I hope you are finding a few quiet moments to yourself in the midst of a very busy time. It can be an extra challenge to recruit creative ideas when we are feeling burnt out. It’s been a long stretch of virtual meetings, and we may not be easily finding the energy required for performance. It is also a challenge to come up with creative approaches to what used to be the norm. The previous sales strategy or client engagement may have been altered in this new landscape, which gives us even more of a reason to come up with unique ideas.

For this week’s blog I will be sharing easily applicable strategies to lengthen the time in which we can focus, as well as ignite creative thought patterns in the brain. The lack of focus is perfectly normal. A 2015 Microsoft study found that the average human has an attention span of less than eight seconds. Just in the last 20-minutes of working on this newsletter I have done the following…. Read part of a research paper, walked to the kitchen to heat up my coffee, checked my email, read another part of the research, left two voice texts on my phone, checked my email and then wrote these two paragraphs… yikes!

Fortunately, there are ways to train our brain to drop into longer stages of concentration and lower this surface level activity. Even though we know from a practical standpoint, these distractions do not serve us, we have to actually create the patterns to shift out of the distracted state. It’s very similar to healthy eating habits. The more we put practices in place to choose foods in their whole form over processed sugar, the more our brain wires to keep making that healthy choice.

Here are a few simple, yet highly effective ways to train the brain to focus:

Binaural Beats

One simple way to avoid distraction and activate alpha brain waves (creative/flow state) is through the process of brainwave entrainment. This process prompts the brain to access a particular state through a variety of different stimulation modes, including auditory and light. The stimulation convinces the brain’s activity to synchronize to the external stimulation. One simple way to activate this technique in your day to day life is by listening to binaural beats. With binaural beats, you use headphones that play two tones with slightly different frequencies in each ear to create an auditory illusion.

Simply go on Spotify, iTunes or YouTube and type in Binaural Beats. There will be a number of playlists that come up. You can choose the beats for focus, sleep or energy. I like to listen to these while working at my desk or doing five minutes of deep breathing.

To take it one step further, incorporate the breathing technique below while listening to binaural beats:

Get the Right Working Temperature

A study from Cornell University found that workers are most productive and make fewer errors in an environment that is somewhere between 68 and 77 degrees. Another study from the Helsinki University of Technology in Finland says the magic temperature is 71 degrees

Take Micro Breaks

A study conducted by the University of Illinois examined the impact on vigilance decrement- a drop in one’s attentional resources. Constant stimulation is registered by our brains as unimportant, to the point that the brain erases it from our awareness. This study is consistent with the idea that the brain is built to detect and respond to change, Lleras said, and suggests that prolonged attention to a single task actually hinders performance.

"We propose that deactivating and reactivating your goals allows you to stay focused," he said. "From a practical standpoint, our research suggests that, when faced with long tasks (such as studying before a final exam or doing your taxes), it is best to impose brief breaks on yourself. Brief mental breaks will actually help you stay focused on your task."

Incorporate any of the following breaks throughout your day:

Yoga Flow to Activate Energy

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jrj30ydbarfizu3/Executive%20Essentials_Yoga%20Flow.mp4?dl=0

Guided Breathing to Lower Stress

https://www.dropbox.com/s/focyf1nvbu4yca6/Executive%20Essentials_3x5%20Breath.mp4?dl=0

Core Workout to Rev Metabolism

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vg15afjeoi98mcs/Executive%20Essentials_Core%20Workout.mp4?dl=0

Posture Session to Negate Effects of Sitting

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4fxz01jrqlja4zb/Executive%20Essentials_Postures.mp4?dl=0

Ditch Multitasking

A study at the University of London found that participants who multitasked during cognitive tasks experienced IQ score declines that were similar to what they’d expect if they had smoked marijuana or stayed up all night.

One way to stop multitasking is with the Pomodoro Technique. This is a time management method that uses a timer to break down work into intervals of 25 minutes, separated by short breaks. Short breaks (3-5 minutes are taken between each interval), which aids in the information to be processed by the brain. When the interval is interrupted by anything (even a quick email), the timer must be stopped and restarted once back to the task. The goal is to get through each 25 minute interval without having to stop the timer.

Nora’s Naturals

Nutrition is also another area where we can make simple upgrades to improve our focus and sustain energy. Here are a few of my weekly staples. It can be nice to make these on a Sunday and have them for the week.

Three (No Bake) Superfood Snacks to Improve Brain Power

Avocado Pesto

In a blender or food processor, mix the following ingredients:

2 avocados
1 bunch basil leaves
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup water
2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Enjoy with raw veggies

Cocoa Bites

In a bowl or food processor, mix the following ingredients:

½ cups Oats
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup chia seeds
½ cup almond butter
½ cup coconut flakes
½ cup coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
Make into small balls. Store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and enjoy.

Blueberry Bites