Focus and concentration can be difficult to master. We live in a noisy world, and constant distractions make deep work feel impossible. But actually doing it? That's where the magic happens.
Luckily, this page contains the best ideas and top research on how to get and stay focused. If you're looking for a more direct approach, check out our no-bullshit guide to focus. We will break down the science behind sharpening your mind and paying attention to what matters. Whether you're looking to focus on your goals in life or business, this page covers everything you need to know.
I. Focus: What It Is and How it Works
What is Focus?
Experts define focus as the act of concentrating your interest or activity on something. But there is a more important insight hiding inside that boring definition:
"In order to concentrate on one thing you must, by default, ignore many other things."
Focus can only occur when we have said yes to one option and no to all other options. Elimination is a prerequisite for focus. As Tim Ferriss says, “What you don’t do determines what you can do.”
Why Can't I Focus?
Most people don’t have trouble with focusing. They have trouble with deciding.
Most healthy humans have a brain capable of focusing if distractions are removed. Think about a deadline: when things become urgent, you're forced to make a decision, and suddenly you can focus. We often convince ourselves that multitasking is a better option to avoid the difficult work of choosing just one thing. This is ineffective.
The Myth of Multitasking
Switching Cost is Real
One study found that the typical person checks email once every five minutes and needs 64 seconds to resume their previous task. We waste one out of every six minutes just on email switching costs.
Technically, we can do two things at once (like walking and talking), but we cannot concentrate on two tasks at once. Multitasking forces your brain to switch focus rapidly. This incurs a "switching cost," a disruption in performance every time you jump from one task to another.
Stop Multitasking with Resolve
The best way to eliminate multitasking is to commit to a single habit or task. Identify your "Anchor Task" for the day and track its completion with a tool like our online Pomodoro timer. Resolve helps you define and stick to your daily non-negotiables.
II. How to Focus and Increase Your Attention Span
Increasing your attention span is a prerequisite for entering a flow state. It requires consistent practice and the right environment.
Warren Buffett's “2 List” Strategy
One of the best methods for elimination comes from Warren Buffett. He uses a 3-step productivity strategy:
- Step 1: Write down your top 25 career goals.
- Step 2: Circle your top 5 goals.
- Step 3: The top 5 are your primary focus. The other 20? They become your Avoid-At-All-Cost list.
Buffett told his pilot, Mike Flint, "Everything you didn’t circle just became your Avoid-At-All-Cost list. No matter what, these things get no attention from you until you’ve succeeded with your top 5."
Measure Your Results
Focus often fades because of a lack of feedback. Your brain needs to know if you are making progress.
- When I measured how many pushups I did, I got stronger.
- When I tracked my reading habit of 20 pages per day, I read more books.
- The tasks I measured were the ones I remained focused on.
Measuring isn't a judgment; it's feedback. It helps you focus on what matters and ignore what doesn't.
Focus on the Process, Not the Event
We often see success as an event ("Losing 20 pounds," "Getting featured in Forbes"). But people who stay focused fall in love with the process (eating healthy, marketing daily).
If you want to become better at anything, you have to fall in love with the practice of doing it, not just the dream of the result.
III. Concentration and Focus Mind-Hacks
Even with the right mindset, daily implementation can be messy. Here are practical hacks to improve concentration:
Choose an Anchor Task
Assign one (and only one) priority to each work day. This is your non-negotiable. organizing your day around one key responsibility guides your behavior naturally.
Manage Energy, Not Time
If a task requires full attention, schedule it when your energy is highest (usually mornings). Leave passive tasks like email for low-energy periods.
Leave Phone in Another Room
It is exponentially easier to do focused work when you don't have visual cues (phone, alerts) interrupting you. If you can't see the distraction, the urge subsides.
Never Check Email Before Noon
Pursue your own agenda in the morning rather than reacting to everyone else's. If you can't wait until noon, try 10 AM. Carve out a block of "offensive" work before you switch to "defensive" work.
Where to Go From Here
Regardless of what strategy you use, focus comes down to committing to one thing. In the beginning, you don't even have to succeed perfectly. You just need to get started.
If you're looking for a tool to help you systematically measure your progress, eliminate distractions (by tracking streaks), and fall in love with the daily process, consider using the Resolve app. It's designed to turn these psychological principles into a simple daily practice.