How to Stay Focused, According to My Cat

Lessons from the world’s most majestic and bitchy creatures

I take ADHD medication every morning but I never really know if it’s working until I forget to take it one day and lose all sense of time and space. Despite the meds, I still have a really hard time staying focused.

As humans living in 2023, regardless of mental health issues, focusing on one thing at a time is difficult (but not impossible, with the right systems in place).

There is no natural segue into showing you a photo of my 12-year-old cat, but that’s never stopped me before! This is Kitty, aka my daughter.

I’m a cat lover and I don’t care who knows it; they are some of the world’s most majestic and bitchy creatures, and there’s a lot we can learn from them.

Here are some tips to help you stay focused according to Kitty:

Sleep

I check to make sure she’s breathing at least twice/day because she’s always passed the f*ck out. If I had to guess I’d say she sleeps at least 90% of the day and I’m so jealous.

Getting the amount of sleep your body needs helps boost mental clarity and focus. ¹ If your sleeping pattern is out of whack, it may be impacting your overall readiness for the day.

Action: What’s one thing you can do to prioritize sleep this week?

Play

Kitty’s version of play is pretty violent, to be honest, but I’m not here to yuck anyone’s yums. Play is instinctive to her. She can be mid-nap and decide she’s going to drag out one of her yarn balls and wreak havoc.

The science behind play² is fascinating, and unfortunately it took a global pandemic and lockdown for me to appreciate the mental health benefits of tomfoolery.

I believe play is just as important as taking breaks at work. If you’re feeling stuck or drained in the middle of the day, give yourself permission to do something silly, fun, or playful — like dancing or coloring or making up dumb little songs about your perfect wittle fur girly.

Action: Take at least 5 mins to play every day this week, whatever that means to you.

Boundaries

I joke that Kitty has taught me a lot about boundaries in the two years we’ve been together, but I honestly mean it. The last time I got my nails done, the nail tech looked at me and asked, “Do you have a cat?” because of how scratched up my hands were. He gets it.

Kitty likes her space, and I hate giving it to her. Fortunately, she’s a very good communicator and lets me know when enough is enough.

Boundaries that can improve focus include:

• turning off notifications from email, slack, etc.

• putting your phone on ‘do not disturb’

• not listening to podcasts or lyrical music while you work

• using a browser blocker like Freedom or Opal to keep yourself off social media during focus times

• biting your annoying coworker until you draw blood (lol just kidding, maybe just let them know you’re in the middle of something and will get back to them later)

Action: What boundaries do you need to set now so you can stay focused later?

Movement

Kitty has multiple areas of the house she likes to occupy throughout the day. After breakfast, she spends a few hours under my bed. After lunch, she likes to pass out in the middle of the living room floor. After dinner, she appreciates a snooze out on the balcony or on top of her cat condo. What a life, eh?

Changing locations throughout the day can help boost motivation. So can literal movement, like going for a walk or taking a stretch break.

We were not built to sit at a desk all day. Even Kitty, who sleeps nearly 20 hours a day, needs a change of scenery every once in a while.

Action: What does movement look like for you this week?

Call It A Day

Kitty’s final resting place of the day is plopped in the middle of my bed. When I haven’t made my way to the sheets by a certain time of night, she meows relentlessly until I too decide to turn in.

Not every day is going to feel productive, or fully focused. Like Kitty, ya gotta know when to say, that’s enough for today.

1. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works

2. https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/08/06/336360521/play-doesnt-end-with-childhood-why-adults-need-recess-too