Lately I’ve been feeling super unfocused. It’s not great, and I don’t like it, but I’ve been trying not to be too judgmental on myself because of it. A few weeks ago I wrote about social media detoxing, and being mindful of the time spent on the Internet. Given that, for my work, I spend lots of time on the computer, I tend to veer away from my “productive” time and more toward the entertaining, mindless aspects of the Internet. I’ve been letting my monkey mind go, and in that, I have totally seen repercussions! I’ve noticed that my concentration isn’t what I know it can be, and my presence is certainly not at it’s high.

We all have things that come into our lives and take us off our paths. We feel off-center or unbalanced, but it’s always okay because it’s in the awareness that we bring ourselves back. Focus is super important in peaceful, happy, living as it is the key component to your presence in life. One of my favorite teachers, Gabrielle Bernstein says, “Your presence is your power”. What does your presence say about you? If you’ve been finding yourself distracted or off focus lately, don’t fret! This week, I have some tips for you on bringing yourself back into the present and being that magnificent, powerful person you’re here to be!

1. Spend time with yourself (and just yourself). We seldom are alone, without other people, technology, and distractions. Make an effort to sit with yourself in stillness and in peace. This can be uncomfortable, and that’s okay, just practice, and start training your mind to be still.
2. Get clear. If you have tasks that need to be accomplished, be clear with what you need to do. Sometimes it takes writing things down to make it more official. Set guidelines and goals for yourself, and then when a task is completed give yourself a break!
3. Practice being one-pointed. It’s really easy to have eight different things going on at once. A lot of us think that multi-tasking is the way to efficiency. Distracted work doesn’t produce the best results; so try being focused on one thing at a time. In a conversation, give that person 100% of your attention. While you eat, focus on your food. Even while watching a movie or television program, focus just on that. Get in the habit of just settling into whatever you’re doing in a given moment.
4. De-clutter your space. My mind tends to feel a little chaotic when my living space is chaotic. Take a look around you and see if your environment is cluttered, it totally has an effect on the mind. If so, take some time to reorganize, clear out, and create space. You’ll see great results mentally and physically.
5. Journal to release unnecessary thoughts. Personally, I know journaling is great for the mind, but it can be so hard for me to keep up with my journaling practice. When I don’t journal, I can feel my mind fill up with crazy thoughts. When you take pen to paper and release the thoughts in the mind, it’s almost like you are physically letting them go, creating space for new, positive thoughts. If you’re feeling stuck or unfocused, pick up a pen and just free write, don’t judge or edit what comes out, just let the words flow.
6. Take some time to relax. Often if we’re losing focus, we have too much going on in our lives, and are frantic to keep track of it all. Being busy is great, but you must remember to take care of yourself. It’s okay to not get everything done in a given take. Cut yourself some slack.

How do you bring yourself back when feeling unfocused or even unmotivated? Do any of these tips feel helpful for you? Let me know in the comments below, and have a great week!