How I Lost (and Rebuilt) My Focus for Working & Learning: A No-BS Guide

If you can’t concentrate for more than a minute, welcome to the club. Here’s what actually worked for me.

Four years ago, I thought I was productive. Laptop open. Slack pinging. DMs. Emails. The full digital onslaught. I’d clock 10+ hours, yet somehow, my to-do list grew faster than my burnout.

Then, I stumbled on Deep Work. Unlike most self-help books collecting dust on my shelf, I actually applied it. And things changed—fast. Within eight months, I wrote 200+ articles. My focus became my superpower.

Then, last year, I lost it.

Maybe it was the stress of my marriage unraveling. The emotional weight of a breakup. Either way, my attention span shrank. My work quality plummeted. I even stopped publishing this newsletter (if you noticed, now you know why).

A month ago, I decided to take back control. I restarted the focus rituals that had once worked for me. And now? My creativity is back. My work feels good again.

So if your brain feels like a browser with 47 tabs open, here’s what actually helped me rebuild my focus—and might help you too.

Why Focus Feels So Hard

We all like to think we have some control over our attention. But in reality? We’re walking dopamine piñatas, one notification away from crumbling.

Most people treat focus like willpower—something you either have or don’t. But focus is a skill, and like any skill, it atrophies without training.

“Attention is powerful. Attention is vulnerable. Attention is trainable.”

—Amishi P. Jha, Peak Mind

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The Cost of a Scattered Brain

You could have the best learning materials, the perfect AI prompts, and a PhD in "optimizing workflows," but if you can't focus? It’s like trying to read a book in the middle of a burning library.

“Switching your attention—even for a minute—can significantly reduce cognitive function for a long time.” — Cal Newport in Deep Work

Translation: Every "quick check" of Instagram is secretly robbing you of 20 minutes of deep thinking.

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How to Rebuild Your Focus (Without Becoming a Productivity Robot)

Deep focus isn’t some mystical talent. It’s trainable. And no, you don’t need to meditate for two hours or live in a monastery.

Here’s what actually helped me: