How to increase your focus at work

Researchers say it takes a person 15 consecutive minutes of focus to fully engage in a task. But in this age of smartphones, it’s almost impossible to resist the urge to check your notifications long enough to fully engage at work. This means our productivity is greatly compromised.

Enter Carl Newport, the author of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. He describes deep work as “professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to the limit.” This, Carl says, creates new value and improves skills.