Between the funny GIFs and the Facebook notifications that keep popping up, it’s hard to get into the work zone these days. Getting your flow requires that you activate the subconscious part of your brain and concentrate. But for most people, this doesn’t happen easily.

It's said that our concentration levels are becoming distraught, mostly due to the amount of information we are consuming and most probably when or how this is consumed. If you are trying to multitask, then it's probably going to disrupt your workflow due to the brain-splitting activities, and therefore less activity could be given to one task or another dependant on which is most demanding to the brain.

I have compiled a list of the 7 most important rules you will need to get in the work zone, usable for any schedule or career, and somewhat essential to perform optimally in your career. 

7. Identify your Ideal Work Hours

There are hours during the day when you perform at your best, and then there are hours when you just hang on. If you are serious about completing that book, losing weight or any career goal you may have, begin by scheduling properly. Review your past work and identify that time of the day when you can best perform. For most people, you will have at least 4 hours when you can achieve the work zone with minimal effort. Organize your schedule and work during that time. If you have plenty of work, now use the following other rules to extend your concentration span.

There are definitive guidelines for work hours aside from the average 9-5 society teaches us, some will require longer hours, some less but ensuring you are able to schedule your work time will deliver maximum efficiency. 

6. Visualize your Goals and Assess why they Matter

Take time and get into that state where you can visualize the outcome of your goals. Visualize that feeling of victory for achieving the strenuous job you have at hand. It will help you get the motivation you need to active your subconscious self. Sometimes the reason why it’s easy to get distracted at work is lack of sufficient motivation. When you can’t clearly see what you are working for, you won’t have the drive to work hard and achieve it. But when you take time to visualize your goals, the outcome of your work and what you could gain, fighting your work distractions become easy.

If you are seeking a job, then there are plenty of resources available online to help plan your career goals and provide attainable steps to help you do so. Already in employment? Then make use of a calendar to plan work around your life and not the other way around. Align your work events, meetings, and other activities.

5. Be Passionate

Needless to say, achieving your work zone needs more than hard work. It asks for passion. Getting into the work zone is an emotional journey that asks for a similar conviction to that of religion. Religious people rarely worry about what people think about them as they pray or talk their mind. You need a similar conviction when you have some serious goals to achieve in life. Believe in your work so much that you stop feeling guilty about not being like your workmates.

Relax, focus on your achievements and believe that achieving them is all that matters to you.

4. Work Environment

If you are an employee, you probably have few choices on selecting the best environment to work. Still, there is always an office location or a desk within your workstations where you perform best. Strive to spend some time working at that location. It’s not scientifically proven but it works. Some people just love to work in coffee shops. Some players perform better in away games than at the home playing ground. Why? That is how they are able to achieve their zone. Find the right time and place to work and immerse yourself in your perfect state of working.

3. Exercise

Working for long hours without breaks or exercises does not amount to much. It’s easy to believe that you can complete 2-days’ worth of work when you lock yourself in the office for 10 consecutive hours. But the truth is that you will probably achieve more working for 5 hours with short breaks in between. There is only too long you can work without dozing off on your desk.

Getting into the work zone requires that you relax your mind ad exercise your body regularly. Decide how long you should work before you can take a short break. Get out and watch nature just to relax your mind. Get back in the office and continue working. In the evening; exercise for a while. You will only achieve the work zone if you have both your brain and body energized.

Look after your body and it will look after you.

2. Schedule for Meditation and Communication Break

Most people won’t get into the work zone because of simple reasons like the urge to check their emails. Mobile phones and social network notifications are big distractions in the workplace. Take the right action and turn off your social network’s notifications. Your goal is to concentrate on something much better. Don’t feel guilty of snubbing your friend for a while. Keep your phone away and only remove it after a particular period of time. Scheduling for communications ensure that you get to achieve the work zone and take time off to relax for meditation

Use your breaks to read notifications, relax and meditate. You can achieve all these things with the shortest work break you have. Meditating for even 90 seconds could be helpful in energizing your brain for the next work session. Close your eyes and concentrate on feeling your body work. Take another 90 minutes to reply to emails and social media conversations. Get out and watch nature, talk to someone and then get back for your next work session.

1. Know when to Stop

There are days when you won’t get into your work zone as much as you would want to. It happens. You have your headphones and the right music in place. You have only worked for a couple of hours and you have your coffee with you. But getting your subconscious self to concentrate is difficult. When that happens, take time off. Do the things that relax your mind and body. Take a shower or watch a movie. When you get back to your project, you will most definitely have the mental strength and bodily health to achieve your work zone state.

Overworking is one of the biggest stress factors to consider when managing your workload. Allow small manageable chunks of work to be carried out throughout your day to ensure that you are feeling great about any task at hand, and remember Rome wasn't built in a day. So there is always tomorrow!

Final Thoughts

There are many studies into what helps us achieve a good state of mind for working, whether it be from eating your vegetables to some acquiring nootropics to deliver the results they need but it's important to remember that you will be working the majority of your life so having the idea that slow and steady wins the race will allow you to take a breath and be ready for the long haul, not just a weekend 'blast off' which won't last long.