Under normal circumstances, Business professionals are typically busy, or maybe even crazy-busy,  depending on their circumstances. Right now, with most of the world in some phase or level of quarantine, crazy-busy may be the most appropriate choice of words.

One of the big keys to succeeding in business is the ability to stay Focused. For many of us who have been working from home for years, it may not that much different right now. But for those who are furloughed by companies to work from home, or even those who have been working from home all along – but now have spouses and kids at home too, it can be a tremendous challenge.

How can you be focused with so many things demanding your attention? Staying on track, focused and motivated may seem like a tall order, but there are ways to make it seem a little less daunting.

Paint the Right Side of the House: Ever heard the analogy of “trying to paint a house with one gallon of paint?” The “one gallon of paint” symbolizes your time, and the “house” is your business as a whole. Choosing which projects or tasks are high-priority will help you direct energy and time toward what matters the most in your business. Again, for business owners who now have spouses and children at home all day, every day, that brings on an added variety of responsibilities, so there are even more tasks and projects and things to juggle.

Delegation: That being said, take a good look at your business responsibilities. Grab a sheet of paper and a pen. Make two columns – one for income producing tasks and the other for non-income producing tasks. List each thing you do under its respective heading, and then, cross off everything in the non-income producing task column you don’t like to do, that take a lot of time to do, you struggle to do, or simply aren’t getting done at all. Those are the things you should delegate to someone who not only enjoys doing them, but has the expertise to do them quickly and efficiently. Whatever you determine isn’t in your priority wheelhouse should be delegated. Just because you’re good at social media and blogging doesn’t necessarily mean handling those tasks yourself will be the best use of your time as a business owner. Assign the income-producing activities to yourself and delegate the rest. You don’t have to hand off everything all at once; you can start with something small. The key is,  to start!

Try The Buddy System: If you’re struggling to stay focused, consider finding a friend or business mentor to act as a motivational partner to hold you accountable.  They can check in at regular intervals to see how you’re doing, provide encourage, and help keep you on track.

Establish a Routine: New and interesting things are fun and exciting, but routine helps keep you grounded. It’s a good idea to set your alarm for the same time each weekday morning and head to your office at approximately the same time each day. Trying to scramble and figure out your work hours each day only wastes time and energy, and hampers your productivity. If you have family at home, make sure they understand and can separate business time from family time. Establish a routine and stick with it.

Stay on Task: You may be dying of curiosity regarding who just messaged you on Skype, if there’s something new and interesting in your inbox, or to find out what all the commotion is down the hall where your kids are playing. But, every time your attention is directed away from the task at hand, it takes precious time to re-focus and get back on track. It’s amazing what you can do if you buckle down and shut out distractions. Taking a break is fine – in fact, it’s necessary to avoid burn-out. But schedule your breaks into your day rather than taking them at a whim.

Be a Nice Boss: Just because you are your own boss doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be a nice one. Give yourself time off and frequent breaks, but also crack down when things aren’t getting done.

If you’re one who has struggled with focus, what changes have you made to accommodate any changes in your life or business? If you’re currently struggling with focus, let me know how I can help.