The 5 Focus Rules for Success

There are 86,400 seconds in a day. That’s 31,536,000 seconds in a year. If those were dollars and you had to use them or lose them, how would you spend your newfound wealth?

We spend 1/4 to 1/3 of our lives in bed. The rest of the time depends on choices (work, play, friends, family). E-mails and social media compete for our attention. The door keeps knocking and the phone keeps ringing.

How can we prioritize anything amid the never-ending siege to our senses? Moreover, chaos happens, computers fail, and people get sick. The world doesn’t stop for our high-powered to-do list. And although we manage to type with one hand and make calls with the other, a Jack-of-all-trades masters none.

There’s a famous Chinese expression, “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is a nobler art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.” Steve Jobs said something similar, “Get rid of the crappy stuff!” To that end, here are a few tips …

The 5 Focus Rules

Focus Rule # 1: Turn Off The Noise for a full day (weekends even better)

Unplug the television. Shut off the computer. Put down the cell phone. I know what some of you are thinking. “No calls? No-E-mail? No social media? That’s crazy, Cliff! What will the world do without me for a day?” I assure you, life goes on. The world will happily await your glorious return.

Focus Rule # 2: Own Your Time / Manage Expectations

Let everyone know the boundaries of your schedule. Be unavailable certain days or times. Then commit to getting things done during those focus hours.

Focus Rule # 3: Commit to Your Unique Ability

Focus on core strengths. Don’t waste time perfecting weaknesses.

Focus Rule # 4: Eliminate Non-Essentials

Reduce the number of projects and meetings on your plate. Focus on “the one thing” that has the greatest impact on everything else.

Focus Rule # 5: Space Management 

Want success? Clean up the mess! Time + Space Management = Focus

For high performance people, busy calendars go with the territory. However, the more we cram into our schedule, the harder we make each task. We also create more stress. So pick your priorities with care. Bank on chaos and challenges. And remember the cardinal rule of opportunity costs:

Every second spent on one activity is at the expense of another.

 

This blog is from a chapter section in…

The 4 Essentials of Entrepreneurial Thinking

Essential 2, Strategy 6 – Focus and Time Management