- The Defining Difference

In this new work-from-home environment the world is embracing, FOCUS is the key to creating more time in your day to tackle your to-do list, crush your goals, and still have energy left over to spend time on fun and be with family. But how do you find focus when it’s hard enough working from the office, let alone working from home while having to juggle household responsibilities, homeschooling children, and all the distractions that accompany a virtual workspace?

Here are 5 key strategies to implement TODAY, to improve your focus and move towards a well-balanced life:

CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT that allows you to focus. Build a physical environment that supports your needs.
- Find a quiet, designated workspace, preferably other than your bedroom as that should be a space you go to unwind. Set boundaries with your household, such as when and why they can and can’t enter your workspace.
- Curate your space to your comfort level – Learn about ergonomic office space, and look into purchasing office items to make your workspace more comfortable and efficient (try this site!).
- Provide yourself with good (preferably natural) lighting, to stay alert.
- Listen to music. Music streaming platforms such as Spotify have a multitude of “focus” playlists, pick music that keeps you invigorated and helps your concentration.
- Cut down on clutter and keep a clean space to reduce distraction.
- Limit distractions in any way you possibly can. Set work hours that your family needs to respect, add an automatic response that lets clients and colleagues know what hours you will be answering emails, and put your phone on silent for the times you are unavailable or focusing on a project. Change your environment when necessary or take an AirBNB “staycation”.
CREATE GOALS for high priority tasks. Whether writing them in a journal, notes on your phone, or calendar on your computer works best for you, set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals to keep you on track. Keep in mind that your goals should be SMART.

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound

For example: “I will secure 2 new referral partnership relationships by month-end.”

If setting goals is something you struggle with, read these tips on how to Change Your Mindset to Change Your Game.
SET AND ENFORCE TIME LIMITS for a clear structure to your day. Set a time limit for how long each task should take to complete. Or, set goals within time periods, such as noting how many tasks MUST be completed before lunch.
Implement the Pomodoro Technique – a procrastination eliminating tool that can help you regain focus!
TAKE BREAKS. Taking 5-10 minutes to center your mind, instead of forcing yourself to “push through” and remain unfocused for hours allows efficiency throughout the whole day to increase exponentially.

Here are some quick break ideas:
- Take a walk around the block (or the office)
- Meditate / take deep breaths
- Watch a calming video
- Stretch or do a short yoga routine
- Grab a healthy snack or make some tea
- Take a “power nap”
Research shows that intense focus actually makes us less focused in the long run. Getting some distance and distraction from the problems of the day will help you to solve them more efficiently.
ASSESS YOUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. If you don’t assess your health in other areas of your life, you won’t get very far. If you are lacking in one of these areas, make it a priority to improve:
- Sleep – Lack of sleep causes brain functions such as memory, decision-making, and problem-solving to worsen. Your immune system will weaken, which increases risk for getting sick and developing serious health problems.
- Healthy eating – Here are some tips to make better choices in the kitchen:
  - - Plan your meals and snacks either at the beginning of the week or day. Keep a food journal of what you will eat, stick to it!
    - Prepare meals ahead of time if possible! If that is too much for you, prep what you can…. chop veggies, cook proteins, etc.
    - Stock your shelves with whole foods and healthy, easy to grab snacks such as nuts, granola bars, and fruit.
    - Drink plenty of water! Dehydration often manifests as hunger.
    - Remember that food should still be fun! Make healthy swaps and choices and let yourself indulge every once in a while.
- Exercise – Regular exercise will help you stay calm and focused throughout the day. Try to start each day with 10 minutes of exercise to reign in your focus. Otherwise, aim for at least 3x per week for a minimum of 15-30 minutes.
  
  Find something you like to do! It will make exercise less of a chore and much more enjoyable. Dance, swim, hike, bike, run, Pilates, yoga, weights, HIIT… whatever you can stick to that will get your heart rate up is the right type of exercise!
- Mental health – It is very important that you are able to understand what your moods and emotions are telling you about what your body needs. Meditation is a way to train your mind to achieve mental clarity and focus, and helps you stay in control of your thoughts and feelings. YouTube has plenty of guided and beginner meditations, or Headspace is a great app that teaches and provides different meditation guides for different aspects of your day.

It is crucial to realize that each of these tips must be worked on in tandem… curate your work environment, create attainable goals, set and enforce time limits to maximize productivity, take breaks to reset, AND assess overall physical and mental health. You will find integrating these tips will increase your focus to master productivity, reduce stress, reach your toughest goals, and ultimately achieve your desired work-life balance.

If you want to learn more, read 4 Keys to Managing your Time, Energy, and Productivity.

If you are interested in any of my coaching opportunities, please learn more here or email the team at info@cindyertman.com.