Focus Amplified in Practice

I often find myself pondering why there are relatively fewer inspirational figures in the world. Why do most people wait for external sources of inspiration when I believe that each of us possesses the potential for extraordinary achievements? Some individuals may have a natural inclination or innate talents, like gifted artists, while others may benefit from a head start through circumstances of birth. However, many remarkable accomplishments can be attained through relentless effort and dedication, much like pursuing one's dreams.

Rather than lamenting the perceived unfairness of our circumstances, it is more fruitful to take the initiative and work towards our goals. A common excuse we tend to make is, "I don't have enough time."

Consider this: even with 8 hours of sleep and another 8 hours dedicated to work or other obligations, we are left with a remaining 8 hours in a day. These remaining hours hold infinite possibilities for personal growth, fulfillment, and the pursuit of our dreams.

It's important to reflect on this reality. You do have the time; what you need to do is sharpen your focus and put in the hard work.

You've likely come across memes comparing "Expectations vs. Reality," and this concept holds true when it comes to practicing and mastering new skills. Initially, it may feel awkward and unrewarding, but as you persist and establish a habit, you can make significant progress. There are a few strategies that can help you enhance your focus and commitment to practice.

Daily Focus Rituals

In reality, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for effective rituals. I remember trying to follow a random guru's morning routine, waking up at 4:30 am, only to end up mindlessly scrolling on my phone for hours and falling back asleep—a futile exercise.

Morning Rituals

However, I've observed that some people genuinely benefit from disciplined morning routines. The key is consistency.

I have seen few people who actually follow morning routine seriously and it can be helpful to you.

Personalize your morning rituals to suit your needs and preferences. Practices like meditation, mindfulness, journaling, goal setting, and cultivating healthy habits can be highly beneficial. I'm no advocate for waking up early; I'm a night owl myself. I wake up after 8 am, but I've established a routine that works for me, including 10 minutes of meditation and staying hydrated. This helps me focus on my priorities, similar to the "Eat that Frog" concept.

Midday Recharge

Midday can be chaotic, with work or school demanding our focus, leading to a gradual energy decline throughout the day. My energy peaks around 10-12 am and wanes after lunch, leaving me feeling drained by 5 pm. This is a natural rhythm, but there are effective ways to recharge.

Following are some tips you can use.

Evening Chills

The evening is typically the most relaxed time of the day. Whether you've had a smooth morning or a challenging one, you're back in your room. Evenings provide the energy to enjoy activities like gaming, reading, or perhaps even unwinding with a drink. That's what most people desire and find fulfilling.

However, for someone aspiring for personal growth, evenings are an opportunity to invest in self-improvement and side projects. Not everyone can embrace this approach, as dealing with people throughout the day can be exhausting in itself.

Can you truly believe that you can grow while feeling drained from a full day? Typically, we can only manage to survive the day and pick up a few new things. Genuine growth occurs when you can feel it within yourself. When you work for others, your growth is often determined by the company you work for and your team.

Honestly, I have learned very few things during office hours compared to what I learn at home. There are several reasons for this, such as tight deadlines, heavy workloads, and dealing with numerous people. I firmly believe that while you can grasp the professional culture in the office, it's challenging to acquire new skills there. And you can't blame others for this; it's you who becomes engrossed in completing tasks rather than extracting valuable learning from them. Thus, evening time emerges as the ideal period for delving into the skills you've always wanted to acquire.

The best part is that you'll never tire of engaging in activities you genuinely desire. You can learn new skills, work on projects, or even indulge in gaming. The key is to find enjoyment in these activities and witness the positive outcomes they bring. I've personally completed numerous projects at Mixim during my evenings and nights, acquiring knowledge and expertise that I could never have gained elsewhere.

So, the takeaway here is that you cannot truly change yourself if someone (whether a random YouTuber or even myself) tells you to do so. You can certainly listen to advice, but the real transformation happens when you experiment on your own and tailor it to your personal preferences and needs.

Task Prioritization and Time Management

In reality, task prioritization and time management can be quite challenging. One thing I can tell you is to be prepared for occasional disappointments in yourself. We're not robots, and consistently performing at our best is a tall order. We make mistakes and sometimes mess up badly, so our approach to time management and prioritization should be flexible.

One of the drawbacks of using task and time management tools is the frustration that can arise when we forget to check off completed tasks, and the very next day, we're faced with overdue tasks marked in red. Personally, I've experienced anger directed not at the tool but at myself for failing to complete those tasks the previous day. These days, I've stopped assigning due dates to tasks. Why? Because I don't trust myself. I can start writing a few pages of this book, open a new tab, visit YouTube, and watch videos. So, what's the solution here?

The truth is, you can't rely solely on your memory to keep track of all your tasks. You definitely need a tool to record them, as it's fast and convenient. However, it's also beneficial to maintain a physical notebook and select 2 or 3 crucial tasks that you must complete by the end of the day. You know what you'll accomplish by day's end? Those 2 or 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) you chose to prioritize over others. So, the next time you use a Task Manager Tool:

• Write down all the tasks you can think of.
• Jot down 2 or 3 MITs in a notebook.
• Focus on completing those MITs, and if you have time, tackle other tasks.

By adopting this approach, you'll avoid disappointment in yourself. You'll consistently take pride in completing the most important tasks, while the less critical ones can wait.

As for time management, there's no need to meticulously track every moment of your day. What if you start tracking your time and forget to stop it? Instead, try time-blocking—allocate specific time slots for tasks and stick to them. Proper prioritization will naturally make room for these tasks in your schedule. Remember, we're more inclined to tackle tasks when they feel urgent. Be sure to address distracted and engage in deep work, as discussed in previous chapters.

Listen closely! If you want to enhance your focus more than ever before, stick to what you've learned so far. Resist the temptation to embark on more research or watch instructional videos on "how to." That path can lead to another time-consuming trap, and you'll end up gaining little. I've undertaken extensive research and combined it with my personal experiences to make this book as practical as possible. So, there's no need for you to go down that same road. Just put into action what you've already learned, and you'll be on the right track. Once you start noticing improvements, then you can dive into additional research for further enhancement.

What the Professionals Have to Say

While writing this book, I conducted a survey on effective focus tips. I reached out to approximately 20 professionals spanning various fields, all of whom are actively working, studying, and continually evolving in their respective domains. It's important to pause and lend an ear to their insights, as up until this point, I may have been somewhat biased toward my own judgment. Unexpectedly, their tips align closely with what I've written here. This convergence serves as a testament to the practicality and effectiveness of the strategies outlined in this book.

By incorporating their techniques into your own routine and persistently following them, you can genuinely amplify your focus.

"For work, being seated in place you usually work, then listening to non-lyrical music in the headphone helps me focus. Sometimes working in a crowded cafe helps too."

— Sabin Bhandari, Product Designer

"I think having a priority to-do list is more important than just a to-do list. Sort works on the order of priority and starts with working on which is the most important. The Eisenhower matrix is a great example of this."

— Bibek Mallik, Electrical Engineer at K&A Engineering Consulting

"Sometimes, focusing on a task is easier than you think. You'll have to decide that this is an essential task for you and go for it; return only when it's finished. I want to quote a saying, 'Stop not when you are tired; stop when you are done.' Keeping this mentality of entirely going through all at once is the key to great focus. You can train yourself to gradually enforce this technique by meditating or Pomodoro if that helps."

— Rabin Adhikari, Research Assistant

"There are a lot of pomodoro techniques, meditation,etc. But my personal best is regular physical exercise. It is good for enhancing focus and concentration by promoting blood flow to the brain and reducing stress. It also helps to carry the boats and logs."

— Sandeep Poudel, Programmer at Mobilecom Tokyo

"Work on your passion when you are fed up, like watching movies, playing games and get back to what you are doing. Or turn your passion into a profession, which you give u best focus with just proper rest of body."

— Biplab Karki, CEO at Hyperce

"Keep track of progress, if possible avoid multitasking."

— Abhishek Parajuli, QA Engineer

"Focus Mode"

— Nirajan KC, CEO at LanchmeUp

"Yoga/Meditation for training my mind to be in a focused state. Food is very important for me. (light and positive pranik makes me Calm/ Negative pranik makes me agitated and dull). Work in silence is best, sometimes Soothing instrumental music works well."

— Aakash Sarraf, Student

"Meditation"

— Arman Chettri, Engineer

"For me I personally listen to some form of pop music or story-telling which helps my mind get out of all the extra stuff running in and concentrate on the topic I want to."

— Sumit Kakshapati, Mobile Application Developer

"I plan my time to waste the time so that i can work freely without distraction, because my mind knows that i have planned my time to waste my time for refreshment... In my case, I have set my time from 6 to 8 in the evening to see random stuff... mostly tik tok and reels... This technique has worked for me for the last 1 year... i am not telling my mind to focus 24/7.. instead i have given a fixed time for distraction... planned distraction is key to focus."

— Ravi Chaudhary, Full stack Developer

"Find out what you wanna see yourself after a few years so that you can align yourself in that direction."

— Suprima Shrestha

"I'm a bit of a procrastinator, but I've got this trick where I really buckle down when a deadline is approaching or when something's super important. I just tell myself, 'Alright, time to get this done,' and I clear away all the distractions around me. I find that your surroundings can mess with your focus, so I make sure to get rid of any distractions and get my head in the game for the task at hand. Plus, I like to play some lo-fi music in the background to help me stay in the zone."

— Peter Karki, Game developer