The Chicklete Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Focus’

• Italiano

Studies have shown that multi-tasking is not an effective or efficient way to save time. It’s better to concentrate on one activity and work on that until it is completed. By trying to do too many things simultaneously, you can’t adequately focus on any of them.

The fast pace of modern life makes multi-tasking an attractive option. It’s easy to be on the computer while speaking on the phone, preparing a document, paying some bills – you get the idea. We all have lots to do and the temptation to maximize our time by combining tasks is strong. But that’s not the optimum way to do it.

By focusing on the most important task and finishing whatever needs to be done before moving on, your mind can concentrate on doing a good job for that particular activity. It can be tackled, completed, and you’re then free to move to the next, devoting your attention to the work at hand. An added bonus is the quality of whatever you’re doing should be better with full attention to it.

• Italiano

At one time or another, we all feel the pressure of a time crunch. A project is due, an activity must be completed, there’s a meeting to attend, and the day is just beginning. It’s tempting to simply decide to move forward — ready, fire, aim.

But by spending a few minutes planning what needs to be done, the activities will not only go more smoothly, but more effectively. Spend some time at the end of your day to determine what will need to be done the following day. Visualize the activity and results you’re looking for.

In a recent blog post, Lee Phillips discusses the value of planning. His focus is on planning and being prepared for future events. By thinking in this way, you can accomplish more in a limited amount of time — and can feel comfortable that the work won’t need to be revamped because it wasn’t done correctly the first time.

While it’s important to take action, it’s also important to take the right action. Make a list or chart to track your progress, and stay focused on the end result. Planning is always a good use of time.

• Italiano

Working efficiently and using time wisely begins with staying focused.  Studies have shown that it takes twenty minutes to mentally get back to a task once you’ve been distracted.  That’s why it’s so important to structure your day to exclude interruptions whenever possible.

We all have plenty of opportunities each day to get “off track”, beginning with the e-mail.  No one will deny that e-mailing is a wonderful way to communicate, but it eats time and makes it very easy to get lost in an activity that probably isn’t a priority.  By setting aside a limited time, perhaps in the morning and again in the evening to check and respond to important e-mails, you’ve freed up time to work on those things that are important to running your business, such as a marketing strategy.

It’s easier to manage your time when you’ve developed the habit of planning daily activities.  The evening is a good time to review what you’ve accomplished during the day, and to prioritize what tasks need attention the following day.  Often, you can plan for the week, with a review of progress made.  Remember the 80/20 Rule — and concentrate on completing the 20 percent of activities that will produce 80 percent of your revenue.