Staying Focused and Staying Involved

It’s Spring time again, well actually, it’s almost Summer.  Crazy to think how the seasons start to blur together the more we have on our plate.  Warm weather has always been a distraction for me and I struggle every year to stay focused on nice sunny days.  This year is no ordinary year, however.  My wife and I are expecting our first child this August and somehow all my free time between now and then is already booked solid between family events and things that need to get done around the house for the new addition.

So, needless to say, I’ve been pondering a lot on how to stay focused on daily tasks that need to be carried out quickly and efficiently.  How do I keep up the same pace that my friends and co-workers trust me to be capable of?  And just as important, how do I stay involved in my current relationships and continue to build new ones?  It’s a daunting task because the more I put on my plate, the more out of touch I feel with the people around me.  What I need most now isn’t less contact with others but more.  I need the help, support, and energy that are often the result of strong relationships with friends, clients, and co-workers.

Here are a few bullet points for ideas I have around staying focused and staying involved.  Any advice and/or opinions are always welcome.

• Keep up as much personal communication as possible.  It’s easier to just send a a quick e-mail when really busy but e-mail usually disconnects me from people more than it helps to stay in touch.  Meet someone in person or get them on the phone whenever possible.  It keeps things real.
• Change your surroundings.  Do you work from the same office in your house every day?  Try working from a different room or even a coffee shop from time to time.  If not working from home, then try different routes driving into work.  When I change things up like this it helps me stay focused and interested in what I’m doing and helps fight burn out.
• Rest. Resting isn’t as easy as it sounds and is probably the most important thing you can do to stay focused.  Resting not only means taking a break but it also means “not worrying”! This isn’t easy to do.  Often times when taking a vacation or relaxing on the weekend, I will stress and worry about current and upcoming tasks.  If you can build up the confidence and trust to truly take a break, turn off the stress, and rest, nothing else will energize you more or make you more efficient at your job and your duties at home.
• Listen.  It may sound counter-intuitive, but nothing helps me refocus like listening and focusing on what others have to share.  If someone is opening up to me about problems or successes in their own life, I want to listen.  Self absorption quickly leads to burn out and feelings of frustration.  The more I concentrate on others and the less I think of myself always makes me a happier person and gives me much needed perspective. Be genuine though, fake interest has the opposite effect.
• Point the finger at yourself. This also sounds counter-intuitive but if done the right way can definitely help you focus.  With almost any problem you encounter there’s something you can learn from and do better, even if the problem’s not your fault.  It’s good to hold people accountable but blame shifting is a major issue today and wastes a significant amount of time.  Problems are an opportunity to learn and do better.  Even if you didn’t cause the problem, admit that you’re a stakeholder in the problem and identify areas you can improve.  People who think they don’t make mistakes never get better.  They remain stationary and will quickly fall behind.  Quit wasting time pointing fingers at others and start working immediately on how to make things better.