As a mathematician I spend a lot of my time thinking about stuff. To make the most out of this time, I need to be able to focus. Here is a list of questions that I have found useful to go through when I cannot focus.
Physical health and well-being
- Did you sleep at least 8 hours today?
- Did you exercise yesterday or today?
- Did you eat in the last 4 hours?
- Did you drink enough water today?
- Do you need a coffee?
- Do you need to take a nap?
Environment
- Are you in a quiet environment?
- Is the air quality good?
- Is the room temperature good?
- Is your preferred music or background sound playing?
- Is your phone on ‘do not disturb’ mode?
Mental health
- Is there anything on your mind which distracts you?
- Do you know what exactly you want to think about in the next hour?
- Do you have a reason to think hard?