Most lawyers and professionals I work with have goals to improve time management and productivity. There are many components to these two areas we address together long-term, but one critical skill is your ability to focus when doing the work. 

There are so many distractions competing for your attention all day it can feel impossible to get anything done. The big project you wanted to get done still is not done at the end of the day because you have been putting out fires all day long. Many people wait until everything is quiet to do their deep work (i.e., very late at night), but this impacts your sleep and stress levels, which unfortunately diminishes your ability to focus the next day. It is a vicious cycle!

You must be able to hunker down, create barriers, and fend off all of the distractions for focused work. Imagine a scene in a superhero movie where the superhero is hunkered down in an old building, protected by the walls, and enemies are firing at them. The bullets do not reach the superhero. You have to prepare the same kind of protection for yourself from distractions. 

For deep focus, you must create the optimal conditions in your environment and brain.

Preparing the physical environment

1. Tidy and organize your work area – at least in your visual sight. Have only the matter or project you are working on in front of you.
2. Playing music in the background can help with focus. Bonus if you pair the same type of music each time you work – your brain associates the music with work and focuses faster. 
3. Close your office door. Let your colleagues and support staff (or family members) know you are in a meeting with yourself and are unavailable. Same as if you were in a meeting with a client.

Preparing the technology environment

1. Put your phone OUT of your visual sight. If your eyes can see your phone, your brain is constantly thinking about it in the background – even if it is turned face down. You will feel pulled to check your phone. They are designed to make us addicted to them. When it is out of your sight, your brain can disconnect from it. 
2. Put ALL notifications on Do Not Disturb. If a few people need to access you in case of emergency, put the settings so they can get through – but specify what an emergency is. 
3. Close all unnecessary tabs on your computer and close down the email. Log out of any inter-office communication chat channels. Turn off the desktop notifications. 
4. If the work involves emailing someone, compose the email in a Word document so you can copy and paste it into an email later. 

These steps may cause anxiety because it is a new practice, but task-switching kills productivity and focus. I help my clients learn strategies to manage their anxiety. 

Preparing your brain

1. The brain needs dopamine for optimal levels of focus. Two neural pathways are involved and in order for them to be in sync to focus, dopamine must be present. People who have ADHD have deficiencies in dopamine. Attention-enhancing drugs such as Adderall increase dopamine in the brain. This is also why many people (an estimated 28% of the adult population) take non-prescribed Adderall to improve focus and productivity. 

Quick ways to boost dopamine before a focused work session: 

• go outside in the sun for a few minutes
• listen to music
• do a brief exercise session (jumping jacks, push-ups, 10-minute walk)
• finish a small task (such as tidying up your office)
• watch a funny video
• meditate/mindfulness practice for 10 minutes
• eat dopamine-boosting foods 

Get started

1. Break down a large project into smaller chunks. Decide on what you are going to accomplish in a given time. Frame it in terms of the outcome: “I will complete the facts section of this brief.”
2. Set a timer for 45 minutes to an hour for deep-focused work. Your attention and focus battery is drained after about 45 minutes and needs recharging with a break. If 45 minutes is too long at first, start with 20-30 minutes. 
3. Give yourself a pep talk. “I can do this. I love when my work is done. I will feel so much better when this task is accomplished. My stress and anxiety levels will go down once this is finished.”
4. GO! Remember, done is better than perfect. It can be your shitty first draft and revise later.
5. Set up rewards for yourself to look forward to after a work session – if this is a motivating strategy for you. You can check social media, read that magazine article, or catch up on the group chat after your work is complete.
6. Congratulate yourself on getting the task done and setting up the BOUNDARIES necessary for focused work!  

Your focus and attention spans are like muscles. The more you practice and exercise them, the stronger they get. 

If you struggle with focus, productivity, time management, and boundaries, I am an expert at helping high-achieving professionals master these skills. Book a call; let’s chat!