How to Master the Art of Focus and Decision-making

Time-Management is not only something for managers and leaders. It is a topic that everyone can benefit from, especially if we want to get ahead and make a difference in our lives: "Where should I spend my time on? What is important?"
Everyone also has questions such as, "How can I spend my time in the best way possible? How can I get the most out of it?"

It is the the art of focus and decision-making combined with effective productivity.


Overall, it boils down to the the art of focus and decision-making combined with effective productivity.


I had a bad habit of wanting to please everyone and having a hard time saying "No". So what happens is that the last person to hand you a “priority” gets bumped to the top of your to do list. However I have found that if you don’t set your own priorities, you will be tossed like a bottle on the sea. 

Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and First Things First popularized the concept of a Time Management Matrix. This book has been one of the cornerstones in personal development and success strategies.  

The Matrix helps me focus on the most important tasks by letting me classify them as important vs. unimportant and urgent vs. non-urgent.

First define: 

What is urgent? Urgent are all tasks determined by external pressures and requirements that need your immediate attention. But are they important or not important?
What is important? Important are the tasks that are in harmony with our goals and our life-balance. In essence, what is important are tasks that contribute the very most to your long term future. 

In the process of managing your time, separate and list the urgent from the important. 

You will have a lot that fall in the category of urgent but not important, and these type of activities take place during the work day and are easily confused with "real work" because no matter how many urgent but unimportant tasks you engage in, you contribute nothing to your work or your company.

Other activities such as reading the newspaper at work or taking a long lunch are neither urgent nor important. Be aware that spending too much time on these activities can be harmful to your career because they consume your valuable time which could otherwise be invested towards getting results for which you are paid and upon which your future depends!


For those who are not familiar with it, here’s a picture and a brief overview.

Covey's matrix allows any individual who uses it to easily see where they are spending their time so they can make adjustments. 

 

Let's recap. Here's how to develop time management skills using the matrix.

• Important & Urgent - Do them now the best you can
• Important & Not Urgent - Set focus here, whenever you can
• Not Important & Urgent - Learn to say "No" or delegate tasks in order to maintain focus on the important; not urgent
• Not Important & Not Urgent -Avoid these for sure

"The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey

DECISIONS

Know What You Want and You Will Generally Get It

In search of getting what you want, the secret is not to look for a miracle. We get to choose what we will do and who we will become.

The leaders in every walk of life decide quickly and firmly. That is the major reason why they are leaders. Everyday we make decisions that carry significant consequences –– decisions that affect our destiny. Everyday our decisions can move us closer to goals and purposes and plans or farther away from them if we are indecisive and procrastinate. Indecisiveness is defined as the trait of irresolution; a lack of firmness of character or purpose. "His indecision was only momentary but the opportunity was lost."

Sadly there are some folks who don’t understand the downside of indecisiveness. They wear their willfulness like a badge of honor. They live life “their way” no matter the consequences, and irregardless of the pain their choices create for others.

In his book Think & Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill points out that the habit of decision goes with the student into the occupation he or she chooses… if, in fact, he or she does choose the occupation. Generally the youth just out of school seeks any job that can be found. The individual takes the first place he or she finds, because the person has fallen into the habit of indecision. Realistically, 98% out of every 100 people working for wages today are in the positions they hold because they lacked the definiteness of decision to plan a definite position, and the knowledge of how to choose an employer.

Definiteness of decision always requires courage, sometimes very great courage. The person who reaches a definite decision to procure the particular job, and make life pay the price he asks, does not stake his life on that decision; he stakes his economic freedom. Financial independence, riches, desirable business and professional positions are not within the reach of a person who neglects or refuses to expect, plan, and demand these things.

A great goal for all of us is to become better decision makers by starting with the following.

Expect

Program yourself to develop an attitude of positive expectations. Usually your expectations come true! For example, do you wake up in the morning thinking, “This is going to be a lousy day” or “Nothing good ever happens to me”? If you have an important presentation to make, do you tell yourself, “I don’t have a chance at closing this sale”? If you routinely think this way, how does your day turn out?

You must make a decision that you’re going to have confident expectancy about everything you do. You have to continually expect that things are going to get better. When those around you predict doom and gloom about everything from the economy to your dreams and goals, remember that success in life, business, and sales is mostly a mental game. Positive expectation is a conscious decision and a habit of faith. As you think, so it is created. As you believe, so it is done. So, expect only victory!

Plan

There are no shortcuts. Develop a long term viewpoint. Occasionally great wealth is created in a short amount of time, but it's through a lot of luck in those situations. About every success story resulted from hard work, planning, and persistence. Because of our actions today, being decisive and taking the steps by planting seeds will pay many dividends back to you in the future. It's a lot of investment in things. Make the most of your time by making sure that the day-to-day urgent doesn't take over for the important.

Demand

Demand in this sense simply means to dream big and dream a lot. It is free to dream! When you do this your subconscious mind will pick up on it and automatically demand that your actions turn it into a reality.

Want to know the story of how Matt Sileno, our President and Founder of The Intuitive Group Inc., made the decision to awaken the giant within himself? Read about his personal experiences on decisions he made that lead to the birth of The Intuitive Group, Inc.! Go to PLAXO to read more!

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