By Beth Allen
Recently, I have been doing some research on how our leaders can assist our team members focus on the important tasks they have to do as a part of their job. Each position is critical. If we could eliminate a step in our process and not require a person to perform that task, we would eliminate it. If we are asking people to do something, it needs to be done accurately.
Unfortunately, as humans sometimes we lose focus. We are easily distracted. We are asked to do more and given less time to do it. Some of us have developed a habit of multitasking, which really doesn’t work as well as we think it does. When we try to do more than one thing at a time, it is just not possible give it our full concentration. It also decreases productivity, even though multitasking sounds like it does the opposite. It takes much longer to complete a task if we are trying to do something else at the same time.
In a medical imaging department, lack of focus can cause errors which can lead to harm to our patients. While this is never intentional, it is reckless behavior.
I learned a few things about focus. Getting a grip on our ability to focus can reduce stress and help us avoid mistakes. Focusing on one task allows for more time to understand the details resulting in more effective solutions. We need to be intentional about being accurate.
This also all relates to time management skills. I ask techs to plan the day. Run that schedule of patients, don’t let it run you. This is easier said than done.
After reviewing several resources regarding focus, I determined that they all pretty much said the same thing.
I discovered that most information included lists that looked something like this:
- Be self-aware. Is your focus scattered or directed?
- Avoid distractions.
- Take care of your body.
- Practice concentration.
- Make concentration a daily habit.
- Prioritize time to unstimulate your brain.
- Take regular breaks.
 Attention drifts are going to happen, and we need to be prepared for them. The number one distraction is our cellphones. We need to put them away where we cannot be tempted to be distracted by them. This is a no brainer. To reduce the chance of making an error that could cause a patient harm, which could not only lead to a poor outcome for the patient, but it could also lead to corrective action or loss of an imaging license, it seems smart to put the phone away. That phone can drain our mental energy, having less to spend on the details that are required to do our jobs correctly.
Concentration is a skill that can be learned. You can train for it like you would a sport. Elite athletes plan their nutrition, rest and physical activity. As we are people with important jobs taking care of other people, we should do the same. I have read in multiple places that under 7 hours of sleep per night can make it more difficult to concentrate. Food choices and hydration also contribute to our mental focus. A diet high in sugar can lead to brain fog. Exercise is important because it releases neurotransmitters that stimulate our ability to concentrate. We don’t have to run a marathon. Even a short walk will help our brains.
If we practice concentration and focus regularly, we will get better at it. One technique is to set a timer and concentrate on something for that amount of time, then take a short break and start over again. The more we practice, the more skilled we will become. We can make it a habit.
This is easier in the morning before our brain has had time to become distracted by too many things. To be able to carry our attention into the afternoon, we need to unstimulate our brains. That can happen over a lunch break, which is a great time to take a short walk. Some people may be able to meditate for a few minutes. It does not mean it is a good time to take out our phones and scroll for 30 minutes. That is not a mental break.
This is all great advice that I need to use myself. It all makes sense. We don’t allow our brains to become bored anymore. For me, I find that solutions to problems come to me in the shower. This is likely because that is a time and place where my mind is not being distracted and my thoughts can just wander. There is a lot of creativity that can happen when my brain has time to rest.
Our jobs are too important to go about our routines on auto pilot. Our patients deserve our focus and concentration. We can flex that muscle and reduce our own stress at the same time. It is a win-win. Thanks for all you do.Â
Beth Allen, RT(R)(CT), CRA, is the director, clinical operations at Banner Imaging
