How to Narrow Your Focus for Maximum Impact

What stresses you out?
The chatter in your head?
The unrelenting to-do list?
The noise of the demands of busy work and endless requests?

We all face a daily battle. Ask yourself: Where do I put my time and energy? I’m sure you’ve heard it before– perhaps even dozens of times. Narrow your focus!

I’d like to offer a surefire way to narrow your focus for maximum impact.

Once you’ve decided what to focus on, focus as if your entire business depends on it– because your entire business really depends on it. Push yourself to focus 80% of your energy, your time allotted on your three high-value tasks. And YES– 80%!!!

What do I do with the other tasks?

Batch up small tasks for later in the day. Also, learn to outsource, eliminate, and delegate. Here are some tips that have helped me stay focused:
  1. Check emails 3 times daily for high-performance (early, mid-day, late).
  2. Turn off instant messenger.
  3. Work disconnected (my personal favorite)– I shut off, YES SHUT OFF my mobile connection for up to 90 minutes each day to focus and rock results.
  4. Every “yes” to a request or calendar appointment or event better be an MVP activity. 
    • Note: Just yesterday, I respectfully said “no, thank you” to a request that was not an MVP.
  5. Limit the length of phone appointments. On the front end of each call, I Identify my “hard stop” for the call.
  6. Remove junk mail and limit time on social media.
As an Executive Leadership Coach and Keynote Speaker on high-performance leadership, I often remind personal leaders of two powerful truths:
Learn Time Mastery with Steve’s Executive Leadership Coaching programs
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“The purpose of Leadership Quest is to help professionals develop their personal leadership, vision and emotional intelligence. Everyday I strive to help leaders and teams achieve their desired goals in sales productivity, leadership, time maximization, and life-balance. ”

About the Author

Steve Gutzler is the President of Leadership Quest, a Seattle-based leadership development company. Steve is a dynamic, highly-sought-after speaker who has delivered more than 2,500 presentations to a list of clients including Microsoft, Starbucks, the Seattle Seahawks, Pandora Radio, Boeing, Cisco, Starwood Corporation, the Ritz Carlton group, and the U.S. Social Security Administration. He recently was voted #1 by the readership of Huffington Post as the Most Inspirational Leader on Social Media.

A published author on leadership and emotional intelligence, Steve resides near Seattle with his wife Julie where they enjoy time with their three adult children and six grandchildren.