How to Find Focus When Swamped with Work

by Prerna on May 25, 2012

The following post is from Prerna of The Mom Writes:

source: Cliff

Have you been struggling to focus and finish a task, even though your plate is overflowing with work?

Are multiple deadlines looming ahead, stressing you out?

Is lack of focus a major cause of overwhelm and anxiety in your life?

Well, you’re not alone.

Most of us find it difficult to focus when we need to do it the most. We get pulled in a million directions and we don’t know which ones to follow or complete.

Here are some simple ways to find focus when you’re dealing with multiple responsibilities, to-dos and deadlines:

1. Use a To-Do List

Yes, whether you use a paper-and-pen list or an application on your smartphone, use a to-do list. Jotting down your to-dos the evening before or even early in the morning will help you ‘see’ everything that needs to be done on that particular day.

2. Tackle the Biggies

Next, put a star or sort the list so that the most important tasks or ‘big rocks’ are right at the top. Skim through the list to identify tasks that can be outsourced or delegated to others easily and painlessly. Also, identify tasks and activities that really aren’t a priority for the day. This exercise will clean up your to-do list and give you exactly what you need to focus on.

3. Work in Shifts

I am a big believer in working at a stretch for short durations and then, taking a break. But when I work, I put my head down and work. hard.

Shut off distractions, resist the urge to check email or Facebook and simply, knock off a 30 to 45-minute chunk of ‘work’ from your list. Then, take a break for 10 minutes or so. Get up, stretch your legs, drink a glass of water, and come back refreshed.

Working in ‘shifts’, as I like to call it, helps me do more easily and without killing myself. Really, I have tried working 2 hours at a go. Trust me, it does not do anything for your productivity and focus.

4. Practice Laser Focus in Small Doses

If focusing on tasks for 45 minutes at a stretch seems too much for you, try 15 to 20 minutes to begin with. Just pick a task and work on it for 20 minutes. No faffing around, no whiling away looking into the distance, no excuses. Just put your head down and work at that project for 20 minutes. Use a timer if you need to.

Keep extending these laser focus sessions by 5 minutes every day or every other day and you will be a pro at focusing by the end of the month.

5. More Tips to Help You Focus Right Now

The archives here are home to more such useful tips on boosting and building focus. Here’s where to go if you need more tips:

What tips do you have for staying focused when life is hectic and hurried?

	Prerna Malik is a mom, a wife, a writer and woman who believes in being postively productive, parenting with love and creating a home that invites you to put your feet up and relax. Find her sharing her journey and experiences with productivity and parenting at The Mom Writes.

Risarjohnson

Thanks for the information. I have kidney stones and my doctor informed me that not only should I drink a lot of water, but to make sure I add lemon to the water. I didn’t know about all the benefits.

http://www.longaberger.com/lifestyle Diane @ Longaberger Lifestyle

My homeopath suggests 12 lemons in a gallon of water for kidney stones….hope that helps.
http://yourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?!

Jennifer

I love lemon water! Here’s a tip : Nuke the lemon (or any other citrus) in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds before you slice it… the juice will POUR out!

http://yourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

The only problem with nuking it is that you actually lose some of the health
benefits in the process!
Allnonecom

i threw out my microwave after finding out how much it destroys food, water, health etc…. people say no mircowave are you strange.. i say no i care about my health and food…

Lori

I love it too, but remember that lemon juice is acidic and will work away at the enamel of your teeth if you drink too much of it!

http://yourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

Oh, good point, Lori — I have read that drinking through a straw can help.
And I think it’s important to note that it’s not as hard on your teeth as
soda, just to keep it in perspective.

Thanks!

Tanya Seaman

I’m pretty disappointed that the picture is of a plastic cup on a blog that purports to be about green living.

Alyssa_lamontagne

it looks like a reusable cup at least! that’s better than a new one every time!
http://yourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

If you’re looking for a blog that sets the standard for green living, than
this definitely isn’t the one you want to be reading. GYW is about learning
and making small changes and discovering what’s important to you, not doing
everything perfectly. I DO drink my water out of a plastic reusable
Starbucks cup — one of the only pieces of plastic in my kitchen — because
I find that I drink a lot more water out of plastic than glass or stainless
steel.
ginger

you can buy those cups at tjmaxx and even walmart. they are meant to be reused, very very green option. plus having a straw helps motivate people to drink (its a mind trick) and with any form of kids in a house most glass is a no-no.

Calliope(Greece)

lemon/oranges anything acidic oxydizes really fast with the air so I’m guessing that after 15-20 min it’ll have lost most of its vitamins. so drink fast and remake from scratch everytime you need to drink freshly squeezed lemonade or orange juice.

http://yourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

Thank you — this was the information I couldn’t find anywhere!

maureen

This is one of the BEST home remedies for digestive issues. I was in a car accident almost one year ago. The impact from the airbag caused a lot of inflammation in my digestive organs. The first day I experienced normal movements in my digestive tract was three months after the accident when my mom suggested the lemon juice drink. WOW! I remember screaming to my husband “I feel normal again!”. It isn’t a one trick wonder. I had to continue to feel better daily, but now at 9 months post-accident, my body is feeling practically 100%!
The Loving Earth

Being acidic, the benefits of lemon water- digestion and slimming- can be seen best with bodies that are more alkali. It does not work same way with all bodies.

http://yourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

Actually — and surprisingly — everything I’ve read about lemon water
classifies it as an alkalising, which is why it benefits most people. I just
did a quick Google search and grabbed the first source, but there are
literally hundreds that say the same thing:
http://www.energiseforlife.com/wordpress/2006/02/10/lemon-water-alkalising-superstar/

This sums it up: “Note: I am not saying that lemons are alkaline, I am
saying that lemons are alkalising!”

Hope that helps!

Artemisia

I would suggest contacting your local Cooperative Extension educator (or agent). There should be a nutrition and food safety educator available who can help you figure out how long it keeps. Look under your county section of the phone book, or google it, I suppose.

Artemisia!

I just have to comment on this because my name is Artemisia as well! Awesome! Plus I love lemon water. I mix wheatgrass powder in it as well. Awesome energy boost to start the day.

KimH

Some old Mexican wise women wont let a new born baby be held unless a person has eaten many lemons to cleanse and use as an anti-bacterial agent. Lemon has some really wonderful qualities about it.. but I dont tolerate it well in water and never have. It makes my throat dry, scratchy, & swell a little bit.. so I stay away from it. It makes me thirsty too.. Odd, I know. but I use it in my cleaning solution with vinegar for my kitchen and it works wonderfully.

Smjamerson

like the lemon and vinegar idea

KimH

Some old Mexican wise women wont let a new born baby be held unless a person has eaten many lemons to cleanse and use as an anti-bacterial agent. Lemon has some really wonderful qualities about it.. but I dont tolerate it well in water and never have. It makes my throat dry, scratchy, & swell a little bit.. so I stay away from it. It makes me thirsty too.. Odd, I know. but I use it in my cleaning solution with vinegar for my kitchen and it works wonderfully.
Stacykristine

I heard from a dietitian that for a great detox, put 1/4 lemon in a cup of hot water and drink after rising in the morning. Be sure to continue this for a few weeks for the full benefit. I love doing this especially when the weather is colder!
Tracy

Why would you want to “alkalise” your body? What does that mean?

http://yourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

The standard American diet now includes foods that are extremely acidic,
which means most of us are walking around with our pH balance way out of
whack. Just like that causes major issues in a swimming pool, it also leads
to a lot of health issues. The lemon water (and other alkalising foods) help
balance the pH in our bodies back to a healthy level.

Olivia C.

I am SO excited now!! I started drinking lemon water a few months ago as an alternative to juice & soda & it satisfies me! This is great news
Litzyfiregirl

Lemon water got me through my morning sickness when I was pregnant. Nothing else worked until my doctor suggested lemon, it was a savior!

http://yourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

Ooh, nice added benefit! Thanks for chiming in!

Limogi

Where I live lemons aren’t as readily available as limes. Do they have the same health benifits? Also, I read somewhere that lemons are alkali ash producing, while limes are acid ash producing. Is that true?

http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

I’m sorry, I don’t know about limes!

Eva Montgomery

I had received a report from a Health Science Institute in Baltimore Maryland , that Lemons are the only Citrus Fruit to attack and kill Cancer Cells . I had Cancer ( Breast ) in 1981 , after one Year Chemo I was fine . It came back in ’05 and this time I received Radiation . Again I came out OK . Now it is back , this time 2 Lymph Nodes , one in each Lung , are active Cancer . My Oncologist told me , because of the Location , this time there is no Radiation or Surgery an Option . AND the Chemo ( Faslodex , by Injection ) can NOT kill the Cancer , only keep it “”AT Bay “” . The Report about the Lemon came at the same time I started Chemo . So I started my OWN CHEMO , by drinking Lemon EVERY DAY ! After three Months onHIS Chemo , another P.E.T. Scan was done and guess what ..ONE Lung is free of Cancer , the other one is down by 50 %…..! My Doctor can not explain it , but I can . My Lemon is working ! I will be drinking it until I die .
Eva Montgomery , Belton TX 76513

Anonymous

Eva, we had a family friend who had a severe form of breast cancer and also drank tons of lemon water. She no longer has her cancer today! A nutritionist once told us that lemon water DOES keep the cancer away! I guess a lemon day keeps the doctor away! =)

http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

That’s incredible!

http://sarasgoneveggie.blogspot.com/ Sara

I just read The Kind Diet by Alician Silverstone and she mentions drinking lemon water. It seems like an easy thing to add to my morning routine so I’m giving it a try
S691985

Can lemon juice help to reduce the belly fat?
Blurr429 Br

Microwaving any food, kills the live enzymes within that food, rendering them empty and devoid of nutrients. Our bodies need live enzymes to survive and be healthy! To prove my point, take to seeds….vegetable or flower and plant in separate containers….water one with tap water and one with water you Microwaved for 2 minutes and cooled to room temperature…in a couple weeks, you’ll see for yourself why Microwaving ANYTHING is soooooo unhealthy! I no longer Microwave, and I have actually lost weight, because I’m eating live foods filled with live enzymes and minerals and I’m eating less because I’m giving my body what it needs. Microwaving starves your body of live enzymes and minerals that it needs, that’s why people are eating more and more, because even though their getting fatter and fatter, their bodies are actually starving, because their not getting live food, therefore their eating more and more trying to make up what their bodies are screaming for! Microwave food, is dead food! I also no longer cook with teflon pans, because their toxic! You want to be healthy? Then go back to the basics like our grandparents use to…everything from scratch, grow your own garden, buy your meat from a farmer that doesn’t use growth hormones or other unnatural means to feed cattle. By certified organic milk or raw milk from a reputable farmer!
Anonymous

Hi! I like to make lemon tea. I squeeze 1-2 whole lemons into my glass mug (which gives me about 3/4 cup of fresh lemon juice) and add about half a tablespoon of honey and boiled water. Delicious! I drink this every day and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! =)

http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life Your Way

Mmm, that does sound yummy!

Anonymous

**Maybe JUST under 3/4 cup, I should say.
http://twitter.com/HomemakersDaily HomemakersDaily

One thing I do sometimes is make a list of the next 5 things I need to do. I start working on the list, and when I finish those 5, I make a list of another 5. Sometimes that’s the only way I can get going because of that monster called “overwhelm”. I try to make the list 5 things I really need to do but I make it a combination of easy and hard stuff. Too much hard stuff is discouraging. Two much easy stuff probably isn’t what I need to be doing. But 5 at a time works well.
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