only one that gave me tangible results I can bank on every day.
Conclusion
I am not affiliated with Focus@Will and do not make a dime promoting them. This article is simply about me sharing the tools and tips that allow me to get the most out of my day as I work from home. I hope you will go for their free trial and give it a shot. It may become one of your best kept secret to get things done online.
Good stuff.
I've used Boroch classical music to help me stay in "the zone" before. It works. There have been times when I literally had no idea that an entire day had passed, so intense was my involvement in my study. I skipped meals and only got up to use the restroom. Even that was absent-mindedly, because I was focused on my project the whole time.
As I get older, it's getting harder to stay in the zone. I don't have the kids around anymore to distract me, but still seem to have a shorter attentions span. But I still get in the zone sometimes, and a few hours go by before I realize it. There's something very satisfying about such intense study, at least for me.
Thanks again for another practical and accessible life upgrade!
I love seeing simple and well written articles that show real ways to improve life!
I my self am a master of focus so have no need at all for something like this but I can see how short most people's attention span is and how difficult it is to progress or achieve.
If your experience as u say is, that it improves focus then this is a no brainier investmen, as focus = results.
This is something that is not expensive and can just be put on, like taking a pill. How convenient!
Will keep following you and supporting valuable content.
Heck yes a better way to stay focused love it! thanks doing the trial now. on to writing great stuff... I hope/
Thanks, I will give it a try today.
I listen to music everyday and it works very well for me. I am in the zone after few minutes.
You should try brain.fm, its an amazing company that has some of the best in alpha, beta, and delta music waves.
I have never been more excited to try anything in my life haha! I have really bad ADHD and music is already the only thing that saves me so this is right up my alley! Thanks for sharing!
@cryptoctpus been on the classical piano channel all day and my brain is loving it! Thought I would be more of the ADD Type I but that is some crazy noise! lol
Thanks again for sharing.