• Question: when you are working, how do you stay focused on your work?

    Asked by anon-181236 on 5 Jun 2018.
    • Photo: Claudia Bonfio

      Claudia Bonfio answered on 5 Jun 2018:

      I think it is normal sometimes to get distracted and not stay focused, especially if you are tired…
      What I normally try to do if I really need to be focused on an experiment is thinking to what I am doing, writing down step-by-step what I have to do (with different colours) and then checking that I am doing what I am supposed to. However, if I am reading something and I really need to focus on it, I usually have a short coffee break right before, and then I use a lot of colours to highlight the important parts of the article/book I am reading… Colours are always very helpful!

    • Photo: Camille Parsons

      Camille Parsons answered on 5 Jun 2018:

      I sometimes struggle to stay focused on the same thing all day, but I am lucky enough that I work on lots of different research projects and so when I get distracted I move to a different project. If I really need to get a particular bit of work done, and I find I am getting distracted I take lots of little breaks. For example, I will set a timer and work for 30 mins and then take a 5 min break. I learnt this technique while I was completing my PhD and it’s called the tomato timer.

    • Photo: Hannah Farley

      Hannah Farley answered on 5 Jun 2018:

      Make to do lists (sometimes in reverse, i.e. a list of stuff i have done to prove that I didn’t spend the morning faffing). If I have a lot of writing to do or stuff on my computer I will often put on a film soundtrack (normally Harry Potter) in the background as stuff with lyrics distracts me more. When I’m doing experiments or dissections I normally have music on or the radio.

    • Photo: Joey Shepherd

      Joey Shepherd answered on 5 Jun 2018:

      In the lab I find it quite easy, it’s when I’m at the desk that my concentration can wander. I do have to sometimes set myself a time – say 30 minutes to concentrate on just getting this piece of writing done, and then I’m allowed to go and make a cup of tea 🙂

    • Photo: Joanne Sharpe

      Joanne Sharpe answered on 5 Jun 2018:

      If I’m sat at my desk all day, I really do struggle to concentrate sometimes! I try and get up and get some fresh air when I feel myself dropping off..

    • Photo: Jason Chu

      Jason Chu answered on 5 Jun 2018:

      Lists and post-it notes. These help me organise what and when I need to do things. Also, my calendar is colour coordinated for all the different things I need to get done.
      But let’s say I’m at my desk trying to stay focused on writing or analysis. I like to listen to music to block out distractions – but I’ve found that I can only work to two types of music.
      1. Instrumental piano music
      2. Deep house/UK garage sets

      Very different, but they seem to work well for me!

    • Photo: Ashley Akbari

      Ashley Akbari answered on 5 Jun 2018:

      Lists are always great and give you a positive outcome when you tick something off.

      We practice “Agile techniques” which basically means we find problems and fail quickly and then learn from this and update our lists and priorities quickly. This can really help us stay up to date with what we should and need to work on in a changing environment

    • Photo: Helen Cooper

      Helen Cooper answered on 5 Jun 2018:

      Every day is different for me so I’m usually pretty focused on the job I’m doing. When I have lots to do though I make lists so I can cross things off when I do them. I use post-its to remember things because I’m quite forgetful, but my teams are really good at reminding me of things too!

    • Photo: Laura Hemming

      Laura Hemming answered on 6 Jun 2018:

      It can sometimes be tough to focus on the work you’re doing – particularly if it’s not the most interesting aspect of your day! One thing that I find helps is to set a timer for say 30 minutes at a time. For those 30 minutes I put my headphones on, I don’t talk to anybody and I concentrate fully on whatever it is I’m doing. At the end of the 30 minutes I give myself a 10 minute break where I chat to people in the office, browse Instagram / Twitter, whatever I want to do. I find that by allowing yourself time for those distractions, but by limiting this to only 10 minutes, you end up being much more productive in the 30 minutes that you put aside for work 🙂

    • Photo: Claire Donald

      Claire Donald answered on 8 Jun 2018:

      When I’m in the lab doing experiments its easy to stay focused but sometimes if you are doing something repetitive that doesn’t require a lot of concentration or writing something on the computer I can start thinking of other things. I ban myself from the internet and social media until it done! Or go for a walk and get some fresh air and come back ready to go!

    • Photo: Lauren Burns

      Lauren Burns answered on 8 Jun 2018:

      Sometimes everyone gets distracted, however if I am struggling, instead of taking an hour to struggle over something, I usually step away from the desk, perhaps go outside for 15 mins (if it isn’t raining that is!) to refresh my mind. Then, when I get back to the desk I usually feel more energised (although, whether that’s due to the ‘fresh air’ or the coffee I usually make myself when I come back in, is the real debate).

    • Photo: Donna MacCallum

      Donna MacCallum answered on 15 Jun 2018:

      Problem is usually remembering to stop work to go home to the other parts of my life! Singing helps during tedious tasks

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