It’s summer and staying focused can be hard. Hell, being an adult with ADHD makes staying focused hard in itself, but summer seems to take it to another level. I always find myself scrolling Instagram watching people’s trips to Europe (seriously..how did ALL of you just go to Europe and why did no one ask me?) or some TikTok about how I’m eating ice pops wrong (Did anyone else know they should snap in half?). Work during the summer is often slower which means more opportunities to just get distracted. We also know I’m not a huge fan of the intense heat in these parts and it can be…draining.

Over the past few years we’ve all kind of adjusted to working from home and with that being an increasingly popular model for companies across the world, there has been much more of an adjustment. Even I struggle sometimes and I’ve worked from home for quite a lot of my career. But with all the comforts of home, there can be many more distractions. So is there anything that can be done to help? Here are some ways I stay focused on the days when it’s just so hard.

Plan for Breaks

I am actually not a break taker on the regular. I prefer to just keep working and powering through. But after talking with a mental health coach about my imbalanced view of work, I was given the task of actually planning for breaks. Time set aside to do something that isn’t work-related in order to give me a mental break and avoid stress. It was as simple as setting aside time to enjoy a cup of tea with no devices, enjoying my lunch rather than eating at my desk, or taking a few minutes to do an active stretch. It turns out planned breaks are great for focus because it’s a simple reset. A lot of the time distractions come when we are feeling overwhelmed by tasks or just trying to power through to get things done and move on to the next one. Breaks are also fun little rewards. For every hour you put in focus, you can have 15 minutes to do anything you want - aka scroll through photos from vacations to Europe. I plan my breaks two ways. First I put them into my calendar during the slower times of the day or on busier days I plan them after important tasks are completed. Another positive about breaks is giving one’s eyes a much-needed break from electronics. A real win/win.

Do Not Attempt to Multitask

When I was in college, a professor once said it is impossible for humans to multitask. I kinda laughed and said watch me, but the truth is that the professor was absolutely correct. Multitasking is not productive and it really hinders focus. People will say that very few people can be successful working on multiple things at once but I wholeheartedly disagree. When trying to multitask, one is putting less effort in and just trying to get it all done. It means producing less quality work with a focus on producing as much as possible. It just doesn’t work and I would never want to present work I am not proud of (or give 100% to). It can lead to a lot of repeating simple tasks, something I know all too well. Instead, I time block. I estimate how long a task is going to take and strictly put my focus on it. If I find myself getting stressed or overwhelmed, a break is necessary. On my worst days, I’ll shift gears to another task and return back to the original one when I’ve had more time to reframe it and give it fresh eyes.

Remove Distractions

This one seems like a huge DUH, but a lot of the reason we become distracted now is the availability of everything at our fingertips at any second. There is just so much overstimulation. I’ve really made it a point to use the focus modes on my devices during the work day. Something I get a ton of shit for, but it honestly helps. I set it to only let through the most important notifications and most days I set it across the room on a stand. Removing the biggest distraction lets me target my focus better and it ensures that i only really get up and get it when absolutely necessary. It also lessens my screen time consumption overall. The best way to remove distractions is to look at the space you’re in. For example your workspace and ask yourself what you need right now. For me that is a calm space without clutter and those added distractions - like my phone.

Use a Hierarchical To-Do List

Everyone who knows me or reads this blog knows I run my entire life off of to-do lists - especially when it comes to my work day. All too often I can get overwhelmed, distracted, or just plain forgetful and when someone comes to me on the status of a task or project, it completely throws me off. But the hierarchical to-do list can be a real game changer. It can be done tons of different ways depending on needs and even personality. I personally use labels and colors. A day planner or even a to-do list app can work just as well, but a tried and true day planner works best for me. I write everything I need and then prioritize it based on what must be done, what needs to be done, and the things that are okay to not get done immediately. This keeps me from being distracted by everything else on the list or drifting to something else when there are more important things that need to be finished first.

Use a Playlist or White Noise Machine

When all else fails go to the tried and true method of drowning everything else out. Even on my worst days I know I can turn to some curated playlist of jazz, ambient, or relaxing focus music to get my work done. Bonus points for using headphones to truly drown everything out. Sounds can be distracting in themselves so it’s important to find what works best for an individual. And if the music doesn’t work, calming sounds like rain, waves, or straight white noise can be beneficial. it’s really about creating a calm environment that is conducive to working or just focusing in general. And if it gets to be too distracting, which can happen, it’s time to move on to the next thing or take a break.