Are You Too DISTRACTED to Study English? Do These 3 Things

So nowadays more and more people are working and studying from home.

Maybe you're one of these people.

And while absolutely fantastic that we have this flexibility

to work and study from the comfort of our homes.

Yeah.

What was I saying again?

Oh, yeah. There's a downside to this.

It's that, you know, it's getting harder and harder

to avoid distraction and actually focus.

And if we want to be able to be more productive,

then it's essential that we learn how to focus.

So I want you to take a look at these two situations.

Which one looks more productive to you?

Now, what if I told you that what you just saw in

Situation B is actually a perfect example of productivity?

But wait, how can doing nothing be productive?

Now, many people believe that productivity is all about doing

as many things as possible in the shortest amount of time.

However, I much prefer the definition that Chris Bailey,

author of the book Hyperfocus has for it.

So he says productivity is about doing the things you set out to do.

In other words, it's when you were able to create a plan and focus

so you can complete that plan.

So imagine that tomorrow.

I have just three things that I want to accomplish,

which are writing the script for the next video, actually filming the video

and then sending the files of the video over to our video editor.

So if I'm able to

accomplish these three things, then I can say I had a productive day.

After all, I was able to accomplish what I set out or planned to do.

Now imagine that my plan for Saturday is just sitting back and relaxing.

Now, if I'm able to accomplish that, I'm actually able to have a relaxing Saturday.

Then that was also a productive day because I was able to do

what I planned to do for that day.

So in short, productivity is not about doing many things in one day.

It's not about busyness.

It's about actually accomplishing the things that you plan to do in your day.

But before we get into what real productivity actually looks like,

I want to let you know that

if you are new here every single week, we put out new videos like this one

that help you to go from being a lost, insecure English learner

to being a confident and successful English speaker.

So if that aligns with your objectives that you have for your English,

then I would invite you to join our community

by hitting that subscribe button and the bell down below.

And that way you won't miss a single new lesson.

So what does

productivity actually look like?

Now, one of the greatest ways to become more

productive is simply to learn to become more focused.

Now, that's no surprise, right?

If you're anything like me, then you probably have tried and failed

at so many different tricks that are supposed to help you be more focused.

Now, the problem, the reason you and I are failing

is that tricks don't really work in the long term.

What you and I need is a system, and the system that we need

is called hyperfocus.

Now, hyperfocus is when you're able to flow by focusing on

just one task at a time, over a period of time.

I'm sure that at some point in your life you felt this

really time becomes distorted when you're in this thing called hyperfocus.

You have no idea if minutes of passed or an hour.

You know,

sometimes you're in the flow working

and you look at the clock and you can't believe how much time has already passed.

Now, Chris Bailey talks about three metrics

that we can use to measure the quality of focus.

So first off is how much time that you're spending intentionally.

Next is how long you're able to hold your focus in one sitting.

And finally, it's how long your mind wanders before you're able to catch it.

Now, keep those metrics in

mind as we go through the four stages of hyperfocus.

Now, this is so important because, remember, focus

is about actually being able to do just one thing.

Nowadays, it's very tempting to multitask, but that doesn't really work.

In most cases.

Now, one of my biggest takeaways from this book is something that Chris Bailey

repeats all the time, which is intention before attention.

Now what this means is that you need to first think about what

you're intending to do, what your goal is, and then, you know,

you can actually do the things that will lead to focusing in on it.

And this might sound easy,

but our tendency tends to be to sit down, to work or to study

without really thinking about, you know, over the next 20 minutes,

30 minutes, hour, hour and a half.

What is the thing that we want to get done in that amount of time?

So actually, just before you get started, before you start typing, before you start

opening your grammar book and studying, it's really important to think about,

you know, over however

much time I'm setting aside right now, what do I want to do by the end?

All right.

So let's say that a task that you have for today

is to write an email in English to a customer.

And you think that this might take you 15 to 20 minutes.

So you're setting aside 20 minutes at least for this task.

Now, might be tempting just to sit down,

open your email and start writing the message.

But if you take just a moment before to think about, you know, what's my end

goal at ten days, 20 minutes is going to help you so much to stay more focused.

So, for example,

it might be that you want to send an email with no errors to that customer.

Now, doing this is really great because, you know, over the next

20 minutes, your intention is to finish this email.

That means you're not going to answer

messages, you're not going to check your WhatsApp

or your Instagram, you're not going to respond

to other emails that come in your inbox while you're writing it.

You're just going to focus on writing that one email.

Now, this attention to one task is so important.

We tend to get in the habit of multitasking, of trying to do

many different things at once because it feels busy.

So that makes us feel like we're being productive.

But it's actually an illusion

because when we do this, we are actually much less effective

than when we just focus on one thing at a time.

Now imagine that you are working the morning.

You have those three things to do, so you have to write that email.

You have to respond to some messages from your colleagues

and you also have to create a post for Instagram, let's say.

So it might be tempting to jump between these things,

to start writing the email and then to respond to your colleagues

and maybe in the meanwhile, you're also thinking of ideas

for what you're going to post on Instagram.

And really, one of the scary things here is that it's a vicious cycle.

The more that we get caught in this trap of multitasking, of busyness, the harder

it is for us

not to jump between different tasks because our focus is just so spread out.

So the second stage of hyperfocus is to eliminate distractions.

Now, why do we get distracted?

I really love what Chris Bailey has to say about this in the book.

So he says that when your mind is even slightly resisting,

it has to look for more novel things to focus on.

Now, this is such a great realization because, for example,

if you are writing that email and maybe you feel some resistance to it

because it's an English, so you're having to think more about,

you know, how exactly you're going to say things

and something much more novel, something much easier would be,

you know, to jump over really quickly and answer some messages of your colleagues,

which is in your mother tongue, because that's much easier,

but it's distracting away from you, focusing

and doing a really exceptional job on that email.

So Bailey reminds us that it's much easier to deal with attractions in advance

than when they've already distracted you.

So in the example of writing the email, you might want to actually mute

your message system with your colleagues until after you've finished, you know,

then you can answer the messages.

Just think about, you know, if you're writing the email

and you see a ping of someone sent you a message

and you use go quickly to answer it, but then they're going to respond to you.

So it actually becomes a much bigger distraction than you were expecting.

You thought it'd just be quickly sending a message,

but it could end up being a back and forth that actually takes a long time away

from writing the email.

So what should have taken you maybe, you know, 15 to 20 minutes to write that

email, Maybe it takes you 30 minutes, 45 minutes or even an hour.

There are two different types of distractions.

First off, we have external distractions.

Like at the beginning of this video,

my phone vibrated and I was tempted to check that message.

But you know, what I can do is just turn off the messages on my phone

or even put it in airplane mode.

And we talked about working or studying from home.

And, of course, at home, there's so many distractions.

Maybe you have a dog or you have a child who wants your attention.

Now, if this is the case, if you have many things

that distract you at your home, which could even just be,

you know, the temptation to get up and go to the kitchen

instead of focusing on writing that email,

then one thing you could do is try getting out of the space

that you're normally in.

So maybe you go to a cafe and you work from there.

It's really just worth changing your environment sometimes.

Just see how it affects your ability to focus.

But those aren't the only distractions, of course.

We also have internal distractions.

Now, internal distractions are the things that pop up in your head.

You know, maybe you are writing that email and then all of a sudden

you remember that you have to buy cat food. You're out of food.

So this is normal.

Our brain is always working, even when we really wanted to just focus on one thing.

And what Chris Bailey recommends that's worked

really well for me is having some sort of capture system.

So if you're writing that email and a thought pops up, that's okay.

You don't need to, you know, switch modes and like, go buy cat food right now.

But you can have had a next to your desk

or maybe you have a notepad on your computer on your phone

where you can just quickly say, okay, cat food, like write it down or set

a reminder in your device so that later when you go to the store

or when it's actually the moment for that, you're reminded of it.

Now, the third stage is actually focusing on that object of attention

and something that can be really useful here is actually setting a timer.

So if you have set aside 20 minutes for that email, actually pick up your phone

and set a timer there

and we'll look at a technique that is really useful for this and a little bit

and the final stage is continually

drawing back your focus to that object of attention.

This is very similar to meditation.

That's exactly what you're trying to do.

It's not trying to empty your mind of thoughts,

but rather it's when a thought appears, you're not letting it drag you away.

So meditation can actually be a fantastic tool for you to be able

to focus more for your English learning and generally just to live a better life.

So we did a lesson all about that that I highly recommend you check out,

and I'll be sure to link it up here

and in the description below if you want to check that out.

Now you may be

wondering what does this all have to do with learning English?

So the great thing about hyperfocus is that it can be applied to

anything that you want to be able to better focus on.

So we'll take a look in this lesson at two examples of how you can better

apply focus to your English studies with the hyper focused technique.

So the first example we'll look at

is all about when you're trying to improve comprehension.

So let's imagine that you are listening to a podcast in English,

like the real Life English podcast, and you want to actually use that podcast

to improve your overall comprehension and your accent.

So let's look at this activity through the four stages of hyperfocus.

So first off, you're going to choose a single object of attention.

Now, when it comes to listening to a podcast, you might think that

just being able to comprehend it altogether of the words

not missing anything for connected speech is already a single object of attention.

But there's actually so many things coming at you

when you're trying to understand another language.

You know, there's the pronunciation that you're not used to.

Maybe there's the accent that you're not used to.

Of course, there's always new words, there's new expressions.

There's maybe a use of a word that you know,

but you don't know that specific use and so on.

So what you look at just one

small part of it, which is the musicality of the language.

So I mean by this is you're not going to look at it

at all on the vocabulary or pronunciation expressions or anything else like that.

You're just going to focus on how the speaker's voice sounds.

Now, what I mean by this is all of the ups and downs,

the rhythm, the intonation on certain words, etc..

Okay, so I have an example here of Cassie speaking on the English podcast.

So let's look at how I would do this with that, even if it's just a friendly. Hi.

So she said, even if it's just a friendly hi,

but I'm not going to worry at all about the words.

I want the music there.

So she did something like, Hmm.

So you might actually even hammer long, you know, trying to capture

the music there, not worrying at all about comprehending what she said,

the message there, just that it's just.

So next you're going to eliminate distractions.

Now, what might this look like?

If you're listening to the podcast on your phone, then maybe new messages

will come in from Instagram or from WhatsApp or whatever.

We're endlessly getting notifications on our phones, right?

So it's really good to use a notification blocker.

So there are apps like Freedom, Serene Rescue, Time, self-control.

Something else I find really helpful when I'm working a computer

is to close any unnecessary taps, because there could always be

the temptation, you know, to pop over to your email or to pop over

to another more tempting tab than what you're currently trying to work on.

I also love using noise, canceling headphones with music playing.

That really helps me.

I know some people can't handle working with music.

So you have to find the right balance of what works best for you.

And now that you've set up your environment, you're in a calm place.

You have your do not disturb turned on.

Now you're going to try to just keep your focus on that singular

object of attention.

So in this case, the musicality of the language

that we looked at and again, it might be helpful to even set a timer.

So this is actually something pretty technical of just paying attention

to the music of the language.

So maybe even just 5 minutes.

And we mentioned that multitasking in general is not good.

One exception to this is if you're doing something

very mechanical, you know, something that doesn't require any focus.

So, for example, maybe you could do this while you're doing something else,

like washing the dishes or grocery shopping or something like that,

that you don't need to focus on the task and you can focus on this

and be humming along at the same time.

I really like to do this, for example, when I'm running.

For once the timer goes off, you're done.

You could continue for a little bit more

if you want to feel like you're really in the zone,

but you just spend some deliberate time improving your comprehension

and your accent with the language. So kudos.

Now, speaking of the real life English podcast, one of the best ways

to improve your comprehension with it has to be with a real life app.

Now, this is because every episode comes with a full interactive

transcript, vocabulary definitions, and there's even vocabulary flashcards

so that you never forget the new words and expressions that you're learning.

Plus, undoubtedly one of the best ways to remember new words

that you learn is by putting them to use as soon as possible.

Now, so many learners say that that's a problem

because they don't have anyone that can speak with one.

With the RealLife app.

We solve that problem because it's the only place

where anytime, anywhere you have an internet connection,

you simply press a button and you're suddenly connected to an English speaker

in another part of the world for a fun and dynamic conversation in English.

So what are you waiting for? It's free to download.

I have to do stand up here or down from below,

where you can simply search for like English in your favorite app store.

Okay, so you

could also use hyperfocus when studying something like grammar.

So let's imagine that you have a test coming up on the present.

Perfect.

And so you're wanting to really focus on studying this.

So in the first example with the podcast, we looked at the musicality

of the language, right?

So now let's take a look.

Just focusing in on the past participle of the verb.

Now this is the conjugation, the verb we use in present perfect sentences.

So you're just going to focus on the sounds of verbs conjugated in this tense.

So, for example, gotten driven, written, gone.

Similarly to before, you need to eliminate distractions.

So this time you're probably studying with a book.

So maybe you want to even put your phone in the other room so you're not distracted

to look at Instagram, to look at WhatsApp, to speak to someone on the real life

English app, for example.

And so you can really just hunker down and focus on your book.

You might even tidy up the space that you're studying at.

So maybe just having there a drink that you enjoy

and your grammar book, a pen to take notes.

Or as I discussed before, maybe even go to a cafe to study.

And listening to simple familiar music can be really helpful when you're studying.

Now, I've heard a lot about Baroque music is something

specifically about the way it sounds helps the mind to focus.

You could try that out.

There's all sorts of playlists on YouTube and Spotify,

and actually it's really great

if you're always using the same playlist or the same type of music

when you're need to do something that you need to focus on.

It's like a cue for your brain to say, okay, we're transitioning to focus mode.

So I put on my headphones.

I listen to that type of music and I know now it's time to focus.

All right.

And then third step, we've eliminated distractions.

So now it's time

to actually sit down with our grammar book and focus in on those past participles.

And finally, if we get distracted coming back to that continuously,

just reminding ourselves to come back.

One thing that I would highly recommend is to actually not just stop there,

but now that you've studied it, actually look for it

when you're encountering English in other situations.

So if you're listening to a podcast or watching TV series later in the evening

to relax, really try to hone in on when the characters are using that tense

or something else really great you could do is explain what you learned

to someone else because this will help you to better conceptualize it

and really engrave it in your memory.

And by the way, these hyper focused moments are not just going to happen.

So it can be really great to actually plan them ahead of time,

even if it's just, you know, five or 10 minutes, like open your calendar

and block off a couple of times this week that you want to have

a hyper focused moment for grammar or for listening to a podcast

or for something else that's important for your English learning.

And I just wanted to finish up this video with a bonus tip

that I kind of hinted at earlier.

So we talked about using a timer and it's really great

to have these periods of weird and deep focus.

But then of course, your brain's

going to get tired from all that focusing and you need refreshing periods.

You need to actually take a break and do something that lets your mind rest.

So then you can come back to focusing again.

And something that works really well for this

is something called the Pomodoro Technique.

Now this is basically setting a timer,

but there's actually a bit more of a technique to it.

So you set a timer and then you take a break

and then you set another timer. Another break.

Now, when you first starting out, if you're someone who's easily distracted,

who has a lot of bad habits of multitasking,

then at the beginning you might find it really difficult to do.

For example, an hour and then a 20 minute break.

You might need to start with smaller periods.

So this could even be 10 minutes and 5 minutes or 25 minutes and 5 minutes,

for example.

Now, the important thing here is that when you take a break,

you're not just checking your email or your Instagram or whatever,

because these don't really give your mind an opportunity to rest.

So what we can do here, let's say that,

you know your work, you're writing your email,

and then you're going to take a five minute break.

When you finish,

why not have a conversation in English with someone on the from the shop?

Or you can listen to 5 minutes of a podcast or maybe a bit

more while you're having taken a break to grab a coffee or something like that.

Now, these are actually are more

refreshing because they force your brain to change gears, you know,

from being really focused on talking to doing something a bit more passive.

And the great thing about this is it can really help you to unleash creativity.

So when you take your break, you might want to make sure

to keep a notepad or a note taking app handy with you.

All right. Now I want to hear from you.

What tips from today's video

do you find most invaluable or that you're most excited to try?

Or maybe I missed some tip, but you have found really useful to focus better.

Be sure to share it with the community down in the comments below.

So I want to leave you with another really great quote from this book.

Bailey says, We are what we pay attention to.

So by being more intentional about what you're paying attention to,

you know you're going to be

so much more focused and productive, obviously, in your English learning

if you're applying some of the examples we did today.

But also with anything else in your life that's important to you.

So if you've enjoyed this lesson, we've just scratched the surface.

So I highly recommend that you pick up Chris Bailey's book Hyperfocus.

I'll be sure to share a link to it down in the description below.

I absolutely loved it because it helped me to become more focused

and creative in my work and other things in life.

I had so much fun sharing these ideas with you today.

I just love reading.

And so if you're looking for more books that you can read in English

or you can even read in your mother tongue, but are going to immensely

impact your life, then check out this video next.

So the first book that we looked at

was The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Now, how do you actually even build a good habit or break a bad one?

Well, journalist Charles Duhigg got really curious

about all these questions and dug into all the science of it.

Bring us a book that brings us some down to earth stories

that help us learn all about how we can replace our bad habits

with really good ones.

Just to start out with an example.

One of the stories that I still remember is that he tells us

about a man who lost a lot of weight by creating a running habit.