Well, a lot of well meaning people, have offered their advice to me on this topic, ranging from locking myself away and having no distractions around me, to exercising and meditating before I attempt to do, what it is, I need to do.
However well intended the advice, I have found that this advice, may not always be practical. I can't imagine myself meditating while I'm driving down the road for example, or exercising whilst I am at work at my desk, so what do I do to stay focused.
Well for me staying focused is a 3 step process
I make a decision, I prioritise, and I do it for me.
By that I mean, I make a decision that something has to be done, it doesn't matter what it is or if it is big or small or long or short I just know that whatever it is, it has to be done, so I make a decision to do it. That is my first step.
The second step is that I prioritise it, I give it a level of importance, The higher the level of importance the quicker I find myself doing whatever it is that needs doing. However I make that level of importance without any desperation. I have found that it is very hard for me to do something if I pressure myself to do it, rather than choose to do it, so I give it a level of importance that doesn't have me under pressure, yet is still achievable for me.
Then I do it for me. What do I mean by that? I mean that I do it for me, not because someone else says I have to, or because I have a deadline to meet or because I have my future riding on it; I find that all of those reasons and reasons like those mentioned place far too much pressure on me and I do not do my best work. Whereas if I choose to do something for myself, I tend to do it in a calm and efficient manner. I do it at a pace that I am comfortable with, and in a place that is of my choosing.
By doing it for me, I also seem to somehow claim responsibility for it, which helps me a lot, especially if it is something that also affects my family members or other people, and by claiming this responsibility I take extra care and effort in doing the task at hand, which then gives a better all round result.
Now other things a person can do to stay focused are things like:
1. Break a complex task up into the smallest possible activities and do the easiest first, Then the 2nd, the 3rd and so on.
2. Keep your work space clutter-free so your current focus isn't distracted by the chaos around you
3. Work on one task/activity at a time, you can use a kitchen timer to maintain pace, say an hour at a time then 10 minutes off then another hour and 10 min off etc
4. Listen to background music through headphones, this keeps you in your seat and your spirits and energy up
5. Stay organized and know everything that you need to get done, then when it comes down to it; focus on one thing at a time and FINISH IT
6. Remember your successes and how far you have come from the life/Job you once had.
7. Put a sticker saying "One Thing At A Time" on your Pc or laptop.
8. Do the thing you dread the most first, once it's done the rest seems like a piece of cake
9. If you start to feel tired, Go for a walk for 15-30 minutes
10. Sit Back and visualise the end of your task and the success it will bring you
Staying focused isn't hard, if you don't over complicate things, or put yourself under pressure. Use these tips and you will have no problem with staying focused on whatever you choose to do.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Verhoeff
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