You sit down to tackle an important project, determined to make progress. But before you even get started, your in-box pings, your phone buzzes and someone calls your name. Before you know it, you’re scrolling social media, catching up on headlines and wondering where the time went. Sound familiar?
As women balancing businesses, families and relationships, staying focused in a world of digital distractions and competing priorities is tougher than ever. But juggling these to stay the course is essential to meeting personal and business goals and ultimately achieving success.
In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Gloria Mark, author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity, suggests this: “Think of your mind as a whiteboard,” she says. “Each task or topic you focus on is like writing on that whiteboard. When you multitask, you’re constantly erasing and rewriting different information.”
Let’s talk specifically about staying focused so that we can work on our businesses. To effectively do this, it’s important to strategically manage our work surroundings, time and mental state to minimize interruptions and maximize productivity and problem solving. Here are a few ideas to consider:
Design Your Focus-Friendly Workspace: Make sure your work space is as quiet and organized as possible to promote a clear and focused mind. If you need uninterrupted time, communicate your boundaries clearly—whether that means closing your office door or setting specific work hours.
If technology is your main distraction, turn off notifications from emails, social media and messaging apps during work periods that require the most focus. Also, put your phone on silence or even out of sight so you’re not tempted to check it.
Master Your To-Do List with Time Blocking: Block time for different projects or tasks, create a to-do list with priorities to ensure you’re working on what’s most important and use time management techniques like breaking down complex projects into smaller, more manageable tasks. Tackle one thing at a time.
Remember to take regular breaks to reset your mind and prevent mental fatigue, which makes us more susceptible to distractions. I like to walk, swim or just sit quietly outside listening to nature. These always improve my ability to focus, plus, they’re good for my overall health and wellbeing.
Routine: Your Secret Weapon for Focus: Keeping a regular work schedule—as much as possible—helps your body and mind adjust to a predictable routine that supports focus. This can include pre-work rituals like your favorite tea, for example, to signal your mind to transition into a focused state.
Beyond work routines, prioritizing self-care is crucial. Otherwise, we make it tougher to do our best work. Getting enough sleep has been a game changer for me. Allow yourself to get plenty of sleep if you can so that your mind, body and energy can reset. Understanding your “circadian rhythm” of when you are able to focus well and maximize efficiency is beneficial. And everyone is different so find what works best for you. It does take time to prioritize self-care, though I believe you will regain the time in other ways and feel better as you take baby steps to improving your mind-body connection.
One of the best ways to stay focused and inspired is by surrounding yourself with like-minded women. NAWBO’s 50th anniversary event, happening June 5-8 in Washington, DC, is the perfect place to recharge, reset and refocus your goals. Not to mention celebrating a major milestone and advocating for our future.
Secure your Early Bird ticket here and join us for an event that fuels both your business and your well-being! I can’t wait to see you!
