
Focus is the reason checklists are so helpful to busy people juggling many items. Let’s face it, a person can only do one thinking task at a time. When you’re planning you’re not doing. And when you are doing, planning is impossible. One way to be stressed out and get very little done is be vacillating between tasks. Focus is the opposite; go in hands and feet, get it done then move on. This is only one aspect of focus.
One additional note about the usefulness checklists, they free your thoughts. People who try to carry a task list (project list etc) in their heads can very often be distracted by those task items. The mind is always trying to work these tasks out and they will popup into present time consciousness while the person is busy trying to get something done.
What is the secret to being Focused? I suspect some persons are gifted with that talent and others need to work to develop the skill. One sure fire tool to build focus is Meditation. It may just be the best way. Get into a serious Meditation class or Yoga if you want results.
Focus exercise. A quick and instructive example of a type of focus is this: Stop what you’re doing for a minute. Stop everything, relax and look straight ahead. See everything nice and clearly? Great. Now, without flinching the eyes at all, keep looking ahead but think about and observe whatever is at your extreme left & right of peripheral vision. You’ll see (no pun) you can observe without looking to the side.
This can even be developed as a habit to be more in-tune with things going on around you. I could tell a story about a deer which shot out of ‘nowhere’ and was spared as my car came to an abrupt stop inches away. But it’s too difficult to express accurately.
Focus Recap: Forget about multitasking. Clear your mental table with use of the checklist. “Eat while you’re eating”.