Distracted by "Barking Dogs?"

© byrdyak

'You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks!"
Winston Churchill

I shared the above quote earlier in the week on Twitter and then I realized how guilty I am of losing my concentration and chasing every "barking dog" that comes along.

Yesterday, between the phone, email and a few of life's challenges, I couldn't seem to focus on one thing for more than a few minutes. I pride myself on being able to multi-task, but instead I became a master of mediocrity as very few things were completed.

I realized several things in the process, which might help you on those days where you just can't seem to get anything done:

• Sleep: You've got to get enough sleep. We've had a few family challenges in the way this week, and I haven't had a solid nights sleep. Plus, in the middle of the stress, Molly the Wonder Dog got sick and needed to be let out every two hours during the night. 
• Music: I've got a great sound system in my office, but I was so focused on trying to get something done, I neglected to turn it on. Music always helps me focus.
• Phones and Email: Every time my email chimed I grabbed it, along with the phone. There's nothing wrong with putting life's interruptions on hold and focusing on one task at a time.
• Your Network; I never asked for help. We've all got our networks, but what good are they if we don't ask for help when we need it?  
• Priorities: Sometimes you simply need to say "No." SCU has grown along with my involvement in the industry. Like many of you, there are times when I'm just too busy.  There's a point where you simply can't do the job you need to do if you've allowed yourself to be spread too thin. 

Nothing earthshaking in any of this, but here's what's different today.

• We went to bed early last night, and I got plenty of sleep.
• I've got Pandora playing right now. There's a station, "Classical for Studying Radio" and it's the perfect way to start the day. My music changes as I get more into what I'm working on. So by the end of the day, if I'm lucky, it'll be Bruno Mars or Phil Phillips.
• I shut off the phone for a couple of hours and closed my email.
• I got some help from a couple of friends on two different projects, and I've set up a priority list on my whiteboard to stay focused.

As with everything I share in my blog posts, I'm always sharing things to help you build a stronger business. Today is a reminder - time is our most valuable commodity. Once gone, we never get it back. It takes work to be more efficient, but a nice steady pace is critical to everyone's sanity! Don't waste time on things that don't matter.

So, I'm wishing everybody a terrific Friday, a great weekend, and a reminder to stop throwing stones at every "barking dog" that comes along!