The Power of Focus: 4 Ways to Being More INTENTIONAL

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hours in a day.” – Zig Ziglar

Have you ever found yourself completely overwhelmed? Running at 200 miles per hour without any clear focus or direction? Working harder than ever without actually accomplishing much of anything? It is a counter-productive state of mind to be in, but it’s common - and it happens to the best of us.

As a Business Growth Coach, I help my clients find happiness and success by growing their companies in a profitable way. It is truly fulfilling work, and I love the challenges it brings every day. But when the pandemic hit, the world got flipped upside down for most of us - and it brought a new kind of challenge that I hadn’t expected. I quickly found myself helping clients for free: so many of them couldn’t afford to pay for my services. Those that were doing well got so busy that they didn’t have time for coaching.

It was a rough 4 months, as it has been for most of us. I ended up working double the hours I normally work for a fraction of the paycheck. I definitely became “busy being busy” (not the good kind of “busy”). If I wasn't working, I felt as if my world would crumble beneath my feet. I had a fear of stopping, as if taking even a few moments to think through my plans would cause even further despair and destruction.

Luckily, with some meditation and introspection, and with the help of some amazing peers and mentors, changing strategies became my new goal. Within weeks, I pivoted my coaching model and found different ways to bring in revenue. Most importantly, I set myself up for long-term success by incorporating four new habits of intentionality.

Brain Release

An amazing trick I learned from my friend Hugo was the “Brain Release.” Once per week, I grab a specific journal and make a long list, writing down every single thing I need to accomplish. On the list can be anything: sending emails to specific people, making calls, paying bills, writing an article, completing a small project, etc. Literally anything that I need to accomplish in the 7 days to come. 

Once that’s done, I take the information and classify each item into one of the four Covey Quadrants. This serves as a guideline, categorizing what is important versus what is urgent. I learned how incredibly important it is to identify which of these tasks are above the line, falling into the “important” category. Anything that isn’t meaningful should be delegated or erased from the list entirely. It’s at this part that I found myself struggling - and learned to step outside of the “stories” that we often tell ourselves. It’s all about being honest with ourselves: is x task really that important? Is it truly urgent? Does it really even matter at all? Getting the quadrants right is a crucial part of gaining back your time.

Deep Work

Cal Newport provided us with an excellent blueprint for success in his exceptional book “Deep Work.” He explains how we need to be setting time aside - ideally in 90 minute bursts - to work on important projects and tasks. The secret is to avoid all distractions during this timeframe. Easier said than done, to be sure - but entirely possible. Turn off all electronics, shut down notifications, lock your door and hide from energy vampires. That is the only way to succeed.

According to a recent study done by UC Irvine in California, it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to regain our focus after we are distracted from a state of deep work. Can you imagine how much time is being lost? If Cal Newport’s 90-minute bursts seem excessive to you, start small: try 20-minute focused bursts and learn to increase the amount over time.

Take mindfulness breaks

Sounds counterintuitive, right? How can you get more done if you are taking more breaks?! In reality, we absolutely need to take breaks in order to regain our energy. We all know the key adage: “one step back does indeed equal two steps forward.” Try it and you will likely become a believer.

Take a break - but don’t spend your break on your phone! This isn’t the time to catch up on social media; it is an opportunity to give your brain some much-needed space and air. It will provide clarity and a fresh perspective.

Peer Power

All of us have interesting people in our communities. They may be friends, mentors or even family members. We often underestimate the power of tapping into the energy of these special human beings. Think of a time you had an invigorating conversation that gave you some nuggets of wisdom. Now imagine you could have this all of the time. You can! But you have to be intentional about it.

Make a list of sixteen people who provide you with exceptional guidance or energy. Dig deep, you can find these leaders in your circle. Make it a point to call one of these people per week to have inspiring conversations. Why sixteen? Because that means you are speaking to each of these people three times per year, systematically. It isn’t as big as for one person to have three conversations with you. Don’t be intimated!

Intention versus Busy

Above all, try to reframe your ideas around the definition of productivity. The only true way to move the needle forward is to take the time to understand what your goals are. Once your goals are crystal-clear, you can then figure out the best way to get them accomplished. It also means cutting out the fat by eliminating both distractions but also those tasks that are not helping you accomplish your vision.

Remember, we always have a choice! Choose intentionality over all else. By being intentional, you will be successful in whatever you’re trying to accomplish.

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Shawn Johal, Business Growth Coach & Leadership Speaker