9 Ways to Stay Focused On Your Business

As small business owners, we have to do it all. We must manage our daily activities, create goals, and plan out the long-term steps it will take to get us there.  Along the way, we can forget we can drop the ball in different areas and have to regroup and rush to get back on schedule. It can be pretty frustrating, and we can beat up on ourselves for not doing what we were “supposed” to do.

Recently, I spoke with a client, and she was concerned about how much money was coming in.  As we hashed out what had happened in the last six months to get her to where she was, she realized something.  She recalled that her focus wasn’t on the business but on her blended family concerns and what needed to be done in her personal life to help her stepson get into college. In doing those tasks, she realized that time was quickly used for other essential tasks.  And now, she is paying the price for the lack of focus.

I found that this type of scenario also happens to my other clients (Affiliate Link) and me. It’s not that we don’t want to spend time on our business. It’s just that we need to focus on other, more pressing things. But by doing this, we lose focus on a particular goal and, as a result, lose steam on getting it completed.

Four words to live by with questions to ask yourself about your business.

Live: Are you committed to your business and your lifestyle? What is your long-term goal? Does it inspire you to keep moving forward?

Love: Do you tell people who work with you why you appreciate them? Have you shown it to them regularly?

Work: Are you positively contributing to society?

Inspire:  Are you helping others be the best they can be? 

The good news is that all is not lost. It is possible to recover from a busy life fairly quickly. Just a few steps need to be adjusted to get you back on track.

To stay focused in times of distractions, here are nine ways to stay focused in your business.

Add activities to your calendar and set the alarm. 

Setting the alarm is the key, especially if you are doing other things and forget to complete items on your to-do list. These reminders help you see how much time it will take, so you can block out as much time as you need.

Be true to you and your time. 

Underestimating how long it takes to do something is frustrating and counterproductive. If you underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks, add half an hour or an hour to the time to give yourself a buffer.

Plan your day the night before. 

Making a plan for your day’s activities the night before works wonders. Even better, visualize finishing the projects and completing them to your satisfaction. This tip works great if the task is something you can accomplish on your own.

Pick the most challenging thing at the time that you are most alert. 

If you are alert in the morning, schedule your most challenging assignment in the morning. Plan your most time-consuming project if you are more alert at 3:00 pm. This tip will help you keep going and make you more likely to minimize distractions at that point.

Eat energizing food throughout the day. 

Snacks (Affiliate Link) that mess with your blood sugar are a disaster for productivity. Instead, pick vegetables like celery or proteins like hardboiled eggs for the prolonged energy you need to minimize distractions.

Create a reminder poster of your long-term goals.

Make a post that states your long-term goals for your business.  Look at it a few times daily, especially when distracted. This will give you a quick reminder to help you stay focused.

Remove reminder notifications on all devices. 

Not having pop-ups on your devices will considerably reduce the number of distractions you have.  And don’t forget your smartwatches, phones, and tablets.

Remove everything from the desk but the task at hand. 

Multitasking is a surefire way to distract yourself. So, instead, physically remove all papers, notebooks, cellphones, tablets, and other computers from your desk (Affiliate Link). Make your desk (Affiliate Link) clean and clear of anything distracting you from doing what you need to do.

Wear headphones or earbuds!

By removing the noise, you may be able to focus on what needs to be completed, especially if it is something where you need to hear your thoughts. It helps because it allows you to make your voice heard.

Well, there you have it. I hope this helps you stay focused when everything seems to be distracting you in your business. Let’s continue the conversation. Are there any tips you want to share that help you stay focused when you have many distractions? Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.

Are you looking for more articles on staying focused? Here are three to give you even more ideas.

13 Ways to Beat Distractions and Stay Focused at Work

The science of how to stay focused: Psychology, slow habits, and chewing gum

Ways To Determine Your Small Business Focus

Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.