Can't focus? Try these tips used by Googlers
These mindfulness tips can help you regain clarity and calm
by Kenny Chee / Photos by Hillary Tan
You’re at your desk trying to study, but your mind inexplicably starts to wander. Soon, you’re bored. Restless, you reach for your phone, scroll through TikTok – and lose track of time.
If this sounds familiar and you’re not sure how to deal with it, fret not. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you focus from a Search Inside Yourself mindfulness course – made popular by tech giant Google – that was conducted at NTU in March.
1. Regain your focus in three breaths
> 1st breath Focus on your breathing. Feel the air move in and out through your nose.
> 2nd breath Relax your body.
> 3rd breath Ask yourself: “What’s important to me right now?” Then gently return to your task.
2. Train your attention through a daily routine
> Pick a routine activity to focus on. You can practise this every day.
> For example, while waiting for your MRT ride, notice how you’re standing and what you’re feeling.
> When the train arrives, be aware of your pace and your feet stepping into the cabin.
> Inside, note how it feels to sit or hold the handrail.
3. Calm yourself with a “body scan”
> Sit, stand or lie down. Notice your physical sensations, such as your feet on the floor.
> Breathe naturally, feeling your chest and abdomen move.
> Imagine a scanner slowly moving from your head all the way down to your toes. Repeat a few times.
What's the Search Inside Yourself course?
Developed at Google to boost mental wellbeing while building emotional intelligence and leadership skills, this mindfulness course has been used by firms like American Express and Procter & Gamble, with over 100,000 participants across more than 150 cities.
Find out more about mental wellness at https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/wellbeing/
How mindfulness makes a difference
I realised how often my mind wanders while studying or doing tutorials. Using techniques from the workshop, I can bring my focus back to my work within minutes.
– Computer science student Li Haoran on how the workshop helped him stop scrolling TikTok mid-task for a dopamine rush
There is a lot of waiting during my lab experiments. So instead of using that time to scroll Instagram, I now try to practise mindfulness to focus on what I need to do next.
– Anand Raksha, a PhD student in medicine who uses her idle time to be more attentive to her work
The breathing exercises help me think more clearly and not let my feelings cloud my judgement.
– Physics major Saurav Kafle, who turns to mindfulness to keep calm whenever he meets challenges, such as during chess competitions or exams
This story was published in the Mar-Apr 2025 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
