The Dirty Secret of Focus and Getting Stuff Done

I’m terrible at focusing on my work. I’m prone to distraction, chase weird ideas that pop into my head down on the internet, and generally avoid doing what I set out to do each day. I don’t think I’m alone in this.

For my 9-5 job, I’m generally interrupt driven, subject to random questions from teammates and coworkers. Rather than get annoyed, I secretly welcome the distraction as it allows me to help someone, and thereby “work,” without doing any of the things on my own todo list.

For my 5-9 writing, it’s not terribly different. I’m interrupted by my family, my dogs, and whatever happens to be on television. It’s like I want to write a novel but not so badly that it can’t wait until after Jeopardy.

In short, I’m terrible at focusing on what I want to do; and yet, I complete novels, essays, and short humor fairly regularly. I’m a dedicated writer who studies the craft and produces work consistently. You just wouldn’t believe it if you watched me work.

So what’s my secret to “focus” on my work?

I keep a list of things to do, sorted by priority according to Master Your Workday principles, and it directs the work I do, but probably not in the way you might think.

I procrastinate. Let me just say it flatly and without artifice: I avoid the work I know is in my best interests to complete.

When I finally make it to my writing desk I am compelled by mysterious forces in my mind to open up a browser and check email, scroll through Facebook, and open up Twitter. Even as I do it, I know there will be nothing of value for me there. It’s like I have to exhaust that urge, and then I can write.

Even then, I may not write the thing I want to write. That’s where the importance of a todo list emerges.

What I’m likely to do is ignore my number one task; instead, I’ll work on the item that is number two, or three, or even four, first. Deep in the recesses of my mind, a negotiation is held between competing parties in my subconscious. I have no idea how it’s decided, but when I start to write, the chosen task is there in my mind and off I go.

I used to resist this decision-making, and force myself to follow the chosen priorities, but it caused dissonance in my mind. The subconscious wouldn’t feed the mind with any words to write down.

What allowed me to embrace this was recognizing that, while my task list is prioritized, it’s a good thing to get down-the-list items done.

The benefit of skipping down your todo list for other things to complete is that you get stuff done. That may seem obvious but, if you think you have to work the list from the top down, you may feel like a failure, or that you’re doing something wrong, by working the list out of order.

Poppycock. Stuff done is stuff done.

Stuff done gives you a dopamine hit. Knocking things off the list brings you closer to your goals and propels you forward.

The key to any todo list is to break action items down to an atomic level. Small, achievable tasks allow you to find time slots for the work and won’t chew up as much energy. Look for vague or big-picture items (i.e., Write Novel, Launch Marketing Campaign, or Build Website) and breakdown the tasks.

In fact, that’s an item for your todo list: “Breakdown tasks into next three achievable steps.”

Rank the todo list, but open yourself to being flexible about what you work on.

Finally, pay attention to your mood, energy, and time available; pick out a todo list task that takes best advantage of those three. (That’s the dirty secret!)

Celebrate as you finish tasks.

That’s it!