Finding the switch for focus in high school

Teachers talk about focus all the time: "Sit still and focus!", "You need to bring your focus back to the task." "If you focus on studying effectively then you will do well in the upcoming test."

But what is focus really? How do you get it? Some kids seem to get it easily and never get in trouble from their teachers but others don't seem to know what it is. In this article I hope I can explain not only what focus is, but also how to get it and why we need it.

The most important thing is to realise that you probably show focus already in things that you love to do. What sorts of activities are easy for you to find focus in? Playing a soccer match? Drawing? Making or building stuff? If you get so engrossed in something that you forget the time, or you forget to eat, then you know what focus is.

Think a bit about that feeling. It might be hard to do because the focus comes by itself. It's almost like you're not doing it. It's like you're so absorbed in the activity you forget about yourself altogether. You forget about trying to be focused. You just are.

But when it is something you don't like so much, or you're not good at, staying focused is really difficult. Sound familiar? Most people are like this, adults included.

The way to bring yourself back to focus is realise that there is a switch for it. And that switch is the fact that you've done it before. Remember a time when you were focused and it was something you didn't enjoy so much. At school, tests are a good example. Maybe it was a big maths test in class, or perhaps the dreaded Naplan. They're stressful and sometimes, like with Naplan, you have to sit still and not talk for quite a while, as you focus on answering the questions. Beforehand it was stressful, but after it was all over there was relief. Often students think, "what was the point of that really?"

Well apart from giving teachers an idea of where your knowledge is at, the test situation itself is a really important experience for you. It shows you can focus when you choose to. And this is the point. You are the one that turns the switch on. No-one else can do it for you. Just remind yourself that you've done it before.

The more often you flick that switch, the easier it gets. And if you can learn to do that, then you can turn your mind to learning anything!

Why is focus so important?


 
the action starts at 2:04!

Perhaps this video is a better explanation than I can put into words. This pistol is being cut in half by water. That's right, just water! It is high-pressure water that is focused to a single point. This is a great image to have in mind when we wonder what can be achieved with focus. When you focus on something you can overcome huge obstacles.

But the first obstacle you have to overcome is yourself. That's why it's important to remember that you can find focus when you try, because you've done it before.

Focus is important because it is what will help you learn new things. There are a whole lot of things at this stage that you don't even know that you don't know! To go from not knowing about something, to knowing about something, to then being an expert in something takes focus.

Remember it might be hard to focus at first, but hang in there. Like anything, finding your focus gets easier with practice.