How to Improve Your Focus as an LNC

In this week’s Legal Nurse Podcast, Lori Rochino talked about organization and productivity. One of the most concrete ways to be more productive is to improve your focus as an LNC.

Tips to improve your focus

Maybe you want to focus on a single task, but find yourself easily distracted. You find it difficult to focus on what you are doing. Why do we do this to ourselves? I find my mind wandering, or worry, or realize I have way too many things I need to do. I know I must pick just one task to start with.

Here are some valuable tips on how to improve your focus.

Time clock

Work within your body’s most comfortable time. Maybe you work best early in the morning before sunrise. Or late at night. Work when you are most productive. For example, many legal nurse consultants get up early to work on a case, or spend weekend time if they have a full time job.

Light meals

Have you ever eaten a big meal for lunch when working only to feel lethargic and weighed down all afternoon? Eating a heavy meal at night slows you down and makes you sleepy. If you need or want to, you can go on a small juice fast on a regular basis. It will keep you alert and help keep your body in good physical condition.

If you plan to work on your business activities at night, be especially focused on when you eat and how much time you allow yourself at night. Finishing dinner at 8:30 pm on top of a busy day will not allow you much time to work.

Exercise

Exercise your mind and body every day. Do crossword puzzles. Engage in lively discussions. Build something that’s creative. A simple 30 minute walk every day is all you need to keep your body healthy. In cold winter months, find an indoor space to walk. You’ll enjoy that ability to walk and will avoid gaining weight because of inactivity.

Meditate

Try to allocate at least 30 minutes each day to meditate. You can divide this into two 15 minute segments. There are all kinds of health benefits to mediation, and it does wonders for focus and calmness.

If you can’t dedicate that much time you can still do a short breathing exercise. Focus on your breathing, really focusing on the air, how it touches your nostrils and enters your lips. How does it feel as it escapes? Your mind may wander, filling with endless amount of thoughts. Resist the temptation to start thinking about your do to list. When this happens bring your thoughts back to focusing on your breathing. Continue this process for several minutes.

Regulating your breathing relaxes your circulatory system and brings you a sense of peace.

Listen

Listen to music to help improve your focus. Really concentrate on the music. Try to focus on a single instrument. I usually have music playing in the background when I work; it helps me get more done.

Cut goals into small targets

Having an end goal in mind while working on the tasks to achieve it can frustrate you because you target goal might be too big or difficult. Your results won’t be quick, and it may seem like you aren’t getting any closer to the end. Instead of working toward the ultimate end goal, break it down into smaller, more achievable goals you can reach within a few days. Then cross each smaller goal off your list as you achieve it.

Or better yet, use My Goals Planner to map out and document your goals.

Taken together, these tips help you improve your focus. Try one or more of them.