"What was I just going to do?" - Achieving Greater Mindfulness at Work

July 11, 2024

By Stephen McDermott

I say this to myself multiple times a day. Even as I sit down to write this post, a deluge of micro-distractions from the external world ping against my mind, attempting to derail my focus, while my mental to-do list becomes increasingly ephemeral.

In my recent research on workday mindfulness I came across this smart piece from Maria Hamdani, Najma H., and Maitraye Das which appeared in MIT Sloan Management Review last June. And while the title of the article is "How to Help Employees With ADHD Address the Challenges of Remote Work", as the subtitle states, "leaders can use these strategies to help workers stay focused in virtual work settings whether they've been diagnosed with ADHD or not."

Numerous studies have tried to quantify the prevalence of ADHD in adults, but because trials often use different methods and measures, it’s been hard to pin down a consistent number. Estimates have ranged from as low as 2.5 percent to as high as 5 percent of the adult population, but a comprehensive umbrella review of global evidence in "Psychiatry Research" pins the number at 3.1 percent.

And while 96.9% of adults may not fall into this group, that doesn't mean we're not vulnerable to the very real battle for our attention that takes place all day, everyday. When it comes to hybrid work, leaders must reflect on, and implement, work practices and management strategies to empower all employees to focus, persist, and thrive. It's a component of inclusivity but also smart policy for high quality output and organizational health.

I encourage all people leaders to give it a read and reflect on how well you've empowered your team to perform during a workday full of distractions.

Here are just a few of the things I've done to improve my focus (especially while WFH):

➡️ Keep my phone in another room while working!: Without a doubt, the biggest distraction machine on earth. I now have designated locations in the house where I put my phone when not intentionally using it. No need to carry it around in my pocket (for many reasons!).

➡️ Journals and analog "to-do" lists: there are lots of great products out there worth trying. I've tested a bunch and am a big fan of Finisher Secrets and the Getting Things Done approach.

➡️ "Flow Music": when I want something to listen to, I turn off sports radio or random, noisy playlists. Instead, I find either a good instrumental playlist or full albums I've listened to thousands of times.

➡️ Workday Activity Tracking: I experimented with this for two weeks to identify how I was spending time during "working hours". I learned when & where I did my most focused work and also saw where bad habits crept it (eg. mindless scrolling).

While everybody is different, the most important thing we can all do is realize that there's a war for our attention and feel empowered to design a system for individual and collective success.