Focus. Where is yours?

Focus. Where is yours?

In these turbulent times, where uncertainty seems to be the word of the day, many of us are finding it harder to concentrate, stay grounded, or even finish a thought before the next distraction pulls us away.

As someone who’s probably lived with undiagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) most of my life, I know this experience well.

Unless I’m fully booked with clients or immersed in something structured, I can easily slip into hours of scrolling, clicking, jumping between tabs... achieving very little—then wondering why that low hum of anxiety has crept in again.

Sound familiar?

Over the years—first as a special needs teacher, now as a counsellor and hypnotherapist—I’ve found (and shared) simple, realistic ways to return to focus. Especially in times when our nervous systems are overstimulated and under-supported.

Here are a few tools that help me, and many I work with:

Rest before focus – It’s difficult to concentrate when you’re depleted. Even 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra (plenty of good versions on YouTube) can reset the brain and body.

Ground your body – Put both feet on the floor. Feel your breath. Notice your heartbeat. Focus on a stable object nearby (for me, it’s the palm tree outside my window). Imagine an invisible thread connecting you to it—and stay with that image for 60 seconds.

Move your body - Play a favourite song and try a simple Brain Gym technique like Cross Crawl. It feels silly - but it works.

Shift your space - If your environment isn’t helping, change it. Tidy up. Move rooms. Or head somewhere you won’t be interrupted - like a local library or, for me, the beautiful community garden in St Kilda.

Touch the world - A short walk can do wonders. Notice the ground under your feet, the air on your skin, the sounds around you.

In times like these, focus isn’t about pushing harder.

It’s about reconnecting with yourself - so that clarity, calm, and direction can return.

What helps you re-centre when your brain feels like it’s all over the place?