5 Levels of mental focus
Mon 06 February 2012
, LEAP redaktie, balancedbusinesswomen
Women are very good at multi-tasking. We can read the paper while on the phone and clearing the table. Very practical sometimes. But at other times this centipede behavior might lead to lack of focus. Vera Neta of Balanced Business Women has some tips to improve your focus.
We all know the power of focus. We also know that most entrepreneurs suffer from lack of focus. We have so many ideas we keep jumping from one idea to another. But just like with multitasking this is counterproductive, says Nata.
This is her remedy:
When you start focusing you start reaping the fruits of your work. Looking at my life, sometimes I wondered why my progress was slow while I thought that I was already focused on my goals. Only later did I realize that there are different levels of focus. I may have focused on one or two levels, but if I do not focus on the other levels then the results won’t be optimal.
So what are the different levels of focus?
In my opinion, there are five levels of mental focus based on the time frame:
Lifetime
Yearly
Weekly
Daily
Currently
Of course, you can add other levels like quarterly or monthly if they work for you, but for me these five levels are enough since having too many levels is confusing.
If you want to succeed, you should be focused on all five levels. Lacking focus at any of them will decrease the performance of the rest. In addition, you should also be careful not to be obsessed. The art of maintaining the balance without falling to the lacking focus or being obsessed states is an art that will take time to master.
Let’s look at the five levels of focus and see how to focus at each of them:
1. Lifetime
Being focused at the lifetime level means that you should have a purpose for your life. What is your life purpose? Have you followed it?
Finding your life purpose might be difficult, but it is also the most rewarding. It sets the directions of the other levels. If you have this level wrong, you may end up making many wrong decisions in your life.
Here are some things you can do to find your life purpose:
Find what matters to you
This is the starting point to finding your life purpose. There is one question that can help you find what matters to you: “What is the thing that you care so much about that you are willing to do it for free?”
Explore your passions
I believe everyone has multiple passions that are waiting to be explored. Don’t limit yourself to only one passion. Build your portfolio of passions.
Find the “sweet point” between your passions and the things that matter to you
The connection between the things you are passionate about and the things you care about are clear signs of what your life purpose could be.
Make a mission statement
After you have an idea of what your life purpose is, you should write it in a mission statement. Ideally, it should be a one-liner up to ten words or less.
Keep refining
Finding your life purpose is not something you can do in one day or even one year. Just start with what you have and keep refining it. Over time, the direction of your life will be clearer and clearer.
2. Yearly
After dealing with the lifetime level, you should then go down to the yearly level. Here you should have goals for the year related to your life purpose.
You need your goals to be an expression of your life purpose. Therefore they need to be in balance. Most people set goals only in a few areas. They end up frustrated as they might have achieved them, but not fulfilled their potential.
Make sure that when you set your yearly goals you will include in them goals for you business, financial, family, health, friends, recreation and contribution to your community.
3. Weekly
To have focus at weekly level, you should set a 3-4 concrete results that you want to finish that week. Don’t put it as a process, but make sure it is a result that you can accomplish and finish by the end of that week.
4. Daily
The next level is daily in which you set your goals for the day. Write down 5-6 most important tasks that you need to complete that day. It’s not the usual TO-Do list, but the Most Important Tasks. The way to judge it is by asking yourself the question – “Will finishing this task will lead me closer to my goals and create immediate income for me or not?”
5. Currently
After setting your goals for the day, the next level is the present. To get optimum result, you should be focused in whatever you are doing. It means that:
No multitasking as it lowers the quality of your work and actually takes longer
Eliminating interruption as it lowers your productivity, creativity and effectiveness
Where is Your Weakness?
Being focused at all five levels is important to get the most out of your life. I realize this when I look at my own life. I’m focused at some levels but not at the others and as a result I do not get the results I want.
Understanding these five levels help me see the levels, which need improvement. In my case, my weakness is the weekly and currently levels. While there is still room for improvements at the other levels, those two levels are where I lack most.
Read Vera Nata’s blog: http://www.balancedbusinesswomen.com/blog/5-tips-to-improve-your-focus
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