cultivate focus, improve concentration of attention

It seems to help enormously if you have not only a short time aim as in getting a good grade, but also a long time goal that supports short time things. It needs to be something that you regard as meaningful, so you do the small bits for the bigger picture.

I’ve been giving up on this one, “Spend less time fooling around on the net and more time actually working” as it is more a side effect on not being focussed. If I am completely focussed things like the internet become far less interesting.

how to get just about anything done

Work Smarter for Better Time Management

Written on 3/26/2008 by David B. Bohl, the author of The Happiness Trilogy.

Today’s business world is constantly changing at breakneck speeds. It requires flexibility, a great deal of organization, and a good sense of humor just to keep up. Companies are retaining fewer employees but the workload continues to increase, making it harder to meet job demands and almost impossible to maintain any kind of work life balance.

Many companies have recognized this disparity and have implemented various types of time management training programs; some are good, most aren’t. Even so, you need to come up with a well thought out plan in order to meet your goals. Luckily there are several things you can do to make the most of your day, get things done, and still have time left over to relax.

The Curse of the Information Age
As technology improves, the number of people bombarding us with messages only seems to grow. Every day they have new and improved ways to interrupt our work. Between e-mail, the telephone, cell phone, Twitter, Linked In, and the eighteen other sites that keep you “in touch”, we have entered the age of information overload.

One of the best things you can do to work smarter is to manage your incoming communications. This will be difficult because many of today’s tools are taught to chase you, find you, and interrupt you. Start by separating your work and personal e-mail accounts, and only respond to your work-related messages while you are in your office. Save the personal messages for later. Schedule blocks of time in your calendar specifically for this task, put a time limit on it, and stick to it. Buy an egg timer if you need to.

Schedule your important phone calls as well. Allow sufficient time to contact your clients, but do not get entangled with personal conversations. Keep your phone time to a minimum, but do not be short or rude. If you don’t use it, learn how to send calls straight to voice mail so you aren’t tempted to answer a caller ID you recognize.

Managing Mountains of Paperwork
Develop a desktop organization system for incoming documents and mail. Touch the papers as little as possible, meaning they get filed as soon as you have time. If you come across mail, notes, or memos that will not be filed, shred them as soon as you are finished reading them. The goal is to reduce the amount of clutter on your desk so you can work more efficiently. Handling paperwork wastes almost as much time as e-mail so by making a simple change in how you handle paperwork, you could be saving yourself a great deal of time.

Speaking of clutter, organize your desktop. It does not necessarily need to be neat, just functional enough for you to get things done.

Find Some Quiet Time
When you need to read a technical document or if you are working on a task that requires great thought and concentration, remove yourself from your colleagues, shut down email, turn of twhirl. Interruptions from co-workers can cause you to lose focus, and can cost you a great deal of time when you need to go back and re-read something. Close your office door or go to the library to ensure your success with your project.

Take a Breather
Sometimes we become so focused on getting things done that we forget to give ourselves a break. Walk around the office or go outside and get a few minutes of fresh air. Eat your lunch, and have a snack in the afternoon. Getting the blood moving and nourishing our bodies will ensure the ongoing function of our brains. We will be able to stay on task better when we do not feel fatigued, making it easier to accomplish our goals.

Remain Focused
As new projects arrive or circumstances change, we may feel compelled to jump to a new task before we finished the previous one. Unless it is an absolute emergency, avoid this behavior. You interrupt your progress and train of thought, making it difficult to pick up again where you left off with any efficiency. Lack of efficiency only adds to the amount of time it will take you to finish.

Schedule Everything
If you do not already keep a calendar, begin now. Write everything down with an allotted time period. Allow ample time to reasonably accomplish your goals so you do not feel overwhelmed or unduly pressured. Do not stray from your schedule, which should include personal errands and chores as well as work-related appointments.

Following a few simple changes will not necessarily change the amount of work you must complete, but it will help you complete your work more efficiently. Getting things done in a shorter period gives you the extra time you have been looking for. You can take your extra time and spend it guiltlessly on your spouse, your children, or in a hot bath. Working smarter will help you keep up with the demands of the workplace while still maintaining a good work life balance.

16 ways to keep a razor-sharp focus at work

i liked these in particular, i want to focus on them:

“9+. Plan the night before.

Planning the night before is a great way to really get focused on the next day. “Sleeping” on your tasks and goals for the following day can really help your mind expect what’s going to happen the next day. Essentially, you’re preparing your mind for the following day. Advanced focus.

16+. Clean yourself up.

It’s why my track coach in high school made us dress up for big races: you perform the way you feel. And if you feel polished, groomed and ready, you’ll be more likely to be productive. For me this is just taking a shower, brushing my teeth and putting on casual clothing. I used to work all day without taking a shower in my PJ’s, but I never got much stuff done. Let’s be honest here… if you’re dressed really casually, odds are you’ll be working really casually. Just taking the time to clean up a bit before you buckle down for the day is never a bad idea.“

these are good too:

“14+. Visualize the day in the morning, before it starts.

A little pre-work meditation on the day’s events is a great way to start the day off focused and productive. Don’t worry about a full 30 minute session, a quick review before you start the day is fine.

5+. Keep a daily “purpose” card.

It’s pretty easy to get lost staring at the computer all day long. We’ll find rabbit holes to wonder down (ie. Youtube, Myspace, etc.) if we’re not careful. Having your daily purpose card gives you clarity and a reminder as to what you’re doing today.

15+. Start the day right. Starting the day with a good breakfast, some quiet time and/or exercise is a great way to set your day up for success.

Sounds like a cliche, but it really works.“

+many of these in the complete list i remember doing in high school, the time when i was the most on top of things in terms of productivity.

excerpts from
http://zenhabits.net/2008/03/the-magical-power-of-focus/

• focus on a goal
• focus on now
• focus on the task at hand
• focus on the positive

focus on a goal
”..focus is the most important determination of whether you’ll achieve a goal or stick to creating a new habit. Not self-discipline, not rewards, not sheer willpower, not even motivation (also an important ingredient, however). If you can maintain your focus on a goal or habit, you will more often than not achieve that goal or create that habit.

If you can’t maintain your focus, you won’t achieve the goal, unless it’s such an easy goal that it would have happened anyway. It’s that simple.

I am constantly advocating focusing on only one goal at a time. Having multiple goals spreads out your focus, and makes it less likely that you’ll complete any of the goals. It’s possible, but with a diffused focus, it’s much more difficult.

Even with only one goal, maintaining focus can be difficult. You need to find ways to keep your focus on that goal. Some good examples that work for me:

• Read about your goal as much as possible, on websites and blogs and in books and magazines

[..]

• Send yourself reminders using an online calendar or reminder service.
• Tell as many people as possible about it, and post your progress on your blog.
• Have a time each day to work on the goal, with a reminder in your schedule each day.

Maintain your focus on your goal, and you’ve won half the battle in achieving it.”

focus on now
”..focusing on the present can do a lot for you. It helps reduce stress, it helps you enjoy life to the fullest, and it can increase your effectiveness.”

focus on the task at hand
”.. the first step is to find work that you’re passionate about. Seriously — this is an extremely important step. Find hobbies that you’re passionate about.. get outside and do something that truly engages you.

Next, you need to clear away distractions and focus completely on the task you set before yourself. This is the part that takes a lot of practice.”

focus on the positive
“One of the key skills I’ve learned is how to be aware of my negative thoughts, and to replace them with positive thoughts.. there are many times when you feel like giving up, and if you don’t catch these negative thoughts in time, they’ll fester and grow until you actually do give up.

..learn to focus on the positive. Think about how great you feel. Think about how other people have done this, and so can you. Think about how good it will feel when you accomplish what you’re trying to do.

..learn to see the positive in just about any situation. This results in happiness, in my experience, as you don’t focus on the bad parts of your life, but on the good things. Be thankful for what you’ve been given.”