How to focus in 5 steps
In today’s Information world of Blogs, wikis, websites, Television, Internet Streaming, You-tube, Hulu, Internet Marketing, and Sports, we are bombarded by marketing messages and bombarded by things that keep us looking at the next “Shiny Penny” our attention is diverted until we can’t even concentrate on doing one thing, and then moving to the next.
Its going to take laser like focus on one specific goal in order to accomplish your task at hand before you move on to the next “BIG THING“. I’ve learned from Seth Godin that because of this problem, most authors, and producers of content have to streamline and shorten their messages to make them more effective. Well, I have found 5 things that you can do right now that will allow you to truly “FOCUS” on what needs to be done first.
Are you still with me? I need to make this quick..
1. Set your priorities in a list – From the most important to the least important. Write them down (daily) and work on the easiest tasks first until your complete and strike it off the list. Most people would say do the hardest first. However, if you do and don’t finish or it take the entire day. Guess what? You have lost the entire day and have no sense of accomplished.
2. Check email only twice a day – I know this is hard to do, because I struggle with this one myself. I have so many email messages coming in that I tend to spend hours looking at email and not accomplishing anything. Early in the morning go check your email and then before you go to bed. However, the trick is to organize the important messages and filter our the rest.
3. Setup RSS Feeds – I know there is allot of content that you like reading. The way I keep up with all of it is by setting up RSS Feeds for my most important topics, and news articles, or videos. If you don’t know how to setup an RSS Feed, I have a screen cast coming on that soon. (stand by) or subscribe to my Feed so you don’t miss it.
4. Set Reminders in email – Please do what you say you are going to do. Then only way to accomplish this is to setup reminders if you don’t have an assistant to remind you of meetings and tasks you need to get done. If you promise someone your going to complete a task, please do it. Remind yourself constantly to “GET it DONE“. Remember your actions ultimately define who you are.
5. Get some sleep – When you not well rested and focused, you tend to loose focus and your day will not go well. Get as much sleep as you can so that you are well rested.
I hope these 5 steps will help you to eliminate the clutter and start to focus on the task at hand.
About Lincoln R Parks
