“The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.”
Oscar Wilde – Writer and Poet
We have entered the third decade in the 21st century, and these are changing times for a lot of professionals, especially those involved in white-collar jobs. There was a time a typist, stenographer or shorthand secretary used to be essential jobs in any workplace, but they were replaced and now voice typing and virtual assistants are entirely taking over these jobs. Other professions that were booming in the ‘80s and ‘90s are nowhere to be found like a video store owner, cinema projectionist or a switchboard operator.
Focus is one element in your job or business that has never gone out of fashion. Along with perseverance, dedication and optimism, the focus is one thing that plays a crucial role in the success of any individual or an organization. More important is that you have to find a job that you can relate to and that will enable you to work with passion and dedication. A famous saying is, “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”
You need to master a skill that’s high in demand and will ensure you are not easily replaceable, but first, you need to select a profession or industry which isn’t going to die down soon. Some research would be handy as you can consult people in your social and professional circles. Once done, you need to focus and have a clear vision of your current job and industry.
It is not easy amidst all the distractions at work, but you need to think out of the box and get out of your comfort zones to become the star performer in your company and industry. There are some activities that you can relate to doing your job better and excel at anything you are assigned.
Go through this blog for a detailed look at what you can achieve by having a laser-sharp focus in everything you do at your workplace. And also try to develop new skills to cement your job and position further in your company.
Related Read: Harvard Business Research on To Keep Distractions at Bay
Have Fun on the Job
To start with, doing a job isn’t about working for a long hour and also doing monotonous tasks all day long. And end up becoming bored to death. Always start after asking yourself why you should do it, and will this activity offer you any good. Go forward if your answer is positive and have loads of fun. Allow your creativity and imagination go wild and don’t stick within borders. But stay focused at work amid all the fun.
Prioritize Tasks
The first half is where people are at their most productive but tend to waste their energy on discussions while having a cup of coffee, or useless water cooler conversations. Putting your focus on the task that needs a priority is what you need. The first hour is the most important one where you are fresh and can work on complex tasks and projects with ease.
If, by somehow, you find your work boring, please look for ways to stay focused without spending precious time on doing tasks you can take care of later in the day. This will ease off the stress so that you are not occupied with an important part of a project that can delay starting work on other tasks.
Music, Anyone?
Unplug for 30-45 minutes from all types of communication to focus on something you haven’t done for quite some time. This can be thinking about your next holiday you are delaying for over a year or listen to some soulful music. Try out an unplugged version of a famous song. One of my favorites is Richard Marx’s “Right Here Waiting for You,” while you can listen to any other number that makes you feel happy and relaxed.
If you are wondering how music will let you focus on your work as focusing on lyrics can distract you, soothing background music (just musical pieces by Kenny G, for example) can be great for setting up the mood. Leave all the hustle-bustle of your daily life behind for some time and regain your focus through a song or music that you can relate to.
Show you are Genuinely Busy at Work
There are some other activities like wearing headphones, put on a sign that you are busy in an important project like a “busy” or “do not disturb,” will help you focus on establishing a “focus time” for certain hours of the day. Turn off the notifications and use autoresponders so that no one will disturb you until the time you have mentioned. Have a flexible working schedule so that you can come to the office early or leave late according to your priorities.
Understand What Needs your Focus and the Duration Required
If you are thinking about a project and how to start working on it, understanding what needs your focus in the first place and for how much time is important. For example, think about a part of a project that will take around two weeks to complete. Another part may require three days. So, you can prioritize tasks and put your focus on the most important one.
Related Read: The Mamba Mentality: How Kobe Bryant Ruled the NBA for 20 Years
Mental and Physical Exercise
You can use techniques like Pomodoros to increase your mental capacity for focusing on tasks and train your brain to do work that seems impossible for the others. Physical activities like weight exercise and cardio is an excellent way to put the stress of work behind and have a fresh start in the morning. If you think you don’t have much time in the morning, you can do it in the evening, although there are more benefits of doing exercise in the morning.
To increase your focus and energy level, a simple, 10-minute exercise routine or a 5-minute walk after an hours’ work can be handy.
Final Word
These are desperate times, and you need to show your management that you are the best fit for any job role. Thus, the capabilities mentioned above, and skills are important so that you can survive in the marketplace where not only technology is against you but new entrants in the job market also pose an existential threat.
Finally, always remember that
“The greatest wealth is to live content with little.” Plato – Ancient Greek Philosopher
That’s the reason why you need to get the skills through which you can survive tough periods rather than trying ways to get rich quickly.
Please offer your valuable feedback for this blog or ask a question you have in mind by using the comments section below.
