Distraction dilutes the impact of your life.
Consider the splendid absurdity of an unfocused life. You can spend a day chasing distractions and feel important doing it.
Distractions are tender morsels of delight that gobble your time and squander your talent.
The world provides a thousand whispering seductions that create the illusion of significance.
20 useful ways to create focus today:
- Do one thing at a time. Forget about multitasking. Open an application. Use it. Close it.
- Decide to finish what you start. Set milestones for large tasks.
- Schedule distraction-time. Give yourself 15 minutes to click on news banners before lunch, for example.
- Place your phone out of sight and out of reach. David Burkus calls this creating friction.
- Schedule time to complete a task. Set a deadline. Then observe #2 above.
- Protect your best hours. Schedule important tasks when you’re at your best.
- Clear off your desk. Clutter is distracting.
- Schedule email-time. If it’s not email time, turn off email.
- Manage your energy. Notice fatigue. Fill your own tank.
- Choose one or two important tasks to complete today.
- Go for walks.
- Say no. Try it.
- Know the difference between urgent and important.
- Do less people-pleasing. Stay connected to who you are.
- Put next week’s big rocks on your calendar this week.
- Go to bed. See #9 above.
- Define success for today.
- Connect with an accountability partner.
- Prepare for tomorrow tonight.
- Ask yourself if what you’re doing actually contributes to your mission.
An extravagance of opportunities creates poverty for people who lack focus.
“What we can control is our performance and our execution, and that’s what we’re going to focus on.” Bill Belichick
Which of the 20 items do you find most useful? Difficult?
What helps you focus?
How to Transform Distraction into Achievement
7 Ways to Overcome Distraction and Do What Matters
HBR survey – The Definitive 100 Most Useful Productivity Tips
7 Useful Tips for Improving Your Mental Focus
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This post was previously published on Leadership Freak with a Creative Commons License.
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