Measuring progress is easy way to remain focused on task at hand

Focus is easily defined as the ability to dedicate your attention to one task for a period of time.

That said, for many, the ability to remain focused is anything but easy.

Most people are at their most productive when able to focus on one task at a time, but keeping that level of focus often can be difficult. For example, for most entrepreneurs and managers, staying focused can be challenging because their days are filled with interruptions.

For me, the secret to staying focused isn’t choosing what to focus on, but rather what not to focus on. That might sound backward, but I think being focused is the process of excluding things to think about or do. In order to remain focused, you must be able to separate from everything else.

Now, some of you might be saying that focusing on two things at one time can easily be done, but the truth is, the mind can’t concentrate on more than one task at any given moment.

Trying to focus on two things at once is multitasking, which is using the mind’s ability to go back and forth between tasks. You are not, however, dedicating your full attention to both tasks at the same time.

For example, you might be able to read and watch television “at the same time.” But what you really are doing is skirting back and forth between what you are reading and what you are watching on TV.

With so many things fighting for our attention, it is hard to have true focus. However, learning how to concentrate on one task is possible with time and training.

For entrepreneurs and managers, this is vital.

Multitasking certainly has its benefits, but you likely have noticed that you can only do certain things so well when splitting your focus. You may do a lot of things well, but it is better to be superb, which is why you should focus on a small number of projects each week.

So how do you limit your projects? First, prioritize your tasks. Make a list of the things – say the top 10 percent – you want to get done that week, then eliminate the remaining 90 percent.

Most will find that the bottom 90 percent takes a lot of time and energy, but does not have much of a payoff. When focusing on the top 10 percent, most will find a higher return on the time and energy they invest.

One easy way to improve focus is to measure progress. If you are not measuring, it is almost impossible to see the advances being made.

For me, the easiest way to do this is recording how much progress I am making every day. For example, I recently completed a 30-day physical challenge. I had to train for 65 minutes a day. Then I recorded when I trained and what I accomplished. At the end of the 30 days, I had lost about 5 percent of my weight and, more importantly, I had gained muscle mass and reduced body fat.

If I had not been measuring and recording my progress every day, there is no question in my mind that I would not have hit the desired goal. Focus and measurement were the keys to my success.

I also found that measuring my progress each day helped me to develop a habit – what was a goal is now something I do every day without effort.

A final tip for improving your focus: Remove as many temptations and distractions as you can. For example, try not to check your phone for periods of time so you can’t be pulled away from the task at hand. If your mind does wander, bring it back to what it is you’re trying to accomplish.

Now go out and make a plan for perfecting your focus that can be monitored and measured. If you do, you’ll see a big improvement in your life and your business.

This story was originally published December 15, 2016 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Measuring progress is easy way to remain focused on task at hand."