Do you remember your New Year’s resolution for 2020? Many have
already forgotten what it was they wanted to achieve this year. It is so
easy to get distracted and to lose focus. The common denominator of
the highly successful is they maintain focus and are able to see their
goal through to completion.
If you struggle with your focus, keep reading…Elie Venezky, author
of Hack Your Brain states that your focus is like a muscle. It can be
strengthened and conditioned with the appropriate tools. Below are
some tips:
- PREPARE YOUR BRAIN
Before you start your task, sit calmly for a few minutes and visualize
yourself completing the task. Breathe deeply as you visualize. This
calms your brain and prepares you to complete the goal. - PRIORITIZE YOUR GOAL
As you prepare your brain with visualization, consider the importance
of what you are about to do. When you break major goals into
doable smaller goals, it becomes easy to disregard. The smaller goals
don’t seem as important. Make the smaller goal a priority. Smaller
goals are important key steps. When distractions present themselves,
you are more prepared to say no. - UNPLUG FOR 20 MINUTES
One way to have uninterrupted time to work is to turn off all electronics
and phones for 20 minutes. This allows you to focus completely on
the goal at hand. After the twenty minutes of uninterrupted work,
take a short break and restart the timer for another twenty minutes. - RESET AT 2:00 PM
Around 2:00 PM analyze what has been done so far and what is left
for you to do for the day. This gives you the chance to select the most
important remaining goals for the day. - WHAT’S THE TEMPERATURE
A study from Cornell University found that the room temperature
that allows for the best production with the fewest errors is 71 degrees.
A room that is either too hot or too cold can affect your focus. - DO THE WORST FIRST
If you do the thing that is the most annoying first, the remaining goals will seem like a reward. Once you tackle the worst, you also feel empowered and are more likely to finish your goals. - REWARD YOURSELF
Once you have accomplished your goal remember to reward yourself.
The reward doesn’t have to be major, but it should be recognized in
some way. You accomplished something that many people haven’t.
