Founder & Career Accelerator @ Boss-ify | Helping Tech Professionals Master the Art of Managing Up to Become the Obvious Choice for Promotion
You’re Losing Productivity—and It’s Not Because of Distractions. Here’s the truth I wish I’d known years ago: Attention is your ultimate superpower. But for the longest time, I treated mine like a leaky faucet—dripping away on things that didn’t actually matter. It all clicked when I learned about the four types of attention and how they show up in our workdays: 1️⃣ Focused Attention: Those rare, glorious moments of deep concentration. 2️⃣ Rote Attention: Simple tasks that feel easy but keep you moving. 3️⃣ Boredom: (Wait, Wait??) Turns out, it’s how your brain recharges. 4️⃣ Frustration: That “I’m stuck” feeling is actually a cue—it’s time to shift gears. 🔥 Here’s what changed everything for me: Once I understood these attention states, I stopped fighting distractions and started working with my brain. When I’m mentally fried after a focus sprint, I don’t push through anymore—I shift to something easier, like organizing my inbox or jotting down ideas. It’s been a total game-changer. What’s worked for me: ✅ Sensory Anchors: I have a playlist I play on repeat when I need to focus. (My brain knows: when this music’s on, it’s go time.) ✅ Peak Energy Hours: I’ve learned to guard my morning hours like gold—they’re when I’m sharpest. ✅ Concrete Goals: I used to write vague tasks like “work on the report.” Now, it’s “finish slides 1-3 by noon.” Specificity makes all the difference. ✅ Focus Tools: I’ve learned to create systems that hold me accountable and keep me on track, whether it’s setting timers or using simple routines. Here’s the thing: Distractions aren’t your enemy. I used to beat myself up over getting distracted—now I focus on responding with intention. That shift has saved my sanity and my productivity. What about you? What’s your secret weapon for staying focused? I’d love to hear your tips! 👇 #ProductivityHacks #FocusTips #MindsetMatters #AttentionEconomy
I call those peak energy hours my Impact Zones Karin Fourie. They are when I get the actions with the highest impact completed.
this is gold Karin Fourie! so many valuable gems.. This would have been worthwhile learning at any point in school :) specificity works really well for me as does writing things down. also, removing all the internal settings and programs that result in difficultly focusing for various reasons works wonders!
Understanding the different types of attention helps in managing distractions and effectively boosting productivity. Karin Fourie
Wow, love how you have categorised the different types of attention, Karin As the famous quote suggests "Where your attention goes, your time goes.” Thanks for this insightful post.
This was really helpful learning the different attention types as it allowed me to understand myself better and identify my peak hours when I know I'm firing on all cylinders. Also love the idea of using a sensory anchor! A flow state Playlist is a great idea!
Karin Fourie, this is a total mindset shift! Who knew boredom could be productive? Your tips make me rethink how I approach my energy and focus.
I loved the tips, Karin Fourie! I also use a specific playlist to help me focus and avoid distractions.
Love this! Understanding and working with different attention states is such a game-changer. 🙌
I love how you embrace distractions as cues. Have you tried time-blocking for even more focus?
Dad Coach and Founder of Millennial Prime, a community of Dads for Dads
1moEveryone we pick up our phones and open Insta, it uses a bit of our attention reserves. The problem is we do this a million times per day without realizing sapping our own energy for little to no payout Karin Fourie