Ever feel exhausted just thinking about all the things you have to do? It might be because you are thinking of too many things that need to be accomplished at once! Tony Robbins (ever hear of him?) eloquently said in a recent post "Where focus goes, energy flow." We are almost programmed at this point to try and accomplish multiple tasks at once. Instead, we should start by prioritizing, and then focusing on a single task in the moment. This method will not only lead to increased effectiveness, but an increase in energy because we are draining ourselves on multiple fronts. Also, we cover why it is ok to drop a curse word into your vocabulary every now and then.
In the world of constant juggling that is commonplace for a leader -- especially an entrepreneur with limited resources -- physical energy is expended on an unending list of tasks. The problem is, focus is seldom very clear. With the mind buzzing around all of these must-dos, work on any of them lacks complete energy. Why? Because the mind is divided. Hence, energy is divided. Here are a few steps that will help:
1: Do you find that you lack sufficient energy (physical and mental) to complete core tasks? That might well be because you're not focusing on a single task in the moment. You're thinking about what's next on your to-do list.
2: If you've identified a lack of energy, then take a look at how you frame your tasks. Is it just a sprawling list with no prioritization? That's ready-made for lack of focus -- your mind has a hard time picking out the task you should be focused on in any given moment. You need to clean things up.
3: When you start the day and come to your first task, focus solely on the work in front of you -- ideally by tying that work to something physical. If you're brainstorming, physically write your ideas down. If you're strategizing, map the strategy on a whiteboard.
