9 focus-forming habits to lengthen your attention span

From the infinite scroll of Facebook and Instagram to the temptation of a perfectly sunny day, there are a lot of distractions that prevent you from zeroing in on your work. But as career expert and cofounder of Early Stage Careers, Jill Tipograph, explains, internal interferences are tough to avoid, too. “With lengthy work hours, increased workloads, boss expectations, and shared office spaces, one needs to have a box of tips and tools to stay focused for longer periods of time,” she says. So how to you meet your deadlines? Try these focus-forming habits that help to lengthen your unpredictable attention span: 1. Create a strategic schedule—and stick to it One of the biggest reasons for mind-drifting is idle hands and thoughts. It’s easier to find your flow if you create structure. Tipograph recommends beginning each week with a deep dive into what needs to be accomplished, giving you the opportunity to carve out every last detail of the workweek. Interruptions from colleagues, managers, and clients are bound to happen, so predicting to the best of your ability will ensure productivity. When in doubt, Tipograph says to over-schedule instead of under-schedule: “From when you will do different tasks of a project, to making calls, answering emails, hold meetings, to when to take breaks and meals, you will accomplish more and feel productive,” she says. Also, try to schedule calls and meetings back-to-back to better strategize your time. She adds: “It is interruptive to have calls and meetings throughout a day. Block off certain days and times for meetings and calls, allowing the other parts of your day for work.” 2. Hide your phone What makes your phone so tempting? Career and branding expert Wendi Weiner says it’s part addiction and part happenstance. If it’s there, right by your laptop, […]

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