Stay on Task
Take a Minute and Save Hours.
Staying on task can be a challenge for anyone and all the electronic devices and increases in constant contact and communications, has only increased the distractions. So the first thing to do when you want to focus, is set your phones and pagers, etc. to the do not disturb setting.
Next, make a list of the details or steps of the project that you want to accomplish, e.g., going grocery shopping in one shot. Get clear as to why it is important that you stay on task. What you have to lose if you don’t, and what you have to gain if you do. Really feel it.
Then, determine the start and end time for each sub-step, i.e., plug the steps into a schedule. Also, add some details about what you will be doing or where you need to be after the end time. Then set a timer to alert you five or ten minutes prior to the end time for the project, to remind you to wrap it up.
While performing the task, bring your list and refer to your list often, taking a minute intermittently, to make confirm that you are still on task. Before checking-out or otherwise leaving the scene, stop for at least one minute to take a long slow breath, tune out distractions and review your list one last time.
You will surely find that taking a minute to confirm your are staying on task, will save you hours that you would have spent, doing it over or coming back to finish the job.