A few days ago I was catching up with a friend, and our conversation drifted to focus. We both agreed that staying focused feels harder than ever.
Everyone I talk to seems to be fighting the same battle. Even when we’ve cut down on social media and turned off notifications, our minds wander.
That chat stuck with me. I wondered why focus remains elusive even when we avoid obvious distractions.
I pulled out my journal and asked: “Why can’t we focus?”
At first I listed the standard culprits like phones, news feeds, and our endless to‑do lists.
But I realized those aren’t really my issues. I like to think of myself as a fairly disciplined person. I don’t spend too much time on my phone and don’t use social media a lot.
And yet, over the past year I’ve had trouble getting into deep writing sessions. So I kept digging. What had changed?
After some reflection, I saw the root cause: I’d let go of a practice that had anchored my attention for a decade: Deep Thinking.
The lost habit of thinking time
My journaling reminded me of the book The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham. So I pulled it up again on my Kindle.
Cunningham talks about the importance of “Thinking Time.” He argues that most of us are “too busy being busy to think” and that carving out time to think is the most valuable activity we can do.
Cunningham says:
“Thinking is the most valuable activity you can engage in. Most people are too busy being busy to think.”
Re-reading his book reminded me of a habit I’d built over the past ten years but had unconsciously let slip.
My version of thinking time is simple: I sit down with my journal, put on some background music or a YouTube video I don’t need to pay attention to, and start writing.
I describe what’s going on in my life, then I ask myself a question and explore it on paper.
For example…
- Practical questions: “How can I strengthen my back?”
- Creative questions: “What should I write about next?”
- Big-picture questions: “Where is the economy headed?”
Sometimes I just sit and let my mind wander.
Without fail, I come away with fresh insights and a clearer sense of direction.
When I skip this journaling ritual for too long, I always notice it in my work. My focus suffers and writing feels like pushing a boulder uphill.
But when I return to it, my mind sharpens again. It’s like training a muscle.
Thinking is focus training
Focus isn’t just about eliminating distractions; it’s about training your mind to stay with a question long enough to discover something new.
Deep thinking is like weightlifting for your brain. It’s uncomfortable at first; your thoughts jump around and you may feel restless.
But if you stick with it, the scattered noise quiets down and ideas begin to connect. You start to see patterns and possibilities you’d miss in the rush of everyday tasks.
Most of us don’t have a focus problem; we have a thinking problem. Our days are packed with doing and reacting. We seldom pause to ask good questions and then sit with them.
But the quality of our answers, as Cunningham writes, “will always be determined by the quality of your questions.”
When we make time to think, we’re actively training our capacity to focus.
How to start your own Deep Thinking practice
You don’t need a fancy setup or hours of free time to build this habit. Here’s how I practice Deep Thinking:
- Schedule a block of 30 minutes where you won’t be interrupted. Turn off your phone and close your email.
- Open a notebook or journal. Start by jotting down what’s been happening in your life, work, or relationships. This warms up your mind.
- Pose a question. It can be about anything that’s on your mind. A decision you’re wrestling with, a project you’re planning, a skill you want to build.
- Write whatever comes up. Don’t censor yourself. Follow your thoughts wherever they go. If you get stuck, stare out the window for a minute and return to the page.
- Stop when you feel clear. You’re not trying to produce a polished piece of writing. You’re giving yourself space to think.
When I revived my thinking time practice again recently, my focus returned. I started working on new articles and even came up with ideas for new books. That energized me a lot.
The fog of the unfocused mind disappeared and I started seeing things clearly again.
If you’re struggling to focus, don’t just blame your phone or habits.
Consider whether you’ve been thinking deeply enough.
