Staying Focused Part 1: Concentrate On Business

The school of Zen Buddhism has gained mainstream recognition in recent years. Many people want to achieve their own version of peace, tranquillity and focus in their everyday lives. The complications, stresses and unexpected roadblocks that pop up throughout the day, standing between us and our desired destinations and states of mind, greatly inhibit a peaceful existence. Individuals of all walks of life must tackle these challenges, persevere through trials and tribulations, and still find a way to  continue on a specific path. Without a level of mindfulness, as well as dedication and resilience, some of the most influential people may not have made their significant achievements and contributions to advance society. 

There are many ways to combat chaos and distractions in daily activities, but none are more important than those that keep entrepreneurs' eyes on the prize. Business builders are responsible for the growth and success of a new company, the performance of employees, and the profitability of the endeavour. Entrepreneurs are under significant pressure to meet specific deadlines, objectives and milestones to increase market share and surpass competitors. To manage these constantly growing to-do lists, entrepreneurs must develop their own personal techniques to stay focused, brush off distractions and allow deadlines and demands to fuel productivity rather than squash self-confidence and determination.

Everyone Has Problems
Entrepreneurs are in the unique position of being responsible for all aspects of a company while operating with minimal experience, resources and funding at times. As such, it is vital that they stay mentally sharp. Unfortunately, the evolving and unrelenting demands and expectations placed on entrepreneurs by themselves or others pose serious threats to determination and mental strength. While a business builder may seem confident in a new concept or plan initially, being bombarded with obstacles, problems and complex challenges can greatly deter this enthusiasm and reduce the will to push forward.

Unlike large companies with extensive resources, manpower and access to expertise, entrepreneurs face many company-related problems on their own. There may be fewer people around to pick up the slack when the entrepreneur grows weary of the daily grind. Productivity could easily plummet. Rather than leave efficiency and output to chance and daily variables,figure out a way to achieve total concentration when at work. Developing a personal focus strategy will help entrepreneurs power through the most challenging phases of business growth and reach a stable point without enduring a roller coaster of successes and failures along the way.

What is your focus strategy?

Keep On Flowin'
Have you ever been working on a project and feel as if you've hit your rhythm? As if your output speed is based on not being disrupted and maintaining a certain environment to nurture the activity? Many may call this creating a flow, or a state of total concentration, that allows thought processes to function at high levels on one or a few tasks. Because entrepreneurs are in charge of creating and taking on challenges of their choosing, and usually love the work they select, flow can come easily to them. Entrepreneurs function in an environment that grants them the ability to take risks in a calculated manner so as to build operations, products or services from the ground up through series of flows.

Channeling these flows and maintaining them during work hours when the company requires optimal performance from its leader and all supporting staff members is the challenging part. To achieve a state of total focus at work while eliminating distractions and disruptions, consider:

1. What are you good at? Working as close to, or within, your comfort zone as possible is key to creating and maintaining strong flows. Entrepreneurs who are honest with themselves and identify their greatest strengths with regard to company tasks can learn how to channel mental energy toward specific projects they will excel at. Just as business owners must weed through job applicants to find the right skills and personality to take on specific roles, entrepreneurs must also analyze their own offerings to the company for proper allocation of time and energy.
2. How will you reach your goals? Taking on a challenging task can be both exciting and daunting. To create a strong flow, consider mapping out how the project will be completed from start to finish. Drafting a series of steps or milestones can make it easy for entrepreneurs to stay on track once they have started working on the project and get into a good rhythm. It is very easy for a flow to veer off course, resulting in lost time, energy and resources. Avoiding costly delays can be as easy as writing up a checklist to follow while hunkering down for several hours on a new project or initiative. Once the basic structure of the process is in place, all time and energy can be averted to the task without disrupting the flow.
3. What is standing in your way? Creating a strong flow in a work environment depends on many factors, both inside and outside the individual entrepreneur's head. Yes, flow is mainly composed of mental agility and stamina, but it also relies on certain external conditions. Entrepreneurs can prepare themselves for long hours of total concentration, but can only achieve this state of mind if all other distractions are taken out of the equation. Therefore, entrepreneurs must find time in their busy schedules to get to a quiet place, turn off their smartphones and detach themselves from the outside world for a period of time. This will allow you to place all of your energy on the project and hit your flow, undisrupted.

Following these easy steps will help guide entrepreneurs toward higher levels of concentration and focus on business tasks. You may find that you're better able to work through the chaos and anarchy found in many burgeoning businesses and remain mindful of what matters most.