By Ralph Nyadzi
Like many people around the globe, is it becoming more and more difficult for you to avoid the ever-present distractions of our time and move purposefully toward the targets you set for yourself?
If your answer is yes, then I want to assure you that all hope is not lost yet. You still have the chance to do more in your life. You have what it takes to do what you want to do despite being bombarded on a minute-by-minute basis by the incredible amount of information, for example, which tends to get you stuck and confused rather than empower you to take action and succeed in life.
I've personally had to deal with lots of distractions as I try to become more productive as an online writer and publisher. Finding time to feed myself alone can be a demanding activity which robs me of a sizeable amount of time to create more content online.
As I work from home, a single visitor to my home can stay for such a long time that they often end up disrupting my day's schedule. It's too bad if it's all about small talk!
Unforeseen life events are another source of distraction.
Now, if you're a mompreneur or a single parent working from home with those lovely precocious kids all around you, I can well imagine how your day could be turned into a nightmare.
TV, emails, phone calls, and excessive noise from neighbours who hardly understand the harm they're causing are just a few more sources of the distractions that are making all of us do less, thereby missing our targets, day after day.
What is the solution to all these? I've got six ideas to share with you to help you focus better. They've been helping me a lot and I hope you too will find them extremely useful.
1. Never lose sight of your original vision.
In whatever you do, let your original motivations be your guide. Remind yourself frequently about why you decided to do what you're doing. This should give you the needed will-power to stay committed no matter the distractions.
2. Listen to advice but let your intuition be the final decider.
Do not allow the enormous number of tips-based and how-to articles, podcasts and videos on the internet these days to make you stray from your goals. If anything, they should provide a guide so you do things right and maximize your outcomes. In the final analysis, what your gut instincts tell you should moderate or even override some of these pieces of advice.
3. Identify the things or people that are a constant source of distraction in your work life.
This will enable you to devise the right approach to at least minimize the nuisance and achieve your production targets.
4. Have a daily schedule you can implement.
It is no use putting too much on the plate only to end up doing so little at the end of the day. Your daily to-do list should be an enabler rather than a noose around your neck. Make it simple and achievable so that you can have a laser-sharp focus on only what is doable.
It is better to properly implement one or two tasks within a set period of time than to have lots of poorly executed personal projects. Too many uncompleted projects can make you waste resources. They can frustrate you or become a source of pain and permanent regret.
5. Make room for "any other business" inside your schedule.
Like it or not, the unannounced visits will happen once in a while. You'll have to attend to the children - and oh, some can really be demanding! There's absolutely nothing you can do about that. You must eat well in order to stay healthy and productive.
Life's unexpected occurrences will always be with us.
This is why you have to find an effective way to accommodate all these within your otherwise tight schedule.
I believe this is the only way to go on being focused and productive in spite of the obstacles that may come your way.
6. Finally, get enough rest.
You need not overwork your body and mind in order to get what you want out of life.Find enough time to engage in healthy habits which will enable you to sleep soundly and rest better.
What is the use? You may ask. According to the experts, one big benefit of having adequate sleep, rest and relaxation time for yourself is that it allows you to gain clarity and psychological stability.
It goes without saying that you will come back more energized to focus on your tasks and achieve your desired results.
So, there you have it. The distractions will never go away completely. In fact, the world is gearing itself up for more to come. That's the reason why you need to cultivate these habits to stay focused on your tasks and personal goals.
Hi, I'm Ralph Nyadzi. I am a blogger, author, indie teacher and a few other things. I love to do online research, produce and share information to impact the lives of struggling but ambitious ordinary people like me. Because I believe each one of us has an incredible personal power to act in ways that can bring a positive transformation to our individual lives. I urge you to take a little bit of your time to find out more about what I do and also about my services at https://ralphnyadzi.wordpress.com