We have such busy lives, and we are constantly being bombarded by e-mails, telephone calls, and media reports, it is easy to get distracted and lose focus. For me, there are always a number of things competing for my attention - working on my business, articles to write, networking, opportunities to pursue, daily work, personal activities, growth and learning, etc. I've learned over the years that when I try to work on too many projects at once, none of them are actually completed until I stop and concentrate on one at a time.
So, here are some things I have incorporated into my daily patterns that may work for you.
- Setting goals. These should be SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Based. In addition, in order to provide you with motivation, they should be based on your standards of integrity and priorities in life. This gives meaning to the goal
- Breaking the action steps necessary to attain the goals into bit sized chunks. This means creating a plan. A plan can create the link you need to get you from where you are to where you want to be. These are called tasks, and often will make up a To Do list. They should be small enough to accomplish in one sitting.
- Track your progress in a dynamic way that works for you. Many of us start out to accomplish goals, but lose our way in the midst of our daily lives. Part of the reason this occurs is because we don't reward ourselves for the successes we achieve, and create visibility around the tasks we have accomplished. When create visibility, we naturally feel better about the progress we are making and we have a better idea of how much effort is left.
- Always plan ahead. Review your goals frequently. I review my goals, and my listed tasks each day to remind myself of what my intentions are, and why. This activity helps strengthen my commitment and plan the time it will take me to do the next several steps.
- Reward yourself for achieving milestones. What a motivation booster!
- Notice positive patterns. As you are working, notice when you get the most done. Pay attention to the time of day when you are interrupted the least, the most. Once you've established the patterns of your day, you can schedule your activities throughout the day to take advantage of times available to really focus and work.
- Remove distractions. Don't give yourself the option to give in to temptation. Make your distractions difficult or inconvenient to access. This makes it less likely you will give in. For example, don't have your e-mail up and available all day long. Close it down so that you have to deliberately sign in three or four times a day.
- Block out time. If you need some VERY quiet time to complete a specific task, it is often helpful to get up early to work on that task, and can prove to be very productive. I also tend to be very focused early in the morning before everyone else is up.
- Keeping your eye on your ultimate intention. It is often easier to keep your motivation high when you focus on the outcome you are wanting as opposed to the task you are working on in the moment.
- Enlisting a support network. Tell at least five people about your intentions. They will provide you with gentle reminders to nudge you back on the path of meeting your goals, and provide you with constant encouragement to work at your goals and be successful.
This system of creating focus can work in all areas of your life, both personal and professional. What works for me may not work for you, so don't be afraid to test out other techniques.
Ten Things You Can Do to Stay Focused