Reclaiming Your Focus in a Distracted World of Medicine

Physicians are often pulled in different directions simultaneously. You have experienced multiple pages, phone calls or text messages one after another. You have probably had two different phone conversations at the same time. You have been interrupted by nurses in the middle of a patient encounter or documentation. Whatever is preventing you from giving your full attention to something, it is a distraction. Distractions slow us down, decrease our efficiency and possibly the quality of work.

External distractions are often unpredictable, although you can develop protocols to minimize certain distractions at work, such as certain patient phone calls. This is a topic of another discussion. The focus here is to manage internal sources of distraction.

First, take care of your health. If you are physically ill, you cannot concentrate. You will be distracted by your physical ailments. Many of us put ourselves at the bottom of our to-do list, and take our health for granted. Our daily habits, over time, shift the trajectory of our health. It is important to have a nutritious diet. This is one of the most important things to help you stay healthy. Keep an exercise routine. Schedule for some cardio workout, several times a week. You do not have to exercise for an hour at a time. Start small – even 10 to 15 minutes. Get your heart pumping. This is refreshing especially when you are mostly sitting and typing at work. The one thing many of us are doing less because we believe we do not have the time to is sleeping. Sleeping is an opportunity for your body and mind to reset and recharge. When you are well-rested, you start your day fresh with more calm and more ability to concentrate. You can think with more clarity. You can discern distractions and tackle them more promptly. These components of physical preparation help you focus better and resist the temptation of giving in to the distractions.

Second, always be clear on your goal for the day and remind yourself throughout the day. Be as specific as possible. For example, remind yourself that you want to take care of your patients and finish all your clinical work by 5:30 pm. Whenever you have the urge to divert and do something else, ask yourself if that is going to help you to achieve your goal. If not, pull yourself back to focus on what you are doing. When you have a specific goal, it is easy to discern what actions are helpful or not.

To go a step further to understand a distraction and how it has the power to affect you, examine at a deeper level. Examine without judgment. Use your curious mind to explore why that distraction can pull you away from your work – what are you trying to escape from? Is it some kind of discomfort? For example, does the task you are doing feel boring to you? Or are you feeling some kind of fear, fear of not doing a good enough job, fear of being judged, or fear or some other kind of emotional pain? When you understand why you can be tempted by a distraction from what you are doing, you are better equipped to manage it. That is why knowing your goal is important.

The fourth strategy is to allow yourself time blocks to take breaks. Breaktime is an opportunity to reset your mind and your energy. When you refill your mental energy, you are better equipped to resist giving in to distractions and focus on the tasks which bring you closer to your goal.

Distractions are everywhere. To tackle external distractions, it is essential to first address the internal distractions. Prime yourself with good nutrition, regular exercising and restful sleep. Always remember why you are doing what you are doing. When you face a distraction, ask yourself, without judging yourself, why you are affected by it – what are you trying to avoid? Lastly, take scheduled breaks throughout the day to allow yourself to reset and recharge. A rested and disciplined mind can handle any distractions better. The less distractions you give in to, the more efficient you are.