Have you ever sat at your desk frantically working yet not getting anything finished?
You feel like a jumping bean hopping from one e-mail to the next then a thought comes flying into your head that reminds you to work on your schedule so you dive into planning your schedule for the next week or so and as you do that you remember you need to schedule a physical for your daughter so you go online to book the appointment only to see an ad that catches your eye on the sidebar about the latest tragic news event and you feel compelled to remain current on what’s happening so you click on the link to begin diving into the devastation…
I could go on and on, however, my guess is you get the picture and it feels all too familiar. The stimulation our brain receives in the run of a day can be extremely distracting.
In the past, I carried the badge of honor as an incredible multitasker with immense pride only to now realize just how silly that was! I kept pushing the envelope only to reach the point of not being able to focus for an extended period of time.
I began researching to learn new strategies to calm my mind and bring myself back to a place of being able to focus and enjoy the task at hand and see it to completion. Wow - what a fabulous feeling!
When I began my research, I thought I would learn high-tech, complicated strategies because it couldn’t be simple or everyone would be doing it. Much to my surprise none of the solutions were complex!
Today, I’m sharing with you the top five strategies that have helped bring me back into creative focus allowing my productivity to soar:
- Close out of my e-mail and shut off my phone for 30-minute increments to focus on a large piece of work. Yes, I know it sounds undoable, being out of touch, what if someone needs me, what if ________.
- Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea during my 30-minute focus session.
- Prepare my mind before entering the session by breathing deeply into my stomach and releasing all of the thoughts rattling around in my head. Letting them know I’ll come back to them. I do this while I walk to my desk with my yummy warm beverage of choice.
- Here’s a wild card – sometimes I put music on depending on my mood.
- If I get creatively stuck during my session, I have two strategies I use:
- I get up, stretch and take a brisk 3-second walk around the office.
- Crank up the music and dance to move my body and blow out the cobwebs that have slowed the flow of my thoughts.
here are many other evidence-based ways to help you return to focus and be more productive, however, those are my favorites.
How different would you feel if you were able to have more focus in your day?
What strategy might you want to begin with today? Perhaps you have another one that resonates with you a bit more? What is it? When would you like to begin using it? Let me know what you decide.
Remember if you choose not to do anything different than what you are currently doing, the results you are getting will remain the same. So, if you would like to have a different result, what will you do different today to make the shift happen?
Keep in mind, making a decision to shut off e-mail and the phone felt scary and all of the ‘what if’ scenarios ran rampant in my mind. However, I decided to test it out for 30 days to see if it helped. Developing any habit takes practice and repetition. Now, after over a couple of years of practice, the more I do it, the more amazing results it brings.
Let me know what you decide to do to help bring focus back into your day.
If you would like to chat more about focus and what gets in your way, click here to set up a complimentary discovery session with me today.