How often have you sat down to your computer to begin work and then…. Blank. Your mind was running a million miles an hour just before when you were thinking of all the work you had to get done plus the washing, cleaning, organising pick up/drop offs. This list feels never ending, and really there is always something that could/should be done.
So, how do you get your mind to focus when it comes to work time? And, I will go one further, how do you work smarter not harder? I talk about working in the flow regularly in my Facebook group Remarkable Business Mums and this is what my CTP Method is also based on to ensure we set up our clients up into a business that is going to flow and gel into their life as opposed to them struggling unnecessary. We are mums, we are busy, we need to make the most of our time and working aimlessly in an overwhelmed stressed out state is not the best use of our time and a longer path to success.
Whether you’ve only got an hour a week, or 20 hours to spend on your business we teach our clients to make the most of every second and how to work smarter, not harder to give their business a better chance of gaining momentum.
I strive to work within the path of least resistance to make sure I do not make things harder for myself. When I am in the zone I can do 8 hours of work in 4 and nail down that to do list with ease because I am mindful about working efficiently and productivity. I have 4 kids. So every second counts.
I have outlined 5 great things you can do before you begin work, to get your mind in the right headspace.
Boost your Mood
Did you know when you boost your mood you release oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin into the body, which gives you a surge of positivity. This provides for a better mindset when working on your business. For me, listening to upbeat music or a positive podcast prior to beginning work gives me the mood-booster I need for focus. My goal (not always achievable though) is to ensure I am working from a state of inspired and motivated over burned out and overwhelmed.
Unplug
For me, I can get easily distracted if my mind is not feeling in the right mood. I have found that unplugging from social media and emails during the workday has made a significant impact on my brain’s ability to focus on the tasks that need to be completed. I have found having set times to reply to emails has also helped as it means I am not jumping between tasks and can give a single job my full attention. Did you know when we get interrupted when we are concentrating it takes about
25 minutes to return to the original task after an interruption. Which means if you’ve only got an hour per day and you get interrupted just once, your productivity time was approx only 30 minutes, not 60 minutes.
Write a List
When I sit down to work each morning I write out my ‘to do list’ and then rate everything in order of priority. Generally, anything that has a direct line to profit gets looked at first. This stops me wasting time in the morning trying to work out what needs to be done. It also allows myself to judge time and give myself adequate breaks. I also make sure that I add ‘bonus jobs’ but don’t stress myself if I do not get them done. This makes me work smarter as I want to tick everything off. If I do get to finish the bonus jobs, it feels that more special and a reward for a days work.
Peak Hours
Everyone is different, and that goes for when you are most productive. I find that mornings are my best times for work as by the evening I want to veg out on the lounge and relax. When I took time to listen to my body and analyse when I was pumping out the most work, I made the change and I have seen a significant change in my productivity. Have a think about when you feel the most energised, where you work the fastest and at the most ease. Ok, with kids we don’t always have the option but simply being mindful of this can help create shifts from slow movement to faster movement in your business.
Practice Mindfulness
We need to treat our brain like a muscle. We need to take good care of it. When you practice mindfulness you are being present. Only thinking of the now. You are free of judgement and distraction. I do mindfulness everyday and find that it gives me time to breathe and just ground myself. There are many mindfulness apps, music and podcasts across the web that are worth checking out. This may seem like a lot of changes to your daily routine, but if you start with one, and work down I believe that you too will see a huge shift in the way you do work and your productivity levels.
