Some days it’s easier to maintain your focus than others. Your ability to focus on a task is one of the most important factors in ensuring you’re successful in your role. However, sometimes it’s almost impossible to concentrate on anything in particular.

For many people, days when you feel absolutely focused are few and far between. This means you need to find ways of boosting your focus when distractions and lethargy are getting the best of you.

Here are some quick ways to improve your focus at work so you can get the most out of each day.

Get Some Exercise

Exercise is incredible for a range of reasons. Some of the world’s top entrepreneurs recommend starting each day with about twenty minutes of exercise. This allows you to get the blood pumping and sweat away any fatigue from the night before.

If you’re feeling exhausted at the office, you can also look for ways to bring a little bit of exercise into that space too.

Stand up and take a walk around your desk. Or pop outside for a breath of fresh air. The air will help to revitalize you, while the change of scenery should help refresh your brain and give you a boost of creativity.

Fuel Yourself Correctly

Productivity, focus, and concentration are all linked to the food you eat. To begin your day the right way, avoid eating breakfast too early. Eating too early in the morning and consuming a lot of carbohydrates and sugars can lead to an energy crash later in the day.

Instead, look for ways to fuel your body with the right things, like protein and good fats which nourish the brain.

Avocado, for instance, is an excellent fat for your brain, and it can help keep you focused for longer when you’re working on a challenging task. Nuts and eggs are two alternatives if you’re not a huge fan of avocado.

Prioritize Your Work

One of the best ways to improve your focus in the workplace is to eliminate the problem of multitasking. Often, we find ourselves jumping back and forth between tasks, without properly focusing on anything in particular. This can lead to serious problems with your concentration levels.

When you multitask, you’re splitting your attention between a range of different projects, which makes it hard to give your full focus to anything. Making a to-do list where you decide on which tasks you need to get done first is much more effective.

Motivate Yourself

A little motivation can go a long way when you’re not feeling particularly productive. One good option is to start the day by doing the most challenging task on your list.

This will get the problem out of the way as quickly as possible, while also ensuring you have something to feel good about as you progress to the rest of your work.

Other ways to motivate yourself involve actually checking or crossing off each item on your to-do list as you complete them. This gives you the sense you’re actually getting things doneand allows you to track your progress so your day doesn’t feel so insurmountable.

Reduce Pointless Distractions

This should be obvious, but anything that distracts you is going to damage your focus. Think about what grabs your attention when you’re supposed to be concentrating on something else, like your phone. Turn your phone off or put it on airplane mode when you don’t need it.

If you’re on the internet, make sure you only have the tabs you need open and nothing else. This includes social media. You can also turn notifications off for things like Slack and Microsoft Teams until you’re ready to respond to them. The fewer things you have fighting for your attention, the easier it is to stay on task.

Look After Yourself

Your brain can only perform at its best when it’s given the right level of care. With that in mind, make sure you’re looking after yourself between sessions of work. Getting plenty of sleep allows you to process information and come up with solutions to problems more effectively.

Remember, you should be getting at least seven to nine hours per night, so find out what kind of sleep schedule works for you and stick to it. Better rest means better work.