How to Strengthen Your Focus When Demands Never Let Up

HBR On Leadership

If you’re feeling distracted, mentally fogged, and unable to pay attention to the task at hand, you’re not alone. The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse. But we all know that the best work comes when you’re able to really zero in on an idea or problem for a sustained period of time. So, we need better strategies for blocking out the external and internal noise. Dr. Amishi Jha, a neuroscientist and professor of psychology at the University of Miami and the author of Peak Mind, offers recommendations based on studies of people in some of the most high-pressure jobs in the world.

Key episode topics include: Leadership, psychology, neuroscience, managing yourself

● Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Find Focus in a Chaotic World
● Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast
● Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

More description

If you’re feeling distracted, mentally fogged, and unable to pay attention to the task at hand, you’re not alone. The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse. But we all know that the best work comes when you’re able to really zero in on an idea or problem for a sustained period of time. So, we need better strategies for blocking out the external and internal noise. Dr. Amishi Jha, a neuroscientist and professor of psychology at the University of Miami and the author of Peak Mind, offers recommendations based on studies of people in some of the most high-pressure jobs in the world.

Key episode topics include: Leadership, psychology, neuroscience, managing yourself

● Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Find Focus in a Chaotic World
● Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast
● Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

2026-01-07 26 min
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