In many areas of our lives, whether we like it or not, we sometimes (reluctantly) have to get our heads down and focus. This could be anything from revising for exams or writing a dissertation if you are a student to writing a business plan or doing your tax return if you are a businessman. And like all the great achievers, everyone at some point finds it difficult to FOCUS.

We find ourselves in the 21^st century with more and more messages being thrown at us all the time. Wherever we are or whatever we are doing someone or something is trying to send us a message, be it adverts on the t-v or radio, pop ups and links on the internet or our own mobile phones constantly going off. Of course, it is only natural for us to be interested in taking in as much information as we can digest, but sometimes this can be to the detriment of our own focus and creativity. With all these messages to digest in our minds all day it is no wonder that when we sit down to focus on a brain straining task we struggle!

It is with this in mind that I am going to introduce you to some helpful ways of creating information focus allowing your mind to be clear and your creativity to flourish.

Part 1: Clear your mind

How often do we think? Do you believe we are only thinking when we have to carry out a mind taxing task? Do we ever stop thinking?

The truth is that we are thinking all the time. Even when we are asleep our dreams are types of thoughts; so it’s no wonder that we sometimes feel overwhelmed by our minds thinking. In order to focus, we must first of all clear our minds so that we can direct our energy where it is needed.

Read through and follow the steps below to find out how you can create a clear mind.

1) Find a comfortable place to sit down and gently close your eyes. Ensure your body is totally relaxed; your shoulders should be 100% tension free.

2) You may like to spend a couple of minutes thinking about any thoughts or concerns entering your mind, these may be thoughts about the task you are about to complete or other thoughts unrelated to it. If you find that there are thoughts that are particularly bugging you, write them down on a piece of paper for you to deal with afterwards.

3) After a couple of minutes of pondering your thoughts, it is now time to clear your mind. As it is impossible to think of nothing, we cannot empty the mind entirely. However, what we can do is focus on a less taxing task to enable our mind to relax and rejuvenate so it is refreshed for our session of focus. We do this by relaxing and focusing on our breathing.

So here we go.

Whilst maintaining your relaxed position breathe in deeply and then exhale slowly.

Do this again but as you do it, focus on the air coming in to your lungs as you inhale and out through your mouth as you exhale. Try to think about nothing but your breathing pattern. Feel the cold air hitting the back of your throat and entering your lungs, then the warm air leaving your body. Repeat this process for about 20 breathes.

You will find that your mind wonders onto other things, but each time this happens bring your thoughts back to concentrating on your breathing.

The more you practice this the easier it will become to focus your thoughts on just your breathing. You should aim to do this exercise for at least 3 minutes to allow you to clear your mind and relax your body.

Part 2: Time to Focus

Now that you have a clear mind you can begin to focus on the task in hand. Follow the suggestions below to enable your mind to remain clear and focused.

1) Have a purpose:

Whatever you are trying to focus on, by ensuring you have a clear purpose of what you are setting out to achieve will enable you to create an automatic filter in your mind to filter out unnecessary information and distractions. For example, if I was doing internet research for an essay on Climate Change I would be automatically filtering out pop ups and links on other topics such as the newest movie releases; no matter how much more interesting and tempting that may be. Although this may sound silly, it may be beneficial to write down your aim of the focus session. If you do this, then when you find yourself wondering off course onto something more interesting you can remind yourself of your aim. It has been proven that by writing aims and goals down, you are much more likely to stick with them and achieve them.

2) Plan your focus time:

Ever heard of the phrase “Fail to plan, plan to fail”? Well, it is true. By planning when you are going to set time aside to focus on something you will be much more likely to get the most out of this time and this will allow yourself to concentrate fully on the task in hand. Again, as I mentioned earlier, by writing this down, you will be more likely to do it. You can also plan your leisure time for afterwards to ensure it does not creep into your time of focus.

3) Take a break:

Like with any activity and even more so when you are using your brain it is so important to take regular breaks. You should aim to be taking a short break every 15 to 30 minutes. By doing this you will be allowing your brain to work at its optimum capacity without becoming overloaded. A great way to spend your break time would be to practice the mind clearing exercise I taught you earlier on to relax and rejuvenate you for the next session.

4) Fuel your Brain:

Before you begin your time of focus ensure you are not hungry as your mind will inevitably become distracted by the thought of wanting to eat. Also ensure that you are fully hydrated. If you do not have enough fluid in your body, your mind will not be working to its full potential.

5) Eliminate Distractions:

This is probably the most simple and yet one of the most effective actions you can take to creating information focus. The aim here is to create a surrounding where you can sit in peace without the risk of being distracted by anyone or anything.

Try to follow these handy tips:

• Switch off your mobile phone.
• Switch off all other forms of communication such as the radio, t-v or mp3 players.
• Politely ask other people around you if they could respect your time of focus by not disturbing you.
• When working on the internet, do not be tempted to click on an “interesting” link or be tempted to check your mail for new messages. If you are really fighting the urge to click on a link or pop up, make a note of the site and you can go back to it after your time of focus.

6) Keep it fun and see the light at the end of the tunnel:

This may sound impossible but remember that there is a reason why you are sitting down and concentrating on this particular task. One way or another, by completing the task you are focusing on will be of some benefit to your well being. For example, if you are sitting down to revise for your exams it may seem a massively boring past time at this moment, however, imagine the feeling of pride and relief when you have finished and passed your exams. It really does make it all worthwhile. So, when you are having moments of thinking its not worth it, just remind yourself of the great times ahead when all the work is done.

Have fun and good luck,

Fred