Feature Image by Hannah Olinger

While being a multitasker is an excellent quality, the ability to maintain focus on a single task seems to be a lost art form. The overwhelming list of daily tasks, constant social media updates, and demands from your boss make it impossible to get anything done effectively and efficiently.

So what can you do to help center your focus? Check out our tips below.

Ground yourself
Grounding yourself is a coping skill often used in mindfulness practice or cognitive behavioral therapy, and it’s when you bring your focus back to the present moment. The next time you have a laundry list of things to do and you feel your heart rate start to rise, stop and observe things around you, say or spell your name, or repeat the day, date, and year. You can even count tiles on the floor or ceiling. Bringing yourself back to the present will help you focus and complete one task at a time.

Repeat a mantra
We love a good mirror message. Is there a phrase you can repeat to yourself or keep somewhere so you can constantly see it (like your phone, desk, or bathroom mirror)? It can be as simple as, “You got this,” or as deep as a Gandhi quote. The trick is to repeat it multiple times a day.

Prioritize
At the start of every day, write down the top three things that need to be completed (make sure it’s things you know you can actually finish!). We tend to get overzealous with to-do lists and then feel defeated at the end of the day when there are still 10 things we didn’t get to. So to avoid feeling overwhelmed, make a realistic list and work your way through it — you’ll feel more in control and accomplished.

Take a walk
We know not everyone has the luxury of taking a walk midday. But even if it’s a stroll to the bathroom in your office or around your own home, simply getting up and getting blood and oxygen pumping into those muscles can help reset your brain and allow it to maintain clarity. Trust us on this one.

Put your phone away
Turn that phone on to “do not disturb!” We’re constantly interrupted by dings, buzzes, and beeps, so it’s no wonder our attention span only lasts a couple minutes. When you really need to focus, force yourself to put your phone away on silent. Your Instagram post and tweet will still be there in an hour, we promise.

xx, The FabFitFun Team