How many times each day are we tempted to do something that will “only take a minute?”

Maybe it’s a clean-up of your inbox, maybe it’s a quick glance at your Twitter newsfeed or three or four not-quite-essential texts.

Whatever it is this time, we have all too many things calling for that one minute. Every hour of every day.

What we don’t have is a pre-sorted inbox for the vital elements of our lives and our work which require, not “only a minute,” but hours of deeply focused thought.

And, if we’re not careful, we can lose days over a month’s time to just browsing.

It isn’t realistic in today’s world to think that everyone is simply going to unplug altogether – that may work for a few, but it is unlikely to work for all. But we can set scheduled times to deal with the “only takes a minute” stuff, and relegate those tasks to their specified time slots.

We can schedule substantial blocks of time to deal with important things – such as our clients’ needs – which require hard, focused thought. And we can prepare ourselves to focus via whatever method works best for each of us – get ourselves to a place where we are ready and eager to do the hard thinking and the hard work to engage fully with whatever the issue at hand may be.

This isn’t an unfamiliar place or mindset – think of how you feel when you are looking forward to a break with the book you are currently reading. When you are ready for that book, you are ready to engage your mind. That’s the feeling to shoot for when you are ready to tackle a significant project – that quiet excitement. It won’t necessarily come of its own, though – often you have to engage in the work itself to get the excitement flowing.

Wade into your task with a will. Get your mental hands dirty. Sift the elements of the project, issue or goal. Immerse yourself, but mindfully.

When you are working deeply and well, the excitement will come. And with it, satisfaction.

How do you keep yourself free of the “only takes a minute” drain to focus yourself deeply? Please click here to email me directly – I would love to know what works for you.

Until next Wednesday –

Peace,