Keeping F.O.C.U.S.

By Andrea Costantine

In this day and age when we are receiving over 10,000 messages daily through the radio, Internet, email, television, blackberries, iPhone’s and more, the term “focus” seems like something of the past.  

Adults seem to be riddled with their own ADHD-like tendencies by checking emails incessantly throughout the day, answering midday unexpected phone calls, and getting interrupted every so often by co-workers, urgent emails, instant messages and texts.  

With all that interruption, no wonder we feel scattered, disorganized, and have complete lack of control.

I have created FIVE keys to help you keep the F.O.C.U.S.

F: Finish what you start  –  make time to finish anything that you start. If you are checking emails, respond to the emails right away. If you get your mail, go through it right then and there. Finish whatever project you are working on before moving on to the next item. Finishing what you start will leave you feeling like you accomplished a lot more in each day than half-heartedly doing multiple tasks.

O – Organize your life –  a clear office and workspace will keep you on task and less distracted. Keep up with administrative tasks by scheduling one day monthly to file, type up, organize, tie  up loose ends. When you are organized you will be more productive and will have a clear head to start every day. Clean your desk at the end of every workday, never leave with a stack of papers or anything messy that can start off the next day in a frenzy.

C-  Create the top six – Know the six most important items for you to work on, plan your day the night before and do those six items before you do anything else. Planning your day the night before gives your subconscious mind time to figure out how to complete those tasks you want to finish. Some people don’t even allow themselves to check emails or anything else until their top six items are completed. (These are highly productive, successful people!) Start with the top three if six is too much. 

U – Use time blocks – Use blocks or chunks of time for specific activities and tasks. Perhaps Monday is creation day, Tuesday’s are networking meetings, Wednesday’s are marketing days, etc. Even within those days you can block your time out even more narrowing down each task throughout the day and then having only a limited number of time to work on an ongoing project.  When you block your time and don’t allow interruptions, you can be more focused to get work done more timely.

S – Schedule wisely – schedule appointments according to your schedule, not everyone else’s.  If someone wants to see you on a Tuesday, but you only do appointments on Monday, wait until the following week to make that appointment.  Schedule everything including email time, working out, lunch, etc. Keep to a schedule and move along from task to task easily and effortlessly.

Consider this… when you are scattered and jumping from one thing to another, you can actually feel dissatisfaction at the end of your workday.  True focus is tough. I am surely not perfect at it but getting better and better. I do know how great I feel when I have had a truly focused day.

Sometimes focused work may only be an hour or two, but that hour or two could be leading you to a more prosperous life and business. 

(c) 2010 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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Andrea Costantine is a writer, speaker, and wanna-be artist, focusing on the good things in life.  She is a perpetual optimist, lover of nature, yoga, travel, and new experiences.  Learn more about Andrea at www.andreacostantine.com.