Start building habits that will help you stay focused. Almost 50% of our time is spent thinking about something meaningless, and not doing things. We are in autopilot mode and cannot control our thoughts - because, in part, we do not want to concentrate on something. To be productive, you need to follow your train of thought and catch distractions. Your mind is like a muscle. It needs to be trained. Stress also plays a major role in our inability to focus and overcome distractions.