Multi-Tasking

Are you a multi-tasker? Are you constantly doing 3 or 4 things at a time? If you are, stop wasting time.

We all have had our times when we would answer yes to all the questions above. If you still do then you need to review your actions and get control of your focus. It's a known fact that our brains function better when focusing on one task at a time. I can hear all the multi-taskers saying "oh no, I am better when I multi-task." Well you might be capable and successful at multi-tasking but you are not as efficient. Try this little test for yourself and see how you do. Take out a sheet of paper and at the top write column 1 and column 2. Get a stop watch to time this exercise. Now fill in column 1 with the letters 1 to 26 and column 2 with a through z. The first time you will write a number in column 1 and the corresponding letter in column 2 (1 - a, 2 - b, etc.). Write down the time it took you to complete this. Now the second time you will complete each column separately starting with column 1 then column 2 (1,2,3....a,b,c). Write down the time for this part. Now compare the two times. You will have completed the second exercise much quicker. This is just a part of how the mind works and is why you should avoid multi-tasking as much as possible.

In the Focusing on Success program we work on learning how to put all of our focus into the task at hand. When you start working on your Critical Tasks you need to block out all interruptions and focus only on the action item. Once you complete an action item you can take care of all the emails and phone calls that need to be answered. Then move on to the second task and do the same thing. Once you get the habit of doing this you will see how much easier it is to get those action items complete.

Cheers to Success!
Tony Booth

Actions are Key

In order to accomplish anything at all you must take action. Without actions you are not moving forward. If you go through each day without a plan you will find yourself wandering through life aimlessly. Sure, you may accomplish a lot of the things you want to and you may be very successful. But if you want to be super successful and accomplish all the things you deserve, you must have a plan and you must take action. In the Focusing on Success program, we take action everyday. We work at constant improvement and movement towards our goals on a daily basis. How do we do that? Through our daily Critical Action Items.

Every day (or the night before) you need to sit down and review what you would like to accomplish today. As you do this, you pick out 5 to 10 Critical Action Items that you need to complete in order to move closer to your intentions. Write each item down in order that you want to complete them and when you start your day, start with number one. Provide your complete and undivided attention to that particular task and do not move on until it is completed. Avoid interruptions like emails, phone calls, etc. while you are working on a task. Those things can wait. Use the time between your action items to follow up with important emails and phone calls. By avoiding all the distractions you will complete each task efficiently and quickly. It's amazing how much you can accomplish in a day when you are truely focused.

For writing out you action items, I recommend using an index card or something similar to write these items on so that you can carry it with you throughout the day and refer to it as necessary.

As many of you know, this concept is not new or revolutionary by any means. This has been around and has been taught for years. The difference we bring to this process with the Focusing on Success program is the full circle of values, targets, why, intentions, and actions. If you follow the program your actions will have a much deeper seeded meaning and you will have a greater desire to complete them. As I mention in the previous post, before writing out you Critical Action Items, you must first write out you Current Focus (intentions). By following this process you will more clearly understand what it is that each action will accomplish and how it will affect you overall goals. This helps to provide you with the compelling reasons why you want to complete each action. When you know why and understand the big picture it is easy to avoid procrastination and get things accomplished.

Start making your plan and completing you action items with ease. We can all accomplish anything we set out to do. There is nothing stopping you except yourself. Now, go out and take the actions to move closer to your goals everyday.

Cheers to Success!

Tony Booth