shift my focus

USAGE SUMMARY

"shift my focus" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you need to talk about changing from one thing to focus on another. For example: "I needed to shift my focus from my personal life to my career."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

40 human-written examples

In December 2001, he resigned his seat, saying it was "time to shift my focus".

The New York Times

Maybe it is time for me to slightly shift my focus from machines to humans now.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

I started out as a parasite specialist, but soon wanted to shift my focus to lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis.

The Guardian

I tried to shift my focus to a stuffed rabbit lying on its side and a vixen head mounted on the wall, but that didn't work.

The New York Times

So far the move has made my schedule a little crazy and caused me to shift my focus away from my career some.

The New York Times

But once I'd gone home, I decided to read them, trying the breathing exercises designed to shift my focus from mind to body.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

20 human-written examples

I shifted my focus to building a career and a family.

The New York Times - Sports

More recently I shifted my focus in conversations with people who want to talk about memory.

Harvard University

Finding a niche: I shifted my focus from event planning to hotels after I got to N.Y.U.

The New York Times

I started ignoring the large publishers I had worked for and shifted my focus toward the smaller publishers.

The Guardian

Pretending to be a James Bond glamourpuss, in however small a way, has shifted my focus from changing nappies.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "shift my focus" when you want to clearly communicate a conscious decision to change your attention or priorities. For example, "I had to shift my focus to the more pressing issue at hand."

Common error

Avoid using "shift my focus" when you are simply multitasking or dividing your attention between multiple things simultaneously. It's more appropriate when you are intentionally re-prioritizing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shift my focus" acts as a verb phrase indicating a deliberate change in one's attention or priorities. This aligns with Ludwig AI's assessment of its correctness and usability. Examples from Ludwig show it used to describe changes in career direction, personal priorities, or even mental state.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Academia

28%

Science

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "shift my focus" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to describe a deliberate change in one's attention or priorities. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for various contexts, from career adjustments to personal well-being. Its frequency is high, particularly in news, academic, and scientific sources. When writing, be mindful of its intended meaning and consider alternatives like "redirect my attention" or "realign my priorities" for specific nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

redirect my attention

Emphasizes changing the direction of one's attention.

turn my attention to

Directs focus toward a specific subject or area.

refocus my efforts

Highlights redirecting one's energy and work.

change my perspective

Highlights altering the way one views a situation or subject.

move my concentration

Indicates transferring one's mental effort.

alter my viewpoint

Focuses on modifying one's point of view or stance.

modify my approach

Suggests altering the method used to tackle a task.

adjust my thinking

Implies making modifications to one's thought process.

pivot my strategy

Implies a strategic change in direction or approach.

realign my priorities

Suggests reorganizing what is most important to oneself.

FAQs

How can I use "shift my focus" in a sentence?

You can use "shift my focus" to describe a conscious change in attention or priorities. For example: "I need to "redirect my attention" and shift my focus to the upcoming deadline."

What's a more formal alternative to "shift my focus"?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "realign my priorities" or "redirect my attention" as more professional alternatives to "shift my focus".

Is it correct to say "shifted my focus on"?

No, it is more grammatically correct to say "shifted my focus to" or "shifted my focus onto". For instance, "I shifted my focus to/onto the new project" is preferable.

What can I say instead of "shift my focus" when dealing with stress?

When discussing stress reduction, you might say ""redirect my attention"", "distract myself", or "change my perspective" instead of "shift my focus".