Image courtesy of CJ Chandler / runwhileican.tumblr.com

Life happens, challenges come. It doesn’t matter who you are or what role you fulfill in your organisation, there are those days where deliverables seem insurmountable and it is difficult to get through everything in 24 hours.  Accept it, and the sooner you do, the better.

Enter Focus – applied focus can be a great enabler that anyone can leverage to help cope. Individuals and organisations can be very effective when they exercise focus within a bigger context, plan or goal.

From my personal experience, when I focus I become functional. Being focused helps me to concentrate and block out distractions. It gives me time to think and plan a way forward, allowing for clarity – a critical ingredient in making sound decisions. It also helps me track my actions, and very importantly, when I’m focused I’m a lot better at managing expectations.

I concede that getting into this zone is not always easy. This being said, I believe that it is a skill that with practice can be nurtured.

Here are some practical tips:

• Set a goal
• Write down/Record every task
• Prioritise
• Use technology to help you organise and analyse progress. Very important: Technology is only an enabler – there are so many options to choose from. Find what works for you. Use a pen and paper if you have to.
• Practice – you need to train your mind

Nett effect of focus is increased accountability as well as credibility – with clients and team members alike.