Virtual Event
Reclaiming Your Focus When Everything is Urgent
Exclusively for public servants and policymakers
Thursday, Oct 2, 2025
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At this event, you’ll:
- Learn practical techniques to improve focus and manage distractions
- Explore digital and analogue tools to create space for deep work
- Understand how to sustain attention and presence in high-pressure environments
Speakers
What to do next
- Catch up on the 4-minute highlights above, or dive into the full recording
- Join the Life in Government Community
- Check out our upcoming event Protecting Your Energy & Wellbeing at Work
Resources
Join the Life in Government Community
The Life in Government Community is a collaborative space designed for Apolitical members to connect with peers in the global public service and ask and answer questions on life in government.
Event Description
It’s hard to find focus when everything is urgent, the demands keep multiplying and time never feels like it’s your own. For public servants navigating packed calendars, endless emails and unpredictable crises, holding onto clarity can feel out of reach.
Improving focus isn’t just about blocking distractions. It’s about building practical systems, habits and mindsets that help reclaim attention amidst constant noise. Better focus leads to better time management, sharper decisions and a calmer presence, for leaders and practitioners alike.
This masterclass explores proven tools and techniques to help maintain deep focus at work — from daily strategies to long-term systems. Featuring experts who’ve implemented these practices in busy teams, the session shares what works, what doesn’t and why focus is a skill worth building.
This event will take place on Zoom. Joining instructions will be displayed on the event page once you register. The event will be recorded and the recording will be sent to all registrants. It may also be made available on Apolitical's platform for other members of our community to enjoy.
Interested in how Apolitical can support you and your organisation? Learn about collaborating with us.
Image Credit: Unsplash
Speakers
Jessica Van Onselen
Director of Communications and Marketing
UK
Jessica Van Onselen, is the Director of Communications and Marketing at Apolitical, a global social and learning platform with a mission to make governments smarter, to deliver for people and the planet. Apolitical is an unparalleled, rapidly growing global community of 250,000+ public servants and policymakers from 160 countries. At Apolitical, Jessica leads Apolitical’s insights thought leadership, and communications. Prior to Apolitical, Jessica was founder and Managing Director of BrightGuide Ltd, a strategic communications company focussed on reform and international development communications where she worked with the FCDO, GIZ, USAID, AusAid and the African Union. She also served as Head of Public Affairs for AngloGold Ashanti’s Africa division.
