Finding Focus— The Two Kinds of Focus
I have a hard time focusing. I am not only fighting my own mental battles each time I must will myself into completing a task but also fighting tendencies trained into me by short-form content and dopamine-rush media platforms. Things were easier when I was a child and those influences weren’t in existence… but here we are. As an adult, I am training myself to focus again, and along the way I have discovered that there are two kinds of focus each with the potential for the flow state: half-brain and whole-brain. The way I need to think/the focus mode I need to tap into depends on the task I am encountering. I have a feeling my experience exploring the two kinds of focus, how to invoke them, and how to deal with distractions, is relatable to more people beyond myself so I’m going to break down what I have discovered into actionable steps. First, let me explain what I mean by “half-brain focus” and “whole-brain focus.”
Half-brain focus works best for rote tasks or familiar tasks. You channel it to complete a series of tack welds, run computations in a spreadsheet, prep a canvas for painting, clean and prepare an espresso machine, commit a series of numbers or dates or definitions to short-term memory, and so forth. Half-brain focus is best wielded in short bursts or for a set round of tasks.
Whole-brain focus is far less structured but still requires mental acuity, hence, it can be a little more difficult to invoke. Whereas half-brain focus is like flipping a switch in the brain, whole-brain focus is like turning on a plane— there are a few more switches, knobs, and dials involved. Whole-brain focus is for whole-brain activities: writing, the preliminary sketch for a painting, deciding how to illustrate data sets, coming up with a marketing campaign, et cetera. This kind of focus also has the potential to be sustained for long periods, which is helpful because it often takes longer to accomplish more (or any) of that sort of task.
I am going to share hypothetical examples of tasks I would do and break down how I prepare each kind of focus mode for them.
Focus Mode 1— Half-Brain Focus: Formatting a Spreadsheet
Determine the task at hand. Before doing anything, I need to know what I am trying to do in the first place. In this instance, I am trying to format a spreadsheet. Check.
Prepare my environment. Before doing a task, I need to have everything necessary within arm’s reach to complete said task, and everything that I might break away from said task to get (water, tea, a snack, music, et cetera). This will keep me from having to break focus by going on little errands here and there. Preparing a space for a task also has a ritualistic bend to it that helps center the body and mind. In this case, I know I’ll need: a computer, an internet connection, chargers and access to power, a notebook and pencil for any stray thoughts, a hot drink (tea helps me think), headphones, a pre-determined playlist (so I don’t waste thirty minutes picking the perfect playlist), a comfortable desk and chair, quick access to good light (so I don’t fall asleep or become lethargic), and my devices set to “Do Not Disturb” so no glaring notifications are battling for my attention.
Set my parameters. Sitting down to do something that has no definitive end can be mentally taxing, especially if the task at hand is one I’m not looking forward to. It’s vital to pre-determine my bandwidth and set stopping points accordingly. I give myself a window of time within which the task needs to be done and break that down. In this case, formatting a spreadsheet is what I would consider a one-hour task. However, within that one hour, I will use Pomodoro cycles to complete the task.
Recite to myself my goal. This may feel like step one, but I feel the task at hand and the goal is slightly different. The task is what must be done, but the goal is what I have committed to doing. My task is formatting a spreadsheet, but my goal is to have that spreadsheet formatted for navigability within an hour. Repeating to myself what I am preparing to do right before I do it tells my mind that my time will be spent well.
Get started. After going through the above-mentioned I should be ready to invoke half-brain focus, but it won’t snap into place until I start the task at hand. I gain momentum the more I do something, and my focus settles in once I’ve gained momentum.
That’s how to invoke half-brain focus. Now let’s look at how to snag the elusive whole-brain focus.
Focus Mode 2— Whole-Brain Focus: Sketching for an Infographic
Determine the task at hand. Same as half-brain, I need to determine what it is I am setting out to do. In this case, I am sitting down to sketch an infographic. I am not creating a finished product, only the first draft of the infographic.
Prepare my environment. I find this step to be infinitely more crucial when coaxing out that whole-brain focus. Like half-brain focus, I gather everything I might need or want to get the task done and be comfortable as I do so. When sketching, I like to have a notebook or copy paper, writing utensils such as pencil and pen, a scanner, and whatever else I can get my hands on to use to draw. Even dirt counts as a medium. Beyond what I want to mark a page, I like to be wearing comfortable clothes that allow me to contort into whatever strange positions help my focus, water and hot tea, and inspirational music.
Gather sources of power. Sources of power are also known as inspiration and that task’s raison d’être. Depending on the project, what might bring me the power to ideate and create can vary. When I am preparing to sketch infographic ideas my sources of power are the data I’m trying to represent and a mood board that matches the vibe.
Set my parameters. Again, when it comes to whole-brain focus, this step is of vital importance. Blissfully, once I have achieved the coveted whole-brain focus I can find myself hyper fixating. This can be bad when there are other things to do like make important phone calls, pause to eat, meet deadlines, et cetera. I try to determine ahead of time what constitutes as “done,” when I absolutely need to stop and take a breather, or—if I’m forcing the creative focus and it just feels like constipation—I’m allowed to take a break.
Recite to myself my goal. Again, I am differentiating between the task at hand and my goal for it. In this example, my goal is “to come up with three viable infographic options and sketch each concept.”
Clear my mind of all that does not serve my momentary goal. I meditate shortly to purge internal distractions or train myself to let thoughts happen and then let them go. It is usually when the mind needs quiet that it finds the most noise within itself, and this noise is distracting. When doing a half-brain task, I can usually tolerate and function with this noise in place, but when doing a whole-brain task it completely detracts from the entire endeavor. I learned to clear my mind of distractions through Headspace’s guided meditations. They call it “Noting.” Check the references at the end of this post for more information on noting.
Get started. I’ve prepared my space and prepared my mind, now I need to gain momentum so creative flow comes in.
Focus, half-brain or whole-brain, is a muscle that requires exercise lest it atrophy. I try not to beat myself up when I struggle to focus, even after preparing my body and mind to do so. When I find myself becoming distracted and can’t bring back the focus, five techniques work for me.
Combatting Distraction— Five Techniques
Three-minute mediation. If I find my mind going to everything except the task at hand, I put it down and sit back for three minutes of breathwork and “noting.” That usually calms my mind enough to come back to the task at hand and then the focus can settle back in.
White noise. A lot of times it’s the world around me that can pull me from a reverie. When this happens, the best I can do is put the blinders on and pretend the outside world isn’t there.
Go for a walk. Being antsy can get in the way of my focus flow. Going on a walk can clear my mind, make me feel like I didn’t miss out on the day/the world outside, and allow me to settle when I sit down again.
Doodle aimlessly. Doodling is actually marvelous for the mind. I feel like it permits me to tune out for a bit. That short brain break can often be enough reprieve to recharge the focus batteries.
Make a drink. Hot chocolate, lemonade, coffee, tea… it doesn’t matter so much what it is so long as there’s a bit of prep involved. The process of moving my hands to gather tea leaves, boil water, find a cup, et cetera, gives me an active brain break and then a lovely warm drink to take back to my task.
I hope that my experiences prove insightful for you and your journey because activating focus is tough! The important part is that you practice. The more you exercise your focus muscles, the easier it’ll become. Maybe you’ll even achieve the coveted Flow State…
Or just throw everything out the window and operate on riding random focus highs whenever they strike, no matter how inconvenient.
References
Puddicombe, Andy. “What the Noting Technique Is, and How to Take Advantage of It.” Headspace, 13 Oct. 2023, www.headspace.com/articles/noting-technique-take-advantage.
Pillay, Srini. “The ‘Thinking’ Benefits of Doodling.” Harvard Health Publishing, 15 Dec. 2016, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-thinking-benefits-of-doodling-2016121510844.