9 Ways for Moms to Improve Focus Now
Focus. It seems impossible sometimes. With our mini-computers (smart phones!) tucked safely in our pockets for easy access, it’s hard to feel like improving our attention and focus is within grasp. Not to mention all of the other attention grabbers to enter our consciousness almost every moment of every day.
As moms, we obviously live very busy lives. Rushing around from one activity to the next, trying to figure out what’s most important to accomplish from moment to moment.
We’re setting playdates, choosing schools for our children, figuring out healthy meals, running businesses, starting new careers, all while tidying our houses and attempting to keep our relationships and families at the forefront of our attention.
We have to multitask to survive motherhood of any kind - especially working motherhood. But we know that research shows multitasking isn’t the best way to accomplish a to-do list. It’s also a sure path to anxiety and stress.
And though we feel we are accustomed to this way of life and some-how make it work (not glamorously), there is still a need to learn to focus on the matter at hand when it counts.
Distractions are everywhere. They come in the form of other people, media, environment and even more largely our own mind with its constant internal conversation.
Improving our ability to focus can support a more productive work session on a day to day perspective but it can also help us move toward the accomplishment of a goal even if in small increments.
Distractions are all around us, however, with these tips, you can learn to bring your scattered mom attention back to whatever item you choose to focus on in order to allow that area of focus to thrive.
Tips for Practicing Focus as a Working Mom
Prioritize - Choose your Point of Focus:
Start each day by listing out your top 1 or 2 goals and give yourself grace if other items aren’t completed. What do you want to accomplish today? This helps you to know what to bring your attention back to when the distractions of mom-hood inevitably pull you away from. You’ll learn to stay centered on what truly matters, rather than getting lost in other important tasks. When you know what your top priorities are, it becomes easier to say no to distractions. Find methods that work to help you remember your three goals such as a journal, planner, or phone calendar.
Time Blocking:
Dedicate specific blocks of time to focus on a single task. Time blocking helps prevent multitasking, which can often dilute your focus. Set aside small time slots for work, family and self-care to ensure balance. If setting aside time is challenging, it still helps to know what the goal is for a specific time period. We quickly learn that distractions are always around but we can learn to bring our attention back to the goal each time we are distracted if we know the main thing we are working toward.
Create a Distraction-Free Environment:
Identify and minimize potential distractions in your environment before starting a task. This could mean setting up a quiet workspace, turning off notifications on your devices (this one helps me a lot!), or letting family members know you need uninterrupted time. As a mom, it’s challenging to control your environment but even a slight reduction of interruptions can truly help to increase the amount of focused time you are able to spend on a task.
Practice Mindfulness and Meditation:
Incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily routine to help teach yourself to focus. In meditation, we focus on the breath. It’s a simple point of focus that seems irrelevant, however bringing the attention consistently back to the breath provides a lesson in focus by using a tool (the breath) that is soothing, life giving, and always with us.
Even a few minutes of meditation each day can help train our mind to remain present, making it easier to redirect attention when distractions arise.
Set Clear Boundaries:
Establish boundaries with your family, friends, coworkers or clients about your work time.
Communicate your needs clearly to those around you. Let them know when you’re unavailable so you can focus without interruptions. This is especially important for parents working from home.
Limit Multitasking:
Focus on one task at a time, giving it your full attention and if at all possible let everything else go. Other tasks may seem important and this is why we generally are pulled to multitasking. We have to decide what is most important to focus on first.
Multitasking often leads to mistakes and reduced productivity. By dedicating yourself to one task at a time, you’ll complete each task more efficiently and with better results - maybe even quicker too.
Take Care of Your Health:
Ensure you're staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, exercise, and healthy nutrient dense whole food to maintain your energy levels.
Physical well-being is closely linked to mental wellbeing and focus. When your body is well-nourished and rested, your mind is sharper, making it easier to focus on tasks.
Reflect and Adjust:
Regular reflection helps you identify patterns and triggers for distraction, allowing you to refine your focus strategy over time.
Embrace Imperfection:
Don’t be tough on yourself when you notice that all of your efforts have failed and you find yourself distracted yet again. Take a deep breath and acknowledge you’ve have been distracted! Immediately and gently bring your attention back to the task at hand and keep things moving forward no matter how long you’ve been distracted (5 minutes? 5 months? It doesn’t matter). Just begin again and keep going. Through it all, let’s keep it guilt and shame free. We deserve that!
Perfectionism can often lead to procrastination, guilt and self shaming. Accept that distractions are a part of life, and focus on progress rather than perfection. Through it all, think on the Sanskrit proverb: “When [our] mind is filled with thoughts of what he ought to have done, or ought not to have done, [we have] no power to think of what he should do now.” Reserve your time and energy for forward movement. Don’t waist it on feeling guilty over imperfection.
Let moms know in the comments what you’d like to focus on more and also, what helps you to improve this skill?
Audiobooks are a great way for moms on the go to quickly ingest information and inspiration.
For more on learning to focus, particularly on work, check out the Audio book: Deep Work by Cal Newport
