How to Focus Deeply
By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD
August 24, 2025 | #59
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Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice.
Medical Trivia of the Week
Which part of the brain is most responsible for filtering distractions and helping you stay focused?? (the correct answer is at the end of this email)
- A) Hippocampus
- B) Brainstem
- C) Cerebellum
- D) Prefrontal Cortex
Why Focus Matters
We live in an era of constant distraction. Phones buzz, emails pile up, and endless notifications compete for our attention. The result? Scattered energy, unfinished tasks, and a feeling of being busy without truly accomplishing anything.
Focus is your brain’s ability to lock onto one thing and tune out the noise. When you develop the skill of deep focus, you don’t just get more done, you get your best work done. You learn more effectively, create more meaningfully, and feel more fulfilled.
As a neurosurgeon, I’ve experienced firsthand how critical focus can be, whether it’s hours of intense concentration during a delicate operation or listening intently as a patient describes their symptoms. But the truth is, everyone benefits from sharper focus, no matter their profession.
The Science of Focus
When you concentrate, several key systems in your brain are working together:
- Prefrontal Cortex: Prioritizes tasks, manages self-control, and sustains attention.
- Anterior Cingulate Cortex: Detects when your mind drifts and brings you back.
- Dopamine System: Rewards progress, reinforcing the drive to stay on task.
Three important truths about focus:
- Multitasking is a myth. The brain cannot truly do two complex tasks at once, it rapidly switches back and forth, costing time and efficiency. Studies show productivity can drop by up to 40% when task-switching.
- Mental fatigue is real. The prefrontal cortex tires quickly. Without breaks, performance declines.
- Flow state matters. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described flow as a state where challenge and skill meet perfectly. Time seems to vanish, and deep, enjoyable work becomes possible.
Why We Focus
From an evolutionary perspective, focus kept us alive, helping our ancestors spot danger and track food. Today, it fuels problem-solving, creativity, and learning.
Focus also makes life more rewarding. When you’re fully immersed in something that matters, whether that’s solving a problem at work or being present with your family, you feel more alive.
Training Your Focus
Focus is not unlimited. Think of it like a muscle, it gets tired with use, but it can also grow stronger with practice. Here’s how:
- Protect your best hours. Most people focus best in the morning, but rhythms differ. Track your energy for a week and notice when you’re sharpest. Use those hours for your most important work.
- Control your environment. A consistent, quiet workspace signals your brain it’s time to concentrate. Remove distractions: put your phone away, silence notifications, and, if needed, use noise-canceling headphones.
- Work in blocks. Time-blocking creates structure: dedicate chunks of the day for deep work, admin tasks, and breaks. Techniques like Pomodoro (25 minutes work, 5 minutes rest) can help you build stamina over time.
- Set clear priorities. If everything is important, nothing is. Choose one meaningful task at a time. Break large projects into smaller steps so you can build momentum and see progress.
- Connect to purpose. Motivation fuels focus. Remind yourself why the task matters: to you, your goals, or the people you serve.
- Practice consistently. Train your brain to focus the way you’d train a muscle. Over time, you’ll find it easier to enter deep concentration for longer periods.
The Benefits of Improved Focus
Deep focus pays off in three major ways:
- Better results. Your best work happens when attention is fully engaged.
- Stronger learning. The brain encodes memories more effectively under concentrated effort.
- Fulfillment. Flow states bring joy and satisfaction that multitasking never will.
The ability to focus deeply is one of the most valuable skills you can cultivate in today’s distracted world. It won’t just make you more productive, it will make you feel more purposeful, more present, and more in control of your life.
So what is one thing you can work on to improve your focus this week? Start tomorrow, track your results, and notice how it helps. Small, consistent changes add up, and your ability to focus is one of the best investments you can make in yourself.
Impactful Quote of the Week
"You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks."
- Winston Churchill
All my best,
Brian Hoeflinger
P.S. - if you enjoyed this newsletter, you may enjoy my book that details my life as neurosurgeon and the loss of my oldest son, Brian (see below a synopsis).
Check out My Podcast
The Hoeflinger Podcast is about more than medicine, it’s about living a fuller, healthier, and more meaningful life. Together with my son, Kevin, we discuss medicine, health, fitness, lessons learned from personal tragedy, family, and purpose. Along the way, we invite inspiring guests to bring fresh insights and perspectives. Watch or listen to the podcast below.
YouTube: Click here
Apple Podcasts: Click here
Spotify: Click here
Check out My Book
Life and Death . . . Two words with such opposite meaning and which inflict such contradictory emotions and yet are so closely intertwined in our lives. As parents, we bring meaning and life into this world through our children. Our lives become defined as a result. We learn the joy, hardship, and responsibility of shaping an innocent life. But a day will come when that life will be taken. For some, death will come too soon. This is the story of my son, Brian Nicholas Hoeflinger, who died unexpectedly at age 18.
https://doctorhoeflinger.com/products/the-night-he-died-the-harsh-reality-of-teenage-drinking
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Medical Trivia Answer:
The correct answer is D) Prefrontal Cortex
*Disclaimer: This newsletter and blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this newsletter and blog or materials linked from this newsletter and blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this newsletter and blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay seeking medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should consult their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.
