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How you create focus

So if you read my last post, you know that we’re talking everything FOCUS today. It’s part 2 of 3 this week. As promised I am going to share with you how you can create focus for yourself.

Focus really does have the power to transform your results and experience. For the long list of benefits of focus, you can read the previous blog here.

So if you’ve ever struggled with focusing on a task, a project or just what your spouse is saying to you, you’re not alone! The reality is that most people struggle with this.

We all struggle because:

We live in such a connected world.
Many of us have been in the habit of doing a number of things at once for a very, very long time!
We have our phones on and attend to their every notification.
We  get a bit ambitious and try to do everything at once.

Creating focus doesn’t have to be difficult but it will require you to establish some new habits around how you operate. 

Here’s the deal: Habits take time to make and break. As much as we want to have an intention to change and then immediately be able to do a new task regularly and effortlessly… it just doesn’t work that way!

Don’t blame yourself though, it’s just the way that all of our human brains work. They resist change.
So, to embed a new habit we literally need to re-wire our brains.

Sounds tricky but it’s not really. You’ve actually done it thousands of times before.

You can rewire your brain simply by carrying out the new task that you want to be your new habit…and then doing it again, regularly.

It sounds like practicing because it is practicing. You start out a bit inconsistent and it takes a lot of effort, but if you repeat it often, it becomes easier. 

So this is what we’re going to focus on (pun intended) over the next 2 weeks. Practising.

We’re going to focus on just 1 focus tip. Yes, just 1!
And we’re going to implement it. 

Because I can tell you all the great tips on how to create focus, but what good is that if you don’t implement them? This is what I do with my clients all the time. We set up goals to implement habits and we track them.

I will give you a task to complete between now and the next post – a good 2 weeks away.

All you have to do is this one task. Then in two weeks from now we can review your progress and share further tips on how to focus.

The focus tip I have for you is around completing tasks. It will help you to increase your productivity and focus.

Your focus task for the next 2 weeks:
Set specific outcomes for every task and allocate a specific timeframe for them.

Let’s break this down…
For example- you are working on a marketing plan
The specific outcome: To complete the introduction and SWOT analysis
Specific timeframe: From 12pm-2pm on Tuesday 31st May 2022

You don’t want to allocate a few hours – or even a day – to “work on” your task or project. No, don’t do that.

Instead, do this:

  1. Create a specific outcome(a milestone in your project, the next step of a goal). 
  2. Then assign in your calendar a specific day and time, blocking out the time you will take to complete the task outcome

A task will usually take as long as the time you allocate it. So estimate how long you think it will take and then get to it!

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Get more done and feel good

What is boosting your energy this week?
Could it be…
a small win
a new thing you learnt
a chat with a friend…

It’s good to take note of what gives you energy. When you notice what boosts your energy, you can use these boosts to benefit:

  1. your life experience and 
  2. your outcomes 

Benefits to your life experience and outcomes is quite significant, right?
All you have to do is notice what is giving you energy and then harness that energy.

Here’s where to start:
Over the next week, make a note (pen to paper or digital app) of when your energy is high.
Experiencing high energy can be felt in different ways. It might be a feeling of enthusiasm, engagement, productivity or connection. However you describe it, the point is that you feel your overall energy is high or “flowing”.

Action 1: As you notice these energy boosts, take note of what you were doing immediately before and during that feeling.

Some activities will boost our energy and some will drain it. We want to know what specific activities are boosting our energy.

Action 2: When you get to the end of the week, review your energy boosting moments. These are the keys to harnessing your energy over the week that follows.

Action 3: Add in some of the energy boosting activities throughout the next week. 

Action 4: Notice any positive differences to your energy, productivity and mood. This is the feedback that your energy boosting activities are creating a positive difference for you. 

You see, the things that give us energy are often also connecting us to our values and what fulfills us. There is more chance that you will feel fulfilled or accomplished. The other benefit you may experience relates to accomplishing your outcomes. Maybe they come easier or you are able to do more.

This exercise to find your energy boosting activities is simply about creating awareness of what works and amplifying that. This is often what I do as a Coach for my clients. I help them see what is working and not working. That knowledge is powerful. It opens up more options.

If you want help to understand what is and isn’t working for you and in turn create positive change, sign up for my Coaching Introduction Session here. It’s FREE and there’s often caffeine involved (if you want it to be).

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Your 3-step 2022 goals check-in

It’s the end of Q1 for the calendar year 2022 and a very good moment to do a goals check-in. That simply entails looking at where you’re at now versus where you were planning to be around this time. 

Why do we want to do this?
Because everyone and every business gets off track in pursuit of their goals. It’s normal.
It’s pretty much inevitable.

In fact, I always remind my Coaching clients that it’s not an issue if you get off track.
The most important thing is to have a system that catches you when you do get off track. Then you can quickly realign and get back on. Understand what I’m saying here?
We’re all human, we get distracted. Life happens. Important and urgent things come up…


So, plan for that.
That’s why you should have a check-in system.
And that’s why I’m asking you to check-in now.

So, let’s do it:
Step 1: Assess progress
Get out your written goals for the year. Based on the goals you have and their timelines, are you on-track to achieving them by their due date? A simple yes/no answer is all we need here.

Step 2: Adjust your actions or the deadline
While goals are the guideposts to get us where we want to go or to achieve a specific outcome, they must always be flexible. At this moment of goal check-in it’s time for you to exercise that goal flexibility! If you are not on-track to complete a goal by its deadline, you can do one of two things:

  1. Adjust the deadline to a more realistic date when you expect to complete the goal
  2. Adjust your actions that are creating the goal outcome (so you can achieve it at the current deadline)

Several factors will influence your choice between these two options including, the context (current business environment, what’s going on in other parts of your life, general busyness) and the importance of the goal.

Step 3: Look for a learning opportunity
This is a process where you can become more aware of what is and is not working for you. What have you noticed about the goals you set and the deadlines? Were they realistic deadlines for example? What reason(if any) can account for getting off track in pursuit of your goals? Is there anything you can do in future to prevent this? A short reflection is enough to gain a valuable insight into what you could do differently next time. In some cases, there is nothing you could do differently and that’s a valid answer. This is not about finding fault with you or the process, but observing and learning.

This 3-step process can be used as often as you need. It will help you to:

  • stay on track with your goals
  • improve your chances of goal attainment
  • feel more on-track and in control
  • improve your goal-setting and organisation

And remember to always enjoy the journey!

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7 questions that help you create solutions

create solutions

One of the best ways to find a solution to a problem is to gain a new perspective on the situation. In coaching this is what is known as “reframing”. You draw a new frame around the same circumstances to see it differently.

It’s a very powerful tool that I use in my coaching sessions with clients (and to find my own solutions when required!).

The magic is that once you have a new way of looking at the problem, suddenly you can see other options and solutions that had not occurred to you before. 
Perspective is incredibly powerful in opening up options for you and it is quite easy to do once you have the right questions.

So let’s look at what questions you can use to help“ reframe” or gain a new perspective around a problem that you need to solve. I would suggest that you see which of these questions resonate with you and your unique situation and choose 2-3 to use to overcome your problem. You can ask this to yourself in your head and answer it, but it can be even more helpful to write/type out your answers to the questions. This will also act as a “declutter” for all the thoughts you have around this problem too!

Here are some reframing questions:
If there was a benefit to this situation what might it be?
This is a good one because it flips the situation on its head and asks us to look at it in a way we normally would not. 

In six months from now, looking back on this situation, what is really important?
In the midst of what feels like a crisis, we lose perspective. Everything feels urgent and important. This reminds you that in time, some things will matter less.

Is there an option to do nothing and see what happens?
Sometimes we forget that we don’t always need to react and solve an issue immediately. It will depend on your situation, but a good question to consider.

What am I assuming about this situation?
We are almost always assuming something, usually about other people involved in our problem! It’s important to recognise these assumptions, as they are often not true and block you from finding a solution and prevent you from thinking clearly.

How have I dealt with this situation before?
Our past can offer us solutions, we just need to reach back into a similar situation we dealt with previously.

What parts of this situation can I genuinely control?
We are in much less control of things than we think and this is not a bad thing. It’s good to get a real handle on what we can genuinely control around our problem or challenge. Then we can focus on controlling that which will make a difference.

What advice would I give a friend in this situation?
This question helps us be more empathetic with ourselves but also creates some objectivity. A very useful question.

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5 steps to manage growth (change) in your business

We all want our businesses to grow and flourish. And yet when we start to see this happening there can be so much chaos that we almost wish we didn’t have a growing business!

I have seen it first hand with my clients. Trying to navigate increased workloads and balancing this increasing productivity demand with the number of hours in the day (or number of staff you can afford to hire). It can be very trying!

Growth in your business requires change. Change of the way you do things both personally and within your business systems. You must be open to change yourself in order to support the growth of your business.

My questions for you are therefore: How well can you adapt to the changing needs of your business? 

For example, have you considered if you are willing to change your own habits to ensure a more efficient process? And can you be flexible with your approach to the broader business processes?

Let’s be honest: Change is messy.
It can be a chaotic (and exhilarating) time. You must have a plan or some basic structure to navigate your way through!

Let me share with you my 5 step plan to manage change in your business. The 5 steps that I outline below are applicable across all industries and business sizes. They are a foundation on which you can build your own tailored change plan for your unique business.

Step 1: Design & document new systems to manage the workload(with other stakeholders/managers)
One of the biggest challenges of a growing business is the systematic shifts that are required as the business grows. The only way to meet this challenge is to regularly design new systems that work better than the current ones. Systems get outgrown as the workflow increases. You need to design a new way to do things and remain flexible in order to switch to a better way when it is found. Then you must ensure that it is clearly documented, so everyone is on the same page and you have a reference document. Whether you are working alone or with a team, documented systems, even a simple checklist, will greatly increase the ability for everyone to use the new systems.

Step 2: Clearly communicate the new procedures & start date
It’s important that once a new system has been designed, that all staff are notified of these changes and when they are to take effect. It’s always good to communicate why changes are being made. Most people are reluctant to change, but with a good reason, they are more likely to be onboard. The initial communication should also advise who is responsible for managing these changes, so it is clear where queries can be directed. If you’re managing your own business, be clear with yourself on why you are making these changes.

Step 3: Provide support
Many systematic changes will require some kind of initial training. Ideally you should provide support to your staff through the change process by providing convenient ongoing access to the documented system procedures, with links to further information and where to direct their queries. If you are managing your own business alone, reach out to a certified coach to help support you through this process, it will make a big difference!

Step 4: Monitor implementation over time
With any changes that you implement, you must find a way to monitor the implementation over time. It’s important to track that the new changes are being implemented consistently. This also acts as a reminder for your staff or yourself to stay with the new process. Schedule in regular evaluations for the first few months. Changing the way you and your staff work means changing habits. This takes time. Change is a process, so be patient with yourself and your staff.

Step 5: Assess the results
You will reach a point when you find that the changes you have made have been fully integrated. Now it’s time to look at the bigger picture. You implemented the changes for a reason, so are the changes you made helping solve your original problem? In most cases, it’s an easy “yes, this is significantly better”. It’s also good at this point to ask for staff feedback or conduct your own review of the implementation process.  This should be along the lines of: What did you learn from this implementation process? What would we do differently next time?

Change is a process and not a switch that we just turn on. Everyone takes time to adjust to new changes, however the whole process can work much smoother if you utilise this 5-step process as the foundation for your approach.