How Stress Hijacks Focus

Do you open 10 tabs and forget what you were doing? You’re not alone. Our brains have been conditioned to crave distraction—thanks to tech, stress, and overstimulation. Focus isn’t just about productivity—it’s about presence, creativity, and living a life that feels like yours.

In this episode, I explain how chronic stress and dopamine addiction are training your brain to self-interrupt, making it harder than ever to stay on task. Drawing on insights from researchers like Dr. Gloria Mark, I break down how habits like doomscrolling and multitasking are literally rewiring our prefrontal cortexes.

But it’s not all doom and distraction.

I share powerful, research-based strategies to rebuild your focus muscle—from daily breathing hacks and body doubling to my personal “rule of three” method and compassionate productivity practices. You’ll also hear how I use unstructured rest, deliberate boredom, and digital boundaries to reconnect with what matters most.

If you’ve ever felt like your brain is broken, this episode will help you reconnect with the calm, focused version of you that still exists—just beneath the noise.

We get into:

• Why focus is the hidden key to creating a meaningful, joyful life.
• How stress hijacks your brain and kills concentration.
• Science-backed focus hacks that actually work—no guilt, just relief.
• Daily habits to rewire your brain away from distraction and back to clarity.
• Why social media mimics slot machines—and how to break free.

Check out the previous episodes of The Liz Moody Podcast discussed today:

• Top Attention Researcher: Our Attention Spans Are Down To 47 Seconds! Here’s How To Fix It with Dr. Gloria Mark
• I’ve Tried Every Hack To Reduce Stress—These 6 Actually Work To Instantly Feel Better
• How To Work LESS AND Get MORE Done with Cal Newport
• Drastically Rethinking Time Management: Routines & Habits To Make You Happier AND More Productive with Kendra Adachi
• The Secret to Getting in Shape, Sleeping Better, Saving Money, And Being More Confident and Productive (Yes, Really!) with Dr. Katy Milkman 

Ready to uplevel every part of your life? Order Liz’s book 100 Ways to Change Your Life: The Science of Leveling Up Health, Happiness, Relationships & Success now! 

Connect with Liz on Instagram @lizmoody or online at www.lizmoody.com. Subscribe to the substack by visiting https://lizmoody.substack.com/welcome. Buy our cute sweatshirts, conversation cards, and more at https://shop.lizmoody.com/.

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This episode is brought to you completely free thanks to the following podcast sponsors:

AG1: visit DrinkAG1.com/LizMoody and get your FREE year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs today.

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The Liz Moody Podcast cover art by Zack. The Liz Moody Podcast music by Alex Ruimy.

Formerly the Healthier Together Podcast. 

This podcast and website represents the opinions of Liz Moody and her guests to the show. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for information purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.

The Liz Moody Podcast Episode 368.

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