Focus Bubbles and the Power of Positive Peer Pressure

As Dawn puts it, “FocusBubbles are coworking sessions – like crowdsourcing your focus”.  What exactly does that mean?  It’s a simple but effective method in which a group of people come together to work on individual tasks while harnessing the power of a group setting and the accountability that comes with it.  Working at the same time as other people creates a sense of positive peer pressure. The group setting creates an environment in which individuals feel compelled to get to work and be productive, since they can see that’s what the other members of the group are doing. The social pressure to live up to the standards set by the group is a powerful tool in increasing one’s focus and accomplishing tasks. This environment is what is created by FocusBubbles. After the work session concludes, the group comes together to discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what tasks got completed.  The entire session is centered around a philosophy of positivity.  A positive community aids productivity by triggering the release of dopamine in the brain. We can see what this feels like when we check an item off our to-do list- it feels good! The same chemical reaction is produced in a positive work setting such as FocusBubbles. Individually, we can develop habits that produce a similar reaction without the benefit of a group setting. Dawn recommends blocking off time to do certain tasks and being realistic about what you can accomplish in a given block of time. It’s also important-especially during a time in which many of us are working from home- to set starting and stopping points for work. Being clear about when work begins and ends is key in retaining focus and productivity. Our brains need parameters, or, as Dawn puts it, “guardrails”. Without set boundaries for what time is for work and what time is not, it’s easy to have work dominate the day and take away from the other things that are important in life.