The sky is blue, it’s 85 degrees and the swimming pool is beckoning, but I also
have to update several blogs, submit them to various social networking sites, handle correspondence and take care of other small details making up my daily work. I start out with the best of intentions, but hearing the splashing sounds coming from the swimming pool are too much to bear. How do can I possibly stay focused on such as beautiful day?
The weeds in my garden, news and gossip, email, the Internet, my refrigerator and my family are all distractions. Mind you, most of these are good things, but I have a short attention span and find it hard to shut things out when I sit down to work. How do I stay focused?
- I schedule work times for the times I’m least likely to be distracted by my family or other elements.
- I move my laptop to a quiet place.
- I work facing a wall.
- I give in to temptation and make up the time later in the evening.
- I look at my calendar with its deadlines neatly marked in.
- I reward myself. For every hour of work I complete, I get 15 to 30 minutes to surf or swim or garden.
- I schedule play time just as I schedule work time.
It’s tough to stay focused year round. Staying focused during the warm summer months is the biggest challenge yet. How do you handle it?
One way I overcome focus issues (which are pervasive in the summer) is to take the laptop outside while the kids play; at least that way I get my vitamin D & don't feel so cooped up.
Posted by: Mary | July 2, 2007 6:33 AM | Permalink to Comment