Top 9 Distraction Busters to Improve Focus

We know how important mornings are, and our goal is to get you Shreddie for anything* the day has to throw at you, that’s why we’ve put together these handy tips to get your mornings starting off great. Follow our guide to start busting those awful distractions that are holding you back! 

Do unruly kids send all your efforts to improve concentration flying out the window? Sorry full-time parents. There’s no silver bullet yet for increased efficiency when little ones are crying at the top of their lungs or are half-way through demolishing your living room.

But there are ways to tame the chaos:

1. Set boundaries

Even if you’re not sprawling in your own home office, you can always carve your little workspace in the living room. Come up with a visual cue for ‘work time’ so the kids know you’re busy with work stuff and you won’t be able to find their missing sock or repair their favourite toy just yet. For example, you can put the SHREDDIES® box on your desk when you’re in work-mode and move it when you’re taking a break and back in parent-mode.

If you’re still struggling to settle the kids, read more about how to keep your kids entertained after breakfast with our creative craft ideas. 

2. Sync important work tasks with your kids' quiet time

Wishing kids would come with an ‘off’ button? With a good routine, you can get pretty close to that. There’s nap time and the ‘fascinated by the new toy’ time. These are the moments when you’re less likely to hear that loud, focus-shattering ‘Mommy!’ from across the room. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and start writing that important email.

So, you’re about to sit down and start that big work presentation, but all of a sudden you feel the need to sharpen the pencil on your desk and match the socks in your laundry basket instead. Your mind is procrastinating, trying to avoid that complicated task your boss just threw in your lap. Here’s how to improve your focus, make yourself productive and the boss happy at the same time:

1. Break down large tasks

Improving focus and concentration is difficult when your mind keeps running away from that next item on your to-do list. Whether you’ve got to tackle a time-consuming job or a complicated head-scratcher, a good way to stop a wandering mind is by making things easier to handle. So the next time you feel the inexplicable urge to shine your shoes just before you start your work, break your task down into smaller steps you can easily manage. Ticking your important work tasks off your list frequently creates that sense of achievement and encourages more focus and motivation for the next task that comes your way.

2. Rethink your work set-up

We’re not saying sit in front of a blank wall from 9 to 5, but there are always things you can remove from your work environment that will make life easier for your wandering mind. Whether it’s moving the telly out of the room, or yourself out of the bed when you’re working, sometimes you can jumpstart your productivity just by making small adjustments to your work environment. Give it a go!

If the dishes in the sink and the full laundry basket are on your mind, it’s tempting to think that you can improve your focus by stopping in the middle of your work for a quick break to run the dishwasher. But all you’re doing is interrupting your flow. Here’s what to do instead:

Create a schedule

Dedicate a set amount of time in the morning and in the evening for your house chores. Separating work from your household duties is the best way to keep your mind focused on the job, while making sure household tasks are not pilling up at the end of your work day.

If you keep getting pulled into a Twitter rabbit hole or refreshing page after page for the latest breaking news, there are a few ways to unplug yourself from the feeds on your phone and improve focus to get your mind back into work mode.

Turn off notifications

Remember that important piece of work that’s due at the end of the day? After switching back and forth between the zillion push-notifications we get every minute, it’s difficult to keep the mind focused on what’s important. And usually it’s not that ‘How to choose the right curtains’ article your phone keeps pinging you about.

So, make it less tempting to pick up your phone and start doom-scrolling by getting rid of push notifications. You can even put your phone in Airplane mode for a couple of hours a day, just enough to help you get through that big project with all guns blazing.

Try meditating

When ‘get a grip and just do it’ fails, the opposite might work. We’re not talking about a typical meditation session. More like the ‘fast and furious’ version of it: it’s the 10-second meditation trick. Instead of checking your phone, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. It only takes a few seconds, but it’s enough to settle your mind and help improve your focus and concentration.

Take time at breakfast

You feel exhausted and washed out, we know. But the trick to increased focus is to take time in the morning for yourself. And there’s nothing like taking time first thing in the morning to give you the head space you need to take on whatever comes next, whether it’s your kid’s school project or the monthly team meeting. Try our milk-loving SHREDDIES® squares for a crunchy bite and a delicious breakfast that makes you say ‘I’ve got this’.*

Take an exercise break

Get those endorphins going with a short burst of exercise in the morning. Even better if you can do it outside and get some fresh air at the same time. Go for a walk around the neighbourhood, or if you’re feeling particularly daring, huff and puff through a few sets of burpees. No coffee needed.

And while you’re gearing up for your exercise routine, why not get some ideas with a pre- workout breakfast article?

There you have it. Our top tips to improve focus and get work done:

1. Set boundaries
2. Sync important work tasks with your kids’ quiet time
3. Break down large tasks
4. Rethink your work set-up
5. Create a schedule
6. Turn off notifications
7. Try meditating
8. Take time at breakfast
9. Take an exercise break

Next, discover how to get rid of stress the SHREDDIES® way with these quirky but fun activities.