How to Get Everything in Focus

Getting everything in focus is a task that we all have to contend with at certain points in our lives. There are a number of ways to achieve this by setting short and long term goals. Having focus requires both having a vision of where you want to be, and how you are going to get there. You will need to develop a well-thought-out plan and stick to what you have decided to accomplish.

Instructions

• 1

  Redirect your focus by concentrating on things in your life that are positive rather than negative. It's easy to focus on the negative and overlook the positive in your life. When this is happening, your focus is completely unbalanced in terms of your perceptions and reality. Negative thoughts can drain your motivation and keep you from pursuing a path that makes you genuinely happy.

• 2

  Identify routines that cause you to procrastinate and waste valuable time. Even simple habits such as drinking coffee in the morning can cause laziness and lend to a loss of focus. Instead of drinking three cups of coffee while you read the morning newspaper, drink one cup and use that as a timer. Instant messaging is also a time waster that can cause you to lose focus. Awareness of your time is critical.

• 3

  Shut everything off. This includes your computer, your cell phone, the television, video games, and other technology that is overwhelming to the senses. It's nearly impossible to achieve and maintain focus when you are being bombarded by too much technology on a daily basis. If distractions still continue to be bothersome, purchase earplugs and focus on the silence. Silence helps you think more clearly and regain your center.

• 4

  Create a list of activities in your life. Identify those that are necessary, and then identify those that are unnecessary. Sometimes getting these thoughts in writing helps to solidify what needs to be done. Stick to your list and number the activities by priority in your life.

• 5

  Go Zen. It may sound funny at first, but simplifying your life and adding meditation to the list of activities on your "necessary" list will help to bring your life in focus. You may spend so much of your time forcing too many activities into one day that you lose sight of the big picture. Instead of getting lost in the details, take a bird's eye view and focus on the important things in your life.