Can't Focus at Work? Here's How to Quiet That Racing Mind
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
As the founder of a former meditation app and as a practitioner myself for 14 years, the number one question I used to get was, “I don’t know how to 'switch off' my mind, and I can’t focus at work or sit still.”
Collective anxiety only seems to be getting worse by the day. So, I am going to refurbish an article I wrote a couple of years ago about how to calm a racing mind at work.
We sometimes find ourselves in a quandary when we experience racing thoughts. It's like a hamster wheel, thoughts spinning in your mind with no end in sight. One moment you feel fine, and then suddenly a feeling of doom, anxiety, and panic. The next thing you know, you have to talk yourself out of an anxiety spiral at the worst time possible.
It happens to the best of us- we are only human! But there are ways to manage this.
Here are four immediate mindful steps you can take, along with five long-term measures to manage racing thoughts and improve focus at work.
Quick Fixes: The Minute an Anxiety Spiral Starts
When you feel your mind beginning to spin, you need immediate, grounding diversions. Try these four steps:
Become Aware of Your Surroundings
Break the thought pattern by grounding yourself. Name ten things you can see and describe them with adjectives (e.g., brown table, blue cushion, red flower). You can do this anywhere, in the office, on the bus, or while walking to the pantry.
Pause the Doom-Scrolling
Delete those apps immediately. You can always reinstall them later when you’re feeling better. We all know we should do this, but wow, is it so hard to follow through! The mind-numbing scroll might seem like a soothing option, but in fact, it’s extremely overstimulating.
At the very least, pause the notifications for the next hour.
Meditate (but with Guidance)
Find a quiet corner, put on your headphones, and pull up a guided meditation. Look for sessions that employ techniques focusing on external factors: an object, a mantra, affirmations, or visualizations. This is not the time to sit with your thoughts, especially if you’re at work and have an important meeting to get to. Right now, you need a mindful, structured diversion.
Practice Slow Breathing:
Take ten slow breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Repeat this for another ten breaths. Keep going till you feel better.
For the long haul: Taking Care of Yourself from the Inside Out
Self-care goes much deeper than quick fixes. To get to the root of a racing mind, you need to implement sustainable, long-term habits.
Learn the skill of Single-Tasking
While multitasking may seem efficient, it leads to reduced overall productivity and lower-quality work. We have to train our brains to focus on a single task at a time. Single-tasking is not about ignoring your to-do list, nor does it imply that you can’t handle all your responsibilities; instead, it's about being mindful and intentional with your time and energy and focusing fully on the task at hand before moving on to the next. It’s not very complicated; it just means you start practicing doing one thing at a time.
Schedule “worry time” in your calendar
Sounds strange, but hear me out. When we feel overwhelmed, anxiety can consume our entire day and hinder our ability to focus. Instead of trying to aggressively suppress these feelings, it's helpful to learn how to manage them. A useful technique is to schedule a specific time of day for worrying. Schedule a 15-30min block in your calendar exclusively to worry. Call it “worry time”. Pair it with a walk or on the bus home, and worry away!
Doing this signals to the brain that it’s safe to focus on the task at hand, since there is dedicated time to stress later. And when worry starts to kick in outside the allocated time, tell yourself that you will pay attention to it during your “worry time”
Over time, you will find that the amount of time you spend worrying will decrease. Try it and tell me if it works for you!
The Mind-Body Connection
Fuel your focus: Your diet plays a crucial role in your mental and physical health. Focus on incorporating a variety of nutrient-dense foods into your meals, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Essential fatty acids and vitamins are especially important for brain health.
Move and sleep: Prioritize getting sufficient quality sleep each night and engaging in regular physical activity. Exercise can serve as a powerful outlet for stress and anxiety, helping you both physically and mentally.
Check your lab work: Certain nutritional deficiencies, such as those involving Vitamins B and C or Omega-3 fatty acids, can significantly affect your mental clarity and emotional well-being, potentially leading to racing thoughts or heightened anxiety. It's important to take a comprehensive approach to your health.
Develop a Self-Regulation Practice
Integrating practices like journaling, meditation, and mindfulness into your daily routine can be transformative over time. Mindfulness can be practiced in everyday activities, such as paying attention to your senses while eating or going for a walk. These practices can help cultivate greater awareness of thoughts and emotions, allowing you to respond to them with calmness and clarity, rather than feeling overwhelmed. Choose any mindful activity that works for you and encourages you to sit with your thoughts and emotions.
Be Kind to Yourself
You have to become your own best friend! Avoid harsh self-criticism; instead, approach your feelings with understanding and patience. Remind yourself that you’re only human, and that displaced focus can be addressed and improved. If you find that managing your thoughts becomes overwhelming, don't hesitate to seek professional help. Remember, it's completely normal to lean on others for support; you don't have to tackle everything alone.
Let’s keep this list going! Tell me what works for you as a quick hack and a long-term strategy. Comment below.
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