We found the focus cheat code

Every time we sit down to start work, we are flooded with mental resistance.

These negative feelings are the root cause of procrastination.

We are simply avoiding the negative emotions we previously experienced.

It’s completely natural, but often frustrating to high performers who are trying to get things done.

Well, it turns out these negative emotions are actually a pre-requisite to deep focus.

Andrew Huberman (Prof. of Neuroscience at Stanford), explains that the reason we feel negative prior to work is a spike in norepinephrine— the neurotransmitter that creates adrenaline.

In normal people words, for the first 10-15 minutes of work, we have a rise in adrenaline which triggers a focus state.

Okay, the science corner is over.

So why does this even matter?

We can leverage this knowledge to bypass the cause of procrastination.

Set a timer for 20 minutes, you’ll get through the negative state and enter focus for the next 90-ish minutes.

If you don’t believe just try this for a week and reply to this email with the results.

The trick is reminding ourselves in the short-term that this is just a product of our brain prepping for some serious work sessions.

Moreover, this understanding encourages us to develop routines and rituals that make the transition into work easier.

Whether it's a short walk, a cup of coffee, or a few minutes of meditation, finding that personal trigger to signal to your brain that it's time to focus can make all the difference.

It's about creating a positive feedback loop where the act of starting becomes associated with the satisfaction of deep work, rather than the discomfort it initially brings.

Happy focusing.

PS— let me know how you like this short email style 🙂 

Talk soon,

Matt