In episode 638, Kary Oberbrunner shares expert strategies for bringing your attention back to what matters most.
Pay attention to how technology is hacking your attention. Thanks to technology, the rate at which we receive information has more than doubled. In addition to that, we’re also now making more decisions than ever. This constant flood of information has put a massive strain on our brains. As a result, we crave stress-relievers in the form of distractions like social media. While distractions give us temporary relief, we lose much in the way of our productivity. Thus, to get back on track, Kary stresses that we first need to become aware of how we give in to these distractions.
Don’t resort to multitasking to get things done. Many think they do more when they do two or more tasks at once. However, as Kary explains, our brain can’t focus on two things at once. Instead, what happens is you switch your attention between the tasks. And when you do that, you end up getting less done while using up more energy.
Use the three focus filters to improve your productivity:
- Urgency – Set a deadline, and make the cost of missing that deadline clear.
- Agency – Get clear on your purpose. A well-defined goal will help you identify which activities are worth doing.
- Energy – Recognize that achieving your purpose requires some amount of sacrifice.
Encourage flow state with these triggers:
- Deadline – A deadline encourages us to be more strategic about how we work.
- Novelty – New experiences help bring us out of autopilot mode and into a more engaged state of mind.
Improve your productivity by also improving your mental health. Simple things like good sleep, healthy eating, and regular exercise do wonders for your brain. Kary also points out that community plays an essential role in helping us enter flow. Try having an engaging conversation to get you fired up and ready to work.
Read/listen to the full conversation HERE.
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