| | | Keeping Focused
Four Ways to Fight Distractions
 In today's hyper-frantic world of instant news and smartphones, plus a million other interruptions, how often do you or your team members get distracted? According to a recent study by harmon.ie, a social email software company, it may be a lot more than you think. More than half of those surveyed in businesses of all sizes across the U.S. said the longest time they can usually work without being distracted is 15 minutes, and they waste up to 60 minutes per day because of these interruptions.
And they are not alone. Just ask Dave. When he first started his company, he felt like he worked incredibly hard each day but arrived home every night exhausted and with little accomplished. So Dave decided to do something about it by telling his day what to do instead of wondering where it went. Today, he remains laser-focused and a lot more energized and relaxed, not to mention he's become a major national brand.
So is it possible for you to be super-focused like Dave? Actually, it is. Here are a few tips how. - Set Daily Goals
Write down your goals for each day and prioritize them. Keep the list close at hand, so if you feel yourself heading toward the land of YouTube, you can grab that list to remind yourself what has to be accomplished before you walk out the door.
- Limit Meetings
We've all been to them—those meetings that seem to last forever and never accomplish a thing. But these get-togethers don't have to be so long. Save time by setting a time limit, insisting on an agenda, and sticking to it. If you run past the clock, simply stand up. If no one gets it, head out the door. Rude? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.
- Live by the Calendar
Meetings are not the only tasks that can be booked on your calendar. Schedule "office time" for yourself and protect it just as you would an important meeting with an executive. It's a great way to keep your concentration and momentum going without being interrupted.
- Step Away From the Smartphone
Whether it's the romance of that slight ping when you get an email, instant baseball scores or that Twitter feed, nothing, and we mean nothing, has more power to distract than your smartphone. So while at work, turn it off, make your assistant hold it, or throw it in the ditch. Do whatever it takes to stay away from the phone.
Dave's friend Zig Ziglar once said, "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it ever time." And it's true. So keep your eyes on the prize and remain super-focused, and you'll end up a winner every time.
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Jon Shearer,
Executive Director of Internet Development
As a business owner, delivering to your customers with excellence every day is a constant challenge. But although it can be tough, it's not impossible if you take the time to clearly define what excellence is for your company.
Without that definition, your company's focus may have momentum in the wrong direction. To create a common language around what excellence is, we define it as this:
Excellence = The Balance of Perfection and Production
With Dave Ramsey's Internet Development group, we've found that definition helps us keep our focus on things that move the business forward.
For programmers, excellence may be building the "Cadillac program." It has everything you could ever need, whether you ever use it or not. For project managers, it may be delivering on time.
Keeping a focus on what your organization defines as "excellence" will give you momentum in the right direction. | | | |
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