Are you always focused on the task at hand?
I definitely have shiny object syndrome. I blame the Internet and social media. It’s so easy to think you’re going to check Facebook for just a minute and 3 hours later….
I know you all know EXACTLY what I’m getting at!
I do have discipline and I am good at planning but there are a kazillion things that can get me off track.
One of my biggest problems is I tend to take on too much. I also tend to overthink things and spend too much time planning and thinking instead of doing. I know that’s just a form of procrastination even though I like to I pretend I’m really doing this high-level business planning like the entrepreneur I am.
Fooling myself isn’t as hard as you might think. In fact, it’s downright easy. I’ve got skillz, what can I say.
So it’s important to actively refocus on my goals from time to time. To stay on track and work the plan.
There are several ways to refocus your energies. The key is to find what works for you.
My top 3 strategies are:
- Remind yourself of the bigger picture. That the small task you need to do today is important because it’s part of your big goal. If you don’t get it done you might not achieve that goal.
- Shut out all outside influences. Your phone, social media, email, your kids (just kidding, sort of) and set a timer where you will just work on the specific thing in front of you. Once you’ve put in your time THEN do all the fun things like check Facebook and play with the kids.
- Sometimes I long for the days where we had phones tethered to the wall and fax machines. It’s so easy to become a slave to email and it totally jacks with your productivity if you’re checking it every 5 minutes and then acting on things. You should set aside scheduled times to check, sort, and respond to email. Don’t let it take over your life.
Focus and discipline are important to success and while it’s fun to go down the rabbit hole sometimes it won’t get me to where I want to go.
What are your go-to strategies for staying focused?
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