How to Boost Your Productivity by 500% in 90 Minutes
According to Steven Kotler, “Flow follows focus. It can only show up when your attention is in the here and now.” The other critical ingredient for flow is time. Steven says that it takes 90 minutes of uninterrupted time to reach flow. I’ve found through experience that this is true.
For most people, the idea of 90 minutes of uninterrupted creation time sounds like a disaster. They can’t imagine focusing for that long. But it’s easier than you might think.
Design a Distraction-Free Environment
To get from focus to flow, your 90-minute work block has to be uninterrupted and distraction free. You have to design an environment that is conducive to your desired behavior.
You should consider anything that diverts your attention from the task at hand as a distraction:
- Notifications
- Browser tabs
- Cell phone
- Clutter on your desk
If you want to get better at managing your attention, start by reducing the competition for it.
When I’m writing, 3 things are on my desk:
- Moleskine Notebook
- A cup of coffee
- Pen
