Curt Steinhorst, author of Can I Have Your Attention?, wrote, "Distraction is actually just confusion about what matters." So what does matter when we can't focus at work? Is it productivity at any cost? For decades, the answer has been a collectively mandated yes.

We, as a society, know a lot more about the brain now than we did even 10 years ago. A lot of what we thought makes us more focused and productive, it turns out actually doesn't.

The following brain hacks might feel counterintuitive. But rest assured, that's exactly why they work.

I know it goes against all traditional thought. We're taught that "idle time is wasted time." But the worst thing we can do when struggling to focus at work is try harder. This only wastes precious mental energy. That brain drain triggers our stress response, and stress causes our logical brain to shut down.

No logic means no focus. It's a vicious cycle.

Instead, take a short five-minute break from thinking. A recent study from the University of Sydney shows that's all we need to get our concentration back. The study author, Associate Professor Paul Ginns, notes that "scrolling social media for five minutes doesn't count."

One study backs this up, noting the tendency for people to do "media multitasking." An example is when you're scrolling socials, click over to check email and then click back.

This divided attention further compromises our........

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