Staying focused. The battle I have lost too many times

There’s no question that the modern world is a distraction. Between our phones, our laptops, and the endless barrage of notifications, it’s difficult to stay focused on anything for more than a few minutes at a time. And while this may not seem like a big deal, staying focused is critical to your career success.

Learning how to focus allows you to build habits that get you far. When you’re constantly getting distracted, it’s difficult to make any real progress. By contrast, if you can focus on your goals and stay motivated, you’ll be able to achieve great things. However, it is one of those things that is easier said than done. In this article, I would like to share some tips that helped me stack the odds in my favor.

Time blocking

There is one thing for sure. If you don't control your schedule, it will control you. One of the most effective techniques out there is time blocking. Many apps can help you, but I simply time block the calendar for important tasks with a reminder. This way, I get notifications 10 minutes before an important task is due, and I treat it as a meeting with my clients. very seriously.

Time blocking is a time management method that asks you to divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to a specific task or project. Time blocking can help you stay focused on what you need to do and avoid distractions.

The idea behind this technique is that if we dedicate our time to certain tasks, we will be more efficient and effective in completing them. This way, you start your day with a fixed schedule, making it easier to get things done. I will definitely write an ultimate guide on how to do time blocking in the near future.

Don't set goals, set systems.

Don't set goals. Winners and losers both have the same goals, but only those to learn to execute and are consistent will win. Setting up goals creates a false sense of urgency and can actually hinder productivity. The better solution is to create systems to win. A system is a repeatable process that will lead you to your desired outcome. It's important to remember that your system must be tailored to you and your individual strengths and weaknesses. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. If you're struggling to come up with a system, start by identifying the steps you need to take to achieve your goal and then create a routine that will help you stick to those steps.

I highly recommend you read these two books to effectively set up your routine. These books really helped me learn the importance of systems vs. goals.

Learn and practice Objective Key Results (OKRs)

Before I introduce you to OKR, please note that for the month of August 2022, LinkedIn's best-selling courses are completely FREE, and one of these courses is about the OKR system.

Although OKRs are often used in companies to measure a team's performance, they are definitely a tool that you can use to set short and long-term goals, directions, and milestones for yourself.

I first came across OKR the first time through the book "Measure What Matters." and I can't recommend it enough.

The benefits of using OKRs include:

-Increased clarity and focus to know exactly what is expected and when

-Easier to measure progress and identify areas of improvement.

-Helps set realistic goals and track progress over time.

Tools I use to help me stay focused and get things done

I highly recommend you learn and use Notion. This is definitely one of the most useful tools that anyone can use. Many templates, minimalist design, and complete freedom to design workflows, makes Notion an ideal tool for anyone to setup their workflows and track them efficiently.

Miro is another amazing canvas tool with lots of templates and collaboration features for people who prefer visual mapping

Music that helps me focus

There are a lot of things that help me focus when I'm studying or working on a project. But one of the things that helps me the most is listening to music. I find that if I have something calming playing in the background, it helps me stay calm and focused. And if I need to get pumped up for a task, then I'll listen to something more upbeat.

There is a lot of great free music out there on Youtube and Spotify that will help you stay on track if that is something you like. I personally use Focusatwill, Endel, Youtube and Spotify between my tasks.

Conclusion

I learned that staying focused is a skill that takes practice and determination. You will not be successful every time, but don't let that discourage you. Continue to work on this skill until you have it mastered. It will be worth the effort in the end! There are times that I still loose this battle, but the numbers are changing.

If you found this valuable, please share it with others in case it can help someone else.