Focus on One Thing at a Time to Get the Job Done

All too often we can feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that we have to do and it is easy to get caught in the trap of trying to accomplish too many things at once and never completing any to your own satisfaction. Often there is a push to accomplish more and more, especially if you are focussed on your career and want to impress.

However, if you want to be really productive, and actually get more done the answer is to actually do one thing at a time. This can sound counter-intuitive and there has been a push over the past few years for people to take on more and more and to fill the 'empty' periods of their day so that they are constantly doing something.

In reality 'do more' is not the same as 'accomplish more' and top performers the world over aim to do one thing at a time. For those of you who remember him Daley Thompson (perhaps the worlds top decathlon athlete) was interviewed on how he became so successful, his answer was to focus totally on the current event and to complete that, the other events just didn't exist in his mind during that time.

People who perform well in business follow the same strategy. Focus on one task at a time, concentrate and complete that one thing and then move on.

This doesn't mean that their waiting time is 'wasted', if they are waiting for something to happen with a particular piece of work they concentrate all of their energy on 'optioning' and 'optimising'.

On those occasions where they do move on to something else while they wait for a resolution they do several things:

(a) Take a Break ? The take a physical break from their desk. They get up, go for a 5 minute walk, get a coffee, anything that will take their mind off the previous task.

(b) Put it in their Schedule ? They plan in time in their schedule for the new task and set this time aside. If the first task comes back to them they finish the new task (or work on it for their allotted time) and only then do they return to the first task. They always go through (a) to change their current mental state.

(c) Schedule a re-visit ? They put into their schedule a time when they will re-visit the first task.

They never jump from task to task, everything is planned and measured. They plan to 'accomplish' rather than to 'work' on a task and the top performers never feel 'overwhelmed' or as if they are 'drowning' and they consistently achieve more than those around them by doing one thing at a time.

Give each task your total, complete and utmost focus and watch your productivity fly.

More information regarding Organisational Change, Coaching and Performance Development can be found at http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk

2005 © Achieving Greatness Ltd. All rights reserved.

----

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link.

L Stuart Avery is the Managing Director of Achieving Greatness Ltd, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness around personal and management behaviours. Achieving Greatness specialises in offering advice and support to organisations going through change intitiatives and looking to enhance the performance of their staff. It provides training courses, facilitiation services and coaching to business leaders on Leadership, Management and Strategy.

Stuart has over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries including Government, Charities, Retail, Travel, Insurance, IT Services and Logistics.

For more information visit http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Quick Tips On Time Management

Want to improve your time management?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More

Time Management for Sales Pros

According to a Miller Heiman 2003 Sales Effectiveness Study, over... Read More

Save Your Time - Delegate!

Frustration is when an obstacle blocks your ability to achieve... Read More

Find The Time -- Before Its Too Late!

People always seem to be in such a hurry, everywhere... Read More

Time Management - Keeping a Clean Desk

I have worked with so many people over the years... Read More

Focus on One Thing at a Time to Get the Job Done

All too often we can feel overwhelmed by the amount... Read More

The Myth of What We Manage

Perhaps it is merely semantics, but an underlying problem I... Read More

Sharpen The Saw

Sometime ago, my lovely wife woke me up in the... Read More

10 Time Management Tips for Busy Professionals

If you feel like your life moves faster than a... Read More

Peace Of Mind At The Workplace

Work brings together people of different characters and behavior, and... Read More

Making the Best Use of Your Time

Time - it is the one thing that we are... Read More

Dont Forget To Take Time Out For You!

As mothers we play so many different roles and most... Read More

Ending Procrastination: A New Look at the Old Demon

Do you believe that the best way to deal with... Read More

Decrease Your Sleep, Increase Your Energy! And Have More Time In Your Day!

Many of the world's most driven and successful people sleep... Read More

Time Management - Honor Your Time and Energy

Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More

Time Management - The Ultimate Oxymoron

Get a grip. Is it possible to manage time? Can... Read More

10 Ways to Take Back Your Time

I've divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways... Read More

Do You Put a Value on Your Time?

As a small business owner, does the following paragraph sound... Read More

24 Time Management Tips

Where does your time go? We all know we are... Read More

Isn?t It Time For You?

Does it seem like there is never enough time in... Read More

Keeping Time

What keeping time really means is...being on time!You know, there... Read More

Seven Ways to Say, No!

A common remedy for improving your time management is to... Read More

Because Its Been Years Since Youve Seen a Blank Calendar

If you have ever missed an appointment, forgotten to pick... Read More

Discover Your Procrastination Personality

Determine Your Procrastination PersonalityBrook Noel is the author of The... Read More

The WIT to WIN

What are the most important things you should accomplish today?... Read More

Achieve More With Less Through Proper Planning

One question a lot of people ask me recently is:... Read More

Time is on Your Side ? Manage it Wisely

How do you manage your time? Or is the more... Read More

Spend Less Time at Work and Get More Done

Sounds too good to be true?It really isn't!In fact, studies... Read More

3 Ways To Do More With Less Time

We live in a world where more is expected of... Read More

Top 10 Ways to Manage Yourself - Time Wise

"Time management" is a myth. Time ticks by, whether you... Read More

How To Make Your Job Easier

The techies could do a lot more to make our... Read More

Will Your Epilogue Be ? I Got All My Emails Done?

Work life balance is the new Holy Grail; that search... Read More

Making Headway on a Slow Day: 9 Ways to Turn Down-Time into Productivity Time

If you work from home, you know the kind of... Read More