Focus.
I have so many projects ongoing and errands to do at a time. I'll be working on a project for a few minutes before an idea pops in my head and then find myself sketching out something totally unrelated. Next thing you know I'm online doing job-hunting or facebook-ing and we all know, once you're online you remember you haven't checked your email today, and then you see you got a message with a link to a new blog. On that blog you stumble upon the Twitter logo and realize you haven't tweeted all day. Finally it's 5pm, and your initial project from six hours ago is sitting lonely by the wayside, unfinished and neglected.
I have so many projects ongoing and errands to do at a time. I'll be working on a project for a few minutes before an idea pops in my head and then find myself sketching out something totally unrelated. Next thing you know I'm online doing job-hunting or facebook-ing and we all know, once you're online you remember you haven't checked your email today, and then you see you got a message with a link to a new blog. On that blog you stumble upon the Twitter logo and realize you haven't tweeted all day. Finally it's 5pm, and your initial project from six hours ago is sitting lonely by the wayside, unfinished and neglected.
Same thing happen when doing shopping. No. Not Shopping, i am supposed to buy one particular thing ONLY. Go out, get it, and come back, quick.
But then "men get what they need, women get what they want". It's so true, and I'm a hundred percent woman.
Okay, here is the case. You all know i just moved to my new place, in happy valley. And yesterday I planned going to IKEA for a washroom mirror, just that easy, i could come back in an hour and continue unpack my stuffs.
So i headed to causeway bay (that's definitely an evil place to every mankind!) on the way to IKEA, i should have shut my eyes, or i wouldn't notice there is a seasonal sale in my favorite Diesel Store, or i wouldn't come across HMV and find that there are new CDs released, or i wouldn't realize that i need a hairdo, or i wouldn't remember there's still a $500 I.T Coupon in my wallet, or..........i could free my hand to hold the mirror that i should have bought 3 hours earlier.
Ahhh...stupid Nicole!!!
It's time to get focused. I remember reading a study that found we're not really that great at multi-tasking. Yes, we manage to get multiple things done at once but it doesn't necessarily help us get them done efficiently. On top of that the quality of work is not as great as it would be if we focused on one project at a time.
Tackle your tasks by designating a specific period of time to work and dedicate your full attention to that project. Force yourself to ignore other things that distracted. Whenever I'm working and an unrelated thought or idea comes up I tell myself "no, we're not doing that right now" and then I write it down on the appropriate list for me to address it later. Yes, it has resulted in me talking to myself but it definitely helps me get back on track.
So list your goals, prioritize, and focus. It's the best way to get things done effectively and efficiently :)
