What can you accomplish yesterday? Nothing. Yesterday is gone.

What will you achieve tomorrow? Not sure. No one can predict tomorrow.

What’s left is today, and more precisely – now!

What will you do now? One can easily get sidetracked by doing menial tasks; checking emails (most of which are not important) or attending to phone calls (which interrupt your focus on the most important things). Think about how many interruptions you experience every day? By the end of the day, do you find you are exhausted from all the interruptions?

Come to think of it, the focus is a critical differentiator of success. Your time is your life and the most valuable asset you have. You want to extend it by design, not by accident, and your focus is the most powerful tool in actualizing this asset.

Here are some ways to increase your focus:

1. Attract Success – As soon as you wake up, spend three minutes visualizing and feeling your best day ever. Imagine the ideal outcome you expect from the day. Go into as much detail as you can and feel the success. Throughout the day carry that feeling with you and watch how powerfully you attract it.

2. Prioritize – Success is not necessarily doing a lot of things. Rather, it is doing fewer things by assuring they are the most important things to do, and doing them well. Once you complete these tasks, you will experience a burst of enthusiasm and an insatiable drive for the rest of the day.

3. Maintain a healthy work-life balance –Contrary to popular opinion, sacrificing your personal life for your work makes you a far less effective worker. Richard Branson often credits the time spent with his family for thinking up some of his best business ideas.

4. Cleanse your mind for 20 minutes a day – As you start your day, set aside some time for yourself. This is your introspective time to take a deep breath and meditate. Let your mind be a clean slate for at least 15 minutes a day. It will help you to slow down, de-stress, and unwind.

5. Unplug for some self-time daily – A 2012 study by UC Irvine and U.S. Army researchers found that spending time away from work email significantly reduces stress and enhances one’s ability to focus. So, unplug from social connectivity for 2-3 hours at least a couple times daily. Use that time to plan and execute your most important tasks for the day or simply meditate.

6. Keep yourself hydrated – Our brain is 75% water. It is no wonder then that hydration and brain function are innately linked. Dehydration can cause several symptoms, including lack of focus, poor retention, brain fog and sleepiness. In the long run, it can also lead to mood swings and depression. Instead of reaching out for a coffee, reach out for water or fresh unsweetened vegetable or fruit juice.

7. Listen to music -Background music, especially instrumental music, has been found to enhance performance on cognitive tasks, provided you like the music. According to “The Mozart Effect,” listening to Mozart can increase creativity, concentration, and other cognitive functions. Some people even use “white noise” apps like nature sounds or gentle music to help them concentrate better and avoid distractions.

8. Work in 90-minute cycles – Your brain can only focus for 90 to 120 minutes before it needs a break. Hence, work in cycles of 90 minutes with short breaks in between to maximize productivity.