4 Easy Steps to Stay Focused at Work

I'll be the first to admit it - I have a short attention span. It's not that I'm not interested, in fact, I usually lose focus because I am jumping 3-4 steps ahead in my mind and forget to take the smaller detailed steps to get there.

If you are like me, you have a lot you want to accomplish and rabbit holes seem to be everywhere. Like, I will check my emails and then I read something that reminds me to call so and so and then oh yeah I should make sure that file is up to date and then it's 3 pm and I have a list of to-dos that will have to wait til tomorrow.

I have tried different methods of staying on track. But only one routine is worth sharing. So here are my 4 tips in keeping focused.

1. Plan your Day at the Start.

I use Day Designer free printables to put together a nice little planner for myself. After shopping around I settled on this format for two reasons: each page is just 1 day and it has a two colum layout. I love that there is a side for scheduling and a side for To-Dos.

So many planners are just a schedule book. I sit in an office all day, I know what I am doing from 8-5 everyday. I also love the "Today's Top 3". It helps me make sure I get my priorities straight.

But enough about why I chose the planner I chose, let's get to the important part becuase everyone will have a different planner preference. Shop around and find the one that best fits your needs.

Filling out your planner is an important task and sometimes the hardest to remember. I start each day by sitting down and making sure my planner is filled with the day's details. Before I even open my email, I look back to the day before and what was left undone or what came up last minute and make sure it is on today's list. Then after I have my initial to-do list, I open my email. I do not reply to any emails in this step, I only search to see if I have been given any new to-do's or any events for the day have come into my inbox. I flag the emails I need to go back and reply to or read in more detail after I have gather the info I look for.

2. Preparing your Mind

I don't know about you, but when I get to work in the morning I want to know what is happening in the outside world that day.

So after getting my day planned out, I spend the next 30 minutes checking my personal email, turning the news on, reading the Skimm and yes scrolling through facebook.

I don't want my mind to wander off somewhere while I am trying to get a task complete so I try to get that out of the way first thing.

This is usually from 8:15-8:45 so the rest of the world is usually just arriving at work and settling in and I don't miss much work wise. I take this time to also make myself coffee or finish eating breakfast, I'll tidy up any paperwork that was left behind and make sure I have a clean slate before digging into my tasks.

3. Beginning with the Easy Tasks

Everyone has a different theory on this. Some say do the hard ones first, and I say do the easy ones first. Get them out of the way. This not only helps you feel like you have accomplished something but motivates you to accomplish more. For me this is answering emails, making phone calls and updating case files.

4. Learn to Reprioritize

Things come up, curve balls are thrown and rolling with it while staying on task can be difficult. After my lunch break ( And yes be sure to take a real lunch break - even if just 20 minutes) I sit down with my to-do list and see what has changed. What came up that needs addressed today, what got cancelled or postponed? If I just sat and went through my morning checklist and ignored the realtime, I would be out of a job! So it is unrealistic to stick with what you have down from the morning.

I find that doing this also re-energizes me to get things accomplished. After a few hours that to-do list can look less authoritative and reworking it gives me the motivation I need to move forward with the day.

So there we have it. However you decide to keep track of your day, I do believe that writing down and planning out your day will help you stay organized, on task, and focused on being the best you can be. No one likes to feel like they are floating in the wind at work. This is a key way to stay grounded and know what you are there for.

Now go change the world one check box at a time :)

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