Almost all of us can admit to driving home from somewhere and taking a familiar route - only to realize we are not sure either where we are - or we find that we have driven past our turn. Somehow we have drifted into thought - and have lost our focus.
This is something I am very familiar with. Having ADHD, I understand both loss of focus and hyper-focus. The former can be debilitatimg for my business - the latter can adversely affect my personal life.
Recently I have noticed a number of smaller and larger businesses are suffering from a loss of focus - and the justification begins! I hear things like; "We'll do that after the election". Or, "we'll get that started after Easter". "Maybe after the Royal Wedding is over".
Holidays, special events and even seasons can distract a business owner from focusing on what needs to be done. How do I know? I too have fallen into the trap!
We often refer to intermittent focus as 'driving with our foot on the brake'. (that can be hard on the car - but most of all makes it difficult to reach the destination!)
The truth is we lose focus for several simple reasons.
• We are tired, burnt out.
• We are not sure not how to proceed with something (unsure of next steps)
• Something shiny appears (In other words - our focus shifts because we see something else of interest)
• We lose interest.
The result of this loss of focus can be very harmful to both the operator and the business. The business owner loses faith in his ability to perform and the business surges ahead and then falls behind.
A perfect example is like what happened when I wrote this article. I had my computer plugged in and was completing the article online in real time. Then the hydro when out - only for a moment. This shut my computer down. (luckily I had saved my work) I rebooted as soon as the hydro came back - only to have it go off again. I realized that this stop and start pattern was going to interfere with my ability to move forward and finish the article!
Luckily - understanding that even I can be like the hydro - on again off again - I had a strategy! I have a standby computer I keep charged up in case of power loss. I went and got it up and running and began writing again - determined to finish the article.
I also know from having ADHD, that I need strategies to remain in, and regain focus. Let me share these 'stay focussed strategies' with you:
• Have a great support team. A support team can cheer you on, pick up slack and gently remind you of your commitments.
• Understand the value of your contribution. Think of the people who may rely on your completing a task - or who may benefit from your business thriving.
• Remember unfinished tasks tie us up in knots. Unfinished business (tasks etc) actually psychologically prevent us from moving forward. So finishing even the smallest task - even if we are feeling distracted - will actually contribute on a large scale to our successrn • Take a break. Burnout can be a great contributor to loss of focus. Burnout is like a power outage and can destroy every thing you have created to date. Be sure to take time off and regenerate.
• Beware of hyper-focus. Hyper-focus may feel good in the moment - but ultimately leads to lack of focus because you are just plain 'pooped'! When you see yourself in the hyper-focus mode - know it is time to take a break.
• Build your discipline to include determination. Determination can conquer any obstacle and has been the engine to all successful endeavors. (this is where a good cheering section comes in handy)
So the next time you find yourself putting something off - a marketing promotion, a task - or executing a strategy, remember how this will affect your business in the end! A thriving business can bring great joy, spare time, add value to a community and bring freedom - offering financial rewards and stability. Focus can bring a business help your business thrive. Lack of focus will keep us standing in the same place we were last month, last year, last decade - which in the end is actually further behind than when we began!
"One of the keys to effective communication and dispute resolution is understanding ourselves and how we think and also understanding how others are wired as well. Each of us has personality styles that are unique to ourselves - however there are also patterns as well. When you understand the differing personality styles and their blends - you begin to see people as they are with more understanding! For more information on understanding personality styles please contact Mandie at
president@roaringwomen.com."
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