For years, many of us complained that open offices with constant interruptions from colleagues were the reason we couldn’t focus to get deep work done. Then when we started working from home, we found it just as difficult to focus in our make-shift home offices.  External factors play a large part in distraction, but even in a quiet space our own minds often get in the way of the kind of focus needed to reach that coveted “flow state” where big ideas happen.

We have built our lives to be distractible, to respond to every notification as if it’s urgent. Luckily there are a lot of small practical things we can do to find focus. For starters, we have more control over our environment than we realize and small changes like turning off notifications, listening to music, and sitting near natural light can all help. One of the best things about the flexibility that has come from remote and hybrid workplaces is the ability to not only work in the timeframe that best fits your schedule, but prioritize working hours where your brain is at peak performance.

Some of the best advice about finding focus, however, can be in doing the most basic elements of self-care: eating and sleeping well, taking breaks, and getting exercise. And when it comes to “getting in the zone,” redefining success can help, too. After all, short periods of focus are better than none at all, and the luxury to block off an afternoon for “thinking” isn’t something many of us have.