Productivity Challenge | Stay in Focus (8)

"Focus and simplicity... once your get there, you can move mountains. " - Steve Jobs 

Have you ever forgotten time while working on something? People call it the Flow state. It is a time when we concentrate on one thing and become most productive. We will work on this in the next three days. We will put our awareness of those moments and intentionally train ourselves to have those moments every day. This can change how we do everything, and you will see fantastic results. 

Day 1: Clean up the Environment (30 minutes) 
Primarily, we are impacted by people and the environment. To get into the flow state, we need some preparation. 

• Block time to avoid distractions. We have done this by blocking 3 hours of Study Time, and we will use them. 
• Create a quiet and clean space. Clean up your desk to only keep a computer, a cup of water, a notebook, a pen, and anything for the task you plan to do. Close the door. That's it. 
• Avoid distractions. It's easy to say than done. We wake up to check messages, social media, read the news... Our minds won't quiet down if we don't clean them up. Use the Morning Review time to do them all. If there is an exciting read, add it to the task list with the link so you can read it later (using the #4 tag). Now, silence your phone and be ready for what you want to do. 

You can see we are shifting our focus. It's intentional to bring awareness of what we plan to do. If so, we are ready for the next step. 

Day 2: Experience the Flow State (1.5 hour) 
With the environment cleaned up yesterday, we will start working on a task in a focused 

• Before the start, also remind yourself of the work to be done and the goal to reach. 
• Set up a timer to bring you back when the time is off.
• Then start concentrating on working to reach your goal. 

Try it both in the morning and afternoon study and see if you can get more done. You can optional use the Pomodoro Technique in your study time.

Day 3: Review What Works and What's Not (30 minutes) 
Hope you experienced the flow moment. If not, drop me an email and let me know how it goes. Then, let's reflect on what we have done and experienced: 

• We clear our intention. 
• We turn off distractions and make attention. 
• We focus on goals and take action to reach the goal. The process seems trivial and flows smoothly. 

Now, tell me your experience by writing your thoughts or answer one or all of the questions as follows: 

• Did you experience the flow state? What doesn't it feel like? 
• What did you do in your flow state? What works and what doesn't?

Hope you can control your full attention and enjoy the moment of concentration and the result of getting things done. 

Next Topic: Build Your Second Brain