HOW YOU CAN STAY FOCUSED WHEN CURRENT EVENTS DISTRACT YOU?

By clement ndiok

For one reason what so-ever the pandemic in 2020 scattered your plans, goals or infact turned your world upside down, we are left with so many questions to how to deal with the aftermath of the unbelievable event that took place in the world as a result of covid-19, what might seem like the in reversable doom of your plans can be turned around to be the start of something new. here are some viable ways to deal with your mental health to stay focused on your goals and starting something new if need be.
What to do when bad news affects your focus at work

Be an inquisitive eyewitness
Checking your movement, especially with regards to "burdensome substance," is a valuable strategy for managing the troubles of recent developments. Dr. Amishi P. Jha, Director of Contemplative Neuroscience at the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative at the University of Miami, says that asking yourself what you need to escape something, such as checking Twitter or Facebook, can assist with guaranteeing that you stay on track and don't wind up in a destruction looking over twisting.

"You must become meta-mindful, second by second. Which means, as you're becoming occupied with an assignment," she says, "it is a ceaseless interaction of observing and not contending with yourself." The more you work this meta-mindfulness into your day and become accustomed to analyzing what things mean for you, the simpler it will turn into.

"Be interested about how everything is influencing you. Interest is the antitoxin to tension," says Dr. Kathleen Smith, a D.C-based specialist and creator of Everything Isn't Terrible. "Approach it as an analyst. Like, 'I will notice myself in my regular environment and see what designs I see. Is there an alternate method of approaching my day? Is there a smart method to exist at the present time?'"

Put forward sensible objectives
“It’s a bad idea to have the goal that you should be positive and crushing it right now because, under high-stress circumstances, the amount of cognitive energy it takes to be positive can actually deplete you more,” says Dr. Jha. “Have a lower bar, accept it, just go through it, and do the things you have to do without adding the burden of having to be the most positive person.”
Asking yourself to work for five minutes, or breaking down your tasks into smaller pieces, for example, can be helpful ways to get yourself back on track.
“Don’t turn it into this all-or-nothing scenario,” adds Dr. Smith. “We tend to do that. But you have to be able to ask yourself, ‘how would I define what a good workday looks like in this crazy 2020 world?’”

Work inside sound limits
For some, throwing themselves into work when the world feels like it’s on fire is a solid option. But there’s a catch: “Being busy is one way of calming yourself down. But I think if it’s the only tool that you have for managing anxiety then you’re going to get in trouble,” says Dr. Smith. “You can’t always count on your work being busy. You still need to be exercising, getting enough rest, eating well, all of the self-care basics you would expect.”
Again, part of setting healthy boundaries around work involves that meta-awareness of what you’re doing and how it’s impacting you. Dr. Smith, for example, says that she “can’t solve any of the world’s problems after 9 p.m.” Adding boundaries like that to your workday can help you avoid unproductively dwelling on negative thoughts and emotions. It’s about knowing the difference between anxiety and thoughtfulness, which can feel the same for some. But there is a way to tell the difference.
“To me, anxious focus is often trying to manage the thoughts and emotions of other people. Thoughtful focus is focusing on yourself. It’s asking, ‘what does it take to be a responsible employee?’” says Dr. Smith.

Take a “both-and” approach
Balance and flexibility are key to getting through these difficult times. So making room for both work and everyday life—the things that help make us feel like ourselves and keep us going—is important.
“You can be productive at work and also give yourself space and time to process, and to think about these thoughts and feelings and see how that’s coming out in your thoughts and behaviors,” says Dr. Thomas A. Vance, an Atlanta-based therapist. He adds that doing things like making a schedule or creating a morning routine, taking breaks to go outside, exercising, and drinking water are great ways to work that sense of balance into your day. And it’s those other activities which can help make us more productive, too.
“We have these rigid definitions of productivity and success,” says Dr. Smith. “Maybe we could get away with those last year, but now we need extra support more than ever.

Keep your social connections alive
Rules on social distancing are significant. Be that as it may, so is keeping your public activity flawless. Indeed, it's important for what can help you stay propelled in troublesome occasions.

"There are bunches of approaches to be truly far off however not socially far off," says Dr. Vance. He recommends choices like gathering others at parks to eat and be outside with a protected measure of distance. Online encounters are as yet significant, and there have effectively been shifts in the innovation we utilize that address the social necessities that individuals have been inadequate.

"Bunches of dating profiles and stages are presently adding this video segment where you're ready to video talk with the individual no doubt about it," says Dr. Vance. "We are normally friendly creatures. So sorting out what ways we can feel more associated, regardless of whether that is through Instagram or Facebook, that is an approach to remain associated with this actual distance."

Social online media applications can in any case cause tension for a few, the pandemic has without a doubt made those applications more significant. Be aware of how we're utilizing these applications, ensuring we get what we need out of them and abandoning the rest.

Have sympathy for yourself
Many are grieving losses of all sizes, whether someone you know falls ill or your inability to see the people you love and live your life the way you want to.
“A lot of us are traumatized . . . It’s kind of like being in the same storm that everybody’s impacted by, but we’re all in different boats. And on the different boats we have different tools and different environments,” says Dr. Vance. These different boats, he says, take the form of intersectional identities, which shape both who we are and how we respond to things. And those identities can mean pre-existing depression or anxiety, or just generally higher levels of stress.
It’s important not to dismiss those layers of identity. It can feel urgent to “do all the things,” especially since so many of us have more time (theoretically) to be productive. But by giving yourself the space to be human and to heal, you can set yourself up for success and avoid pushing yourself beyond your limits.
So celebrate your wins, acknowledge when things are getting too much for you, and above all, be kind to yourself. You deserve it.