100% Focused!

As I rounded the street corner, I could see my house in the distance. Almost home, I thought. I had been running for 45 minutes and the muscles in my mind and body were balanced. Pure bliss. If you are a runner, you can relate to that mind/body balance. That feeling of being in tune with the present – 100% focused.

In business, as in life, it can be a challenge hitting that 100% focused mark, while many other “urgent” pressing matters may be filling up our mind, body and calendar. This accumulation of thoughts saying “finish me now” creates that all too familiar stressful mood, which throws you out of balance. This uneasy mood decreases our focus, as we feel the need to do all the priorities on our to do list – at the same time.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

How can we get grounded, when we feel we may be spiraling out of control?

Try to focus more.

Today it is so easy to be rattled with everyday distractions such as texting, email, phone calls, visitors, meetings, and other pressing matters that seem to be hitting you all at once. The trick is to do…

One. Thing. At. A. Time.

I know what you’re thinking, “That’s impossible!”

Don’t believe me?

Try it for 3 days this week.

What are your priorities?

Make a quick list. Rank them, and start working on one task at a time. If you are working on a month long project, devote one full 100% focused hour to that project today with zero distractions. When that hour is up, go onto your next task. It may be a smaller task or the next phase of another project, but give that 100% focus as well. This will be tough at first, but you must curb the desire to check that smart phone every 5 minutes. You are working on new thought "muscles", so a little "soreness" is normal.

Upon completion of your 3 day challenge, you’ll see the amount of work you accomplished in just 3 days. And you will feel great, like when I rounded the street corner. If you decide to continue past 3 days, great things will begin to happen. Colleagues in your company will begin to take notice in the quality of work you’re presenting on a regular basis, increasing your reliability and integrity. This will lead to more confidence, which in turn can lead to a possible promotion and eventually more money in your pocket. All because you decided to make the commitment of being 100% focused at work.

As a Professional Organizer, Speaker, Author, Podcast Producer & Host, Rick Woods helps residents and businesses make room for clarity, by getting rid of the clutter that gets in their way.

Listen to Rick's free weekly podcast "Make Room For Clarity", which focuses on interviewing business & health experts by visiting www.makeroomforclarity.com.

Inquire about Rick's professional organizing business, "The Functional Organizer, LLC.", which focuses on decluttering, organizing, paper filing and time management by visiting www.tforganizer.com.