Focus is About More Than the Moment

by Geri Mason

As students in class we were told to focus on our work so we could pass the test.  While driving we learn to focus on the highway in order to avoid an accident.  These types of focus are momentarily.  Something you do to complete the task at hand.  As entrepreneurs we have to learn to focus beyond the moment.  There are daily, weekly, monthly and annual tasks that need to be done to maintain a level of sanity.  This is also true if you are not an entrepreneur. 
 
The other day I was talking with my daughter about some items that I had picked up for her.  She lives in Virginia, and I only visit once a year in May.  After talking for awhile I told her that I would probably go ahead and mail the items to her.  Two days later I had everything boxed up and ready to go so I sent her a photo of the box.  Her response was, “You don’t waste any time”, to which I replied, “If you put off until tomorrow, then tomorrow will be off.”  The minute the words came out my mouth I was tickled.  Another one of my amazing analogies!  As the week went on I realized how true that statement is.  When I started out on Monday I had about five appointments all week.  Before I knew it my calendar was starting to fill up.  Some of it was new stuff, and some was stuff that had been pushed further into the week.  Soon it was Thursday and I was turning down requests for my time, which included work assignments as well as personal appointments.  And then on Friday, I ended up moving a meeting to Monday because I was starting to get stressed with all that was left to do that week. 
 
If we are not careful, our whole week will be out of focus.  I am not saying that you have to stick to your TO DO list every day.  We need to be realistic about what a priority is and what can wait.  A lot of times if you get one tiny thing out of the way, it will free up your mind to think more critically about the other things on your list.  We have all gotten caught up in being busy to make ourselves seem important.  When I look at my list I try to figure out what will put me in my ‘zone’, and then I do that first.  This sets the tone for how my day will be.  Focus is about more than the moment!