5 Steps to Regain Your Focus

There are times when work seems overwhelming and we feel like we can’t possibly manage all the tasks on our to-do list. It can be particularly easy to lose focus at times like these.

Here are five steps you can take to regain your focus at work and reduce your stress and anxiety, too.

Identify tasks. Be clear on the things you need to accomplish by writing them down. If you’re a pen and paper type of person write them down in a planner or on a sheet of paper that you post nearby. Otherwise, create a list to access from your laptop or phone. You’ll also want to identify due dates for each task to help you with the next step.

Prioritize and align with company goals. Evaluate your tasks and rank them according to due dates and importance. You will also want to consider how your tasks align with your company goals. It’s possible to get distracted by tasks that are not really a priority for your company. If you’re unsure about which tasks should take priority seek out help from your manager or supervisor.

Delegate when possible. If it’s possible to hand off some tasks to other people, do so. Look through your tasks and determine whether one or more might be better handled by someone else on your team or should be moved to another department.

Remove distractions. This should be part of your every day routine but turn off your social media notifications, avoid surfing the internet, turn off your phone, and turn your attention exclusively to the task at hand.

Avoid multitasking. Notice I just wrote “the task at hand”. Singular. Not plural. Trying to multitask not only slows you down but it distracts you and makes it more difficult to get something done.

And it’s important to start small. You don’t have to tackle the biggest, most difficult task on your to-do list first. Complete one task. A small one. Gain a quick victory to start your day and propel you onto the more important work.