Balance Your Focus

10/20/24

October 20, 2024

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I think sometimes it’s easier to stay motivated to get things done when I’m busy, and don’t have a lot of time to ponder what to do, or not to do.

However, there is a point at which there are too many things going on and I feel paralyzed because of all that needs doing.

Or, the opposite, there’s too little going on that I might feel anxious because I don’t know what to do.

As I step back to examine this, it feels like a “balancing of focus” issue.

When there is too much to focus on at once, it causes anxiety and overwhelm.

When there is too little to focus on, it causes anxiety due to not feeling useful enough and being worried that there is something you should be focused on, but not realizing exactly what that should be.

At least for me, the ideal seems to be to have enough things that need my attention that I feel useful and on top of my responsibilities, but not too much that I feel I can’t keep up. Neither too overwhelmed, nor underwhelmed – just right, like Goldilocks. 

This ideal allows me enough to do with enough time to reflect/breathe in between to-dos that I feel I’m operating work and life at a good pace.

So how do you try to create some semblance of balance when things feel out of balance?

I personally feel like when I have less to focus on it is harder than if I have a lot of things on my plate. However, I have found that when I have extra time it’s a good time to learn something new or create something new. I like to fill my focus with reading or songwriting, music recording, or some other art project.

When I have too much going on with too many tasks that need completing, I have to chunk things down into smaller bits, and build in breaks even if I don’t feel there is enough time for those breaks. This is how I’m able to create the illusion of more balanced focus.

For example, if I have a busy day of meetings for work, and I have project work that needs to get done by the end of the day then I have to manage my time well to be productive. I might feel it’s an impossible task to get everything done. I know that the meeting times are when I need to be attentive and engaged so I know what’s going on and I don’t miss anything. That means I can’t be multitasking, which also means I’m not getting my project work done.

I try to maintain my focus in the first meeting, take good notes, then when it’s done, I walk away from my computer (I’m usually on Zoom meetings) and do something else – take the dog out, just take a walk, something to clear my head to ready my brain for a fresh start on the next meeting or task.

I do the same thing when I enter into my project tasks, and I finish one – I move around to clear my focus.

Doing this doesn’t change the amount of things that I need to get done, but it does help clear my head enough to ready my focus on the next thing, and that seems to help me tackle the next thing with more productive efficiency. 

How about you?  Hit reply and share what you do.

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My latest upcycled guiter build is finally here: The Godzilla Guitar!  Check out the photos below. It glows in the dark! It's available in my Etsy shop. 

The Godzilla Guitar

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Stay positive. Stay healthy. Be kind.

Sincerely,

Nick VenturellaStrategic/Creative Professional