Keeping our focus on the important is challenging. If you are like me, every day has a new one. Our jobs come with increasing opportunity to take our eye off what is most important.

Why is maintain our focus so difficult?

Speed of change, social media, and changing priorities all contribute to distraction. We all receive calls, e-mail, instant messages, and new pop-ups showing up every minute telling us something new. Like no other time, we have others competing for our attention.

I think it is silly to think this will end anytime soon. It is up to us to focus on the important. But how?

Giving in to interruption give us the excuse to hide (aka putting off the important) and not produce our best work. This must be the exception; not the rule.

How do we keep the important front and center?

Below actionable suggestions that can help. It is not knowing them that will help, but actually putting them into practice.   Make a commit to practice at least one of them and let me know how you are doing.

Most of us have one. I do.

Write down what is most important to you. With all the distraction and good new ideas coming to us continuously, if we don't have our goals written down we will drift.

Having what is most important in front of us can be your anchor to steady you during uncertain times and keep us from drifting.

Action:  Write your anchor on your whiteboard, stickies, reminders on your phone or wherever you will see it all the time.

2) Block time

Block time to do what's important. What are we paid for if not what's important? We can't let the urgent get in the way of us doing what only we can do.

Action:  Start with 1 hour per day. No interruptions. Just do the work. See what happens.

3) Progress daily

Anything worthwhile doesn't happen in a day. Instead, it happens daily. Before your day starts begin with writing down the 3 things you want to accomplish today that is a part of your overall goals and objectives.

Action: Work on them during your blocked time or ensure your to do list has your top 3 on them and you do them first.

4)Take a break

Give yourself a break and turn off the device for a few hours every day. Especially during your blocked time.  You will save hours if you can batch your e-mail responses and do them just a couple of times a day.

Action:  Start with turning off your phone 1 hour per day during your blocked time.   Go further and turn-off the pop-ups on your e-mail and on your phone when your devices are on.

Please add your productivity suggestions below.  Growing in leadership happens best when we are focused on what is most important.

Two books I would encourage you to explore that have helped me focus and also stay productive. Essentialism by Greg McKewon and Cal Newport’s Deep Work are outstanding.