Did you or did you not make as much progress as you hoped for last week?

Effective leaders make focus their #1 habit and then teach their team how to master this skill as well.

Many people are quick to blame someone or something for their lack of success and happiness. Others complain about distractions and the volume of work. Personally, I’ve never met any successful executive who didn’t have a lot to do. It comes with the territory.

Successful people have mastered an important skill that others have not. They have learned to manage their focus. See, time itself cannot be managed; what CAN be managed is how we use our time. Don’t mistake activity for achievement. It’s not the hours you put in that matter; it’s what you put in the hours that counts.

Here’s a suggestion: Turn off all communication devices, shut down email, and minimize distractions when working on something important.  

Common sense—right? The challenge is that common sense is not always common practice.

Most people want more focus in their life but don’t do the simple things that enable focus. Instead, they take pride in multitasking. Sounds sophisticated, but it’s not.

Reality check: It takes 2x as long to finish something when you multitask as opposed to completing the same tasks one at a time. Additionally, any work done while multitasking is prone to errors from a lack of concentration.

The more you multitask, the harder it becomes to stay focused on and accomplish any single task.

Distractions are frustrating—even exhausting. When you get pulled away from an important task, it takes additional energy to regain a lost train of thought along with any momentum, rhythm, and flow that was established. You have a choice. You can continue to play victim by blaming your boss, co-workers, or clients for disrupting your day—or you can exhibit some leadership. The truth is we all have others who are vying for our time and attention—regardless of our role. Until you learn to reclaim your calendar, you will always be at the mercy of others.

Developing the focus habit requires a little creativity.

Here are a couple of suggestions:

• Reserve a conference room to work on something important.
• Consider working in another location where others can’t easily find you.
• Create gadget-free zones, quiet areas, or do not disturb rooms.
• Leave your cell phone in a drawer for a couple of hours.
• Keep only the windows open on your computer that you need for the task at hand.

Do you have something important to accomplish this week? If so, how are YOU going to discipline your focus? Get creative!

Where you focus your attention will determine how successful you are.