Why a Narrower Focus Can Be Your Winning Advantage

In today’s society, and especially for CEOs, it is assumed that the more you can do, the better or more productive you will be. Though on the surface this logic may seem true, doing too many things at once can have adverse effects. The human brain is designed to be able to master anything but it is not built to master everything. To be successful, CEOs will need to begin narrowing their focus so they channel their energy to go deeper and more thoroughly in a topic than spreading themselves too thin across multiple areas.

In other words, you can’t have everything you want, however, you can have anything you want. Take this as an example, if you had an extra 2 hours a week to dedicate to any endeavor you chose. If you wanted to use that extra 2 hours to focus on 5 different tasks, then you would have just 24 minutes to spend on each task. The likelihood that you would be able to complete, let alone master any one of the five in such a short amount of time is very low. You would have started lots of tasks, but by the end of the 2 hours, you would not have finished any. However, if you instead decided to just focus on one or two tasks, giving either the whole time or half of the time to each task, you would likely have accomplished a lot more. When you hone in on a few items at a time, you are able to fully commit both your time and energy to getting it done.

According to leading CEO coaching consultants, here are three things you can do now to narrow your focus and boost your productivity.

1. Give yourself time to reflect. Whether it is one hour or just 15 minutes every day, having quiet time to think is important for you to begin shaping your goals. When you are clear on what it is you want to achieve, you are better prepared to begin zoning in on one or the few things you need to do. This is also time for you to get honest with yourself and to determine what it is you want and the level of commitment you are willing to put in to achieve that outcome.

2. Pick one or two areas to focus on. With your strategic goals outlined, you can now begin to hone in even more on the specific area you want to dedicate your energy and resources to. Perhaps, for your role, mastering the ins and outs of strategic planning may be appropriate, or diving deeper into how you can spark innovation within your company. The key is to find the area of focus and channel your energy into mastering that area.

3. Stay accountable for your growth. All too often CEOs choose a professional development goal, but fall short in actually working toward fulfilling that goal. Make a concerted effort to see the goal through to fruition. Joining a reputable CEO peer group can be an effective way to ensure you have the resources and guidance you need to be successful. Enlisting the help of a business coach can also be a great way to stay on track and held accountable for your progress.

What area do you want to focus on to improve your business? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook here.