Focus is essential for peak performance. Athletes who focus on the right things at the right times will outperform those who get distracted. However, this begs the question, “What is the right thing to focus on?”

Where Not to Focus

Before we get to where athletes should focus, let’s talk briefly about where their focus shouldn’t be.

When an athlete is nervous, worried, or anxious it is easy for him or her to become focused on the wrong thing. Negative self-talk, mistakes, fatigue, pain, or butterflies in the stomach are just a few examples. These often lead to athletes psyching themselves out.

Another common misplaced focal point is mechanics. What happens is often referred to as paralysis by analysis. Players overthink their techniques, which disrupts the fluid movements they’ve mastered in practice.

When focus is misplaced, athletes are distracted and second guess themselves, which causes hesitation, lack of confidence, and poor performance.

Peak Performers Focus on the Task at Hand

Research clearly demonstrates that when peak performers are at their best, their focus is on the task at hand. This is also referred to as “being in the present.”

Inherently, coaches know this. I hear them say, “lock in,” or “get focused.” There are lots of variations. The intent is to get the athlete to focus in on the task at hand. But, does the athlete know that?

Focusing for Peak Performance

In order to perform at their best, athletes need to know how to focus on the task at hand. Here are 3 steps to sharpen their focus for game day.

Identify the Focal Point 

To begin with, athletes must identify where their focus needs to be during key aspects of the game, such as during a corner kick or in the red zone. Focal points which are specific, controllable, observable, and relevant work best.

For example, a soccer player might focus on footwork.

• Specific – The brain functions best when given a specific target to focus on. Footwork is a specific component of positioning and ball control.
• Controllable – Footwork is certainly within an athlete’s control.
• Observable – The focal point should be something the athlete can do, see, hear, or touch. Footwork is something the athlete does. The intent here is to avoid focusing on counterproductive thoughts, pain, or fatigue.
• Relevant – The focal point must be relevant to the game and the athlete’s position. Footwork is critical to a soccer player’s performance.

Focusing on tactics, plays, and executing the current play/maneuver are useful areas to consider when looking for a focal point. Keep them simple and actionable.

Task-focused means focusing on a specific, controllable, observable and relevant target.
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Choose a Focus Trigger

A trigger is a word, sign, motion, or action that triggers athletes to “lock in” on their focal points.

As a tennis player, my SCOR focal point was often “cross court” for return of serve. This was based on my strategy. My trigger was my ready-grip for return of serve. When I felt the racquet handle come into my ready position, that triggered my focus for hitting a cross course return.

In the above example, my trigger was an action I took. Alternatively, I could have simply used self-talk to tell myself “cross court” immediately before my opponent served the ball.

Encourage players to keep their triggers simple. One or two words or a single movement is all it takes.

Apply Different Triggers for Different Performance Segments

Now that I’ve explained how to help a player identify a focal point and choose a trigger, there is one more element to consider. A game, match or race has multiple parts. I’ll refer to these parts as segments. Some athletes find it helpful to have a focal point and trigger for each segment of their performance. This helps prevent irrelevant thoughts and distractions and keeps them focused on the task at hand.

In this clip, Olympic champion Usain Bolt explains how he uses focal points and cues during different segments of the 100m race.

In the chart below, I outlined the focus triggers Usain Bolt uses in the video.Wow, all that in under 10 seconds. These triggers keep Usain Bolt locked in and focused solely on the race.

Usain Bolt doesn’t leave his focus to chance and neither should you.
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Free Download

To help you walk athletes through this exercise, I developed this free worksheet, complete with simple directions.

Train Their Brains with Triggers

By repeatedly practicing these triggers in drills, scrimmages, and rehearsals, they will become second nature. Triggers help athletes intentionally train their brains and bodies to respond in a set way.

Coaches, it is highly preferable to allow individual athletes to customize these triggers to their own words or motions. Some athletes perform best with several cues while others need just a few. Remember, what is effective for one athlete may not be as effective for another.

If you want to know how to help an athlete refocus when they get distracted, check out this post.

Lock In Task at Hand Focus

In the heat of battle, thoughts can become scattered and emotions may run high. However, with some intentional planning, athletes can identify their focal points for key areas of their sport. Then they can instill trigger words to condition the mind and body to lock in on the right target at the right time.

Having a game plan for remaining task-focused helps athletes become peak performers.
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Question: What are the toughest situations for athletes to keep their focus on the task at hand? Share your insights in the comments section. 

• Post: How to Help Your Team Keep Their Heads in the Game
• Video: Usain Bolt – How to Win the 100m

The post How to Coach Athletes to Focus on the Right Thing first appeared on The Excelling Edge.

Staying organized and managing your to-do list is a challenge. There are a ton of systems and tools that claim to help you get more done. You can spend so much time shopping for a tool  you don’t get anything done. What really matters is finding a strategy that works for you.

The Search

I’ve tried a lot of different methods to keep track of all that I have to get done: sticky notes, to-do lists, outlook tasks, white boards, note pads, and apps (lots of apps). Many of these were suitable options. All had their limitations.

• easily captured tasks
• accessibility across platforms (iPhone, web, iPad, desktop)
• real-time sync
• useable for both single tasks and projects
• sharing capabilities
• ability to keep notes on a task (such as “left a message on Monday”)
• simple user interface (UI)

I’ve put numerous apps to the test. Most of them came up short. However, there is one app that I keep coming back to – Wunderlist.

It’s About The Process

You may use other tools or apps. You may stick to a pen and pad strategy. That’s fine. The tool you use is less important than the process that allows your mind to stay focused on the task at hand.

Allow me to walk you through my process for gathering, categorizing and getting tasks done. These are simple principles you can apply to almost any task management system you’re using.

Set Up: How to Organize Your Task Lists

I forget things. I’ll tell someone I’ll send them an article, report or product. Then I’ll get busy with something else and forget. This is especially true when I’m away from the office. Having a tool that goes where I go is crucial to my task management system.

Now, as soon as a discrete task is identified (e.g., email presentation to Jim), I add it to my to-do list. Since I have my iPhone nearly everywhere I go, I can plug a task into my list in two taps. This helps prevent me from letting things slip through the cracks.

This is what it looks like when I’m entering a task on my iPhone.

A boss once asked me how I could remember all the things he asked me to do. Before long, I taught him how to use Wunderlist.

The key to capturing is that you have to do it right away. In meetings, I’ll jot down a note in my notebook and, afterwards, plug it all into Wunderlist. Nothing gets overlooked and no balls get dropped.

Tip: If you haven’t already, create a list of unprocessed tasks in your Wunderlist inbox. Remember, capturing is paramount.

I prefer to group like tasks rather than have one massive list of things to get done. Wunderlist allows me to create separate lists. I use them to group tasks together for projects, trips, and more.

Here you can see how Wunderlist displays multiple task lists.

The benefit here is that if I want to know where I stand on a specific project, I open the appropriate folder and it tells me exactly what needs doing.

There are all sorts of ways to categorize your tasks: time of day, context, energy required, location, time needed, project, etc. Wunderlist also allows you star tasks. More on that later.

Recently, Wunderlist added tags to their ever-growing features list. Basically, you add a #hashtag to any to-do item and then you can search to find all tasks with that hashtag across all of your lists.

• traditional GTD stages (e.g., #WF for waiting for, #SM for someday/maybe)
• times of the day (e.g., #morning, #afterlunch)
• energy required (e.g., #low, #med, #high) or priority (e.g., #prio1, #prio2). Use your imagination!

This is really where finding what works for you is key. Try some different things and experiment until you find what works.

Integration: How to Actually Get Things Done

Now that you have captured your to-do items and have set up your categories, what’s next? It’s time to get things done!

I recommend doing this before you leave work for the evening. Review your projects and task lists (however you’ve categorized them) in search of 3-5 tasks that will become your focus for tomorrow.

Avoid the temptation to bite off more than you can chew (preaching to myself here).

This daily scan also helps keep you aware of upcoming projects.

Using the star feature in Wunderlist is how I mark those 3-5 tasks that I’ll focus my effort and attention on tomorrow.

This is how Wunderlist displays my Starred list.

Throughout the day, I check my “starred” list, which is at the top of my lists in Wunderlist. I don’t get distracted by other to-do items and can focus on my highest priorities.

Tip: Even if you don’t scan and star your priorities the day before, this is exactly how you want to start the morning – prior to opening email.

Finally, the part we’ve all been waiting for…doing the work. Start with your toughest and most important task from your 3-5 list. This way, if that is the only thing you get done today you can still call it a success.

Once that’s done, go back to the list you’ve made for today. For me, that’s the starred list.

If I complete all of my starred tasks before the end of the day, I return to scanning or sort my tasks by the tags mentioned above to find my next action item.

Bonus

With Wunderlist, as is true for other tools, there are a number of additional features you can leverage.

Reminders: Through the process outlined above, I have essentially eliminated the need for reminders. However, I occasionally use them for specific tasks that have a deadline or due date.

Sharing: Wunderlist allows you to share task lists. If you share your list with others, you can also engage in collaborative conversations about specific tasks within that list. Honestly, I haven’t used this feature very much, but I would if I was working with a team on different projects.

Subtasks: As we all know, many tasks can be broken down into even smaller components. That’s where subtasks come in. If I need to speak with different people or assemble multiple items before sending them to a client, I’ll use subtasks to make sure the little things get done.

Notes: This is especially helpful when I’m capturing a task or idea. I capture all of my blog post ideas in Wunderlist. In the notes for that idea I may include illustrations, resources or even a rough outline to start from – whatever is in my head at the moment.

I’ll also use this if I couldn’t complete the task.  For instance, if I need to call Susan and she doesn’t answer, I’ll make a note that I left her a voicemail. Then I can add the #WF tag to the task to indicate that I’m now waiting for her to call back.

When you open a task, this is where you can set due dates, reminders, add subtasks and notes.

One thing I love about Wunderlist is that they continue to evolve, improve and add helpful features.

Regardless of your task management system, the same core principles apply.
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Regardless of what tool you use to manage your to-do list, you can still apply these basic principles. When we aren’t trying to use our brains to remember all we need to do, our minds are free to focus on the tasks right in front of us, be creative and find solutions. Perhaps more importantly, we don’t drop the ball. We deliver the goods, get things done and can live in the present moment.

Question: What is one tip you have for staying on top of your to-do list? I’d love to hear what’s working for you in the comments below.

• App: Wunderlist
• Post: Do What Matters Most Today: 4 Tips to Get You Started

The post How To Get More Done with the Power of Wunderlist first appeared on The Excelling Edge.

Have you ever been oblivious to what was going on around you because you were so immersed in something? I sure have. Sometimes we get absorbed in a movie, a big game, a well-written book, surfing social media or just good conversation and lose awareness of our surroundings. What would you say if I told you we can harness that same phenomenon in our work?

Two Types of Attention

We have two types of attention. An example of the first type is when something, often external, grabs your attention (like when someone calls your name in a crowd). The second is when you deliberately focus your attention on a specific thing (like a conversation or email) for a stated purpose. Researchers refer to these as “bottom-up” and “top-down” attentions, respectively.

In our work, we often find that attention is stolen away by bottom-up distractions: an email alert or a coworker in the hallway. However, in order to be productive and concentrate on work, we need to leverage top-down attention.

Luckily, by applying some deliberate focusing strategies, we can keep “bottom-up” interruptions from stealing our attention.

How to Intensify Your Focus

You can increase focus and block out interruptions, boosting your productivity, by immersing yourself in the task. Here’s 3 hacks I use to heighten my focus:

Whether reading the news or processing sales, defining the purpose of the task tells our brains what’s important. This goal becomes the filter for how the brain responds to extraneous input, like a stray thought or cell phone notification.

If the interruption is deemed relevant to the task (based on its goal) then the brain will decipher it, allocating at least a fragment of attention to it. In contrast, if the interruption is deemed to be irrelevant, our brains are more likely to prevent it from entering our consciousness.

Simply, clarify for yourself the goal in accomplishing the task.

When we become anxious, our ability to focus is negatively affected. We are prone to distraction as our brains are alerted to sounds, movement and thoughts, assessing the relevance of each. We go into high alert.

Researchers have found that those more likely to experience anxiety are more susceptible to distraction than less anxious individuals (Eysenck & Derakshan, 2011).

A few deep breaths, a short walk or even a moment to address a major distraction are ways I aim to lower anxiety or stress. This helps me better lock in on the task at hand.

Why is it that we sometimes prefer to work where there’s background noise? Whether you turn on music or head to a coffee shop, these environments ought to distract us. Yet, we may find it easier to concentrate.

Science tells us that our attention is limited. These distraction laden spaces can drive us to direct our full attention to the task. Essentially, our brains know to block out pretty much everything. In a more quiet environment, focus can be fragmented because our levels of concentration are required to be so intense.

I’ve found two ways to increase the amount of attention you are giving to the task at hand by increasing the intensity of your focus.

• Create background noise. I often listen to instrumental music when I write. I don’t get distracted by familiar lyrics and it helps my brain devote more attention to writing. Others prefer a coffee shop, a park or an old movie.
• Speed up. One way to require our brains to devote more attention to a task is to move faster. For me, this works well when reading. More of my focus is absorbed in reading; therefore less of it is susceptible to distraction.

Increase the intensity of your focus to help your brain block out interruptions.
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When it comes to our work, our attention is a tremendous asset. Learning to harness the power of intense focus and stave off unwanted interruptions carries huge benefits. By applying the 3 hacks above, we can get work done more efficiently and productively.

Question: What hacks have you found helpful when trying to increase your focus? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments.

Links:

• Article: New perspectives in attentional control theory by Eysenck & Derakshan, 2011
• Post: 8 Tips to Avoid Distraction and Boost Productivity

The post 3 Mind Hacks to Intensify Your Focus & Minimize Interruptions first appeared on The Excelling Edge.

“Do more with less” has become the mantra of today’s businesses. Sixty hour workweeks seem to be taking over. We complain about lack of time and manpower while more items stack up on our task lists. However, I remind you that necessity is the mother of invention. Allow me to introduce you to Parkinson’s Law and how we can embrace the pursuit of efficiency. 

Parkinson’s Law

Work expands to the time allotted to it. This is Parkinson’s Law. It can be applied to single tasks, multi-step projects, or simply how we approach work. How have you experienced Parkinson’s Law in your own life?

In college, I knew from the beginning of the semester when papers would be due. I often left assignments to the last minute, but on one particular paper, I decided that I would start early.

Weeks before it was due, I collected sources and reviewed them. I developed an index card and color coding system for capturing useful information from the sources. My research was a marvel of organization. However, when I sat down to actually write the paper, I realized I had mere days left to craft it.

While I was busy preparing to write, the deadline had crept up on me. The work had expanded to fill the time I had allotted to it.

Anomalies of Efficiency – Last Minute Tasks and Getting Out the Door

While I did complete that paper, I also completed many others in much less time. True to my procrastination tendencies, I had proven that I could crank out papers overnight (literally). The time allotted in those instances was very little. The point, though, is that those papers were also completed and turned in.

Think back to the last time you went on vacation. Narrow in on the workdays just before you left. Was your pace more hurried than usual? Were you more focused on finishing the tasks in front of you?

If you’re like me and many others, those are some of your most productive and efficient days of work all year.

What can we learn from our most productive days to help us avoid the downsides of Parkinson’s Law?

1. On those days we have More Clarity. When we’re clear about what needs doing and what it will take to accomplish a task, we can attack it with commitment. In contrast, if the task is ambiguous, we second guess. We have to seek more information. This slows down our productive juices.

2. On those days we have More Focus. Something magical happens when you know a task has to get finished immediately. There is urgency. Your body’s sympathetic nervous system comes to life, which brings added focus with it. All of your attention gets directed to the task like a laser. You avoid distractions. You avoid frivolous endeavors like checking social media, email or making small talk with colleagues. You attack your task list like a machine because it stands between you and freedom – or a vacation.

3. On those days we put forth More Effort. Once we are clear on our objectives and have brought full attention to a single task, we can apply intense effort. Our physiology is already in gear and we work both smarter and harder. Our minds and bodies are rising to the occasion, meeting demands by applying our full arrays of skills, strengths and expertise. This is what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called flow or you may know it as the zone.

How do you gain more clarity, focus and effort everyday?

Less Time. That’s right; reduce the time allotted to complete a task. This forces you to apply more focus and effort to your clear objective. You don’t have time for “what if this” and “what if that.” You don’t have time for the illusion of multi-tasking. Shrinking your time-allotted will drive you to use the time you have most efficiently.

I’ve been using this strategy to focus my writing. I set a timer when I begin. So far, I’ve found that I am less distractible and more focused. InterestingIy, I believe I accomplish more in the short amount of time than I sometimes do in double the time.

Shrinking the time-allotted for tasks drives you to be efficient with your time, focus and effort.
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We don’t have to run from “do more with less.” Get more done in less time by intentionally shrinking your allotted time for a task or project. This doesn’t have to come immediately before an imposed deadline. Set your own deadline and give yourself a buffer for the unexpected. The point is to increase your efficiency more consistently. Why should the workdays just before a vacation be the only ones that get your best effort?

Cut back your time on task to increase your clarity, focus and effort. You’ll accomplish more in less time. If you’re in a results-oriented company, you might even get to go home early.

Question: What is one thing to which you could apply the less-is-better strategy this week? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. 

Links:

• Book: Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Post: How Can You Get Into The Zone More Consistently?
• Post: 8 Tips to Avoid Distraction and Boost Productivity
• Post: Multitasking Is Your Nemesis: Stop It

The post How to Reclaim 3 Essentials of Productivity first appeared on The Excelling Edge.

Progress and accomplishment increase motivation and energy. Distractions, on the other hand, suck the wind out our sails and leave us feeling drained. Yet, if we can remove our distractions and overcome them, we’ll gain great satisfaction in our work. We’ll feel as if we achieved something…because we did.

Due to wintry weather, I recently worked from home. For some of you, doing so may surround you with countless distractions. However, I found it peaceful. My phone didn’t ring. I wasn’t bombarded by emails like at the office. Colleagues and clients didn’t walk in with questions.

While these are all important at times, the removal of them left me with focused time to accomplish essential items on my to-do list. With fewer distractions, I could remain in a highly focused mindset. This led to greater efficiency. By the end of the day, I was encouraged. I felt accomplished and energized by the progress that had been made.

How can I create more days like this?

By adding these 8 focusing tools to our mental toolkits, you and I can stifle distraction and accelerate productivity.

1. Declutter Your Mind

Stress, anxiety, worries or simply having too much on your mind can cause you to be your own distraction. You may need to sort through counterproductive thoughts. Perhaps you simply need let them go. Or, is there some other task that is drawing your attention away from the one at-hand? If you deem it more important, then switching gears may be best for getting results.

2. Choose One Thing

Multitasking is a fairy tale of productivity. It is impossible for our brains to focus on more than one thing at a time. When we bounce from one task to the next and back again, efficiency diminishes. Rather, select one task and focus on it until it’s complete or until you’ve reached a benchmark. This tip keeps me from getting distracted by little tasks that interrupt my more meaningful work. And, this helps me get beyond busyness and actually complete work that matters.

3. Capture Your Lightbulbs

While the brain can’t really focus on multiple things at once, it does run multiple programs. Like a piece of software running in the background on your computer, our brains will recall other information. While writing, designing a presentation or talking with a colleague, my brain will alert me to reminders.

I’ve found it tremendously helpful to capture these in my task manager app. When I don’t, I feel a little bit of stress that I may forget or let the task slip through the cracks. Like silencing a reminder on our phones, it is best to acknowledge the lightbulb to prevent further distraction.

4. Impose Physical Boundaries

It is quite impressive how well physical space can work to prevent distraction. A closed door deters unwanted interruptions. Separating yourself to a table away from the door and counter at a coffee shop lessens the likelihood of being spotted by an acquaintance who may want to chat. That’d be fine if you weren’t aiming to finish a time sensitive project, but on those days, boundaries are your friend.

Even putting on headphones can be a physical indicator to those around you that you don’t wish to be interrupted. When working on an airplane, I often use headphones to send a signal. As a bonus, the music can help me to focus too.

5. Enforce Notification Isolation

Stop baiting yourself with distraction candy. Turn off email notifications. Or, better still, close your email program while you’re working on important tasks that require focus. Turn off alerts on your cell phone. Notifications from Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. can wait.

One study found of health-care professionals found that these micro-interruptions not only distract us, but drive us to make errant decisions. Plus, these can be an addiction. Best to prevent yourself from becoming an addict in the first place.

6. Step Away & Re-Engage

Breaks bring focus. It is hard to maintain a heightened focus for extended periods of time. Stepping away for a few minutes allows your conscious mind to decompress while not fully disengaging from the task-at-hand. Taking a walk, moving around and getting your blood flowing will help too.

I like to work in periods of 25 to 45 minutes at a time. Then I’ll refill my water bottle, stretch my legs or respond to a quick message before diving back in with renewed intensity.

7. Organize Your Space

A messy workspace increases stress. Stress increases the likelihood of distraction. While messy may be subjective, I’ve found that when my workspace is in order, I have a greater amount of focus to bring to my work. I’m not distracted by the fact that I need to tidy up. Stacks of paper don’t catch my eye and leave me wondering if that’s where I put a document I’ve been looking for.

Organizing your space can prevent distractions and free up your mental resources to be creative, problem solve and concentrate.

8. Clock It

Here is a little secret. I like a little competition. So, when I really need to focus, I will set a timer on my phone. Then, the work becomes a race against the clock. While I don’t always win, I’ve found this to be a force multiplier for increasing my focus.

When fighting distraction, we need proven tools and a game plan to accelerate accomplishment.
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We all love finishing our days knowing we have something to show for our work. This comes from making progress. Progress is made by bringing quality focus to the task-at-hand.

Despite your best efforts, distractions will come. Ready yourself with the tools needed to stifle distraction and accelerate your productivity.

Keep these 8 tools close at hand with a free infographic download.

Question: What are your greatest distractors at work? I doubt you’re alone. Share them in the comments below this post.

• Post: Retrain Your Resistance: 3 Steps to More Productive Thinking
• Post: Multitasking Is Your Nemesis: Stop It
• Post: Do What Matters Most Today: 4 Tips to Get You Started 
• Post: The Overlooked Cost of Notifications on Your Phone by John Meese
• App: Wunderlist
• Article: Distraction: An Assessment of Smartphone Usage In Health Care Work Settings
• Article: Give Your Ideas Some Legs: The Positive Effect of Walking on Creative Thinking

The post 8 Tips to Avoid Distraction and Boost Productivity first appeared on The Excelling Edge.

One of my favorite questions to ask people when I speak about multitasking is this: “Have you ever come home exhausted at the end of the day, with no idea what you actually accomplished?” The typical response is a resounding “yes.” Perhaps you’ve had that experience too. Often, this occurs because we weren’t focused enough and spent the day interrupting one task for the next every time a new issue came to us. The side-effects that seem to accompany these days are drained energy, lower satisfaction, and increased stress. In our society, it is easy to slip into the lure of busyness. Has anyone ever come into your office and asked, “Did you get that email I just sent you?” The expectation is that we have to be on top of everything all the time. But in reality, this notion and expectation of multi-tasking is a high-achiever’s nemesis.

 

Time Drain
Researchers are clear that shifting our attention back and forth among multiple tasks costs us significant amounts of time in our day. If you’re wondering where all the time in your day went, perhaps it’s time to assess how much you are juggling (in your attention) at once. Some research suggests that the lag time it takes our brains to refocus on a task after a distraction can be as much as 18 minutes. Unbelievable. No wonder multitasking is said to reduce productivity by 40%. That’s one day of your work week you could reclaim! Try counting how many distractions you get in just one hour of your day. It is sobering. 

Hopefully, you’re convinced that multitasking is more foe than friend. It is holding you back from your potential, from performing with excellence. Limiting the time you spend in multitasking mode goes against the grain, the status quo of today’s culture, but the rewards are well worth it. Reclaim the lost minutes and hours of your week. Get more done. Show the important people in your life that you really do care. I think you’ll surprise yourself.

Question: How is multitasking getting in your way? And what is possible if you could increase your focus? I invite you to share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Multitasking Is Your Nemesis: Stop It first appeared on The Excelling Edge.