Finding Focus
I am not 100% focused all day every day. I do not hit my billing goals by going full throttle until they're achieved.
I am a human--not a robot.
In moments when exhaustion, distraction, and/or procrastination creep in, I have tools that help me refocus. They are:
⏲️ Timers. I'll set a timer for 10, 15, or 30 minutes and tell myself, "Just write," or "Just research," or "Just go." Usually, by the time the timer dings, I've built the momentum I need to keep going. If not? I take a short break and set the timer again (the Pomodoro Method).
🎧 Headphones. Especially first thing in the morning, I often need to put on my noise-cancelling headphones, put on some binaural beats or other wordless music, and dive in before the office starts to buzz, before the emails start to come in, before the meetings pile on. We have glass walls in our office, so these can also signal to others that I'm trying to block things out and work deeply.
❌ Rescheduling Non-Essential or Not-Time-Sensitive Meetings. I can tell when work will interfere with me being present in meetings--when I'm so overwhelmed that the idea of sitting in a meeting or having a deep, meaningful 1:1 feels impossible. So, I apologize, ask to reschedule, and take full advantage of the now open time on my calendar (for deep work using the above tools). Note: if it is a large meeting where my attendance won't be noticed, I simply decline and do not go. This is hard for me, so I have to give myself specific permission to skip it.
♻️ Change Scenery or Take a Nap. Post-pandemic flexibility between working from home and working in the office has been very freeing for me. When I'm stuck, I'll take advantage by switching locations. Or, if I have the time, I'll take a nap (or a walk, or workout, or do some chores) to try to reset my brain and body for all I need to get done. I remind myself: I'm an adult. My colleagues treat me like an adult. I can take a break and switch it up without rocking the boat (or missing things).
Having these tools helps me take ownership over my work, my calendar, and my choices.
They help me give myself permission to be in charge of my decisions and what I'm doing in any given moment.
They also help me pause, regroup, and get going again when the wheels inevitably fall off (and they do and they always will).
🔥✌️❤️