Focus on one task at a time
So many times, we are so overwhelmed by the amount of things that need to be accomplished that we do not know where to start and we find ourselves running around in circles. It is hard enough to 'just keep up', without the thought of actually getting ahead, so we tend to take on too many tasks at one time. We try so hard to become super human by having the perfect lifestyle that we are never really accomplishing things to the best of our ability or getting the task done one hundred percent of the way.
This is the time to step back and take a look at what it is that we are trying to do and to stop trying to beat the clock. Pick out your number one priority task and stick with it until it is totally accomplished. For some unknown reason, we seem to think that if we are doing three things at one time that we are really accomplishing things in record time. Step back and take a look at what you have done and you will see a multitude of mistakes and ways that you can tweak every job that you did.
We need to learn how to FOCUS on the task at hand. One job plus one thought, equals one accomplishment that is well done. As long as we have the thought of mind to focus on what we are doing and trying to accomplish.
Doing more is not always better if you haven't done the job well. It just means that you have accomplished more jobs to a certain percentage of completion, but have not finished any of them.
Focusing on what the job is, how you want to do it, what the expectations upon completion of the job are and how long it will take you to achieve it will get you a lot further. These little hints may help,
- Take the bigger jobs first while you are full of energy,
- stick a small job in between two larger jobs
- Focus on your final goal with the job you are working on
- Make sure that you have all of the tools handy to achieve the completion of the job
- Do as many jobs as you can 'finish' in the amount of time that you have allotted.
- Don't let your mind wonder to other things that need to be done, add them to your list of things to do and schedule them in
- As your energy drains, take a break and re-energize, even if that break is only for 10 minutes, it will give you new vitality
By focusing on a task, your mind will energize until the completion of the task because you are only going to complete that particular task. When you are finished with it, your mind will know that you have completed a job and did it well, by your eyes seeing how different it looks. Your body works together and sends signals to other parts of your body; it lets the brain know when to be stressed and when to feel content. So focus on the task at hand and you will be amazed at how much faster, a better quality of work and less stressful it will be to your body as a whole.
Jan Hayner is a Professional Organizer that looks for the easy way to go through life by helping to take the stress out of everyday problems. Check her website at Organizing Your Life THE EASY WAY for more tips and hints. Get her free monthly newsletter and pamphlets.