Lack of focus means you’re out of control.
Distraction drains energy and dilutes potential.
Unfocused leaders:
- Struggle to trust others.
- Don’t have hobbies.
- Say yes too much.
- Eat poorly.
- Forget what they’re all about.
A leader with focus does what matters.
Start your day slowly:
Frantic at the beginning is distracted through the day.
- Begin with gratitude when you wake up. Say, “I’m thankful for _______,” at least three times before your feet hit the floor.
- Give yourself permission to avoid technology for the first 30 minutes of the day. Control it. Don’t let it control you.
- While in the shower, choose the top two or three things you must do today.
- Write one thing in an aspiration journal. “Today I aspire to be ________.” Focus on being that throughout your day.
Create focus-points that depend on you, not others.
Just for today I will:
- End meetings early.
- Ask questions that address awkward or difficult topics.
- Trust others. “I’m trusting you to _______.”
- Make more requests.
- Ask the second question.
- Say, “I see you have a problem. Come back this afternoon with two or three options.”
- Smile when I walk into an office.
- Express gratitude at the end of interactions.
- Talk about organizational purpose at the beginning of meetings.
- Say, “No,” three times. (If you say yes too much, you might need to lower the bar and say, “No,” once.)
10 tips for finding focus:
- Schedule interruption-time during your day.
- Make an appointment with focus-time.
- Go off-site for an hour of focus-time. Try a coffee shop.
- Eliminate the person who takes more than they give.
- Keep a notepad by your bed.
- Do important stuff first.
- Write a “to don’t” list.
- Complete the thing you’ve been putting off.
- Turn off electronic notifications.
- Journal.
Which of these suggestions make the most sense to you?
How might leaders maintain focus in a distracting world?
**Thanks to Facebook friends and fans for all your stimulating suggestions on this topic!