In today’s fast-paced world, staying on task can be challenging, especially for busy moms, working women, and entrepreneurs. There’s so many distractions and interruptions. The only way to get around these is to learn how to stay focused.
I’ve always been busy. In my 20s, I worked a full-time job, went to school full-time, volunteered in church, all while helping to raise my four nieces and nephews. Then, as a mom, I homeschooled my daughter, worked with the children’s ministry, and led a very active Girl Scout troop. At this stage of life, I run a business, do a bit of merchandising, do light caregiving for my mom, and lots of caregiving for my husband. As you can see, I am no stranger to having to get a lot done. Here are a few tips I learned along the way.
HOW TO STAY FOCUSED TIPS
1. Get Everything Out of Your Head
When we keep all of our tasks in our head, it can be overwhelming. The best advice I learned along the way is to braindump. Write down everything that needs to happen. Add both big and small activities to your list. Here’s what happens for me:
- The braindump list looks more manageable than when it’s crowded in my head.
- I can see what the priorities are. What needs to happen today? What can be put off for a week or two.
- It stops the toggling back-and-forth between tasks.
- There’s less distractions with getting work done as other tasks pop into my head.
2. Schedule It
You are the CEO of your life. Use a planner and schedule all of your brain-dump activities. Personally, a hard-copy planner with time slots work best for me. But if you are more digital, that works, too. For time specific events, I absolutely use my smartphone’s alarm. And I utilize Google calendar.
Be kind to yourself by scheduling self-love activities, too. This could be as simple or as elaborate as you desire. Examples are:
- DIY mani
- Home SPA-cation
- Massage
- Weekend Getaway
- European Tour
3. Break Tasks into Bite-size Steps
Okay, confession time. I am a terrible housekeeper. There was a time when my home looked like it belonged in Better Homes & Garden. I was the Martha Stewart type long before I knew who she was. But those days seem to be well behind me.
So when I need to do household chores, I break it down. For me, the entire house doesn’t have to be done in one day. I can schedule a room a day. But that’s just me. It’s not ideal for everyone. I am sure you are able to find other tasks that can be divided into smaller portions.
4. Pencil It In
Let’s revisit Step 2: Schedule It. The reality is, you will have interruptions. Flexibility is the key. In my opinion, the only person on this planet who handled interruptions well was Jesus. He never let interruptions stop him. Along his way to important events, he stopped to aid those who interrupted him. Yay, I want to be like that.
I have not perfected interruptions the way Jesus did. But, I don’t get as frustrated as I used to. With many birthdays come wisdom. Leaning in with wisdom and grace is a great way to handle interruptions. If you have young children or if you are a caregiver, your life will absolutely be interrupted. Loving on the people in your life is far more important than keeping to a calendar of events.
However, not all interruptions need to be addressed. For example, if you are in the midst of a priority task and someone wants to meet you for coffee, you have to learn to say, “no.” Stay true to yourself. Instead, reschedule for lunch, a dinner date, or coffee on another day.
5. Quiet the Noise
Distractions are not the same as interruptions. This, you can eliminate. Instead of having the television on while working, use Spotify to listen to your favorite playlist. Podcasts are great, too, for some tasks. It works best for me while driving, housework, cooking, or doing tasks that doesn’t require my full concentration.
Turning off notifications is also a good thing. Control your phone. Don’t let it control you. Voicemail, social media posts, and all the other things will be awaiting you once you complete your task. You can even schedule breaks to check in on the notifications. Anything that is more urgent can be handled during the break. Anything else? Write a note to yourself to address it once your task is complete.
TIP: My daughter and husband have a different ringtone than the masses. If they call, I answer immediately. If you have children or people who depend upon you, always give them access to reach you no matter what.
6. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing and exercise, can enhance your focus. Spend a few minutes each day practicing mindfulness to reduce stress and improve your mental clarity.
7. Stay Structured
Excuse me while I write this to myself. Structure used to be a huge part of my life. It still is on some level. The “everything has a place” was my adopted philosophy. If you could see my desk, you’d ask, “What happened?”
I can tell you structure is so much better than chaos. When everything is organized, you don’t waste time finding what you need. So let me be hypocritical in this sentence: Keep your workplace clutter-free for efficiency.
8. Be Realistic
Set achievable goals for yourself. Unrealistic expectations can lead to frustration and decreased focus. Seasons of our lives change. Medical conditions for ourselves or loved ones may modify our goals. Career demands happen. Children get sick. We get older and may slow down a bit.
10. Let Go of the Superwoman Syndrome
I grew up in the era with Wonder Woman and the commercial about women being able to do everything. Personally, I no longer believe the hype. I believe we can have and do a lot of things in our lives, but not all at once. First, embrace the season that you are in. Then do what you can. Finally, let go of or delegate the rest.
Once you let go of what society says you’re supposed to be, you will become free to be the authentic self you were created to be. It’s my hope that these tips will help you discover how to stay focused. When you do, you will feel accomplished. Isn’t that a ROYAL way to live life?
Purple Essence By Evelyn, your partner in aging well and achieving your best self.
