Life is indeed difficult and our conflicting priorities too often cause us stress and overwhelm.  However, we can make things easier for ourselves by creating some order in the chaos to reduce overwhelm.

Over the years I’ve learned many strategies to keep the overwhelm at bay.  I have heard many times that you learn best what you teach, so I thought in that spirit, I would share my advice with you. If you are ultra organised and good at getting focused to boot and can add to the list, please do share.  Any advice will help me I’m sure.

Ten ways to help to get focused

1. Turn off the technology

With an array of teenage social media such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and IM. My son’s phone pretty much pings constantly. For me, my guilty time waster is to open emails when they ping into my inbox on my desk or laptop. This idea is as old as the first installed workplace computer.  We all know we have to do it, but it takes some discipline and determination to ignore our ever-increasing online communications.

2. Do one thing at a time

I know it’s not rocket science, but I do flit about from project to project at times. My son started some Psychology homework and got stuck. Instead of getting over the “difficult hurdle” he put it down and started something else. Doing one thing at a time means doing it from start to finish, without being distracted by something else. To do this takes determination and concentration. But it is well worth it as even difficult tasks get ticked off.

3. Diarise non-urgent tasks a month ahead

If you have a million things to do and half of them are routine then get the diary out.   If those tasks are definitely not going to be urgent in the next week or so, then diarise them a month in the future. I know it doesn’t get them off your list. It gets them off your list for now.  It is like a breath of fresh air to know you don’t have to give those routine items priority. If you do happen to get up to date, you can always reach forward and get those things done and feel even more virtuous!

4. Chunk down daunting tasks

My son had his first 1000-word essay to do. He was daunted, to say the least. If you are daunted by the size of the task, then chunk it down into manageable tasks. Put each smaller task into a series of priorities and complete each one in order. It is easier to concentrate on a task if you know it’s only going to take an hour or so than when you know it’s going to take a couple of days.

5. Have a purpose

When I have a mundane, but priority task to do. I need a good purpose to help me get focused. So for example, when I got my tax return done last year, I had to remind myself that if I got it done, not only would it not be hovering over me, like the ghost of Christmas Past, but I would be able to completely get focused on tasks I really love and enjoy.

When you have a purpose or a vision then you can remind yourself why being focused and getting things done can help you achieve your goals.

6. Don’t do it

Get rid of unnecessary or habitual tasks to help you focus on the important and necessary tasks. If you can’t find a good reason to do it,  then stop.

7. Be in the right environment

If you are in a busy office and can’t concentrate on interruptions and activity around you, go somewhere else to allow getting focused. I managed a busy office with over 80 employees on site. As my door was wide open, I had a constant queue of people coming to see me.

During one particular crisis we encountered, I was struggling to pull together an urgent report.  One of my dear team members marched over, popped her head around the door and said, “excuse me, but this is for your own good”. She shut the door and taped a “Do not disturb” sign on my door. Yes, I should have done it myself of course, but being in reactive mode can sometimes be a lifelong habit.

8. Take a break

If you get to a point where you are finding it hard to get focused, take a break. Taking a break does not mean checking your phone or emails. It is going to get a coffee, get some fresh air or even practise a five-minute meditation. It is about quieting your mind. This gives you space for getting focused, not populating it with fresh information.

9. Establish a routine

If you are a morning person then getting through your priority tasks should be done as soon as you get to your desk, or as soon as you can. You know what times of the day you are most productive, don’t waste those times on routine non-urgent tasks, reserve them for the things you really need to do to make a difference. Once you’ve established your time zone, then stick to it and make it a habit as prevalent as brushing your teeth.

10. Prioritise your to-do list

My tenth tip is borrowed from a great mentor of mine, the eminently successful Peter Thomson, who is the UK’s most prolific Information Product Creator. His simple method of prioritising the three most important “to-do” entries every day helps you to decide the order of priorities and stops you from flitting from task to task.

So here are my top tips for getting focused.  What are yours?

I help leaders develop self- mastery, helping them to become confident in their own inner guidance.

I collaborate with leadership experts, managers and HR professionals to help them get their own message and unique services and products to a wide audience.

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