March 29, 2024

Small Business Advice

Here's how to improve your concentration: Quit multitasking

Focus is the ability to dedicate your attention to just one thing for a period of time.

Jerry Osteryoung | 12/16/2016

Most people realize they are most productive when they are able to focus on one task at a time, but many have trouble keeping that level of focus. For most entrepreneurs and managers, for example, focus is a challenge because their days are filled with interruptions.

I believe the secret to focusing is not choosing what to focus on but rather what not to focus on. I realize this may sound backwards, but I think being focused is the process of excluding things to think about or do. In order to be successful at focusing, you must be able to exclude everything else.

The mind is a serial processor in that it can only do one thing at a time.

Now, I know some folks are saying they can focus on two things at the same time, but the truth is, the mind cannot concentrate on more than one task at any given moment.

When you think you are focusing on two things at once, you are most likely multitasking, which is using the mind’s ability to flit back and forth between tasks. You are not, however, dedicating your attention to both tasks at the same time.

For example, you might be able to read and watch television “at the same time.” What you are really doing, however, is skirting back and forth between what you are reading and the television.

With so many things fighting for our attention, it is hard to have true focus. However, learning how to concentrate on just one thing is possible with time and training. For entrepreneurs and managers, this is vital.

Sure, multitasking has its benefits, but I am sure you have noticed you can only do something so well when splitting your focus. You may do a lot pretty well, but it is much better to do a few things superbly. That is why you should focus on a relatively small number of projects each week.

So how do you begin to focus on a small number of projects a week? The first thing you need to do is prioritize your tasks. Make a list of the 10 or 15 things you want to get done that week (the top 10%). Then eliminate the rest (the bottom 90%).

Most people find that the bottom 90% takes a lot of time and energy but does not have much of a payoff. When focusing on the top 10%, on the other hand, most find they see a much higher return on the time and energy they invest.

One great way to improve your focus is to measure your progress. If you are not measuring, it is almost impossible to see the advances you are making. For me, the easiest way to do this is just to record how much progress I am making every day.

For example, I recently completed a 30-day physical challenge. I had to train for 65 minutes every day. Then I had to record both the time I trained and what I did. At the end of 30 days, I had lost about 5% of my weight, but more importantly, I had gained muscle mass and reduced body fat.

If I had not been measuring and recording my progress every day, there is no question in my mind that I would not have hit the desired goal. Focus and measurement were the keys to my success.

I also found that measuring my progress each day helped me to develop a habit. What was a goal at the beginning is now something I do every day without any effort.

A final tip for improving your focus is to remove as many temptations and distractions as you can. For example, try not to check your phone for periods of time so you cannot be pulled away from the subject of your focus. If your mind does wander, bring it back to the task at hand.

Now go out and make a plan for perfecting your focus that can be monitored and measured. I know that if you do, you will see a big improvement in your life and your business.

Dr. Osteryoung has directly has assisted over 3,000 firms. He is the Jim Moran Professor of Entrepreneurship (Emeritus) and Professor of Finance (Emeritus) at Florida State University. He was the founding Executive Director of The Jim Moran Institute and served in that position from 1995 through 2008. His newest book co-authored with Tim O'Brien, "If You Have Employees, You Really Need This Book," is a bestseller on Amazon.com. He can be reached by e-mail at jerry.osteryoung@gmail.com.

You can do this!

Dr. Osteryoung has directly has assisted over 3,000 firms. He is the Jim Moran Professor of Entrepreneurship (Emeritus) and Professor of Finance (Emeritus) at Florida State University. He was the founding Executive Director of The Jim Moran Institute and served in that position from 1995 through 2008. His newest book co-authored with Tim O'Brien, "If You Have Employees, You Really Need This Book," is a bestseller on Amazon.com. He can be reached by e-mail at jerry.osteryoung@gmail.com.

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