Key Takeaways
Focus can be strengthened with practices like mindfulness, chunking, or habit stacking.
Noise from office chatter, text notifications, or news alerts can drain your attention span.
Regular movement and consistent sleep can directly influence how well the brain can filter out distractions.
Focusing on any one task feels harder than ever in a world full of notifications, endless emails and texts, and seemingly constant multitasking. There is good news, though: You don’t need a total life overhaul to reclaim your concentration and focus.
Brain health experts say that a handful of simple, consistent habits—like adjusting how you use your phone or how you take breaks—can dramatically improve your ability to stay on task. Here’s a closer look at the daily practices you can try to support sharper thinking and better productivity.
Related: 8 Everyday Habits That Could Be Quietly Harming Your Brain Health
01 of 08
Set Aside Your Smart Phone (Temporarily)
If you feel scatterbrained without your phone, especially when you’re out with friends or in the middle of other daily tasks, you’re likely too reliant on your device. “No matter your age, your phone can be a distraction,” says Melissa DiMartino, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at New York Institute of Technology, who researched how cell phones impact a student’s focus. “Just like the college students in my study, older adults can become more mindful and engaged when their phones are not right next to them.”
DiMartino recommends taking breaks from your phone for set periods to improve your ability to focus—from 30 minutes to an hour to start—gradually building up from there over time. “A good time to start doing this is when you’re engaging in a particular hobby you enjoy, perhaps while watching your favorite television shows,” she says. “Another simple way to start is by simply putting your phone away when eating a meal.”
02 of 08
Tweak Notification Settings and Apps
In addition to creating phone-free times, try adjusting some settings to eliminate unnecessary distractions throughout the day. “When you have your phone with you, turning notifications off or using apps that restrict your usage can help to create limits,” says DiMartino. “Update your smartphone settings to ‘do not disturb’ between certain hours, which may help ease the anxiety that can come with a constant stream of text messages, notifications, and other alerts.”
DiMartino has another bold move to regain your focus: Delete your social media apps. “The constant need to ‘check’ your social media throughout the day for likes or comments greatly increases how often you check your phone, as well as the overall usage of phone time,” says DiMartino. If that seems impossible, start by muting notifications and putting those apps in a hidden folder.
Perhaps most importantly, you want to actively manage your news alerts to limit potentially distressing interruptions. “Before smartphones and social media, most people got their news from reading the morning newspaper or the evening newscast,” DiMartino explains. “We’re now living in a 24-hour news cycle, and thanks to our smartphones, we have instant access to events happening virtually anywhere in the world.” So, actively choose when you tune in, ideally when you’re not juggling focused work or personal downtime.
03 of 08
Give the Chunking Technique a Try
Chunking is a focusing technique where you break large tasks (like your daily to-do list) down into smaller, less overwhelming chunks. “Chunking is a great habit for increasing focus,” says Vassilia Binensztok, PhD, LMHC, a licensed mental health counselor and the founder of Juno Counseling and Wellness. “Chunking works because it makes tasks feel more manageable, and it takes less of a toll on our working memory, allowing us to remember things better.”
For example, this technique can help people memorize long strings of numbers by first remembering portions of the number or code. “Once we remember one piece, we can add on more parts more easily,” Binensztok says.
Another more common example of chunking is to focus on three smaller tasks (or micro-steps) at a time. Say you’re writing a report: Instead of writing the entire thing in one sitting, you might first outline the key points, then draft a rough version, and finally refine the details.
04 of 08
Habit Stack
Habit stacking can improve your focus by linking helpful actions to routines you already do automatically, like doing squats while brushing your teeth, or writing in your gratitude journal while drinking your morning coffee. Research has shown that pairing established habits with new habits can be highly effective for those who typically have a hard time focusing. The existing routine acts as a trigger that makes the new behavior easier to remember and repeat. By stacking habits in this way, you’re creating reliable cues that direct your attention where it matters most.
Related: ‘Wellness Stacking’ Is the TikTok-Viral Way to Still Fit Self-Care Into Your Busy Day
05 of 08
Build a Short Mindfulness Routine
“Even brief mindfulness practices—such as guided breathing exercises or a short ‘body awareness’ activity—can help strengthen attention regulation and executive functioning,” says Zishan Khan, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist with Mindpath Health. “Regular practice for even just five minutes a day can help reshape attention networks over time.”
06 of 08
Move Your Body More Intentionally
To improve your focus for the long term, Khan recommends incorporating regular physical activity into your daily routine, especially if it’s structured or skill-based. “Physical activity isn’t just good for the body; it primes the brain. Studies show that consistent aerobic exercise supports executive functions like attention, inhibitory control, and working memory in young people.”
Khan says that skill-based physical routines—martial arts, team games (like pickleball), sports drills, or dance—can yield especially strong benefits. In one 2025 study, children with ADHD who engaged in a 12-week structured skill-training program showed a nearly 15% improvement in working memory on cognitive testing.
Keep It Simple
“Look for activities that combine physical exertion with coordination, like soccer drills, dance, or even obstacle-course games at home, and aim for at least three to four times per week,” says Khan.
07 of 08
Listen to Neutralizing Audio
Managing your immediate environment is just as important as managing your screen time when it comes to staying focused. “Loud environments—particularly those with lots of chatter—can be a focus killer,” says Caitlin Shure, PhD, a neuroscientist and head of product at NextSense, a maker of EEG earbuds designed to improve focus and monitor cognitive states. “Audio tracks that neutralize distracting conversations can help you get and stay in the zone.”
Experiment with sounds that fit your personal work style and environment. For many people, neutral audio options like white noise, brown noise, or nature sounds work well. Others find instrumental music—classical, ambient electronica, or lo-fi beats—helps them concentrate without the distraction of lyrics. Noise-cancelling headphones allow for fewer interruptions, making it easier for your brain to lock onto the task at hand.
08 of 08
Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule
There are so many well-established benefits of a healthy sleep schedule, like improved energy and focus, better mood, and long-term physical and mental health. And the great news is that even small improvements can compound into sharper attention and more sustained productivity throughout the day.
“Aim to go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day—even on weekends,” says Shure. “This consistency reinforces your body’s natural circadian rhythm, helping you fall asleep more easily and wake up feeling more refreshed.” Think of it as giving your brain a daily reset button, so you wake up with the mental bandwidth to handle whatever life throws at you.
Read the original article on Real Simple
