Ron Jacobson Creative Coach

This week I’m going to concentrate on one point only……STAYING FOCUSED!!

For any human being, focusing on a certain task or project can be seemingly impossible at times. Our time and attention is being pulled from so many directions that staying on track is very difficult.

While our advance into the information age has given us so many more choices, it has also pulled us apart, making it harder and harder to focus on any specific task. Compare our current lifestyle to that of someone working 50-100 years ago. They had only a couple tasks to take care of each day; even if they were a farmer or factory worker. Now we deal with more information, handling everything from emails to cell phone calls to meetings. Because of all these priorities pulling at us, we need to schedule some of these concerns and save time. It might be only checking on your email a couple times per day. Figure out the times that would be best, possibly right away in the morning, again at lunch and toward the end of the day. That way you’ve become more efficient and will not be checking your email all day long.

For phone calls, take messages on anything that isn’t high priority. That way you can group return calls together and increase your efficiency. Same thing happens with other daily events such as sorting your mail, sending out packages and mail, and incidentals such as washing windows, vacuuming, cleaning restrooms and emptying garbage. Put these tasks together if possible, or better yet; find a student that can come in an do these jobs for you, giving you time to focus on your projects. If you are an artist, you are best spending your time FOCUSING on your art. By cleaning up the rest of your life you are giving yourself that opportunity.

The speed at which our world is changing is only going to make concentrating and focusing harder in the future. By establishing policies for both your personal and professional life, you will be able to keep your FOCUS on your art and your life!

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