WOW #034: Deep Focus For Greater Productivity

Quote of the Week:
"We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in."
– Ariana Huffington

You’re probably thinking (as I was when I wrote this), that the last thing the world needs is another article discussing productivity.

And yet here I am because, let’s face it… every business owner is on a constant quest for:

• More output in less time

• Greater creativity and new ideas

• Better decision-making

Setting aside committed time for Deep Focus is the gateway for heightened productivity.

The benefits of a Deep Focus routine are realized when you proactively attack the day vs. letting the day happen to you. Deep Focus is all about:

• Doing the hardest things first

• Doing them early before the rest of life gets in the way

• Doing them without distraction and with full concentration

I don’t start every day with Deep Focus, but I’ve experienced enough periods of time with it to know the benefits.

When I think back to my days as a Corporate Marketer, I spent a lot of it in reactionary mode. Meetings got scheduled. Time was blocked. I ended up providing more feedback and answers than investing time building the next big thing.

Owning your own business means owning your time. The payback that Deep Focus provides is yours for the taking, but requires discipline. 

Is Deep Focus (or something closely related) a part of your routine? If not, how are you currently optimizing for greater productivity?

2 Takeaways:

1. Think Center, Not Circumference. As a Business Owner, you are the Center. The circumference consists of vendors, customers, partners, and staff. Productivity is often thought of in terms of more. More messages sent, more calls made, more sales presentations given. Deep Focus is you (the center) working on and solving very difficult tasks, making important decisions, and operating at your peak. Depth, not volume.

2. Environment is Everything and Tools Help. Think of Deep Focus as a 5:30-6am start in a home office or quiet cafe. Ideally, you’ll schedule time that lasts for 2 hours. If music helps you concentrate, try Brain.fm. It’s music minus the distractions. A Pomodoro timer, like Tomato Timer is also helpful if you operate better with breaks. Finally, try One Tab if you often find yourself with 20 open tabs on your browser. One Tab is a free tool for Chrome that puts your tabs in a clean list and prevents your laptop from grinding to a halt.

1 Action:

Pilot a few days of Deep Focus on terms that work for you (e.g. “early start” and “session length” is subjective). But stick to:

• Hard tasks first
• Early, so others don't interrupt
• Distraction-free environments

Productivity gains are imminent!

Have a great week everyone,

Hubert