Thursday, June 13, 2013

Focus on your daily goals

How are you at focusing? Do you know what you want to accomplish each day and pretty much stay with it until you reach your goal or at least make good progress toward it? Or are you easily distracted?

Being easily distracted isn't a character flaw. It's just the way some people are. If that describes you, you may want to employ some methods to help you keep better focus (only if that's important to you and what you do, of course, and not because you need fixing).

Start your day by deciding what you really want to get done. Write it down where you can see it. Be as realistic as you can. Don't make an impossible to-do list, or you'll really get distracted—to say nothing about getting discouraged. What's most important to accomplish today? Start with three to six things—or just one if it's a large and complex task. That's plenty. Sometimes your day will be filled with interruptions, and those may even become the necessary and important things.

If others try to add to your day's to-do list and it's within your power to say "No," do so. Stay with your own focus if that's what you've determined is important for that day. If extra commitments can wait until another day or if they're better done by someone else, let them go.

Be sure to give yourself breaks throughout the day. Try to breathe deeply and approach your tasks in as relaxed a manner as possible. It will be easier to focus if you aren't feeling totally rushed and harried.  And it will be easier to focus if you have some space between tasks or even between different parts of a large project.

Be mindful as you carry out each part of your to-do list. If you pay attention, you are less easily distracted. And you might even enjoy what you're doing!

If it will help the entire process, promise yourself a reward when you finish those important things: a walk in the park, a cup of your favorite tea or something you especially enjoy. Be sure to cross things off your list when you finish. Doesn't that feel so good?

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