How I Stay Focused Studying for Long Hours. Full Guide.

Summary

Zaynon Smith, a third-year medical student, presents a comprehensive guide on mastering focus. He outlines three key steps: preparing for focus by eliminating distractions and setting a routine, hacking the focus through understanding the flow state and managing internal triggers, and excelling with focus by setting clear goals and leveraging passion. Smith's practical tips, backed by research, aim to help viewers develop the ability to concentrate deeply and efficiently, transforming their learning and productivity.

Takeaways

• 😀 Less than 10% of viewers have the attention span to watch a video to the end, which is ironic since they need the content the most.
• 🎓 Zaynon Smith, a medical student, shares a comprehensive guide on mastering focus, based on over 13 hours of research, four books, and numerous podcasts.
• 👀 The first practical step to improve focus is to go full screen and minimize distractions, training the mind to concentrate on the task at hand.
• 🔕 Eliminate external triggers by disabling non-essential notifications on devices to prevent the brain from entering a loop of constant distraction.
• ⏰ Schedule work effectively to avoid wasting mental energy on deciding what to do next, which can quickly deplete focus.
• 📅 Create a weekly task list and transfer tasks onto a daily calendar to stay organized and focused, treating the calendar as a flexible guide rather than a strict schedule.
• 🛠 Develop a pre-work routine to condition the mind for focus, such as going to the same place, having a coffee, and preparing the workspace.
• 💡 Understanding the 'Flow State' involves recognizing the initial struggle phase and pushing through it to achieve deep focus and productivity.
• 📝 Use a Post-It note to jot down distractions as they arise, helping to identify and manage internal triggers that lead to a loss of focus.
• 🕒 Apply the 10-minute rule to resist distractions, giving oneself a short-term goal to stay focused before addressing the urge to check phones or snacks.
• 🚀 Leverage passion and curiosity to achieve significant improvements in skills and knowledge, rather than relying on incremental one-percent gains.

Q & A

What is the ironic statement made at the beginning of the video?

The ironic statement is that less than 10 percent of viewers will have the attention span to watch the entire video, which is about mastering focus and staying focused, a skill that the viewers likely need.

Who is the speaker in the video and what is their educational background?

The speaker is Zaynon Smith, a third-year medical student studying at the University of Manchester.

What does Zaynon Smith claim to have spent over 13 hours on to create the guide?

Zaynon Smith claims to have spent over 13 hours on reading four full books, listening to countless podcasts, and conducting research to create the guide on mastering focus.

What is the first practical action Zaynon suggests to improve focus?

The first practical action suggested is to go full screen on the video and focus on the speaker's eyes, as if having an in-person conversation, to train the mind to focus in real time.

What is the mindset change Zaynon encourages regarding focus?

Zaynon encourages the mindset change that focus is not something one inherently has or lacks, but rather something that can be developed and improved over time.

What are the three major steps to becoming a highly focused individual according to the guide?

The three major steps are: Step one - Prepare for Focus, Step two - Hack the Focus, and Step three - Excel with Focus.

What is the advice given for removing external triggers to focus?

The advice given is to disable notifications for all non-essential apps on one's phone and to inform family members of the need for uninterrupted focus time.

How does Zaynon suggest organizing work to improve focus?

Zaynon suggests making a weekly task list and transferring tasks onto a daily calendar, creating a schedule that runs on autopilot and reduces the mental energy spent on deciding what to do.

What is the 'Flow State' as described in the video?

The 'Flow State' is described as a state of hyper-productivity where one is totally absorbed in what they are doing, with distractions fading away and focus being effortless.

What are the two practical actions Zaynon suggests to overcome the initial struggle phase of the flow cycle?

The two practical actions are: 1) Having a Post-It note and pen to write down the sensations that make one want to leave work, and 2) Using Neil Eyers' 10-minute rule to delay gratification and regain focus.

What is the 'four percent challenge' and how does it relate to the skill ratio for achieving flow?

The 'four percent challenge' is the idea of pushing oneself only a little bit beyond the comfort zone by challenging oneself four percent more than usual every time one studies, maintaining the same quality of learning, to find the perfect balance between task challenge and skill level.

How does Zaynon define the role of passion in achieving focus and flow states?

Zaynon defines passion as the fastest way to become laser-focused, get into flow states, and learn skills much faster than incremental one percent improvements. He suggests capitalizing on moments of passion to make significant progress in a short time.

What is the importance of the recovery phase after a flow state, and what should one avoid during this phase?

The recovery phase is important to consolidate learning and to prevent burnout. One should avoid using their phone and engaging in social media during this phase to ensure effective consolidation of the information learned and to prepare for re-entering the flow state.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Mastering Focus: A Comprehensive Guide

Zaynon Smith, a medical student at the University of Manchester, introduces a three-part guide aimed at teaching viewers how to enhance their focus. The video is a result of extensive research, including books and podcasts, and promises practical advice to help viewers overcome distractions and achieve a 'flow state.' The guide is structured into three steps: preparing for focus, hacking focus, and excelling with focus. The first practical tip is to watch the video in full screen, simulating an in-person conversation to train the mind to focus.

05:01

🛡️ Eliminating Distractions: The First Step to Focus

The first step in the guide involves preparing for focus by eliminating external triggers. Zaynon shares a personal anecdote about the disruptive power of phone notifications and advises viewers to disable non-essential notifications on their devices. He recommends using browser extensions to reduce distractions from websites and suggests setting boundaries with family members to minimize interruptions during study sessions. The goal is to train the brain to avoid the loop of reacting to external triggers, thus improving focus.

10:01

📅 Scheduling for Success: Organizing Your Work

In the second paragraph, Zaynon emphasizes the importance of scheduling work to prevent the loss of focus due to indecision and task-switching. He recommends creating a weekly task list and transferring tasks to a daily calendar, which helps in reducing mental energy spent on deciding what to do. Zaynon also advises treating the calendar as a flexible guide rather than a rigid plan, promoting a mindset of time management that can lead to increased focus and productivity.

15:02

🔑 Building Routines and Hacking the Focus

The third paragraph delves into building routines to signal the brain to focus. Zaynon suggests creating a pre-work ritual that conditions the mind to prepare for focused work sessions. He also discusses the importance of setting up an inspiring work environment. The 'hack the focus' section addresses the internal triggers that cause distractions and provides strategies to push past the initial resistance and maintain focus, including the use of a Post-It note to record distractions and applying Neil Eyers' 10-minute rule to delay gratification.

20:03

🚀 Accelerating Learning with the Flow State

Zaynon explains the concept of the 'flow state' and its significance in boosting productivity and learning. He outlines the four stages of the flow cycle, emphasizing the importance of persisting through the initial struggle phase. The paragraph offers practical advice on how to combat distractions and enter the flow state more effectively, including setting clear goals, building intrigue, and maintaining a balance between challenge and skill level.

25:04

🌟 Capitalizing on Passion for Enhanced Focus

In this paragraph, Zaynon discusses the role of passion in achieving flow states and improving focus. He argues against the idea of incremental one percent improvements, advocating instead for leveraging moments of intense interest and passion to make significant progress in a short time. The paragraph also introduces the 'four percent challenge,' which encourages pushing oneself slightly beyond the comfort zone to maintain engagement and prevent boredom or frustration.

🔄 The Recovery Phase: Regaining Focus After a Break

The final paragraph focuses on the recovery phase of the flow cycle, which is essential for sustaining focus throughout the day. Zaynon acknowledges the challenge of re-entering the flow state after a break and suggests strategies for active recovery, such as engaging in non-distractive activities like spending time with family or going for a walk. He also offers personal assistance to viewers who may need help applying the guide's principles to their specific situations.

Keywords

💡Attention Span

Attention span refers to the length of time a person can concentrate on a task without becoming distracted. In the video, it is mentioned that less than 10 percent of viewers have the attention span to watch the entire video, highlighting the importance of the topic being discussed. The script emphasizes the irony that those who need to improve their focus are likely to be distracted and miss the content.

💡Flow State

A flow state is a mental state in which a person is fully immersed in an activity, experiencing a heightened level of focus and absorption. The video discusses the concept of achieving a flow state as a means to enhance productivity and learning. It outlines steps to overcome the initial struggle phase and enter this state, where one can work more effectively.

💡Distractions

Distractions are anything that diverts attention away from the task at hand. The script identifies both external and internal triggers that cause distractions, such as phone notifications and internal thoughts. The video provides practical advice on how to minimize these distractions to improve focus.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to a person's perspective or way of thinking about something. The video emphasizes the importance of having the right mindset towards focus, suggesting that it is a skill that can be developed rather than an inherent trait. This mindset shift is crucial for viewers to believe in their ability to improve focus.

💡Preparation

Preparation in the context of the video involves setting up the right conditions before starting a focused task. This includes removing external triggers and establishing a routine. The script mentions that focus isn't just built during work but requires laying a foundation beforehand.

💡Routine

A routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed. The video suggests that having a consistent pre-work routine can help train the mind to enter a focused state more easily. It provides examples of personal routines that can signal to the brain that it's time to start working.

💡Internal Triggers

Internal triggers are internal thoughts or feelings that cause distractions. The script explains that most distractions come from within, such as feelings of boredom or stress. The video offers strategies to recognize and manage these internal triggers to maintain focus.

💡Post-It Note Technique

The Post-It Note technique is a method suggested in the video to combat the initial struggle phase of entering a flow state. When one feels the urge to distract, they write down the sensation or thought on a Post-It Note. This act of acknowledgment and reflection can help in managing the distraction.

💡Four Percent Challenge

The Four Percent Challenge is a strategy proposed in the video to find the right balance between task challenge and skill level. It suggests pushing oneself just 4% beyond the comfort zone during each study session to maintain engagement without causing frustration. This incremental challenge is meant to keep the mind from getting bored or overwhelmed.

💡Recovery Phase

The recovery phase is the final stage of the flow cycle mentioned in the video, where one needs to rest and recover after a period of intense focus. The script advises against using phones or engaging in activities that require attention during this phase, as it can hinder the consolidation of learning and the ability to re-enter the flow state.

💡Passion

Passion in the video is portrayed as a powerful trigger for entering a flow state and achieving rapid learning. The script contrasts the common advice of making small, incremental improvements with the idea of leveraging moments of intense passion to make significant progress in a short time.

Highlights

Less than 10 percent of viewers have the attention span to watch a video till the end, which is ironic since they need the content the most.

Zaynon Smith, a third-year medical student, created a guide on mastering focus, drawing from over 13 hours of research, four books, and countless podcasts.

The guide offers actionable, practical steps to improve focus and overcome distractions.

The importance of full-screen mode and maintaining eye contact with the speaker to train the mind to focus in real time.

The misconception that focus is a fixed trait is debunked; focus is a skill that can be developed.

Three major steps to becoming a highly focused individual: preparing for focus, hacking the focus, and excelling with focus.

The necessity of removing external triggers like phone notifications to prevent distraction.

A practical action to disable notifications on your phone to regain control over your attention.

The idea of scheduling work to prevent wasting mental energy on deciding what to do next.

Creating a routine to condition the mind for focus and making work feel like a mission.

The concept of the Flow State and how it is a gradual cycle, not just an on/off state.

Strategies to fight the initial struggle phase of the Flow State, including writing down distractions and using the 10-minute rule.

The importance of clear goals for singular focus and the role of calendar scheduling.

Building intrigue in tasks to increase the likelihood of entering a Flow State.

The 'Four Percent Challenge' to skill ratio as a key trigger for achieving Flow State.

The role of passion as a catalyst for rapid improvement and entering Flow State.

The recovery phase of the Flow State and the importance of active recovery to sustain focus.

Zaynon Smith offers personalized help for those struggling with focus, emphasizing the need for proactive application of the guide's advice.

Transcripts

less than 10 percent of viewers will

actually have the attention span to

watch till the end of this video which

is ironic because the people that enough

to be will click off are the people that

needed this video the most my name is

zaynon Smith I'm a third year medical

student studying at the University of

Manchester and today I've created a

three-part full practical and realistic

guide on how to master focus and stay

focused for long hours this is the one

guide that you will need to become a

highly focused individual especially if

you're learning working studying all of

it it took me over 13 hours four full

books and countless podcasts all of it

to come up with this so I can honestly

guarantee that if you listen and take

action right now because yes this guide

is filled with actionable practical

things that you can do right now while

you watch I can guarantee that you will

overcome your distractions and learn

every crucial trigger there is to get

into that focused Flow State jumping

right in the first practical action that

you can take right now is to full screen

this video no looking around no looking

at your phone just look straight into to

my eyes almost squint it's almost a bit

weird but act as if we're actually

having an in-person present conversation

implementing this will train your mind

to focus in real time as we speak about

it and it's also linked to one of the

later steps of the guide a quick aside

on mindset we need to get away from the

idea that focus is something you have or

don't have because I don't care who you

are focus is absolutely something that

you can develop that is the whole reason

that I'm making this video it's selfish

I wanted to take my own Focus to the

next level and learn to get into those

focused flow States faster and with more

intentionality there's three major steps

to becoming a highly focused individual

in my humble opinion you can think of it

as level one two and three that you

progress through on your journey to

becoming more focused step one prepare

for Focus step two hack the focus and

step 3 Excel with Focus step one prepare

for Focus let's start with preparing for

Focus look Focus isn't just built when

you're working you have to lay the

foundation before you start you can't

just magically jump in the Flow State

and focus for hours without some level

of prep and that is what this step is

about these are the minimum requirements

part one remove the external triggers a

few months ago I was learning about

kidney dysfunctions and I was finally

understanding it I actually got excited

while I was piecing it together and all

of a sudden my phone buzzed it was a

lecture time change so I picked it up

armless scrolled into the email and

while I was reading my friend sorry

sending me a ton of messages I was like

okay no let me Focus I need to get some

work done my phone kept buzzing kept

looking over what if it's urgent and I

just went okay just let me just pick it

up and I started picking it up and

scrolling and looking at the messages

replying to them replying to someone

else and while I was replying to someone

else I waited and went on Tick Tock and

before I knew it it had been more than

45 minutes it always starts with a

harmless distraction that turns into a

full-spiring binge that then rips you

away from your task and whenever I had

my phone only while I was studying it

never mattered how motivated or

disciplined I was I was always checking

messages or scrolling or something the

more we just react to these external

triggers the more we're training our

brain to mean this never-ending Loop and

harder it is to get what we planned done

and so this is the second action go on

your phone and disable notifications for

all the apps that you get them from the

most do it right now just take two

minutes to set it all up go on settings

manage notifications and click on each

app Instagram Snapchat Tick Tock new

messages from everyone except two or

three important people put everything on

do not disturb and not just for studying

just have it like this from now on I can

go unattention about how attention is

the most valuable asset and that all the

times that that notification interrupted

the sweet genuine conversation that

you're having with your mom but it's not

even that just respect yourself to

realize what's repeatedly happening here

every time something poops on your phone

and you click on it you're giving it

control you're telling it yeah I don't

value my time you're free to disrupt and

disturb whatever I'm doing with the

smallest Randomness crap notification so

please I know this is a big deal to some

it might be obvious to others but make a

start to redeeming that short destroyed

attention span and disable notifications

and yes the ones in your desktop and Mac

as well for me YouTube was one of my

biggest instructions so I downloaded

this extension called df2 I'll link it

but what it essentially does is that it

removes all the titles thumbnails

everything that could possibly pull you

in and generally when I did that it

reduced my distraction time to almost

nothing and you know what I noticed that

I was swiping away from my work click on

YouTube only to see that there was

nothing there and as soon as I saw blank

tree and I was like okay no this is this

is pointless let me just snap out of it

I went back to work so take this small

step even as an experiment and trust me

you'll truly realize that turning

notifications off and putting limits on

your socials is not a big deal at all

and you'll start to only go on your

phone when you plan to and need to and

as a result save years of your life by

the way these external triggers can also

be people like family so if you're at

home tell your brothers and parents that

okay I need to go Focus for a couple

hours on my work do you guys need me for

anything make sure you tell them that I

don't want to be interrupted for example

till like 5 PM because people and family

are a big factor that take us away from

Focus but they never do it on purpose

they want the best for us so make it

clear to them in a nice passionate way

that you know while I'm having tough

time focusing while studying so can I

just have a few hours of solitude that's

the only way part two schedule the work

people sabotage their own ability to

focus if you just sit there wasting

mental energy thinking and deciding what

to do you lose concentration in 30

seconds you'll start to work on

something then realize oh I have to do

this I have to do that I have to reply

to this email and you'll start jumping

from task to task not getting anything

substantial done so we need to organize

ourselves especially as students we need

to learn to run our life using systems I

only spend five minutes five minutes to

plan out all my work and then my rain

runs on autopilot which makes focusing

so easy just make a weekly task list

everything that you have to get done

that week and then each day sit on the

toilet or on the way to UNI and transfer

tasks from that list onto the free slots

of your calendar that's it it literally

takes two minutes and then you actually

do them it's all scheduled and time

boxed out and then you don't have to

think oh I have to do this and this you

don't have to stress at all you can just

follow us on your calendar however the

mistake that that most people make and

the reason that you don't want to make

that calendar right now is because

you're treating each task as this set in

stone thing that if one thing isn't done

then everything else will fall apart no

the calendar is just there to help you

it's there to act as a guide as an

inspiration for how you want your day to

run it's just there to Free Your Mind of

the tension and give it space to focus

it's not God it's a guide and so the

next practical option is for you to make

a list of all the tasks that you have to

complete this week make it now just it

takes five seconds it should go on your

phone and note on all the homeworks and

studying the topics that you have to

study it's a tiny list and then open

Google Calendar or Apple calendar and

start planning your day out try it with

even just one day add some recurring

events on there like dinner lunch gym

family time plans with friends whatever

it is and then the free spaces you have

in there which you'll realize you don't

have that many of add in the weekly

tasks that you want to get done today I

only saw a scheduling strictly like this

this year and the weeks and the days I

don't do it I noticeably see my focus

levels just fall to the ground it's

because at one point I have so many

different things that I could be doing

from YouTube scripts to actually

studying to making tick tocks and that's

how it is for our students there's not

that many deadlines that keep us on

track like there are for people on jobs

that actually work being on top of

revision isn't a deadline there's no one

checking on us and our monkey brain

knows that we don't have this deadline

that we don't need to do anything in

particular right now so help yourself

focused with your own time management

you'll stay on track like 80 percent of

the time and the thing is the more

focused writing sessions the more

stunning sessions you do the more

motivated you'll become to get into that

flow State part three build the perfect

routine to make the most of the actual

work session and to keep on getting into

that focused state every day we need to

do a series of familiar things that

train our mind before we work iea ritual

or routine and yes doing the same thing

does condition your mind over time to

get into Focus but it does something

else as well it makes a difference in

the short term as well because having a

routine changes the way you think about

the work on a deeper level for me what I

do is quite simple I go to the same

Library grab a black coffee or latte sit

down to work get everything out on the

table already set to go switch my phone

off chop the phone in my bag put the bag

away say a small prayer to my head say

one two three and go start without

thinking any further and most of this

stuff is done every time I sit down to

write a script or do a serious study

session because I don't treat work as a

random activity I treat it as a mission

and by showing dedication to it this way

you're more likely to get into that

focused mode one thing though make sure

your routine decreases the friction for

you to start the work and also study in

an inspiring Place green plants natural

lights all if it helps for me I was in

the library so I was surrounded by books

of shelves and actually other dedicated

students to a pretty inspiring

atmosphere and I know finding that

effective routine takes a bit of

experimentation but I assure you it's

worth it to focus deeply is a big deal

and providing your mind with structure

and showing commitment like this will

make it easier and easier for you to

slip into the flow states where you can

do the things that actually matter step

two hack the focus after preparing for

the focused work comes hacking the focus

this is step two now we get into the

work session once you've removed

instructions set a plan for yourself and

done a basic routine to get your mind

into a focused State then the question

becomes how do you maintain that Focus

state for longer than the 20 seconds

that your tiny attention span can handle

because now you're in a good environment

you have no external triggers no

notifications you have a set plan that

you have to get done so why can you

still not focus well it's because

contrary to popular belief only 10 of

distractions are from external sources

the rest are from internal triggers I

want you to remember this all human

behavior is motivated by a desire to

escape discomfort that's what you're

doing when you start thinking about

random stuff during the work or you

leave the work to go get a snack or you

start picking up your phone again after

a few minutes it's what you're doing

when you feel stressed when you feel

overwhelmed when you're feeling bored

about the work the reason varies but

what's clear is that your mind is

helping you procrastinate to get you

away from the uncomfortable phase of

getting into that Flow State and that's

what this step will help you master this

is how you practically push past that

resistance in your mind and hack the

focus part one Flow State fight the

loading phase first let me break down

what the flow state is because as much

as it is a magical State it's not this

impossible thing to achieve I can almost

guarantee that you've all been in it

before I want you to remember the last

time that you were hyper productive

totally absorbed in what you were doing

that was flow flow is just effortless

effort everything around you disappears

you're just being propelled through the

work small things can yeah pop up from

time to time but mostly you're writing

from one sentence after the other

hitting one problem after the other and

the thing is most of you can attest this

when you're in flow it doesn't feel like

anything special you're just doing

deeply focused work and nothing else in

your mind is happening only when you

come out of it do you realize oh that

was sick I didn't even realize it had

been that long I got so much done so

what I want to make here is that it's

not this Enchanted thing it's something

all of us can do every single day and

the best part is what I've learned from

the research of miatrics and mihad the

Godfather of flow science and recent

biologists like Stephen Cotner is that

Flo isn't this thing where you're either

in the zone or out of it it's a

four-step gradual cycle where the first

half of the cycle is a step of struggle

the loading phase it happens when you

first start the task there's cortisol

and norepinephrine release and it makes

you feel discomfort it makes you squirm

it makes you want to leave the task that

you're doing and honestly when I read

that I was like yes thank God so okay

that's the first step there should be

struggle me not being able to focus and

actually getting distracted in the first

part of my study is something that's

supposed to happen we're supposed to

push past that resistance though not

being able to focus and my mind

distracting me doesn't mean I'm

incapable of focus it's just how it is

that's the first part and our job is to

get pasta then the second phase is

release as you persist your brain

produces more dopamine which enhances

focus and concentration and essentially

pops you out of that struggle no

motivation phase and then you're in flow

huge release of chemicals like dopamine

anandamide serotonin all which are

associated with things like with States

like the runner's high all of it

increasing your pattern recognition

increasing learning speeds and once

that's done then you're in recovery and

yes I can talk about each step in detail

but I want to put the most attention on

that initial struggle phase which can

last up to 25 minutes that loading phase

is where most people spend the entirety

of their working lives dropping in and

out of the first few minutes of the flow

cycle not being able to persist long

enough and the Overflow researchers just

tell us to push through and persist but

that isn't always practical is it to

like just push through the work so here

are the two practical actions I want you

to take to learn to push past that

loading phase and to get into the flow

state number one is simple have a

Post-It note and a pen next to you while

you work and as soon as you see yourself

drift away from the work just stay and

write down the Sensation that made you

want to leave the work even if it's just

a word or two I don't know where to

start I don't know anything I'm too

tired make it specific even if you're

about to get into the distraction just

write it down because the better you

become at noticing the behavior the

better you'll manage it over time and he

has a bit extra to rub a posting and

right where you're thinking down but

honestly just do it a few times I've had

a Post-It note next to me for the last

four weeks now and for me I most

commonly stop pushing with the work when

I just finished the paragraph or just

finished studying a section of the

chapter and I don't know what exactly to

do that's like what my next specific

step is and that's when I get distracted

and I was only able to figure this out

and fight against the internal

distractions after I identified it only

then can you pause and reframe the

thought if you're getting a bunch of

questions wrong and you feel frustrated

just pause and think okay getting

questions wrong is part of the process

it's good that I care this much about

the revision but I actually get

frustrated about getting stuff wrong it

means I'm stressed because I actually

care about this exam and once you start

seeing the same recurring thought again

and again you start to thinking bro this

is stupid I'm not I don't even need to

reframe this I can just push past this I

know what it is and now number two the

second action to take to get past that

struggle phase is Neil eyer's 10 minute

rule so you've already written down what

was making you want to leave the work

and go on your phone or whatever and

it's not getting out of your head so you

think okay cool I can give into that

distraction but not right now I can give

into it in 10 minutes but not before

then after 10 minutes I can go get that

snack and check my phone do whatever I

wanted to do and what that does is that

it gives you autonomy you decide the

mistake that most people make is that

they go too hard with the full

abstinence I'll never eat sugar again I

will never go on my phone for the whole

day now I'll be 100 focused instead of

thinking like okay look I'm an adult I

can choose what I want to do and I can

choose right now to not get off track

for the next 10 minutes after that I'm

free to do what I want to do and the

thing is you rarely do the thing after

10 minutes it was a moment of weakness

you've thought about it and now you're

back into Focus if you just gave into

the feeling of being bored or stressed

and went on your phone as a coping

mechanism you're immediately giving

relief whereas if you follow the 10

minute rule you're teaching yourself to

delay gratification education you're

actually telling yourself okay I have

the power see I'm not addicted as long

as I use these practices I am in control

part two The Power of sitting there but

remember the goal is not to reach the

Flow State the goal has always been to

train your mind to combat distractions

stay focused and get what you plan to do

on your calendar done the truth is what

I've learned is that you're not always

going to get into that perfect nice Flow

State where you're completely focused

even if you try really really hard and

sip it for ages it's like what Stephen

pressfield says in the war of art

writing isn't the hard part the hard

part is sitting down to right it's about

getting your butt in the chair and

before we continue with this video could

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subscribe like spam the comments a

little indicate to the YouTube algorithm

that you're enjoying the video I don't

think I've ever said that in the middle

of a video before but I truly think that

the lessons and the the Practical tips

within this guide has the potential to

truly change the way someone Works

studies lives their life and obviously

once you're done with this scroll back

up full screen the video again and let's

get back into it step 3 excelling with

Focus now that we've talked about the

Practical aspects of getting past the

things that take us away from focus and

the ways to beat that struggle phase we

can now finally talk about the ways to

get better at focusing all the specific

triggers that can get us into the Flow

State faster and for longer where you're

learning is 10x 50x 100x and you're

actually excellent see the reason this

happens is because flow is the one time

the one instance where our body

generates this cocktail of feel-good

chemicals like dopamine serotonin

andantomide when we move into flow we

take in more information and we pay more

attention to that information so our

understanding goes up we find Foster

connections between this new information

and the old existing ideas we have so

encoding and pattern recognition

increases as well and the more feel good

chemicals that are present in your brain

the more likely that new information is

going from short-term holding to

long-term storage with those chemicals

they put post signals they put actual

signs next to the new information that

you have telling your brain okay this is

important this was a high yield

experience take this that's why that's

why learning improves so much when you

improve your focus and get into that

flow State these are certain factors

certain preconditions that trigger your

mind to get into that flow State and

they've been the focal point of flow

research for the last decade big

scientists and people from the flow

Genome Project have all pioneered on

various studies testing CEOs athletes

regular people as well students and of

all in a very short period of time

improve their focus levels between up to

35 to 80 percent and they did this using

certain flow triggers and in this step

I'm going to go through the four most

important ones that I found to be most

impactful for me and for the people in

the studies the first basic trigger is

having clear goals there's a reason that

we put the Practical action of making a

calendar and scheduling your work in so

early on in the guide It's because it's

the one thing that creates singular

Focus so that when you start to study or

learn a topic for two hours for example

you can devote absolutely everything to

it there's no confusion of I don't know

what to do you need to know what you're

doing how you're doing it and why you're

doing it but on a wider level you also

need Clarity on the bigger goals even

though I'm not one of those people that

regularly writes my goals down in my

head I actively plan in the space of a

few months to have two to three big

Milestones that I'm always working on I

think in the Summers this month it was

the post consistently and create good

content on YouTube it was a lot of it

was to do with family time and friends

and with the last Milestone I had was to

do with Fitness as well and then when

I'm back in med school I'd be to focus

on third year start on the USMLE and

other things will move down the priority

line but I'm always clear on the big

Milestones the overarching things that

I'm working towards and everything on my

calendar and my the lists of tasks that

I have is to do with those big

milestones and as long as you have that

level of clarity whatever you're doing

you'll be able to focus on with absolute

certainty the second trigger is building

Intrigue the human mind wants to learn

and grow but if we find something boring

our brain won't anticipate future reward

so it'll produce less dopamine and will

be less likely to get into a flow State

and yeah you can try and gamify it and

try to find scores and points and ways

to make the work more fun but to truly

enjoy it you need to find the Intrigue

in it to be honest I've always enjoyed

studying and learning it's because I'm

naturally quite good at asking questions

about very specific things and finding

the Kinks and the faults and processes

and arguments and when you do that when

you engage your mind like that almost

everything becomes more intriguing one

thing I do to build Intrigue is that

quite early on I realized that if I'm

going to stay awake in half the classes

I have I'm gonna either need to a find

the interesting points and the things

that interest me and then ask questions

about it or B this is a bit weird but

Find the Errors and kinks in the way

it's being taught see I think most

classes are too slow and naturally what

happens for me I'm sure what happens for

a lot of people is that we jump to the

next thing that they're gonna say and

start thinking about the conclusions

that they're going to make of their

argument before they've even started

talking about the topic but once you

actively start to do this and jump to

those conclusions with like intention

okay I'm gonna try and figure out what

he's gonna say next you start to think

Hmm how is this guy not making sense if

they explain something then I'm thinking

okay how is this gonna actually help me

learn the topic better is it gonna

actually feed into any of my older ideas

What's Happening Here is that my brain

is being critical and it's grabbing onto

the Loose Ends of information that I'm

getting from the professor and finding

ways to tie them up and this nerdy

analyzing thing I do questioning the way

things are being taught finding gaps and

questioning them it unintentionally

grabs my focus and prolongs it till the

end of the lecture because I'm invested

I'm invested in tying up the Loose Ends

proving myself right proving something

else wrong and this sort of stuff

genuinely builds Intrigue it's what you

have to do on your own when you're

studying as well part three or trigger

three the four percent challenge to

skill ratio there's 22 flow triggers

that due to the Flow State and I can put

them all up here but this one according

to the science is the one that has given

the most results and improved people's

Focus the most when psychologists study

flow what they found is that there needs

to be a perfect balance between the

challenge of the tasks and the skill

level that you're at if the task is too

easy then you'll get bored if the task

is too challenging then you'll get

frustrated and give up so the key is to

push yourself only a little bit beyond

your comfort zone how much beyond the

comfort zone four percent challenge

Yourself four percent more than usual

every time you study in the simplest way

practically this means understanding

reading and making questions on more

pages of the chapter in the same amount

of time if your usual speed of revising

and understanding is around 10 pages an

hour then aim for 10.4 pages in that

same hour whilst maintaining the same

quality of learning throughout that's it

10.4 Pages just half a page more that's

a good challenge isn't it it's enough to

keep you on track but it isn't big

enough that makes you want to give up

and then when you get 10.4 Pages

comfortably in that hour then you move

it up four percent more the trick is to

keep challenging yourself bit by bit but

do it just enough so that you don't get

bored and that you don't feel

overwhelmed I like the quote grow

comfortable with being a little

uncomfortable and the side note is is

that four percent sounds pretty small

but after a few times of getting it

because of compound for interest it will

actually become harder and harder to do

if you aren't in your Flow State so from

my experience getting into that flow

state is extremely necessary for you to

even accomplish that four percent more

after a certain number of times that

you've done it capitalize on passion

screw the one percent improvements and

this is where my experience comes in the

trigger to me passion is the fastest way

to become laser focused get into flow

States and learn skills and things 30

times 300 times 3 000 times faster than

you always do there's this rule I've

been hearing my whole life if you get

one percent better every single day by

the end of the year you'll be 37 times

as good as the thing and even though in

logic it makes sense I've always hated

this rule it's the most intimidating

annoying concept because it means that

in order to get good at something I have

to keep on doing the thing again and

again and again without being bored

without losing interest for the thing

and that to me is always just so

impossible if I'm trying to get good at

something then chances are 7 out of 10

times of me doing that thing I will

either not do it to the full degree I'll

procrastinate too much and three times

that I actually do the thing if I only

get one percent better that's nothing

it's barely any progress so I say screw

one percent baby improvements learn to

block out distractions hack the focus as

we've discussed throughout the guide and

aim for extremely high levels of

improvements in short time and do this

by capitalizing on the times that you

have passion for the thing that you want

to do and just go along with it the

times that I've actually gotten good at

something like editing videos studying

smart coding websites writing articles

all if it didn't just happen with oh one

percent improvements when I mastered

those skills or did really well with an

exam I worked on them relentlessly and

try to improve myself each time I did

them thirty percent three hundred

percent three thousand percent when I

learned to edit I didn't just think okay

let me schedule 30 minutes of editing

four times a week for the next four

months no if I did that I would get

bored and give up in two weeks instead I

looked around it and the day I felt like

getting my together the day I felt

excited and passionate about YouTube I

capitalized on it I made a video in one

day and edited edited that video for 30

hours straight in the next three days

literally learning everything that I

need to know about editing I spent 13

hours that first day learning how to

edit and actually applying it and the

thing is that first video is still the

highest viewed video on this channel the

same thing applies to scoring highly in

exams whenever I've done well I've

revised effectively like a maniac the

weeks beforehand and yes you do need

repetition throughout the year but my

aim is always to make the revision so

effective and then encode the concept so

well so that I need less repetitions

when I'm studying really because I know

that if I schedule six revisions in for

the next few months I know I'm not going

to do half of those so so capitalize on

passion and use it as that trigger to

easily get you into the flow state do

all the things in a time where your mind

can easily disregard the distractions

and is interested in what you're

learning the bonus step four recover

with Focus now that we've understood so

much about how to focus a very important

step in sustaining this focus and to

keep getting back into this Focus even

in the same day is the recovery phase if

you remember it was the last stage of

the flow cycle and honestly I always

sucked at doing this because when you're

in flow super focused on the work you

feel Unstoppable and then poof it's gone

you just lose energy lose track of the

work and it's annoying because you were

doing so well and now it's just gone you

can't get back into it but that's just

the natural cycle of flow it doesn't

last forever according to the science it

completely drops after four hours if you

keep pushing yourself like that till the

end there's a big calm down where no

good ideas can happen and after that

huge energy expenditure we cannot risk

not giving the recovery phase time and I

think I need to get better at this as

well because you need to treat this

seriously we can't just be going on our

phones randomly because from County

board's book deep work we know that it's

not the act of using the phone that's

gonna decrease the strength of the focus

muscle it's the constant switching from

low stimuli high value tasks like

reading a book to high stimuli low value

tasks like strolling on Tick Tock that's

what damages the focus muscles so the

Practical action is that when I still

have to focus get back into the work

after half an hour an hour break I spend

that time spending time with family

friends reading Namaz um go on a walk do

these sorts of things but at all costs I

try and avoid my phone and social

because first you won't be able to

consolidate as well what you've learned

in the previous row cycle and you did so

much because you were learning so

quickly so why waste that and second you

won't be able to get back into the flow

cycle if you don't dislodge your

attention completely and treat active

recovery seriously there's other things

to do with active recovery as well like

cold showers sleep exercise all of it

helps but I usually do that at the end

of the day when I'm done with everything

if you've watched the video so far thank

you I know a guide like this doesn't

solve every problem that you have

because most of them are personal to you

so I want to give you my email and my

Instagram send me a message or email

with any specific Niche issue that you

have that's blocking your focus we can

even set up a zoom call where we talk

about it and I help you create a

calendar because I literally did this

only a few months ago and I'm saying

this because in the past I have mentored

two to three people from this YouTube

channel I'm giving them my personal

numbers we've talked in detail about how

to improve their studying their focus

I'm still in touch with a lot of them

and it's because I know that guides and

these videos don't 100 help someone

unless they proactively apply in their

life and sometimes people just need help

with that so I'm more than happy to give

personalized help all free of course

whatever you need but all you need to do

is message me first and take that first

step other than improving your focus the

Practical techniques that make your

studying more effective come from

learning to learn efficiently and that's

what I go through in this video right

here in this video I go through all the

ways that I've learned to become more

efficient and effective with my learning

in med school and all the ways that you

can as well I've got some really good

feedback about this video so I know that

it is practically very helpful anyways

thank you so much for watching I really

hope that this full guide was useful

please drop comments below tell me what

you think about this full guide whether

it was actually helpful what sort of

stuff you want to see from me in the

future it really helped and yeah leave a

like check my tech talk out if you

haven't yet and put out some big bangers

on there and I will see you in the next

one