Does the following scenario sound the least bit familiar to you?
You’re working on a project, and you get distracted. Maybe it is your kids. It could be your phone. Maybe it is your fur baby.
You brush off this distraction as a one-time deal, and you keep working. Minutes later, you’re distracted again. That something gets you shifting to another project. You are working on that, and you get a phone call, and you remember you need to check some emails.
Later in the day, you realize you never got around to the first project you were working on. That can be a BIG problem if you have a big assignment due soon.
Been there? Probably. I know I have. I stopped counting how often that happens; I do not know if I can count that high!
Do you know anyone who has not been distracted? I do not know anyone who has told me that he or she doesn’t get distracted. I thought I would share some thoughts and ideas on getting focused with you throughout the next month. If you like what I am doing, please let everyone know!
Did you just realize you lost points on your assignment because you forgot to do something?
My assignment checklist can help you remember the details.
Check it out! It is FREE!!!!
We live in a digital world, and we’ve become activity addicts. If we don’t have our full attention on something, the outcome won’t be whole either. Would you agree? Have you ever done a fantastic job on an activity that did not have your full attention? Think about that. This could mean work, relationships, friendships, or health have, at some point, suffered because you were not focused and you got distracted by something silly. I suspect that when you were focused on the activity you completed it because you had some sort of goal. Goals help you focus.
Are you not focusing because you are worried?
To give something your all, you need to prioritize your focus.
What do I mean by focus?
Focus is defined in Webster’s online dictionary as the center of interest or activity. If you’re working on something and you’re not putting it at the center of your interest or activity, you’re not giving it your all. You’re placing it in a chain of orbiting priorities, and rather than giving it your 100%, you’re splitting up its importance with other revolving tasks.
Multi-tasking can be great. Some even claim it is sometimes necessary. However, multi-tasking still requires focus. It doesn’t matter if you want to live life as a multi-tasker or a single-tasker. Either way, if you’re going to get anything done, you must learn how to focus on the task at hand and refrain from distractions that break your focus.
This might sound like a lot, but hey, you’re focusing on it, right? The key is to follow a set of steps – to have a process in place – that garners attention and focus and keeps you on track for the moments when you might get sidetracked. As I have discussed elsewhere, thinking about your goals can help your time management skills.
Over the next few weeks, I will take you through a six-step process on how to stay focused. As you read along, take note of how often you find your mind wandering. That’s okay – it happens. Do not worry. This is natural! I would strongly suggest that you use this as a time to get a grasp of how your mind works. We’ll tap into that later in this series.
Ready to focus? Let’s go!
Why is focus so important?
You’re probably familiar enough with the word, and you’ve invested in learning how to get a better sense of focus in your life. Why is it so important? Is it more important than other things, like speed or timeliness?
“More important” isn’t the right way to describe it, but it absolutely is essential. Let’s take it from some of the experts.
Warren Buffet is one of the most successful investors in the world. He now sits as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and has lived a life of entrepreneurial endeavors and strategic investments.
Buffet has a 5/25 rule, which states that out of 25 things you’d like to achieve, your top 5 should be the only ones that get your focus. Otherwise, you’re derailing yourself from your main goals by splitting your attention among so many. If you think about this, Buffet is indicating that goals are necessary if you want to focus on something. He will not spend his time on something that is not one of his goals. Does that make sense?
It may sound crazy, but at the end of the day, your concentration exists because you want to accomplish something or because you have something to complete. You want to move on and progress with your life. It doesn’t take 25 steps to get there. Most of the time, it only takes 5. Focus on those 5.
Another trusted name is Bill Gates. If Bill Gates does it, we should, right? Okay, it’s not always a game of monkey see, monkey do, but in this case, we should all be following Bill. In response to the question, “What factor do you feel has been the most important in getting to where you’ve gotten in life?” Gates says focus.
No focus is the same for everyone. For Gates, it began with computers. For you, it might be something entirely different. The critical takeaway is that focus is a necessary trait to have if you want to be successful. Do you know of anyway to be successful if you do not focus on your goals?
A lack of focus brings a whole entourage of adverse side effects including distraction.
Did you just realize you lost points on your assignment because you forgot to do something?
My assignment checklist can help you remember the details.
Check it out! It is FREE!!!!
Think about taking a picture. You point your phone at an object (maybe a person or a meal – whatever works for your Instagram), and the first thing you do is adjust the focus.
An out-of-focus picture displays a lot of pixels, but nothing clear. You may be getting a lot of information at once, but you can’t quite discern what it is. Focus paints a whole picture and leads you to results.
The same applies to your work ethic. If you’re not focused, you can’t get simple tasks done. Even worse, you can’t get big tasks done to reach your goals.
You’re probably aware of the feeling of losing focus. Sometimes it creeps up on you when you have major deadlines, and you begin to realize you’re juggling too many balls rather than concentrating on one at a time. Other times, you lack focus from the start. You’re working on something, and you can’t seem to conjure up the motivation to get it done. You’ll welcome all distractions, and your focus seems to be on procrastination – and even that focus gets broken!
Let’s take a closer look at focus.
What happens to your brain when you lose focus?
There’s a system that is in charge of stopping movement in your body. This system, called the subthalamic nucleus brain system, goes hand in hand with fight or flight. Not only is it involved with the body, but it’s involved with your cognitive patterns.
What does that have to do with focus? That was a test – you’re losing focus! 😊
Keep reading, stay focused.
What happens is you are confronted with new information – an activity, a person, bad news, good news, etc. When you get that new information, your body (or in this case, your mind) clears out everything else that is going on. Your mind stops doing all the thinking that it has been doing, you are easily distracted and you lose your focus.
This may be great for situations of danger because it tells your brain to stop everything else and take in the new information so that it can act quickly. In most cases of daily life and activities, however, this pause in your thinking is not a great thing. It results in the loss of your focus, and it ends up being something that constantly happens throughout your day. Children are great examples of this process in action. How many times can a child get distracted just walking across the room when you want that child to do something specific for you?
How many times have you told your child something like “Go hang up your jacket” and your child gets distracted by a sound, or some visual cue and the jacket remains on the floor?
How many times have you gone from one room to another, got distracted, and forgot why you wanted to walk into the second room?
The good news is that being easily distracted can be alleviated.
You can combat all your concentration issues, and I am here to keep you focused on that path. It’ll take some time, but stick around, give me your focus, and I will address some of the best ways to deal with focus issues.
I could pick 2 steps or 10 steps, but 6 steps are just the right amount. Six works because there is not too much to focus on and not too little to focus on.
You must follow these steps and focus on one step at a time. This is a great test of how focused (or unfocused) you can be – follow along, and let’s see what magic you can create when you get focused!
I started a new Facebook group recently. It really is brand new. It is a private group with the goal of creating a safe place for adult students to get support and ask questions. I have ideas for things I might do in the future, but I will be guided by the desires of the group members. Please check it out. I would hope you would like to join and help me build the group into something useful.
Back to School: Supporting adults earning college degrees
https://www.facebook.com/groups/552269656724148
If you found this helpful, please share it with someone you think would also find it useful. I would appreciate it. Your friend might appreciate it too.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave me a note.
Valerie
Providing information and tools to help harried adult college students earn their degrees without losing their sanity.
Did you just realize you lost points on your assignment because you forgot to do something?
My assignment checklist can help you remember the details.
Check it out! It is FREE!!!!
Updated 13 February 2023