The 4 Keys You Need to Make the Shift
According to Harvard Business Review, over 60% of employees rarely spend even one to two hours in deep, focused work each day. If you’re part of Thrive Today, you’re likely someone who is industrious and intentional—but even the most focused among us struggle. It’s not just about discipline; it’s about mindset and perspective.
We are created in God’s image and carry His essence, which means we have the capacity to bring clarity and leadership into chaotic times. That demands focus. So, what hinders our focus—and how do we strengthen it?
The biggest obstacles include feeling overwhelmed, low energy, high stress, lack of fulfillment, and disappointment. Notably absent from that list is lack of discipline. The common denominator? Perspective. As Proverbs 4:23 reminds us, our hearts shape everything else in life.
Let’s explore how to overcome these hindrances and reclaim our ability to focus through four essential keys:
1. Protect Your Strength
Your strength—your cognitive ability to think, imagine, and create—is God-given. One of the greatest threats to this strength is multitasking.
I confess that I used to be the queen of multitasking and would boast of my ability to do so. That was before this type of work life began to take its toll on me. Scientific studies show that attention switching causes stress (measured by heart rate and blood pressure increases) and reduces performance. This is known as switch cost—the time and energy it takes for your brain to reorient every time you shift focus.
To improve focus, set boundaries around your attention. Avoid multitasking and allow yourself uninterrupted time for deep work. Harvard Business Review confirms: “The brain works faster and more accurately when attention is focused… on one thing at a time.”
2. Prioritize Your Projects
If your job title isn’t “firefighter,” your day shouldn’t be filled with putting out fires. Many of us default to addressing urgent tasks instead of important ones, driven by adrenaline from looming deadlines. That adrenaline rush isn’t sustainable—it can lead to adrenal fatigue.
Instead of urgency, true focus begins with discernment. Experts recommend identifying no more than three main priorities and choosing the most important one—not just the most urgent.
Scripture offers similar wisdom in Luke 14:28–29: consider the cost before committing. That includes understanding the power of your yes—and your no. Focus your energy on the commitments that matter most.
Also consider delegation. If someone else excels at something consuming your time, let them take it on. As Craig Groeschel advises, empower your team instead of handling every decision yourself.
3. Practice Mindfulness
Breaks are essential to focus—but not all breaks are equal. Scrolling social media is not a break; it’s another form of multitasking. Instead, take a stroll instead of a scroll (corny but memorable).
When your brain feels tired, pause and meditate—selah. Reflect on Scripture or observe nature to reset. Gazing at art or the outdoors can reawaken curiosity and boost creative thinking. Curiosity, in turn, sustains engagement and increases attention.
Mindful breaks increase energy, which leads to better focus—and ultimately, higher productivity with less strain.
4. Preserve Your Creative Rhythm
I noticed that the mornings were not my best time for things that required deep, focused attention unless that was to create the perfect double-shot cappuccino. However, my position required more of me. Over the years of preserving my quiet time with the Lord, reading and praying has definitely helped increase my ability to focus. I’ve added to that and over the last few years as I get ready in the morning I listen to the Bible. What a better time to practice meditation than when engaged in mindless activity. Not only that, what I am listening to/paying attention to is life-giving.
I make it a habit to ask Him to direct my time and focus by asking Him to show me where He is already working. That is the ideal, but we can also ask Him to give us His grace to work on anything we are required to do. We get to choose whether we work under His grace or the grind.
Some interesting studies have revealed that there are rhythms in the day when we are more naturally engaged. We all have peaks of times when focused attention flows more freely. Those optimum windows of time tend to be late morning and mid to late afternoon. However, what else happens around 3p.m.? Do you get sleepy? If you want to preserve your creative rhythm, then I suggest you avoid processed foods for lunch.
When I read these studies, it confirmed what I had already noticed about my own creative time and when I did my best deep, focused work. What about you? When are you most creative? When is your ability to focus most heightened? It is essential to be aware of this in order to preserve this time.
Another essential: community. Connect with like-minded people who share your journey. At Thrive Today, community offers encouragement, accountability, and the wisdom of shared experience. These conversations can help you maintain clarity on your priorities and refocus when needed.
Final Encouragement
Philippians 3:15–16 (MSG) gives us a powerful charge: “Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.” Total commitment to God’s purpose requires us to keep our vision clear and our hearts focused.
In today’s world of noise and distraction, it’s more vital than ever that we develop the ability to focus. Not just for productivity—but so we can lead with clarity, reflect God’s image, and bring light into uncertainty.
Work with grace.
Let this serve as your reminder: Focus isn’t just about productivity—it’s about calling, purpose, and leadership. When you learn to guard your focus, you’re preparing yourself to lead with clarity in a world that desperately needs it.
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