Lost in the Clouds? 10 Reasons You Can’t Focus on Your Work

Do you find that sometimes, you just can’t focus, no matter how hard you try?

There’s a whole range of factors that might affect your ability to focus. If you have trouble focusing at school, work, or on your own personal projects, check out the list below for some possible causes.

You’re Not Getting the Right Amount of Sleep

There’s no denying that sleep is important. It gives us time to recharge and gives us the energy we need to face the challenges of the day.

When you don’t get enough sleep, your whole body suffers. Your muscles don’t get the chance to recover. But most importantly, your mind will slow down significantly.

Some people might be able to make do with just 6 hours of sleep a night, but this doesn’t apply to everyone. You might be one of the people who needs at least 8 hours in order to properly function.

If you can’t concentrate on your work, try going to bed an hour or two earlier. You might be pleasantly surprised at what a difference it makes.

You Have Problems You Need to Face

If you find yourself distracted and unable to focus on the task at hand, it could be because you have unresolved problems in your life.

For example, maybe there’s a problem with your car that you really need to get fixed. Or maybe you have some kind of health issue you’ve been meaning to see the doctor for.

These kinds of problems can distract you even when you’re not actively thinking about them.

You’re Working Too Much

Did you know that working too much or too hard can cause you to be unable to focus? Sometimes, putting too many hours in is actually counter-intuitive.

Make sure you take regular breaks and you aren’t neglecting your leisure time. Taking the time to unwind is important if you want to keep being productive throughout the whole day.

You Don’t Have a Good Diet

If you want to be at the top of your game, your body needs the right kind of fuel. If you have a bad diet, you’ll find that you get tired and lose focus a lot more easily.

Get into the habit of drinking enough water and make the effort to eat more fresh healthy foods. Fast food and takeout can be particularly destructive to your focus.

You might be surprised at what a huge difference the right diet can make. If you drink alcohol excessively, you should consider cutting down or quitting entirely.

You Have the Wrong Working Environment

If you want to truly focus on the task at hand, you need to work in the right environment. If you’re constantly being interrupted, you’ll find it incredibly difficult to make any progress.

In order to really focus on something and do your best work, you need to totally immerse yourself in the task. If people interrupt you, you’ll never become fully engaged in what you’re doing and it’ll never live up to its full potential.

If you really want to get some work done, try and remove all distractions. Turn off the TV and turn your phone on silent. If you want to listen to music, try putting on something without any lyrics, since they can also be distracting.

You Need to Get More Exercise

Human beings were not meant for a sedentary lifestyle. If you spend all day sitting around not exercising, don’t be surprised if you find yourself unable to focus.

Not only will exercise help you to focus more, but it will also stave off negative feelings of depression and anxiety. When you have good mental health, you’ll find it is a lot easier to be more productive.

You Need Glasses

Many people need glasses and don’t even realize it. Your eyesight can deteriorate so slowly you might not realize it’s even happening.

If you struggle to read things and find you can’t focus when you’re reading, it could indicate you have a vision problem. If you suspect you might have issues with your eyes, make an appointment to see an optician. This service can be particularly helpful.

When people with vision problems get glasses, they often can’t believe how they ever lived without them. So get your vision checked. You never know if you actually need glasses until you get an exam!

You Might Have ADHD

Have you tried all of the other steps in this article but still have trouble focusing? Then you might be one of many Americans who suffer from ADHD.

People with ADHD struggle to focus on any one task. You might also be restless and have trouble sitting still. ADHD can also cause you to have extreme difficulty prioritizing your tasks.

If you think you might have this disorder, you should consider making a doctor’s appointment.

You Haven’t Made a Good Plan

Abraham Lincoln once said: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.”

The most successful people always have a well thought-out plan in place before they set out to accomplish any task.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s more efficient to get started as quickly as possible. When you plan things out carefully, you’ll find things go a lot more smoothly.

You Work in a Messy Environment

A lot of people claim they’re not bothered by mess and clutter. But it can actually have a significant impact on your productivity.

If you have a messy desk, try getting things in order. You’ll be pretty surprised at the improvement in productivity afterward!

It Takes Time to Go From “Can’t Focus” to “Can Focus”

Unless you have a problem like bad vision (which could be corrected instantaneously), you’ll have to work hard on achieving true focus.

If you can’t focus, you need to make sure you work on improving it every day. You might not see results at first, but if you keep at it, you’ll see a dramatic improvement over time.

Want to learn more about improving yourself? Then read our self-improvement blog!