As a small business owner, you can accidentally get distracted (or deliberately distract yourself) at any time. However, you started your business to create some result or achieve some goal, so you may need to get support to help you stay focused and accountable.
Schedule focused time
If you need to do business planning and problem-solving, you will need to carve out space for that. The best way is to schedule focused time where you will turn off all notifications for a fixed period and concentrate.
Sometimes it can be helpful to also change your location. That could be a different room in your house, a conference room, or other place where you know you will not be disturbed.
A change of location might be the perfect way to spark new ideas.
Find a buddy
Whether a colleague or team member, finding a buddy can make all the difference. Telling another person that you are going to do something makes you much more likely to do it. Make sure the person you pick will hold you to your word and not let you off the hook too easily.
Yes, client and family emergencies happen, but not very often, and they may not be as disruptive as you think.
Join a mastermind
Masterminds can be your secret weapon when you find the right one. There is power and wisdom in a group when professionals come together to support each other. I ran a group for six months and all of the members had remarkable breakthroughs.
Sign up for an online group
When I was writing my book, I wasn’t able to set aside the time I needed to complete the final draft. It was like slogging through mud and I was doing my client work at the same time. I signed up for a Zoom group for writers that met four times per day to accommodate global time zones. We worked on our projects alone, but with the support of other writers in their Zoom boxes.
One of the issues with writing is it’s lonely. Hearing what everyone else was working on and adding what I would work on during that session in the group chat was so helpful.
If this sounds like babysitting, it was in a sense, but it also was the only way my book got written. I attended at least one session – and often as many as three – each day. (You can check out Writers’ Hour here.) I included it in the Acknowledgements for my book.
Use an app
There are apps that will limit your ability to check social media, surf the web, or even access your internet connection for some time period you choose. If you really can’t help yourself, you may need to try one of those. I know several people who swear by them.
The trick is to know yourself and to know what trips you up. We can give ourselves all the excuses in the world, but someone else will see right through them and remind us of our promise to ourselves, and keep us focused and on task.
Try one or several of these options and then watch how much progress you make!
