Maintaining focus on your goals and ambitions can be really tough. Life is distracting. Yet, focus is critical for productivity. This information is not new. Right? And, information is not transformation. And information, plus assessing where you are right now, is step one.
Let’s explore ways you can actually implement focus techniques. We often know what we NEED to do, it’s just the DOING it that we struggle with. (which can then lead to those voices saying “we are not good enough…”)
So let’s not let those voices in the door.
Whether or not you’re a parent, it’s ‘end of summer – back to school’ now, which can really derail your life and business. It’s a period of transition. Transition takes energy. When we choose (consciously or subconsciously) to give our energy to something, we are not giving it to something else. So, if you are up-leveling your productivity in biz or in life…then you need to deal with the School Conundrum….well, it can be derailing.
But it does not have to be this way.
With endings come opportunities for new beginnings, and new beginnings are exciting and motivating. We can use this to our advantage.
Labor Day marks the end of Summertime and with it brings approximately 100 remaining days of business before the Holiday Season takes hold. This is a great time to embark on an achievement sprint.
Is the concept of the ‘100 Day Sprint’ unfamiliar? Check out this guy.
Here’s the deal.
- You rested over the summer (right? If not, do it now. This fall’s gonna be a doozey. You cannot afford to skip this.)
- Your prospects rested.
- Business generally slows.
- Decisions get made in September when the weather shifts.
Whether or not you have a business, September creates that refreshing energy to fast track results. And having a deadline makes the Time Horizon shorter. I know you procrastinate. We all do. 100 days, people. Let’s do this.
SO: take a look at your “100 day sprint goal” and take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come in spite of COVID and world upheaval. Even if you feel behind, you’ve made a conscious decision to commit, so good for you! Acknowledge that and appreciate yourself.
Then:
- List your intermediate milestones on route to the goal you’ve set out to accomplish.
- Break each milestone down into achievable tasks, each with a deadline.
- Make a plan to track and measure the milestones, this will keep you motivated.
And, do make a contingency plan or leave a bit of wiggle room, just in case. Remember to include rest days as well, as R&R is super important for productivity.
Now, you may be left feeling overwhelmed with how much there is left to do. That’s normal. Don’t fret. You’re creating a plan, and with it will come motivation and excitement. Let that excitement flood your system for a moment rather than drown in the overwhelm.
Breaking things down into achievable tasks with definitive milestones allows you to take one day at a time, one task at a time. And don’t forget to work in short blasts and listen to your own energy levels. If you’re having a particularly productive day, there’s nothing stopping you getting a little ahead of yourself. Just make sure you don’t take on too much because this will cause burnout and stop you in your tracks.
In the second part of this blog we’ll look at 3 more awesome ways you can create focus and combat boredom and overwhelm.