Focus!

Isn’t it a great time of year to be at the pool, at the lake, or somewhere outside enjoying the company of family and friends?  July is a more difficult time than most to maintain focus on organizing our paperwork.  Here are some tips for staying focused during the warm summer months:

1)     Practice.  Focus doesn’t happen overnight.  Have simple reminders like a post-it note on your computer monitor (and change this location once in a while so your brain doesn’t get used to it) to remind yourself to stay focused.  The more you practice and remind yourself to think about the task at hand, the sooner it will become second nature.

2)     Set aside time.  Set up a particular time of day that you will accomplish the most important things on your list.  Prioritize your to-do list the night before.  Then, first thing in the morning, spend 60 to 90 minutes completing the most important tasks that day.  Complete the tasks on your list first – e-mails and phone calls are another distraction and can usually wait until later.  Not a morning person?  Spend your 60 to 90 minutes at the end of the day – whatever best fits into your lifestyle.

3)     Chunk it down.  If you are having difficulty finishing a task, break it down into smaller pieces and make a plan as to when to complete each piece.  For projects, consider using a software program called Project Kickstart (http://www.projectkickstart.com).  It is inexpensive and easy to use for small to medium-sized projects.  If you are planning a business event or even planning a birthday party for one of your children, this software walks you through breaking the process down.  It can be linked to Microsoft Outlook or ACT! and will input to-do items on your calendar.  You can also send it to a program like Microsoft Excel and send copies of the task list, person assigned to the task, and completion dates to other people involved in the project.  Can you imagine how organized you will appear to your co-workers and friends?

4)     Exercise.  Funny how this comes up in so much of what we read, isn’t it?  That’s because exercise is not only a part of staying healthy but it makes us better workers as well.  “Exercise sends blood flowing to the brain and helps stimulate the production of new nerve cells.  It also triggers the production of neurochemicals that promote mental focus.”  According to psychiatrist Edward Hallowell, a leading expert in the psychology of attention and author of Delivered from Distraction, something as simple as getting up and doing 20-25 jumping jacks is “like pressing a reset button in your brain.” 

5)      Maintain.  In order to be able to focus, you must maintain your system of organization.  It is difficult to focus on current tasks when you have unrelated papers all over your desk - it is a constant reminder of how much you have to do.  Hire a professional organizer or have a friend or “clutter companion” help you set up a system and have your assistant (administrative assistant or one of your children) help you keep it up!

Thanks for reading.  Now it’s time to get back outside.

Nicole
nicole@organize2optimize.com