Focus

#Beingaleader means you need to focus. Not just on the end prize of a project or task completion but on the specific step in front of you.

Studies have shown over and over that we are not really as good as we think at multi-tasking. If we are trying to accomplish a task, it is better to give spurts of focused energy to something to move it forward rather than trying to do ten things at a time. We will end up wasting time and not accomplishing much.

#Beingaleader we need to be wary of distraction. Distraction can come in many forms. Tasks; social media; phone calls; emails; people. Many years ago I went to a time management seminar and the speaker wanted us to not answer emails or voicemails until a specific time of the day so we could focus on the important things on our to-do list. While I got her point, I simply didn’t find this practical in my position where hundreds of daily emails/texts are the norm. I noticed a shift in about the year 2001 from emails/texts being about providing necessary information to more like quick phone calls either asking questions; seeking guidance; needing an opinion etc. Some kind of timely response is now required so it’s hard to stop being distracted. But we should at least attempt to have minutes (if not hours) where we can focus on a specific task away from distraction.

#Beingaleader means we need to block out time. We are often too busy to stop doing what we’re doing to try and find a better way. Perhaps reading a book in a totally unrelated field of study from what I’m currently doing might provide the key to fix a problem or provide me with ideas or give me inspiration to carry on. I often read (or listen) to books outside my field. There is no reason you can’t steal good ideas and apply them to your field.

Sometimes we need to not do anything except think. There’s an idea: focused thought. This is one task that we often don’t pay attention to or perhaps just can’t find the time for. Thinking. Yet, if we did more of this thing call thinking, perhaps we could solve a problem we have. Perhaps we could adjust our behavior to provide better results. Perhaps it would allow time for the brain to process options that we’ve not previously considered. Thinking. Try it sometime.

#Beingaleader means you need to get focus; be focused; and stay focused.