How to Never Lose Focus Again

Justin Sung
1 Nov 202319:51

Summary

TLDRIn this video, Dr. Justin Sun shares his strategies for maintaining deep focus and entering a state of flow, even under challenging circumstances. He discusses various factors influencing focus, such as diet, exercise, minimizing visual distractions, and creating an optimal work environment. Dr. Sun emphasizes the importance of attention span, rest timing, and controlling interruptions. He also highlights the role of auditory focus and suggests practical techniques like using noise-canceling headphones and white noise. Finally, he offers his top eight high-yield tips for enhancing focus and productivity, applicable to both neurotypical individuals and those with ADHD or ASD.

Takeaways

  • 🧠 Focus is multifaceted and cannot be improved by simply trying harder. It involves a balance of controllable and uncontrollable factors.
  • πŸ”„ Dr. Justin Sun emphasizes the importance of understanding and optimizing focus, rather than relying on a single technique.
  • 🌞 The speaker suggests that diet and exercise can have a limited impact on focus, and should be balanced with other strategies.
  • 🏞️ Limiting visual distractions can help maintain focus, but control over this factor is sometimes limited.
  • ⏰ Task timing is crucial; scheduling tasks during peak focus times can significantly improve productivity.
  • πŸ›‹οΈ Creating a 'focus zone' separate from relaxation areas can enhance the brain's ability to concentrate.
  • πŸ§˜β€β™‚οΈ Training attention span through mindfulness meditation can lead to improved focus and other cognitive benefits.
  • πŸ›‘ Rest timing, like the Pomodoro Technique, helps maintain energy and focus through regular breaks.
  • 🎧 Auditory focus through the use of white noise can effectively block out distractions and enhance concentration.
  • 🚫 Controlling interruptions is paramount for maintaining focus, with strategies to minimize both digital and personal disruptions.
  • πŸ›  Task process and sleep are two additional factors that significantly influence focus and overall cognitive performance.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is about maintaining focus and flow while working, even under challenging conditions such as fatigue, distractions, or lack of sleep.

  • Who is the speaker in the video?

    -The speaker in the video is Dr. Justin Sun, a learning coach, head of learning and iin study, and a former medical doctor.

  • What does Dr. Sun claim about increasing focus by trying harder?

    -Dr. Sun claims that you can't just increase your focus by trying harder, as focus involves various controllable and uncontrollable factors.

  • What is the purpose of the summary at the end of the video?

    -The purpose of the summary at the end of the video is to review all eight tips for staying focused, making it easier for viewers to remember and apply them.

  • Why does Dr. Sun mention his work schedule before the trip?

    -Dr. Sun mentions his work schedule to illustrate the challenges of maintaining focus while traveling and working in less than ideal conditions.

  • What is the significance of creating a 'focus zone' according to Dr. Sun?

    -Creating a 'focus zone' is significant because it helps separate the workspace from relaxation spaces, which can improve the brain's conditioning to focus during work and study.

  • What is the role of mindfulness meditation in improving attention span?

    -Mindfulness meditation helps improve attention span by training the mind to return to focus whenever it gets distracted, similar to exercising a muscle.

  • How does Dr. Sun suggest managing breaks during work to maintain focus?

    -Dr. Sun suggests taking frequent, shorter breaks based on the Pomodoro Technique or by observing when one starts to lose focus, and doing activities that re-energize during these breaks.

  • What is the importance of controlling auditory distractions for focus?

    -Controlling auditory distractions is important because sounds can powerfully distract or help one enter into a focused state, and optimizing this can significantly improve focus.

  • Why is controlling interruptions critical for maintaining focus, according to the video?

    -Controlling interruptions is critical because they can break the flow of focus, and if one is constantly interrupted, it becomes nearly impossible to maintain focus, regardless of other optimizations.

  • What are the two honorable mentions Dr. Sun provides that also impact focus?

    -The two honorable mentions are task process and sleep. Task process refers to the method used to complete a task, which should engage the right cognitive processes for better focus. Sleep is important for health, memory, learning, and cognitive performance, and sleep deprivation can severely impact one's ability to focus.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ§˜β€β™‚οΈ Mastering Focus: Techniques and Tips

Dr. Justin Sun introduces his video on maintaining focus under various challenging conditions such as fatigue, distractions, and lack of sleep. He emphasizes that focus is not just about trying harder and involves controllable and uncontrollable factors. He shares his top eight high-yield tips for staying focused and promises a summary at the end. Dr. Sun's background as a learning coach and former medical doctor is highlighted, and he encourages viewers to like the video for algorithmic support.

05:00

πŸ‹οΈβ€β™‚οΈ The Role of Diet, Exercise, and Visual Distractions

The second paragraph delves into the least impactful factors on focus, starting with diet and exercise. Dr. Sun mentions that while they play a role, they are not as critical as other factors. He suggests that visual distractions can be managed by positioning oneself in a less distracting environment or using a hoodie to narrow the field of view. The paragraph underscores the limitations of controlling visual distractions and its relative ranking in the list of focus factors.

10:02

⏰ Task Timing and Crafting a Focus Zone

Paragraph three discusses the importance of task timing, suggesting that scheduling tasks during one's peak focus times can significantly improve productivity. It also covers the creation of a focus zone, a dedicated workspace separate from relaxation areas, which can enhance the brain's ability to focus and rest. The paragraph acknowledges that while these factors are helpful, they may not always be within one's control.

15:03

πŸ§˜β€β™€οΈ Enhancing Attention Span and Rest Timing

The fourth paragraph highlights the significance of an extended attention span, which can be trained through mindfulness meditation, offering benefits beyond focus. It also touches on rest timing, exemplified by the Pomodoro Technique, advocating for frequent short breaks to sustain focus and energy. The paragraph advises on how to effectively utilize breaks and the importance of not waiting until exhaustion to take them.

🎧 Creating Auditory Focus and Controlling Interruptions

In the fifth paragraph, Dr. Sun explains the power of auditory focus, using noise-cancelling headphones and white noise apps to block out distractions. He provides tips on matching white noise to the environment and mood. The paragraph concludes with the critical nature of controlling interruptions, both digital and personal, and offers strategies for minimizing them.

πŸ›‘ Prioritizing Interruption Management

The sixth paragraph emphasizes that controlling interruptions is the most crucial factor for maintaining focus. It offers practical advice on managing digital and personal interruptions, such as using do not disturb modes and communicating one's focus needs to others. The paragraph also suggests using signs or moving to a different location to avoid interruptions.

πŸ›  Task Process and Sleep: Honorable Mentions

The final paragraph provides two honorable mentions: task process and sleep. It explains that an effective task process can engage the brain and prolong focus, while sleep is essential for cognitive performance and memory consolidation. The paragraph stresses the importance of good sleep hygiene and the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on focus.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Focus

Focus refers to the ability to concentrate one's attention on a specific task or activity. In the context of the video, maintaining focus is crucial for productivity and efficiency, especially when dealing with distractions or fatigue. The script discusses various methods to enhance focus, emphasizing that it is not simply a matter of trying harder but involves understanding and manipulating several factors.

πŸ’‘Flow

Flow is a mental state of complete immersion and focus on an activity, where one feels energized and fully involved. The video mentions 'flow' as an ideal state for deep work, where the individual is so absorbed in the task that distractions are minimized. The script outlines methods to achieve and maintain this state, even under challenging conditions.

πŸ’‘Distractions

Distractions are anything that can draw one's attention away from the task at hand. The video script discusses various strategies to minimize distractions, such as creating a focus zone, using white noise, and managing interruptions. Distractions are presented as a significant obstacle to achieving and maintaining focus.

πŸ’‘Task Timing

Task timing involves scheduling tasks and events during times when one is most likely to be focused and effective. The script suggests that understanding one's own rhythms and energy levels throughout the day can help in planning when to tackle different types of tasks, thus optimizing productivity.

πŸ’‘Attention Span

Attention span is the length of time that a person can maintain concentration on a task without becoming distracted. The video emphasizes the importance of training one's attention span through practices like mindfulness meditation, which can help in staying focused for longer periods.

πŸ’‘Rest Timing

Rest timing, exemplified by the Pomodoro Technique in the script, is the practice of taking breaks during work to maintain focus and energy levels. The video explains that taking frequent, shorter breaks can prevent exhaustion and help sustain a state of deep focus.

πŸ’‘Auditory Focus

Auditory focus refers to the use of sound to enhance concentration. The script discusses using white noise or specific sounds to block out distracting noises and create an environment conducive to focus, highlighting the powerful impact of sound on the ability to concentrate.

πŸ’‘Interruptions

Interruptions are breaks in one's concentration caused by external factors, such as people asking questions or digital notifications. The video script provides strategies for controlling interruptions, emphasizing their detrimental effect on the ability to focus and the importance of minimizing them for optimal productivity.

πŸ’‘Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a practice of focusing the mind on the present moment to achieve a state of calm awareness. The script recommends mindfulness meditation as a method to train attention span and improve focus, suggesting that it can lead to benefits such as emotional resilience and increased energy.

πŸ’‘White Noise

White noise is a sound that is consistent and non-distracting, often used to mask other sounds or to create a background for concentration. The video discusses using white noise to drown out distractions and enter an immersive focus zone, with examples of how to match white noise to the type of distraction present.

πŸ’‘Task Process

Task process refers to the method or strategy used to complete a task. The script mentions that an effective task process can engage the right cognitive processes, making it easier to maintain focus and stay in a flow state, which is crucial for consistent and sustainable productivity.

πŸ’‘Sleep

Sleep is essential for health, memory, learning, and cognitive performance. The video script notes that sleep deprivation can severely impact one's ability to focus and perform, underscoring the importance of good sleep hygiene and a proper nighttime routine for maintaining focus and overall well-being.

Highlights

The speaker teaches methods to maintain focus even in adverse conditions like tiredness or distractions.

Focus is not just about trying harder; it involves controllable and uncontrollable factors.

Understanding and controlling focus factors is like adjusting a control dial.

The speaker's personal experience with maintaining focus during a high-stakes work trip in India.

The importance of optimizing focus factors based on the situation and day-to-day variability.

The least important factor for focus is diet and exercise, though they do have a limit to their helpfulness.

Limiting visual distractions by positioning and using visual aids like hats with hoodies.

Task timing is crucial, scheduling tasks when one is naturally more focused and effective.

Creating a focus zone by separating workspace from relaxation areas to enhance concentration.

Training attention span through mindfulness meditation for better focus over time.

Rest timing, using techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, to maintain focus and energy.

Creating auditory focus by blocking out distracting sounds with noise-cancelling headphones and white noise apps.

The powerful impact of auditory focus and the use of layered white noise to match the environment.

Controlling interruptions as the most critical factor for maintaining focus.

Strategies for managing digital and personal interruptions to enter deep focus states.

Using frequently interrupted time for preparation to maximize focus when it's possible.

Honorable mentions of task process and sleep as significant factors for focus and cognitive performance.

The video concludes with a summary of the top eight focus tips and a recommendation for further viewing on scheduling.

Transcripts

play00:00

imagine having deep focus and perfect

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flow every time you work in this video

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I'm going to teach you the methods that

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I use to consistently maintain Focus

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even when I'm tired and exhausted not in

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the right mood didn't get enough sleep

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surrounded by distractions whatever it

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is I'll go over what determines whether

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your brain stays focused or not how we

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can manipulate that to optimize our

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focus and at the end I'll give you my

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top eight high yield tips that I use for

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my personal life to stay focused FYI to

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my knowledge I am neurotypical but if

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you have ADHD or ASD with hyperd

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distractability this should help you too

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and by the way there is a lot to cover

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in this video so don't worry about

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writing it all down I'm going to have a

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summary at the very end where I go

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through all eight tips for those of you

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who are new to this channel welcome I'm

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Dr Justin Sun I'm a learning coach and

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head of learning and iin study I'm also

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a former medical doctor for the past

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decade I've worked with thousands of

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people from around the world to help

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them learn more efficiently and be more

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focused before we jump into it I'd

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appreciate if you give this video a like

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it really helps with the algorithm so so

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first of all let's talk about what Focus

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means despite what your parents or your

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teachers might have told you in the past

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you can't just increase your focus by

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trying harder it doesn't work that way

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for example if someone slaps you in the

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face every 5 seconds it's probably going

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to be impossible to focus and this might

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seem like an extreme example which it is

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and I hope that's not happening to you

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but it does bring up an important Point

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Focus involves a lot of different

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factors some of these factors we control

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and some of these factors we can't

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control having good focus in the real

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world where things are generally

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unpredictable is knowing which of these

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factors matter and knowing how we can

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control them it's like a control dial

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you have to know how to turn them up and

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turn them down and on some days you need

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to optimize more of these factors and on

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some days you need to optimize less it's

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not about just a technique here or there

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and the same technique doesn't always

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work in every setting it's about

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understanding what pulls you in and

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pushes you out of focus in different

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scenarios and on different days and

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being able to optimize that for example

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I'm currently filming in my hotel room

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here in India I've been traveling around

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cities meeting our students holding some

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workshops and it's been an amazing

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experience so far but it does mean that

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my travel schedule keeps me on the Move

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pretty often unfortunately for me I have

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to do just as much work as I was having

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to do before I went on this trip and

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just for reference I was doing 100h hour

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work weeks before coming on to this trip

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FYI if you want to learn how I time

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manage when I'm doing these 100 hour

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work weeks I've got another video that

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you can check out here so on this trip I

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have to do work in a lot of very unideal

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situations sometimes I'm working on the

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plane sometimes I'm working in an Uber

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and by the way Uber rides in India are

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wild I usually don't have a proper desk

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I'm usually constantly surrounded by

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loud noises and distractions I'm

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basically always always tired and I'm

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usually between important events in fact

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the other night I literally had to

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borrow a pen from the restaurant and do

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some work on a napkin because there

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something that I had to get done and I

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was running out of time the work I'm

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doing is also pretty high stakes for my

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business as well so I can't just get it

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done every piece of work needs to be

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done to a very high quality so this kind

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of situation I need to know exactly how

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to turn each of these dials to stay on

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top of things and even if I'm just

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sitting at home it's the same thing

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sometimes it's just harder for me to get

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my head in gear I have to know why and

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what dials I can turn for that situation

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so what are the factors that actually

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matter and how do we control them there

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is a lot of research on this and one

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great resource that you can look at is a

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place called the flow research

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Collective which is basically a group of

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researchers investigating flow and deep

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flow and focus States there's a lot to

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go through so I'm going to focus this

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video on the things that have made the

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most difference for me personally I'm

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starting from the least important and

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helpful in my opinion and also in my

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professional experience to the most

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helpful but remember that even any one

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of these factors could potentially be so

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out of control that that alone is enough

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to put you out of focus so even the

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least important one can't just be

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completely ignored first off with number

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eight is diet and exercise I know

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certain foods make me feel bloated and

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exercise helps with my cognitive

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performance so when I'm super busy I try

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to find time to get regular exercise in

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over the years I've realized that when I

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skip exercise it just makes things worse

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but this Factor does have a limit and

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how helpful it is I I think after a

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certain point you're not really getting

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many improvements anymore for example I

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think diet can be really overrated

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sometimes there are a lot of people that

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are obsessed with trying to find the

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perfect brain superfood but actually I

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don't really think that it makes that

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much of a difference and there's

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certainly not enough research to suggest

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that it does either so unless you're not

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exercising at all and your diet is

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completely whack this is probably going

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to be the lowest priority item on the

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list for you number seven is limiting

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your visual distractions seeing

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something distracting is distracting I

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usually try to position myself somewhere

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with a pretty nice view but there isn't

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anything specific that's too interesting

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that's going to distract me I like

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having a nice view because I can be

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working and then I can look up and gaze

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out into the distance which is something

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that I do when I think about things and

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I notice that if I'm looking up and I

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see just a wall right in front of me or

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there is something distracting that does

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pull me out of focus if I'm not able to

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position myself like that I can

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sometimes wear a hat with a hoodie it

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just Narrows my field of View and if

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that isn't enough or you just don't want

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to do that then there's not really much

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more else that you can do and at this

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point I just have to deal with it and

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this is the reason why this doesn't rank

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so highly because the amount you can

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control this is somewhat limited and

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even if you can't control it it usually

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is not going to be as beneficial as the

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next items and number six is Task timing

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I talk a lot more about this in my

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scheduling video here but the main idea

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is that you want to schedule tasks and

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events during your day when you know

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you're going to be more focused and

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effective for that task for example I

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like to do more deep work that requires

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a lot of concentration in the mornings

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and I try to do more menial timec

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consuming but lower mental effort work

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during the evenings the only way that

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you can really figure this out though is

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to try it out yourself observe and

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experiment again this one is actually

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really helpful and if you can nail this

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one down then it does make a really big

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difference again I took a lot more about

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that in my scheduling video but I'm

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ranking a little bit lower because you

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can't always control this and even if

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you don't get this it's still possible

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to do really good focused work number

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five is to craft a focus zone if

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possible try to create a clear and

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uncluttered workplace that is separate

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from where you sleep or relax one of the

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worst things that you can do is mix your

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workpace with your relaxation space and

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never ever study or work in bed not only

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does that reduce your brain's

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conditioning to enter into good focus

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when it's time to work and study but it

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also reduces your brain's conditioning

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to to go and sleep when it's time to

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rest this can lead to things like

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insomnia it's also the reason why you

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shouldn't be scrolling on your phone or

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watching videos when you're in bed I

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have the privilege of having my own

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office inside my home and I don't do

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anything in that room other than work or

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study I've spent years playing around

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with my situp and what I prefer and how

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that affects my focus and I've even

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spent money on outfitting my office with

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Smart LED bulbs that change color

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depending on my task or time of day

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whether that really makes a difference

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or if I'm just trying to justify my

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spending habits is another question but

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let's just not think too deeply about

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that one sometimes you can actually just

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create a focus zone by going somewhere

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where you know it's a better environment

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for focusing like the library or at a

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cafe and just changing your environment

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can be a increased to your focus just

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like the previous one this one can be

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extremely helpful to take some time to

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figure out but again it's not always

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within your control for example me when

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I'm traveling right now ially never am

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able to create a focus zone and I can

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still get some really deep focused work

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done I also have some students that

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don't even own a desk and they're still

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able to be really productive which

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brings us to number four which is

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attention span and this is probably the

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beginning of the most powerful factors I

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think these are the ones where if you

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don't have these in place it's just

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going to be hard for you to focus in any

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situation to be frankly honest short

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form videos and social media are

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training our ability to f Focus to

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become shorter and shorter and shorter

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and a big part of staying focused

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especially over a long period of time is

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how much effort your brain needs to

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exert to keep your brain on task if you

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have a very short attention span it

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takes more effort to stay on task we get

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tired more easily and therefore we need

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to optimize more things just to overcome

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that training your attention span is

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possible and it is kind of like the just

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Brute Force way of becoming more focused

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it's kind of like going and working out

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to get stronger like regardless of what

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exercise or sport you do you're probably

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going to have a bit of an advantage

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there if you're generally more athletic

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now unfortunately in this distraction

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free world it's probably not enough if

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you just have a great attention span and

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nothing else but it does make everything

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easier my preferred and recommended way

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of training your attention span is

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something like mindfulness meditation

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there are apps that you can use

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personally I recommend using Cal they

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have these 30-day beginner courses but

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there are lots of other YouTube videos

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on mindfulness meditation as well the

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idea here is that you put your mind in a

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state where it's forced to be distracted

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and you train your mind to get back on

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track every time you bring your thoughts

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back if you do this for around 15 to 20

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minutes a day you should start seeing

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noticeable improvements to your

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attention span as well as actually a

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whole range of other benefits like

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emotional resilience and overall energy

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within a month but because it is

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retraining your brain just like growing

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a muscle it actually does take time it's

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not not an instantaneous fix

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unfortunately but also just as a

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disclaimer if you have some past trauma

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I would recommend that you do this with

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a therapist or a psychologist because in

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some cases meditation can actually

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resurface past trauma and number three

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is rest timing the most famous example

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of this is the Pomodoro Technique where

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you work for 25 minutes and then you

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take a 5 minute break there are lots of

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variations of this and you can do lots

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to make this more effective the actual

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number doesn't really matter so much as

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the principle to take some more frequent

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shorter breaks to keep your focus and

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energy levels topped up rather than

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depleting yourself all the way to

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exhaustion and then needing to spend a

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really long time recovering for me

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personally I just use this rule of thumb

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I just keep working within a flow State

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until I feel like I'm losing my flow I'm

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slipping out of flow more easily I'm

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getting distracted a little bit more

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easily I can see that my mind is

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starting to get Restless at this point I

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know that it's time to take a break I

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see how long I've worked for I take that

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number I divide it by four and that

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becomes comes my break most days I can

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manage around 1 to 2 hours of deep

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focused Flow State work before I need to

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take a break but on some days I can

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barely squeeze out 30 minutes it's just

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what it is now the two really important

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things to do here is number one you have

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to time your break so that you don't go

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over and you have to do something during

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that break that actually makes you feel

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re-energized for example don't do

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something that you know is just going to

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suck you in like starting like a whole

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new online game or watching your

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favorite series on Netflix like you know

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you're not going to be able do that

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within just the allocated amount of time

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that you had in your break anyway so

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don't even start the meditation that I

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told you about before or other breathing

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techniques like the whm Hoff method

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which you can search up these can be

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really effective for getting a lot of

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recovery and re-energization in a very

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short period of time when I'm really in

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a rush and I need to make sure I'm doing

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a lot of focused work back to back those

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are the types of things that I'll do

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during my break and also just make sure

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that you're not waiting until you are so

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tired to take the break if and doubt

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take it a little bit earlier like I said

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for me when I feel like I'm just losing

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the edge the sharp edge of that flow

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State that's when I'll take my break and

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coming in at number two is to create

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auditory focus in other words just

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blocking out distracting sounds and

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creating a auditory focus zone I'm not

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entirely sure why but there's something

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about auditory focus and sounds that are

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just so powerful both for distracting us

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and helping us enter into Focus I know

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there's a lot of research that's ongoing

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about brain wave frequencies and

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different types of sounds that might be

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able to influence that but I'm not aware

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of anything that's too conclusive yet

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but I do know that trying to optimize it

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is very very effective which is why it

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ranks in at number two so here's what I

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do to control this first of all I always

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have noise cancelling headphones or

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earphones on with me pretty much at all

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times and secondly I use a White Noise

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app if you don't know white noise is

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basically a sound that doesn't

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communicate any information such as the

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sound of static when you're on your

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radio between two stations there's sound

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coming in but there isn't anything for

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your brain to focus on or process so

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here's the tip around using white noise

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that I think a lot of people don't think

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about the purpose of white noise is to

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drown out distractions while also

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helping you to enter into this immersive

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focus zone so instead of using the same

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white noise that you normally would like

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the sound of rain in every single

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instance I actually recommend trying to

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match the White Noise with the type of

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distraction you're trying to drown out

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for example if I'm somewhere where there

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are a lot of people talking around me

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then that's going to be distracting so

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I'll actually add sounds of people

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talking like crowd or Cafe sounds

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because now it makes those voices

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indistinguishable there's so much going

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on that it becomes White Noise next I'll

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try to layer that sound with another

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sound that matches my mood and overall

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energy for example if it's a really

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bright and sunny day outside I'll

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usually play some kind of the sounds of

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birds singing or something like the

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river flowing or the sound of waves

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hitting a beach if it's a rainy day I

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add even more rain and then Thunder if

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it's late in the evening and it's all

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dark I'll add fireplace sounds like

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crackling and popping I love that stuff

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now the app I personally use for this is

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this called White Noise or white noise

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light the most important thing is that

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you have to be able to create a mix or a

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combination of different White Noise

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sounds when I was on Android I used to

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use an app called relaxo which basically

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does the same thing and finally before

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we hit number one make sure to hit the

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like button

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violently but only an odd number of

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times and coming in at number one is the

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ability to control your interruptions

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this could be your friend or your family

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coming in to ask you questions while

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you're working when they really could

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have asked you that question like 20

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minutes ago and you're literally

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standing right next to them before you

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had anything else better to do but it

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can also be digital interruptions like

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notifications or messages that you get

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on your phone controlling interruptions

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is really kind of obvious but it's the

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most important one because if you're

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getting interrupted it actually doesn't

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matter anything else that you do you

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will never be able to focus the thing is

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that we often think that these

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interruptions can't be controlled but

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actually there are more strategies than

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you might realize digital interruptions

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actually pretty easy to control you can

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just put your phone or device on do not

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disturb mode and that kind of settles it

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if you really struggle then you could

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also use app blockers that stop you from

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engaging in apps that might distract you

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if it's other people that are actually

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disrupting you then something that's

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worked for myself and a lot of my

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students and clients is to actively tell

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the people who might interrupt you that

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you're about to enter into a state of

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deep focus and to just not interrupt you

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unless it's really urgent if that isn't

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enough it maybe that they actually have

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a habit of interrupting you and they

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don't catch themselves or they forget in

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which case you could just put a sign up

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in front of your door either physically

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or digitally or however you want to a

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notice that they see to remind them that

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you are working and that can actually be

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a cue for them to stop themselves and I

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can verify that that actually does work

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a surprise surprising amount of times

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even in Asian family households where

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there generally is not a parental

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respect of boundaries and if that is not

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enough then you probably need to move

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like just another location you don't

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have to move out of your house or

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anything you can go to a library you can

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go to a cafe you can go somewhere where

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you know that those interruptions are

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not going to be present but what happens

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if you can't do any of these things in

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that situation and it happens to me a

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lot what I do is I don't actually

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schedule and plan on doing any focused

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work during that time if I I know that I

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can control every other fact that I've

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talked about but not interruptions I

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know that that is not viable for me to

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have focused work if I don't have

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interruptions but I know I can control

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all the other factors then that's fair

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game I can get some really solid focused

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work done so what I'll do instead is in

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that time where I'm getting interrupted

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I will prep and plan for my focus work

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session so that when I'm able to sit

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down and really get focused I'm able to

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get through more stuff because I've

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helped to prepare myself for that

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session it could be planning priming

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creating some kind of flow getting

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resources together doing an outline

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making sure that the guidelines of an

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assignment are readily available to you

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it could be about extracting information

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from sources that when you're focused

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all you have to do is consolidate and

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put it together depending on the task

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that you're doing your preparation is

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obviously going to differ now there are

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still ways that you can use

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your frequently interrupted blocks of

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time as well and still be pretty focused

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but they usually require more training

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and setup and a certain level of skill

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to be able to pull off if you want to

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know how to do this with microlearning

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in terms of studying then I'd recommend

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that you check out my video on how to

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make anky three times more effective of

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any flash cards you can also get some

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really solid learning with just five or

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10 minute blocks of time by layering

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your learning really strategically it's

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a little bit more advanced but if you

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want to learn how to do that then I

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recommend starting with my video here

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talking about what is my most powerful

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learning and studying hack and finally

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there are two honorable mentions here

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which are task process and sleep task

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process means a process you use to

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complete a task for example if you use a

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method of learning and studying that is

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not engaging the right cognitive

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processes then you may not feel that

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you're able to stay in that flow very

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long because your brain literally wants

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to escape a terrible experience whereas

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if you learn a really effective method

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it's actually much easier to keep your

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brain in flow cuz it's naturally more

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engaged so the task process makes a big

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difference to how how long and how

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sustainably and consistently you can

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stay in flow this is arguably one of the

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most important factors as well but

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because the actual task process depends

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on the task you're doing I just didn't

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include it in my list and secondly sleep

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is really important for health memory

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learning and memory consolidation

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cognitive performance and well basically

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like everything in life once you become

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sleep deprived for more than one or two

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days your performance drops so hard that

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it's really not worth sacrificing sleep

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for anything anymore getting your sleep

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right with a good sleep hygiene and wind

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down nighttime routine is always going

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to be worth the 30 minutes or hour that

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it would normally take so those were my

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top eight most helpful adjustments and

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optimizations to improve focus with two

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honorable mentions I think a lot of the

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principles that I talked about in this

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video align and complement the things I

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talked about in my scheduling video a

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lot so I'd recommend checking that out

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you might need to improve your time

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management anyway to pull off some of

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these tips in the first place if you

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like this video make sure to subscribe

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so you don't miss the next one thank you

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so much for watching and I'll see you

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next

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[Music]

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[Applause]

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[Music]

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[Applause]

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[Music]

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time

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Related Tags
Focus TechniquesProductivity TipsDeep WorkDistractionsFlow StateCognitive PerformanceMindfulness MeditationPomodoro TechniqueWhite NoiseInterruption Control