One of the things you can do to increase your productivity and achieve more results is to increase your focus. Most people in our industry today are pulled in a million directions all day long. This can create a “fire fighting” effect that makes you feel like you got a lot done, but in reality, you may be working on all the wrong things. One technique that I’ve used is setting a specific period of time aside to focus on your top priorities. This can have a dramatic effect on your productivity. Here are my tips for doing that:
1. What are your top priorities? Most people have a hard time with this first step. In order to achieve more you have to work on the right things. You are being pulled in a million directions but what is the number one thing that needs to get done? If you can answer this question, you are in good shape. In Brian Tracy’s book “Focal Point” he talks about applying the 80/20 rule to work. 80 percent of what your employer is paying you is being derived from 20 percent of your tasks. If you can spend more time on the critical 20 percent and less time on the 80 percent, you will have more value to your employer.
2. Carve out a time to work on your top priority. Start with 30 minutes. Maybe for you it’s the last 30 minutes of the day. Maybe it is right before lunch or right after lunch. For most people, the best answer is the first 30 minutes of your day. The first thing you do almost always gets done. So many things can happen in the middle of your day that can derail your plans. The morning is usually the best time.
3. Environment is key. Do you have an office where you can close the door? Do people come in anyway? I try to do my 30 minutes at home before I leave for work. My family is asleep, no one can interrupt me, and I can concentrate. Maybe the Starbucks down the street from your office would be better? You might also try putting a sign on your door indicating the time you will be back out of your office so people will wait and not interrupt you.
4. Turn everything off. Turn off the email alerts on your computer. Turn off the meeting alerts on your computer. Turn off your office phone. Turn off your cell phone. No interruptions! This is key. They say that it takes 15 minutes to recover from an interruption. If you are only doing 30 minutes that is half the time you have scheduled! If you read any books on how the mind works you will see that in an environment where you can’t be interrupted, your mind will focus better. Your mind is always scanning for things and it will not do this if interruptions are not anticipated. That’s why you get so much done when you are the only one in the office on a Saturday. So turn off any potential interruptions.
5. Lastly, set a timer. Give yourself the 30 minutes but stop at 30. Again, your mind will be more focused if it knows how long the focus needs to be. Now, work on that first priority. If you can’t finish it today, there is always tomorrow!
