Distractions got you down? These practical tools will help reign in your attention and increase productivity—for increased concentration when you need it most.

With so much stimuli these days making our brains as itchy as our fingers—an endless supply of silly puppy videos to scroll, a constant serenade of pings and dings—even yogis can find it difficult to pay attention to one task for very long. But learning to focus isn’t just for your boss’s benefit. Sure, your productivity will improve as you master concentration, but so will your personal relationships and, inevitably, your own happiness. Because as it turns out, happiness comes not from experiencing a greater amount of joyful events; it comes from perspective and from paying attention to what’s good.

Knowing that isn’t enough, however. The challenge comes in incorporating it into everyday life. New York City yogi Ashish Verma knows this well. As the general manager of the Chatwal, a historical high-end hotel in Manhattan, Verma manages countless potential distractions every day, handling the needs of his entire staff and those of his guests.

Here, Verma shares what’s helped him improve his concentration and master efficiency, plus a few tools to deepen your own concentration—at work, at home, on the mat, or wherever you need it most.