Have you experienced that moment when you need to come up with a proposal for work, and all that seems to come to mind is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah? You know you need to do your budget so the checks don’t bounce and the numbers just seem to look like gobbledygook. Want to make matters WORSE? Throw in a timeline! You stare at the paper, pencil in hand and…crickets!

We have all been there! By learning just a few things about how your brain works you can conquer this brain freeze! Listed below are a few tips that will help you focus, get you started and staying working, and help you more effectively craft your next business plan, project, or homework assignment.  The ULTIMATE PAYOFF?  You create new habits that reduce your stress and you free up time to spend with family, friends or hobbies.

Lucky you!  You have an AMAZING “computer” in your brain. The information that your brain is absorbing, filtering and processing, is phenomenal and mostly unconscious. When we sit to really focus and create that

proposal, we are engaging this computer, the Prefrontal Cortex (behind your forehead). This is a serious energy consuming area of the brain, especially when we are making multiple decisions or processing massive amounts of information. The main gasoline for this exercise is glucose (sugar) and oxygen. So rule #1 working late is futile or when you are hungry and depleted of glucose. And you wonder why you run for the Snickers at 2pm/2am?! A small boost of food with some natural sugars AND a break will do WONDERS for your energy, creativity and focus. Splenda will not do! Which leads me to rule #2: Your brain needs a BREAK after 60 minutes of high intensity focus. By break, I mean stand up, stretch, walk to a window and focus on something pleasant. Take 10 slow deep belly breaths and offer your brain the oxygen it craves. Giving yourself just 5 minutes for this can dramatically improve your focus.

I mentioned your Prefrontal Cortex….that is the area of the brain that does the heavy lifting when it comes to critical thinking. In controlled studies, under the best of circumstances, people have been only able to hold 4 elements in focus. To have your BEST critical thinking show up try following rule #3: Narrow your focus to one task OR if evaluating ideas, compare 2 and then choose the “winner” to compare to the next option.   Now, how do you empty you brain to get down to ONE task, you ask? Do a brain dump! That is an exceptional way to prepare your brain to focus on just one thing, and thus rule #4: Write down EVERYTHING that is on your mind (your to-do list, your grocery list, your new marketing idea, basically ANYTHING you are trying to remember for later). While these tidbits of info may not seem front and center, they are none the less taking up valuable real estate in your very precious, very limited working memory.

How do improve your chances of making this all happen? Well, it takes practice. Many of us think we can multitask and have structured our days where we are drafting emails, checking text alerts, talking on the phone, and ruminating over a fight we had with our spouse. Can you do these things all at once? Yes. Can you do them well? NO WAY! It takes your brain 60-120 seconds to truly shift and become refocused on the new task (interruption). Also, your chance of making mistakes shoots way up when you keep shifting your focus. This is why you end up rereading your email 10 times before you send it off and even then, it may still have spelling errors.

I think you get the message, multitasking COSTS you productivity and increases your chances of making errors. So rule #5: COMMIT to focusing on one task by turning off your cell (or silence it), turning off email and text alerts, clearing your workspace, and posting a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door. We have become addicts to these pings. Scientists have actually discovered a new form of ADHD that develops from our addiction to social media. We even hear phantom rings and pings.  Before you discount this, TRY IT for ONE DAY!

[One positive note about multitasking that will give you a sense of relief… You can multitask on low risk, repetitive tasks. For example, things you do second nature, like folding the clothes, watching TV and chewing gum can be done together. These things don’t utilize your prefrontal cortex (i.e. your conscious resources). ]

With some practice, you can learn to give your brain the energy and “space” to focus. You can create the perfect working environment to generate content and creativity – and all in less time! This focus allows you to tap into other regions of the brain that provide connections and previous experiences (hello Ah-ha moments!).  You are firing on all cylinders!

Of course there are other things that can get in the way: choosing your priorities, conquering perfectionism, and your emotions.  I will share some future blogs that will help tackle these issues.  For now, I PROMISE, if you do these 5 tips before you task your brain with some heavy lifting, you will experience the focus and productivity you crave.

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