Let’s talk… about focus.
Focus is in the class of things that we don’t notice until it’s absent.
Like air, for example. We breathe in and out thousands of times a day, even when we’re sleeping, and we take air for granted. But let something interfere with the supply of air, or its quality – and suddenly we’re quite conscious of it.
Now, the absence of focus is a little more subtle, much of the time. A vague feeling that “I have something I should be doing” or “Where did I put that file” or “Why do I have so many tabs open?” Eventually, a lack of focus builds to a crescendo of discomfort, noise, and an inability to move forward. You just feel stuck.
So what do we do?
We make a list. Yeah, that’s it, let’s make a list. Assuming we can hold focus long enough to complete the list, then we have things to focus on.
But we don’t always get that far. Something distracts us, steals the focus for a moment, and then we’re adrift again.
I have a theory. No scientific evidence, just my own observations and experience.
Barring any pathology – such as ADHD for example – lack of focus stems from too many inputs with no clear path to focus on.
When you run a business – especially when you’re going solo or just starting to grow – there’s so much going on and so many things to keep track of, with new stuff entering the picture every day – it’s easy to get overwhelmed and flooded and carried away.
And let’s be clear: we’re not talking about cat videos (although those are so darn cute… don’t you just love when they… where was I?).
We’re talking about all the new technologies and platforms and AI, and everything going on in the world and how it affects your business, along with marketing, sales, contracts, hiring (and HR), billing, banking, payroll, IT, security (data and physical), and, oh, yeah, actually doing the work… and as the business grows, there’s just more and more to do and learn and keep track of.
Focus.
How do we get it back?
I’m not the first one to talk about this, and I’m not the first one to suggest solutions.
For me, focus is a matter of inches, not feet or yards. Centimeters instead of meters or kilometers, if you prefer.
It starts with a throttle. Time management is critical. And think about it – time is a finite resource. If you have too much to do in a given amount of time, something has to go. As risky as it might sound, stop looking at news that doesn’t matter to you. Yes, conditions in the market are important. Beyond that, cut way back on the extraneous noise and distracting inputs. That includes technology-related articles and such – yes, some whiz-bang innovation may be cool and the next big thing, but it will not make or break your business. It’s simple: does it move the business forward? If not, forget about it or file it away for now. If it does, dig a bit more.
Second, take each of the activities I mentioned above – all the housekeeping and bookkeeping and so on – and playbook the snot out of it. Every one of the tasks related to running your business should be turn-the-crank repeatable, documented, and process-optimized. Identify what it is, what it does, what it connects with. Draw diagrams. If you get to that point, then it should be delegated and then, automated. Remember to include exception handling in the process – and that’s the only time you need to think about it. (Having a solid project management methodology really helps in doing this.)
Don’t be drawn into the mindset of “I’m the only one who can do this task.” You’re not – even if you enjoy it and are good at it (like fiddling with the company network or handling billing or the company website) – is that how you should be spending your time?
Finally, when it comes to doing the actual work: Always ask yourself, “Is this furthering us toward our goals? Does this align with why we’re in business?” I spoke about the North Star recently – you should have one, as well as a strategic plan – and make sure that what you’re doing aligns with that.
It’s a lot. And it’s not easy.
But once you get there – once your business has a clear set of policies and procedures, a methodology for managing projects, delegation, automation, and a throttle on the noise – you’ll be free to focus once again on creating, building, and growing the business, without that drowning feeling a lack of focus can cause.
I would love to talk to you about how to make these things happen. That’s what I’m here for. Let’s talk.