Instead of worrying about what you cannot change, focus on what you can change – YOUR ATTITUDE
Attitude is the most basic success skill of them all. If you don’t like your current set of circumstances if you focus on maintaining a positive attitude your circumstances will change. You become proactive rather than reactive.
Keeping your focus doesn’t come naturally or easily to most people. It takes a lot of effort to keep your attention on one thing for any length of time. Here are five tips for keeping your focus at work:
1. Get rid of distractions
2. Break up your work into blocks
3. Make lists
4. Stick to a routine
5. Stay organized
Get rid of distractions. A distraction is something that takes your mind off your work. You can always find something to distract you if you look for it. Try to get rid of things that can stand between you and getting your work done. Turn off your cell phone if you don’t need it for your job and turn off email alerts. Schedule a time during the day to check your cell phone and respond to emails. That way, you aren’t interrupted every time someone calls, texts or emails you. Save personal conversations for break times, so that you aren’t tempted to socialize when you should be getting your work done.
Break up your work into blocks. Most people can’t focus on any one task for more than 60-90 minutes without taking a short break. Try to break up your work into chunks so that you don’t get stuck on any one task for too long. Breaking up your work into smaller chunks also helps to make large tasks seem more manageable. It’s much easier to focus on six smaller tasks than one large task with a deadline that is weeks or even months away.
Make lists. At the beginning of each day, make a list of everything you need to get done that day and work through your list steadily. Update the list as you complete tasks and get assigned new ones. Be sure to take care of the most important tasks first and save the work that is less important for the end of the day. Not only will the list keep you focused throughout the day, but it will also give you a sense of pride when you complete a task and cross it off your list.
Stick to a routine. A habit is a something that you do on a regular basis. Once a habit is created, is hard to give up. Creating a routine at work will eventually become a habit and will help you to stay focused. As your routine or set of activities become a habit, you will find that you are always in “work mode” when you are carrying out this routine. Focusing on work in this setting will seem natural.
Stay organized. Staying organized can greatly improve your focus at work. Get rid of clutter and create a system to keep track of your files and the things you need to do your work. Working in a neat, organized space helps you to avoid wasting time looking for things. You can get to the information you need easily, without interruption or breaking your focus on the task at hand. Keeping your workspace neat and clean makes you less likely to find a reason to stop working and become distracted by the things around you. Surround yourself with other organized people to help you keep a sense of order at all times.
