At any given time of the day, there are several things our brains can get distracted with. Whether it is a text message, a phone call, or an email notification, we can lose focus on the task at hand. Smart phones and computers are essential to everyday business but also can become distractors and time wasters.

If you have a large project that needs to get done, you need to allow yourself the time and focus to complete it. Turn down your speakers and put your phone on silent so you can drown yourself in the project. Depending on the project and the amount of focused time needed to complete it, multi-tasking can be a detriment. Science has proven that. Focus and time management need to come first if you want to put your best foot forward.

For Example

Barnes and Noble has been around since 1886. They are a Fortune 500 company and know their way around sustaining a business. However, even they have recently made the mistake of trying to be too many things to too many people. They are a book store. They sell content, digital media, and educational products. But they tried to become a toy store, a tchotchke dealer, and a gift shop. And because of their lack of focus, they have seen a decrease in their profits. Thankfully, they are coming back around – I guess they learned their lesson – and have decided to go back to their roots.

We can all learn from Barnes and Noble’s recent tale of profit loss. Focus. We will never be successful in our personal or professional lives if we try to be jacks of all trades. Knowing your strengths and focusing your energy on those will always lead to triumph.

With 2018 four short weeks away, let’s try to keep our focus. When distractions may come at us quicker than we’d like, let’s keep in mind that we have to manage our time appropriately. Whether we need to schedule a time to wrap gifts, finish up a proposal, write a client email, or finish Christmas shopping – do it. And only focus on one project at a time – if you want to a stress-free favorable outcome.