How business owners can win the war against distractions

It's a common scenario: you sit down at your desk in the morning, fired up to crush your lengthy to-do list. Except that an hour later, you have already been derailed by emails, random conversations and wandering thoughts. And just like that, your momentum slips.

Distractions and a lack of focus aren't just a nuisance, either. Lost focus means lost productivity. The same study cited above shows employees lose up to 25% of their workweek to distractions.

The good news is that if a lack of focus is your problem, you are not alone. And mastering your focus and distractions will give you a competitive edge over your competitors.

So, how do you decrease distractions and increase focus and productivity in your company? By connecting your daily work to a deeper, meaningful purpose.

Time is an EMOTION. The same amount of time can feel different depending on what you are focused on.

When your favorite football team is making a comeback in the fourth quarter of a close game, you are intensely focused. The people around you can't even distract you if they try.

Or, think about a time you were working on a project or a hobby you were intensely invested in. Time slipped away, and you settled into a flow state. Not only were you productive, but the whole experience was enjoyable and fulfilling.

It's not that our brains aren't capable of focus anymore; it's that we've lost focus on what matters most.

Connecting your focus to a purpose will help you check things off your to-do list, but more importantly, it will add meaning and fulfillment to your business and your life.

Purpose comes first

Most of us can feel overwhelmed and pulled in a hundred different directions—especially as an entrepreneur or business owner. Society glorifies productivity at any cost but don't let your company fall into the trap of being busy without being effective.

Most people focus simply on what they need to do. They make lengthy to-do lists and lose time to answering emails, leading meetings and putting out fires.

Henry David Thoreau said it well, "It's not enough to be busy...The question is, what are we busy about?"

Without purpose, we're just reacting. And if you're reacting, you are not intentionally designing the life and business you desire.

So, to improve your focus, you need to know why you should do it. When you have a strong enough WHY, your vision will pull you toward your goals. You'll experience that feeling of flow with a sense of meaning and accomplishment in your work.

The Rapid Planning Method

The Rapid Planning Method (RPM) method is a technique for staying focused and achieving your goals.

You can also think of it as "Results-oriented, Purpose-driven. Massive-action plan."

If you want to ditch distractions and progress toward your goals, you have to know what you want, why you want it and how you will get there. You can ask yourself the following questions:

1. What do I really want? What is the specific, measurable outcome or result I'm after?

The answer to this question must be more than "I want to grow my business." Goals need to be ambitious, specific and measurable. Try "I want to grow my business by 150% in 18 months."

2. What is my purpose? Why is this not just a should, but a must for me?

This question is the heart of the method. A purpose is what gets you out of bed in the morning and keeps you going when things get tough. Conveying your vision and purpose to your employees will keep them focused and motivated.

Punching a clock and earning a paycheck isn't enough for employees to be truly invested and productive. A purpose is something bigger than yourself or your company that serves a greater good. Maybe the purpose of your business is to bring more joy to your community, to aid in protecting the planet, to revolutionize an industry, or to provide others opportunities for learning and growth.

3. What do I need to do? What is my massive action plan?

Brainstorm all the possible action items to achieve your result. Seek the help of mentors or a business coach to develop a plan for achieving your goal that aligns with your purpose.

Power comes when you take action. Learning and growth happen when you move forward. Don't hesitate; make a plan and get to work.

Revisit your goals and purpose often. This will help you avoid burnout and keep you focused on what matters most.

The art of capturing

Holding too many things in your head can be a source of overwhelm and distraction, even if they are meaningful things like your goals.

"If you're in your head, you're dead."

Capturing is a way to get things out of your head so that you can focus on what is most important.

The act of physically writing things down is powerful. Find a system that works for you, stick with it, and capture it all in one place. If you scatter your thoughts across sticky notes, calendars, scraps of paper and your phone, you will continue to feel jumbled and out of control.

Start by writing down everything you need to do. Don't worry about organizing or prioritizing it yet; just get it all onto paper.

The next step is "chunking." Chunking is a way of grouping your tasks into a smaller, more meaningful list of categories to make them easier to handle and execute. Connecting each category to its purpose will also help you maintain focus.

Here is an example of an imaginary start-up founder's to-do list and how chunking can help

Raw to-do list:

• Update the FAQ section
• Research investors
• Launch Facebook ad
• Write a LinkedIn post
• Set up the user feedback form
• Approve freelance invoices
• Host a team meeting
• Schedule pitch calls
• Revise the pitch deck
• Send outreach emails to 10 podcast hosts
• Set up the user feedback form

One long list feels overwhelming and it is hard to know where to start. Compare that list with a revised list after chunking.

Revised to-do list after chunking

Not only do you group the tasks by category, but you also align those tasks with a specific purpose that connects them with your goals.

1. Drive new leads to grow the customer base

• Launch Facebook ad
• Write a LinkedIn post
• Send an outreach email to 10 podcast hosts

2. Improve customer experience for customer loyalty

• Finalize onboarding email sequence
• Update the FAQ section
• Set up the user feedback form

3. Raise capital

• Research investors
• Schedule pitch calls
• Revise the pitch deck

4. Team and culture—build a raving fan company culture

• Host team sync
• Share vision update
• Approve freelance invoices

Block time

Even when you hone in on your purpose, there are some tasks that might not be exciting or feel particularly meaningful. You can improve your focus on these tasks by blocking off finite amounts of time dedicated to that task.

For example, you might give yourself one hour to finish some administrative work. Turn off your phone, mute email and Microsoft Teams notifications, and set clear boundaries. One hour of concentrated effort can be as effective as three hours with distractions.

80/20 rule

Prioritization is key, especially as a business owner. Focus on the tasks that only you can do and leverage your team or other resources for the rest. The 80/20 rule can help you prioritize your time, and your team can use it to allocate their time as well.

You want to focus on the 20% of tasks that will give you 80% of your results.

You can apply this strategy in a number of ways.

When making your massive action plan (MAP), list everything you can or need to do to achieve your goals. Then circle the top 20%, the few actions that will give you the biggest results. Focus on those and don't worry about the rest.

Say 20% of your customers often generate 80% of your business. Instead of spending money and time on attracting new customers, focus on serving, upselling or getting referrals from those top clients.

In marketing, 20% of your ads or efforts bring in 80% of your leads. Figure out what is working, focus on that, and stop spending energy and money on the rest.

Executive coaching

Executive business coaching services are an invaluable resource for business owners like yourself who want to gain an edge over the competition by increasing productivity and focus.

Instead of using gimmicks or short-term strategies to reduce distractions, a coach will help you strengthen the heart of your business by setting clear goals, connecting with a purpose and developing a strategic plan.

With good leadership and a clear vision, you can empower your team. Your team members will move beyond punching a clock to feeling like they have a real investment in the company. Empowered, invested employees won't struggle with focus.

Investing in business leadership coaching will pay off for years to come. It will help you find the vision that will pull you toward your goals so you don't feel like you're fighting upstream against a barrage of distractions.