We all want different things – improved health, more money, a better purpose in life, etc. Ask anyone who you deem as ‘successful’ in life and they’ll probably list determination and staying focused on your goal as the top tips.
The thing is, none of us are naturally focused – in fact the older we get, the more we tend to lose focus on many things in life. So, if you’re looking for ways to stay focused and go for what you want, this piece is for you.
Before you go to bed each night…
Before you go to sleep, make some basic decisions about what you’ll be doing the next day, as well as some preparation if you can manage it. Sort out your clothes, the route you’ll take to work as well as your general task list. Also, consider preparing a healthy lunch for yourself the night before. Think tuna, greens, avocados, walnuts, etc. Why? They’re brain food, that’s why!
Make a decision the night before that you won’t check your emails or surf the net before you have finished the more important tasks that need to be completed. Stick to your schedule and at the end of the day, close your eyes for a few minutes and take in how good you feel to be in charge of your day.
Getting into the habit of planning your day in advance will relief you from all your main, significant tasks, and eases your day too. You’ll be less likely to be distracted and waste time on insignificant matters that do not benefit you and your goals.
Get the bigger tasks out of the way
We all have days where there’ll be major duties to get out of the way. Or, it could just be something we dread doing but it has to be done. Firstly, take a moment to be grateful that unlike a lot of people in this world, your life is only peppered with such situations whereby you only have a few of these to take care of in your life. Having said that, these unpleasant, troublesome or big, important duties will not get easier with us just putting them off or sitting around and loathing them to high heaven. Besides, you’ll be making much better use of your precious time by just getting them done and be over with it. Note: Take them on early in the day, while you still have more energy.
Research has shown that our minds are sharpest in the morning and that is when we should tackle the tough jobs. After these are out of the way, we can relax and take care of the more routine work that doesn’t require much in the way of mental strain, ability, and energy.
Know the fine line between a real emergency and a mere distraction
In the event of a true emergency, we’ll have to take our minds and eyes off our goal and deal with it, of course. However, for many of us, the majority of situations that do come up to distract us are not emergencies and do not require us to respond right away. Many of these situations will resolve themselves on their own with time.
Responding to these requests immediately will only set you up to receive more. By not responding, you are sending a message that you are a strong-willed, focused person who is very busy and over time you will be bothered less by trivial, time-wasting matters.
These so-called emergency situations may also come in other forms, actually. For example, if your goal is to lose weight and you have eliminated, say, carbohydrates and sugars from your diet to achieve your ideal weight, then don’t let any situation, ever, steer you away from it. By that, we mean parties, special celebrations and the likes. Remember, there will always be a special occasion where cake and sweet drinks are part of the celebration. If your ‘celebration’ is going to be your new figure and renewed health, then put your feet down and stick to other food options served at the party.
Give your mind and body the break it deserves
Take a quick break when working on something if you feel your energy fading. Take a brisk walk, run, stretch, or do whatever creates results for you to take a brief retreat from the work and regenerate. You will come back to your task with renewed vigor and a sharper mental focus.
Never, ever lose sight of what matters the most in your life
Create a vision board, a mind movie, or some system that serves as a constant reminder of what you are working toward. The “why” behind the goal is crucial as it will serve as a motivator. For instance, if your goal is to earn RM5 million to help build your family’s small business and make it international, then have a positively clear vision of what it looks like in your head. Do this as often as you can, each day.
Watch what you eat
Instead of eating a large meal at lunch, snack on healthy foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables during the day. Drink lots of water and get into a regular exercise program. Form a routine with these matters so that you don’t have to think about them; they just become part of your daily regime.
Or, suppose you want to earn a large sum of money to start a school in a third-world country. Have a clear vision of what the school would look like so you can imagine it on a regular basis. Set aside regular time daily, even if it’s only only five minutes, to visualize this goal. The more details you can put in, the better. Become emotionally involved with the visualization by putting music, videos, or anything that provides you with an emotional charge. The emotional connect is hugely important, as this will motivate you to keep moving toward your goal.
