Nowadays everything is designed to steal your attention. Whether it’s your phone buzzing, a browser filled with open tabs or the ongoing pressure to multitask, staying focused feels like a constant uphill battle. The American Psychological Association tracked people’s screen use over the past two decades and found that average attention span for digital tasks has dropped from about 150 seconds in 2004 to less than 50 seconds in 2023 [1]. This shrinking window is not just a statistic; it’s a fundamental obstacle in achieving peak mental performance.

‍

What is focus?

Focus is not some mystical power, it is simply attention that's intentionally directed. Cognitive scientists described attention as “the ability to actively process specific information in the environment while tuning out other details” (Cherry, MS, 2024). Attention helps us learn, form memories and perform tasks, but it's not a one size fits all approach. In fact, attention comes in multiple forms:

• Sustained attention – Better known as concentration, this is when you're able to focus on one thing for a continuous period of time [2]. This is the type of focus that writers, developers and athletes rely on when they immerse themselves in a single challenge or task.
  
  
• Selective attention – This is the ability to “choose and selectively attend to certain stimuli in the environment while at the same time tuning other things out” (Hillyard, et al, 1973). Selective attention is what allows you to read a book in a noisy classroom or answer a text in a social setting by filtering out background noise.
  ‍
• Alternating and divided attention – Also known as multitasking. The APA says this occurs “when someone tries to perform two tasks simultaneously, switch from one task to another, or perform two or more tasks in rapid succession” (American Psychological Association, 2006). Multitasking often feels productive but actually dilutes attention. A 2001 analysis of 4 experiments on multitasking shows that “shifting between tasks can cost as much as 40 percent of someone's productive time” (Rubinstein, et al. 2001).

Focus is the act of directing your mental energy toward what matters most and filtering out everything else. In a world full of distractions it’s more than a skill, it’s the foundation for entering and sustaining a true flow state.

Flow: focus as an immersive state

While focus is a cognitive skill, flow is an experiential state. Positive‑psychology pioneer Mihály Csíkszentmihályi observed that people sometimes become so immersed in an activity that they lose self‑consciousness and sense of time. Researchers define this “full task absorption, accompanied with a strong drive and low levels of self‐referential thinking” (Lindin, et al. 2020) as flow. A legendary example comes from Formula 1 icon Ayrton Senna. After securing pole position at the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix, Senna recalled, “I was no longer driving… conscious. And I was in a different dimension. The circuit for me was a tunnel, which I was just going, going, going…” In that state, his mind and body were perfectly synchronized with the car. He wasn’t thinking about the act of driving, he was simply doing it. This is flow made tangible.

Tasks that induce flow share several characteristics: they are challenging but not impossible, provide clear goals and feedback, and offer intrinsic rewards [4]. Not to be confused with hyperfocus, which is often linked to disorders like ADHD; it's defined as “intense attention, or fixation, on a task that a person finds interesting” (Villines, 2022).  Hyperfocus can become counterproductive when someone fixates on an activity to the detriment of other responsibilities. Flow, by contrast, is generally a beneficial state because it occurs when there is a balance between challenge and skill. Neuroscience offers clues about what happens in the brain during flow. One model proposes that dopamine and norepinephrine systems support the motivational aspects of flow and that the default‑mode, central executive and salience networks coordinate to enable strong task engagement and minimal self‑referential thinking [3]. When these networks synchronize and the task provides just enough challenge, distractions diminish and a person’s attentional resources are fully recruited. Flow is not magic; it emerges when focused attention, strong motivation, and well-structured tasks come together.

‍

Strategies for building focus and inducing flow

Focus isn’t fixed; it can be strengthened through intentional habits and training. Strategies like structured work intervals with breaks and minimizing distractions contribute to sharper, more resilient attention. However, habits alone are not enough. Giving your brain the right nutrients can heighten alertness, reduce mental fatigue, speed up reaction time, and help keep attention locked on task. These benefits become even more pronounced when supported by specific compounds and habits, such as:

Work in focused blocks with breaks – Harvard neurologist Joel Salinas recommends working in concentrated blocks of time and scheduling breaks because attention tends to wane after a certain period [5]. Icon will be here
‍

Practice mindfulness – Mindfulness meditation can teach you to return your thoughts to the present when your mind wanders [5], and removing external distractions (such as turning off notifications) helps by reducing competing stimuli [5]. Icon will be here

‍‍

‍

Challenge your brain gently –  Harvard Health reports activities that require mental effort without being overwhelming (e.g., learning an instrument or painting) supports neuroplasticity[9] and builds executive function [5]. Icon will be here

‍

‍
Use synergistic nutrients – A systematic review found that combining L‑theanine with caffeine improves attention, decreases mind‑wandering and reduces reaction times compared to either ingredient alone [6]. Functional MRI studies suggest that this combination increases neural resources devoted to target stimuli and decreases responses to distractors [6]. Furthermore, Citicoline (also known as Cognizin) has been shown to heighten alertness, enhance working memory, and defend against oxidative stress, helping the brain stay sharp under pressure [8]. Icon will be here

Developing focus is like training a muscle: consistent practice and the right support make it stronger. By combining deliberate attention‑training strategies with evidence‑based nutrients, you can sustain concentration longer and set the stage for achieving flow.

‍

Flowstate: aligning science with supplementation

Our flagship energy formula Flowstate reflects the latest research on attention and flow: each serving contains target‑release caffeine for smooth energy, L‑theanine to reduce jitters and sustain focus, and a blend of nootropics such as nooLVL® , Alpha‑GPC, choline bitartrate, citicoline,and N‑acetyl‑L‑tyrosine. These ingredients support neurotransmitter production, cerebral blood flow and neuroplasticity. Flowstate’s extended‑release caffeine provides over six hours of smooth energy without the crashes associated with traditional stimulants, and its adaptogens and absorption enhancers (AstraGin®, BioPerine®) ensure that the brain can use each component effectively.

‍Putting it all together

The focus factor is not a single hack or product; it is a holistic approach that combines behavioral strategies, environmental design, and targeted supplementation. You master the habits from this blog, and we will fuel the rest. Unlock Flowstate today.