What is a Focus Challenge?

focus-challenge

These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to focus on one thing at a time. Multi-tasking has become the norm and is often expected by our employers, families and society as a whole. Add to that a never ending stream of notifications from our phone, computer, tablet, refrigerator, etc and it becomes nearly impossible to focus on a single thing for more than a few minutes at a time.

The impacts of this are:

  • A decrease in productivity
  • Feelings of under-accomplishment and depression
  • Inability to live in and enjoy the moment
  • Loss of ability to focus (Focus takes practice)

Focus Challenges to the Rescue

Focus Challenges encourage you to play a short music mix, and focus on only one thing for the duration of that mix. Avoid all distractions from your phone, email and co-workers during the mix. Most distractions can wait until the mix is over. Mixes are approximately 25 minutes long. This duration is inspired by Francesco Cirillo's Pomodoro Technique®.

Taking the Focus Challenge in a Nutshell

  1. Choose something you want to focus on.
  2. Play one of our Focus Challenge mixes.
  3. Stay focussed until the mix ends. (Eliminate distractions. Close your door. Put on headphones. Turn off the TV. Silence your phone notifications!)

When the mix ends you can take a break or attend to any notifications that came in during the challenge.

(Please end the challenge early for emergencies.)

What Can You Do During a Focus Challenge?

Almost anything...

  • A work project
  • building that bookshelf you've been talking about (take appropriate safety precautions when using power tools)
  • exercising
  • cleaning-up around the house

The possibilities are endless

Do You Have to Accomplish Your Goal Before the Challenge Ends?

Nope. All you have to do is commit to focussing on your goal. You might not achieve your goal during the challenge, but you will make uninterrupted progress towards achieving it, and that's really the goal of these challenges.

Listen to our first Focus Challenge on Mix Cloud

Great Day @ Work is not affiliated with, associated with, nor endorsed by the Pomodoro Technique® or Francesco Cirillo.

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