How to get it and how to keep it!

I wanted to write about FOCUS this month and its importance to your success. It has come up recently with every client I've worked with, so there is clearly something in the air!

Whether you are setting up your own business or going for a career change, unless you are focused on the task you will get nowhere! Bit of an exaggeration, you say? Not really in my opinion as the lack of focus takes our eye off the ball and our minds off the subject in hand and we disperse out energy and our efforts in the process. If you look at the life stories of successful people (how ever you personally judge 'success') the one thing they have in common is that they are or have been focused on a particular task at a particular time and they have not allowed distractions to get in the way. They have been single minded in going after their goal and pursued it until it has come into being.

Ask yourself this question, when was the last time you sat down and finished one specific task without getting sidetracked onto something else in the meantime? If you are honest and really think, I bet that most of you will find it hard to pin point a time recently when this has happened. Some amongst you will be very organised and set clear targets for your 'work' sessions. But generally speaking women have the fantastic capacity to think about and process several things at once – so we can conduct an interview at work, whilst also planning the dinner and drafting a report in our heads! If you are managing a job/business and family you know all about this. This is a great strength but it can also be our downfall when we NEED to concentrate on one thing at a time!

10 Tips to focus on!

• Set aside a specific time slot when you will achieve a specific task.
   
• Don't allow yourself to get distracted –keep on target.
   
• Deal with interruptions assertively saying clearly you are not free now but will be in x amount of time.
   
• Don't answer the 'phone during these times –that's what answer phones are for!
   
• If you are researching on the internet, do not get side tacked onto 'interesting' websites – make a note of them and come back to them at another time.
   
• Always set an intention for a specific session – at the end of an hour, I will have completed this job application. In this way you programme your brain to come up with a specific outcome in a specific time period.
   
• Decide to work on one important project ONLY for the next 30 days (or 3 months- whatever time period makes sense to you) and every activity you undertake is linked to that project during that time.
   
• If you blog, write articles and so on to 'promote' yourself, make a regular date with yourself for this activity weekly and stick to it.
   
• Plan and write these times in your diary and respect them just as you would if you had a meeting booked with someone else.
   
• Take a break every hour so you work 50 minutes and you have a 10 minute break. During that break sing, dance, walk-do whatever you can to refresh mind and body.

Why not try it and let us know how you get on?

Kate

kate@movingforwardyourway.com

Don't forget to book a FREE 30 minute coaching call with me to help you Breakthrough a Block in your life. Go to my website for details www.movingforwardyourway.com