There's so much to do in your daily business, and yet some days end with you wondering what really got done. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, it might be a sign you're not as focused as you need to be. You might be driven to distraction.
Your goals are defined and waiting to be realized, if you could only keep your head in your work and out of the clouds. Here are some ways to sharpen your focus each day, while giving that gaggle of daily distractions the boot.
Run for your office
Though it might sound like a recipe for boredom and burnout, establishing an office or other focused workspace is the best foundation for staying on task.
This is the nerve center for gaining your focus, doing your heads-down duties such as product and promotion design, marketing development, inventory management, customer and partner messaging, finances, and any other administrative tasks.
As you might wonder (or worry), your office is where you need to be to block out the world to accomplish critical parts of managing your business. If you attempt to do the work on the go, on the fly, and wherever, whenever, chances are you'll become distracted by whatever else is going on around you.
Try to refrain from scheduling the fun or easy tasks first. Instead, use the delayed-gratification approach by doing the tough stuff right away
Working in a dedicated setting will help you achieve that much-needed focus and even develop a momentum and rhythm for getting things done. And, if you do establish an office space for this work, get comfortable with closing the door behind you. This keeps distracting sounds to a minimum and helps cut down on drop-by visitors who might see the open door as an invitation to interrupt you.
Plan daily
With a place to do your work, you next need to determine what work you will do—each day.
Many entrepreneurs have dreamed of running their own business, working how they want and when they want. Yes, life is but a dream, but business needs a plan. Start every day with an itemized task list of what needs to be done, prioritized in order of importance. (Some folks create these lists at the end of their workday to prepare for the next day's work).
Try to refrain from scheduling the fun or easy tasks first. Instead, use the delayed-gratification approach by doing the tough stuff right away. You'll gain confidence and satisfaction when you tackle the hard stuff early. Allow for reasonable breaks, meals and unplanned interruptions, but keep these corralled within a time box.
Check your progress on your daily plan every couple of hours to be sure you're staying on track and the day isn't getting away from you. If you are floundering a bit, the sooner you recognize it and take steps to regain focus, the better chance you have of wrapping a productive day when "quitting time" rolls around.
Make your tasks mean something
Regarding those tasks on your daily plan, make sure you've distilled them down into achievable mini-tasks.
It's all right to catch up on Facebook and whatever else in the course of the day, but set an allotted time when you'll do it
Rather than jotting tasks like "make sales calls" and "check in with vendors," consider breaking those down into actionable tasks with a defined target and identifiable result.
You might, then, add a task of "call customers A, B and C for sales follow-up" or "inventory review with vendor X."
The better you can define your tasks, the more clarity of purpose you'll have when you actually do it, and the less likely you'll be prone to distraction. Plus, if you know the desired outcome of the task, you'll know how well you're progressing in your work with each task you complete.
Control your time-wasters
Are you constantly checking your email, monitoring a TweetStream or watching YouTube videos? Sure, these activities can become part of a productive workday, but they can just as quickly suck up hours with no value to you or your business.
If you get distracted by electronic escapes, it's best to do them after you've whittled down your daily task list. It's all right to catch up on Facebook and whatever else in the course of the day, but set an allotted time when you'll do it.
Later, after you've completed your day's work, it's up to you if you wish to go back to cyberspace to unwind.
And what about those visitors—in person, on the phone or via instant messaging—who drop by and never seem inclined to leave?
For in-person visitors, let them know when you're available and when you're not. If they've dropped by unannounced, stand up while speaking with them. Don't invite them to sit down if you have work to do. Explain your schedule and that you will schedule a better time for them.
If certain things in your work simply aren't getting done, do some deep soul searching to determine why you're putting them off
For phone callers, screen your calls, plain and simple, and let your phone messaging tell them you're not available. Make time later for callbacks. If you find yourself interrupted by a flow on instant messages on your computer or smartphone, do the smart thing and log off the application, or delay responding. Some of this sort of personal contact can be important to you and your business, but it needs to be managed closely and carefully.
Become a clock watcher
By the time 4 p.m. rolls around, take a look at your daily plan to see how you've fared.
If there's a lot left to do, but you have only another hour left to your day, you better get to work, quick! Some folks respond well to the end-of-the-day pressure to hurriedly wrap up their to-dos.
If that's how you work, be sure to make this check while there would still be enough time to get those remaining tasks done. If this is too much stress for you, then determine to get at least two-thirds to three-fourths of your day's planned tasks done before lunchtime.
Be honest about what you're putting off
Lastly, if certain things in your work simply aren't getting done, do some deep soul searching to determine why you're putting them off.
Try breaking down large tasks or seeking assistance with overwhelming items. If it needs to be done to make your business successful, you need to decide how you'll make it happen. If not, the distractions that keep it from getting done might be coming from you and you alone.
Take the task by the horns and tackle it, by yourself or with help from others, and you'll likely be feeling even more focused once that monkey's off your back. Monkeys, by the way, are very distracting, aren't they?