Have you sat down to study, complete an assignment, or work on an important goal, only to realize that an hour has passed and you have barely made any progress? You opened your laptop with good intentions but somehow ended up checking WhatsApp, watching a few videos, replying to messages, and scrolling through social media. Now the deadline is closer, and you wonder where all the time went.
James was a university student with plenty of ideas. He wanted to improve his grades, learn graphic design, build a portfolio, and start earning money through freelance work. He even made a timetable at the start of the semester, promising himself that this time would be different. Every evening, he would sit down with his laptop, determined to make progress on at least one goal, but something else always competed for his attention.
A message would come in, and he would tell himself he’d reply quickly. Then someone would share a funny video, a friend would call, or he would remember a trending topic he had not checked. Sometimes he would switch between his assignment, a design tutorial, and social media until he was too tired to finish any of them properly.
Before long, James began to feel frustrated with himself. He watched his classmates submit impressive projects and wondered why he could not seem to get things done. He started telling himself that perhaps he was lazy or lacked discipline. What he did not realize was that he was trying to concentrate in a distracting environment without a clear plan to protect his attention.
James’ experience is relatable because a lack of focus does not always mean a lack of ambition. Sometimes, we have the ability, the ideas, and the desire to succeed, but our daily habits make it difficult to give those goals the attention they need. According to the Pew Research Center , 31% of surveyed American teenagers said they lost focus in class because they were checking their phones, although only 8% said this happened often. While these findings relate to teenagers in the United States, they illustrate how easily a phone can compete with an activity that requires attention.
At Proudtobeme, we work with young people who often struggle with focus and time management. Through our programmes and Upcoming Workshops, we help them develop practical habits that support their goals.
So how can you get back some control of your time? Here are five practical ways to improve your focus without expecting to be some completely different person overnight.
1. Put Your Phone Away When You Need to Concentrate
Putting your phone down can be harder than it sounds. You may tell yourself that you need it nearby in case someone calls, or that you are only checking one message. But one message can lead to another, and before you know it, you have forgotten what you were doing in the first place. Even when you are not actively using your phone, the temptation to check it can interrupt your concentration.
Research from the Pew Research Centre also found that 38% of surveyed American teenagers believed they spent too much time on their smartphones. The same study found that 95% had access to a smartphone. These findings do not mean phones are bad; smartphones help young people learn, create, communicate and discover opportunities. The challenge is learning when to use them and when to give your attention to something else.
Try putting your phone in another room, keeping it in your bag, or leaving it out of reach while you study or work. If you need it for your task, switch on Focus Mode or Do Not Disturb and keep only essential calls available. You can also agree with yourself that you will check your messages after completing a specific piece of work rather than every few minutes.
For James, that could mean putting his phone down for 30 minutes while he works on a design project. He doesn’t have to delete all his social media apps or cut himself off from his friends entirely. All he needs to do is create a little space between himself and the distractions. Sometimes the key to improving your focus is making it easier to do the right thing.
2. Work in Focused Blocks Instead of Trying to Do Everything at Once
Have you ever looked at a long assignment or a big personal goal and felt tired before you even started? When a task looks too demanding, it is tempting to avoid it or spend time doing smaller things that feel easier. You may even convince yourself that you will begin when you have more time, more energy, or the perfect environment. Unfortunately, waiting for the perfect moment can leave you with even less time to work.
One good way to do this is to break your work into focused blocks. Rather than telling yourself “I need to study all evening,” just decide to focus on one subject for 25 minutes. You might prefer 40 or 50 minutes for your task if that works better for you. The key thing is to pick a sensible time period, work on that one thing for that period of time and then take a short break before you start again.
This approach is helpful because it gives your brain a clear starting point and makes a large task feel more manageable. Research on task-switching by Alzahabi and Becker (2013) examined the relationship between media multitasking, switching between tasks and performance. Their work adds to the evidence that moving between activities and managing multiple demands on attention are important considerations when we think about concentration.
Imagine Tobi has an assignment due on Friday. Rather than promising to finish the entire thing in one evening, he could spend his first 25-minute block researching the topic, take a five-minute break, and use the next block to organise his ideas. He can then continue with writing and editing. Each block has a purpose, and every completed step brings him closer to the finish line.
You can use this method for studying, preparing for an interview, learning a new skill, applying for a job or developing a business idea. If you need help turning your intentions into practical steps, read our guide on Five Ways to Turn Your Goals Into Actions. Remember, progress does not always require a whole free day. Sometimes, it starts with giving one important task your full attention for 25 minutes.
3. Remove Unnecessary Notifications
You are halfway through an online course when your phone lights up with a social media notification. You ignore it, but a few minutes later, another alert appears. Then your email notification pops up, followed by a message from a group chat. You may not respond to every alert, but each one gives you another reason to turn your attention away from what you are doing.
Notifications are designed to bring information to your attention, and some are genuinely useful. You may need alerts about an interview, a work deadline, a family emergency, or an important school announcement. However, not every app needs permission to interrupt you throughout the day. If everything is marked as urgent, it becomes harder to distinguish what actually deserves your attention.
Start by reviewing the notifications on your phone, tablet, and computer. Turn off alerts from shopping apps, games, promotional emails, and social media accounts that do not need your immediate attention. You can keep important calls and messages available while silencing the rest during your focused work periods. If you are working on a laptop, close unrelated tabs and pause notifications from applications you do not need.
This small change can make your environment feel less demanding. It also helps you become more intentional about when you check information instead of allowing every alert to decide what you do next. The aim is not to disconnect from the world; it is to give yourself a better chance of completing what matters before moving on to something else.
Our work includes projects that encourage young people to develop a healthier relationship with social media and make more room for offline activities. That balance matters because technology should support your goals, not constantly pull you away from them. You can enjoy being online and still create boundaries that protect your time, concentration, and well-being. You can read more about our approach on our Blogs page.
4. Prioritise One Task Before Moving to the Next
Sometimes, the problem is not that you have too little to do. It is that you have so much to do that you do not know where to begin. You might need to prepare for an examination, reply to emails, complete a work assignment, tidy your room and submit an application. Because every task feels important, you jump between them, hoping to make progress on everything. By the end of the day, you are exhausted, but the most important task may still be unfinished.
One way to improve your focus is to decide what deserves your attention first. At the beginning of the day, write down the tasks you need to complete and identify the one that matters most. Ask yourself which task has the closest deadline, which one will have the biggest impact, and which one genuinely needs your attention today. You do not have to ignore everything else; you simply need to stop treating every task as if it has equal priority.
A useful trick is to write down your main task before opening your laptop. Keep that task visible and, whenever you feel tempted to do something else, ask yourself, “Is this what I need to be working on right now?” If the answer is no, make a note of the distraction and return to your task. This helps you make a conscious decision about your attention rather than following every new thought.
Learning to prioritise is also part of developing leadership, decision-making, and employability skills. In school, at work or while running a business, you will often have several responsibilities competing for your time. Being able to identify what matters, organise your workload, and follow through can make a real difference. Our programmes and projects offer opportunities that help young people develop practical skills and build confidence in their abilities.
5. Take Intentional Breaks Instead of Waiting Until You Are Exhausted
When people talk about improving focus, they sometimes make it sound as though the answer is to work harder and longer. But trying to concentrate for hours without resting can leave you mentally tired, frustrated and less willing to continue. You may find yourself reading the same paragraph several times or making careless mistakes because your mind needs a pause. Taking a break is not necessarily a sign of laziness; it can be part of working more sustainably.
The key is to make your breaks intentional. After a focused work block, stand up, stretch, drink some water, step outside for fresh air or have a short conversation with someone. If possible, avoid replacing your work screen with an endless social media scroll, especially if you know it will be difficult to stop. A break should give you a chance to reset, not create another distraction that takes you away from your plans.
James could work for 25 minutes, take a five-minute break, and then return for another focused session. After completing several blocks, he might take a longer break to eat or go for a walk. He can adjust the timing depending on the task, his energy and what works best for him. There is no single schedule that works perfectly for everyone, so the goal is to find a routine you can maintain.
Most importantly, do not wait until you are completely overwhelmed before allowing yourself to rest. Sleep, movement, meals and time away from work all matter. You are a person, not a machine, and you will not perform at your best every single minute of the day. Learning when to pause is just as important as learning when to concentrate.
Improving Your Focus Is a Skill You Can Build
When James began making small changes, his life did not suddenly become perfect. He still received messages, had days when he felt tired and occasionally found himself scrolling longer than he intended. The difference was that he started noticing his habits and making more deliberate choices. He put his phone away during important tasks, worked in focused blocks, silenced unnecessary notifications, chose his priorities and allowed himself to rest.
Over time, he began completing more of the work that mattered to him. His assignment was no longer something he kept avoiding, and his design portfolio started to take shape. More importantly, he stopped assuming that every distraction meant he lacked discipline. He began to understand that focus was something he could practise, improve and protect through his daily decisions.
You can start in the same way. Choose just one of the five habits and try it today. Put your phone in another room for 25 minutes, switch off unnecessary notifications or identify the one task you want to finish before the day ends. Once that becomes easier, introduce another habit. Small, consistent changes can help you build a routine that supports your goals.
How Proudtobeme Can Help You Take the Next Step
At Proudtobeme, we believe young people deserve the opportunity, support and practical skills to build a future they feel confident about. We recognise that achieving your goals is not simply about having big dreams. It also involves building self-belief, making good decisions, learning new skills, and finding the right support to turn ideas into action.
Through practical workshops, bootcamps, mentoring and skills development, we create opportunities for young people to explore their strengths, build confidence and prepare for future opportunities. Our programmes cover areas such as creativity, employability, entrepreneurship, leadership and digital skills.
You can learn more about our approach on our About Us page, explore our programmes and projects , or read more stories on our Blogs page.
Through our ILM Courses , young people gain accredited qualifications in leadership and self-management, helping them develop the skills they need to take ownership of their development.
If you are ready to learn, grow and make better use of your potential, you can join our Upcoming Workshops or explore our ILM Courses .
If you are an organisation or individual who wants to support young people, you can Get Involved or contact us to learn more about partnerships and opportunities.
Your goals deserve more than good intentions. You don’t have to change everything overnight, and you don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Start with one task, protect a little time for it and keep showing up for yourself. Your next step may be small, but it can still move you closer to the future you want to build.
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Website: proudtobeme.org
