Too Many Tabs Opened?

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Do you ever feel like you have too many tabs open in your brain? Me too!

The world is constantly throwing a million ideas, opportunities, options and opinions our way. Getting things done requires focus on purpose, intent and planning.

The hustle is real! We want it all. And we want it RIGHT NOW! We do whatever is necessary to achieve our dreams. Goals can get sidelined in the rush to succeed.

In one week, I received an invite to apply to the TED Fellows program, completed a book interview for a podcast in Atlanta, planned the kick off for an entrepreneurial program, shopped for our college freshman, spoke at two events and cooked dinner ALMOST everyday.

Too many tabs opened!

We rarely have the chance to handle one project at a time so it’s important that we learn how to juggle a few!

Here’s how I do it:

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1. Categorize goals. Primary, secondary and support. Allow the desire to achieve the primary goal to overtake the desire to indulge in anything else. If it does not support he primary goal, spend minimal time doing it. Reorder the tabs when necessary.

2. Use clarifying questions to redirect your focus. When you get off task, redirect your focus by asking, “How does this support goal attainment? Is this necessary? Is it important? Is it urgent?

3. Take a break. Breaks are as important as the work. When working on a stressful project it may seem like completing the project is the best way to hit reset and decompress. It can be. However, taking a break from the task allows our brains to reset leading to increased creativity, improved memory and sharper thinking. Taking breaks makes us more effective at work and in our personal relationships. Schedule time to relax and have fun.

4. Close the tabs you don’t need.  With all online the click bait out there, it‘s easy to click your way into a rabbit hole. Before long you don’t even remember what you were looking for or why you logged in the first place. Stop and close everything that does not relate to the task. Sometimes this means closing all your tabs and starting over.

Sometimes it’s necessary to have multiple tabs open. Sometimes we need to figure things out and all the tabs are helping. Sometimes the tabs are our breaks. And sometimes we simply need to press reset and start over.  Whatever the case may be this strategy will help you get back and stay on task!

*Photo Courtesy: Photo by Денис Евстратов on Unsplash

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