The Focused Hour: How to Get Absorbed Like the Arrow-Maker 🏹

Whoa, this Ekādaśī really snuck up on me! With Navadvīpa parikramā around the corner, things are blissfully busy! So at this moment especially, I need to use my time more carefully than ever. Therefore, instead of trying to think of something too deep and meaningful to discuss in today's Ekādaśī Eve post, I’m going to write about something purely practical: how to make the best use of an hour on whatever I’m working on. In fact, as you'll see, I’ll be trying to apply this very system right now to write this post! One of the rare times I'll practice what I preach. 😆

Before I begin, let me start the timer. (I’m starting a Focusmate session—more on that below.) It is 9:30 AM.

Let’s go!

In the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the context of the 24 gurus, the avadhūta brāhmaṇa instructed Mahārāja Yadu about the arrow-maker, whom he accepted as the 21st of his gurus (SB 11.9.11–13). The arrow-maker was so deeply absorbed in crafting a straight arrow that he did not even notice the king passing right beside him. In the same way, we aspire to be fully absorbed in the Lord.

In this post, I’m sharing some ideas I’ve been trying out recently to cultivate that kind of focus in whatever main tasks I have to do that day. I’ve noticed that a few carefully planned hours can produce as much output as many days of scattered time. Also, one of the most satisfying feelings is getting so deeply absorbed in something meaningful that the outside world fully shuts off and you lose yourself in what you’re doing. It’s not always easy to enter that state with every task and situation, but the ability to focus deeply on anything is like a muscle. With time and practice, anyone can build it, no matter how scattered their mind may be.

The Focused Hour Formula

(Before we begin, I should mention that all credit goes to Ali Abdaal for this system.)

Now let’s break this down into practical steps.

Plan and Organize (5–10 minutes)

📝 Plan

First, write down exactly what you plan to accomplish in your focused hour. Be specific! Instead of “study śāstra,” it’s better to write, “memorize the first two lines of Daśa-mūla-tattva Verse 3” or “read Chapter 2 of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.” The clearer your task, the easier it will be to maintain focus—or bring yourself back when you get distracted.

If you have a big task, break it into smaller chunks and write down the one or two chunks you plan to complete in the session.

I personally write my tasks in a notebook and then track them in an app called Blitzit, which logs the time I spend on each task.

🧹 Organize

Before you start, clear the area where you're focusing and keep whatever you may need to use in the session within arms reach. As I’m writing this, I just noticed some clutter on my desk—so I’m removing it right now! I also closed all unnecessary windows open in my laptop and I filled up my water bottle.

Focus Time (40 mins–1 hr)

⏳ Start Your Timer

Use your favorite timer—whether it’s a kitchen timer or a focus app. I personally use Focusmate, which pairs you with another person who’s also trying to focus. You can choose 25-, 50-, or 75-minute sessions and check in with each other at the beginning and end.

Just a little before, at 9:30, I started a 50-minute Focusmate session with someone named Parker. I told him I was writing a blog post, and he said he was going to meditate (I can see him meditating right now). We have 24 minutes remaining in this session. (I also use another app called Groove for paired focusing.)

📋 The Activation and Reactivation Menus

Now that the timer is running, it’s time to get into the zone! I keep three index cards with ideas for how I can maintain focus. The first card, called the Activation Menu, helps me get started. The second card, called the Reactivation Menu, helps me regain focus when my mind drifts. (And we'll discuss the third card, the Recharge Menu, in the next section.)

Here are some ideas of things to add to your Menus, as well as pictures of my own:

Activation Menu (to get rolling 🛼)

• Offer praṇāma to your Gurudeva or Ṭhākurajī

• Take a few deep breaths

• Put on nature sounds or focus music

• Recite a short prayer

Reactivation Menu (to get back on track when you've been derailed 🛤️)

• Turn off your phone or place it in another room

• Do a couple of stretches

• Change the music

• Move to a different spot to focus

Everyone will have their own unique menu items that work best for them. I’m just sharing a few of mine to spark ideas. The key is to have a set of deliberate actions that help you shift into a focused and intentional mindset—making your tasks as engaging and enjoyable as possible so they don’t feel like a struggle and you'll want to do more of them.

Oh, my timer's up!

--INTERMISSION--

The Focusmate session just ended. Parker had a good meditation, and I let him know I nearly finished drafting this post. Now, I’m going to continue trying to practice what I preach and do the "reflect and recharge", which I'll discuss when I get back from a ten-minute walk to the Gaṅgā.

...🚶‍➡️🌊🙇🏻‍♂️🚶‍➡️🏠...

Okay, I’m back—after longer than expected! I ended up giving our cows a bath as well. Now I’m on a new Focusmate session with Layla, who is studying. In this session with her, I’m going to try and finish this post and edit it. 45 minutes to go!

(Btw, if anyone ever wants to set up focus sessions with me, reply to this email and let me know. I'd much prefer to do these with devotees! 😅)

--BACK TO THE POST--

Reflect and Recharge (5–10 minutes)

After making it through the session, it’s important to reflect and recharge so you can sustain your focus over time.

🧐 Reflect

Take a moment to assess how your session went and what you might tweak for the next session. As I mentioned earlier, focus is like a muscle—the more you train it, the stronger it gets. No matter your current ability (or inability) to focus, there’s always room to improve.

🪫⚡️🔋 Recharge

Give yourself proper breaks between sessions. If you push yourself to focus deeply for two or three hours straight, you’ll likely burn out. But if you take 5–10 minute breaks between sessions, you can often sustain many more hours of high-quality, focused activity without struggling too much. There are plenty of studies to confirm this.

To make sure you recharge nicely, it's helpful to make up another menu:

Recharge Menu (to make the next session even better 🚀)

Here are some ways to refresh between sessions:

• Take a short walk

• Drink water

• Chant a round

• Do some stretches

• Step outside for fresh air

• Give the cows a bath! 😜

And that's it for the focused hour formula!

This system is meant to be super flexible so it can adapt to your situation and evolve over time.

If this resonated with you, I invite you to create your own Activation, Reactivation, and Recharge Menus. I’d love to hear what works for you or if you already have a good system in place. You can reply to this email, write me a WhatsApp message, or write a comment on Vine of Devotion.

Also, let me know if you enjoy these types of practical posts. I love writing them because they inspire me to actually put these ideas into practice!