Focus Management

Does your job or role involve tasks and activities spanning multiple areas? Do you switch between many spheres or domains on a normal workday? Like from coding to project management to coaching conversations to research to marketing activities to analysis to operations to reporting etc.? And particularly, did you witness an expansion of the scope of your work in the ongoing pandemic era? Do you enjoy the broad variety of things you do each day? Or do you experience fatigue from context-switching?

The role and job activities of most of the knowledge workers keep expanding (or changing) over the course of time, as we keep upping the productivity and efficiency quotient in our core domain. Consciously or sub-consciously (or simply because we are ‘voluntold’), we add more things to our plate, stretching our boundaries bit by bit. And the things we add, fall into various categories. Core work, few side-projects, some operations, some marketing activities, some long-term strategy related tasks, new ways of reporting, etc. And one fine day, you wake up and realize that you have to juggle between at least 4 or 5 of these, in the 8 hours (it’s not 8 hours anymore, but let’s stick to it) that you give to your job. There are some roles and jobs, who thrive on this very variety. In fact, most of the Leadership roles have no option but to juggle between various spheres. And there are many in the middle-management layer too, who are compelled to juggle because they either signed up for it or weren’t conscious about adding things to their plate, at different points in time. Whatever the case may be – having multiple spheres of focus areas and each focus area having multiple strands of activities – is not uncommon today. Some enjoy that variety. Some find it stressful after a point, and experience fatigue from context-switching.

I have been in a Chief of Staff role for 2 years now. And this situation feels very familiar to me, as my job/role involves me dealing with multiple spheres, activities and also people. There are days when I feel that I enjoy the variety. And there are days when I find it very stressful – to jump from one call to another, discussing things that are diametrically opposite in context, depth, and result-areas. Earlier, I didn’t understand why my feeling fluctuated between ‘enjoying the variety’ and ‘feeling fatigued’. But over a period, I understood that there is one key factor that separated the two. It is Focus Management.

The reality is constant – dealing with multiple spheres or context switching. The feeling of “enjoying the variety” or “fatigue” emanates from our response to that reality and the state of mind we position towards it. The lens we use to see that reality or the kind of light we shine on that reality reveals the right shade of that reality. Focus Management is that light.

Having explored multiple ways to get Focus Management right, through trial and error, I would like to share 10 things that worked for me. Having a handle on these 10 things helps me operate more in the top quadrant of the graph illustrated above.

1. Food & Diet – This has a high degree of correlation to your physical energy and mood. So, be intentional about this.
2. Work-out – A good work out elevates your state of mind and confidence. Yoga, exercise, Zumba, running – whatever is your preferred mode, just make time for it. It works.
3. Information diet – Avoid news, for it is designed to program your thinking. Regulate social media, so that you can be a master of your time.
4. Intellectual nourishment – There is this saying: “you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. If you are in the company of intelligent nerds with high mental stamina, chances are that you will cultivate big mental muscle too, and context switching could be a cakewalk for you. Likewise, make time to read. It helps you relax and also relate to some things in life or in work.
5. Relationships – Fewer but stronger. Value the resonance you share with your spouse, partner, close friends, family etc. If you do not have peace in this sphere, a lot of things in life will be in disarray.
6. Life organization – The fewer things you have to deal with in your workday (personally, professionally, emotionally etc.) the better. Many times, our life has a lot of clutter, with many unfinished tasks, mental baggage, nagging things etc. All these sap our mental energies. The best way to minimize friction in our daily life is to just ease out the clutter. Having fewer things to deal with (on a workday), gives you more mental stamina to deal with multiple things at work.
7. Sorted Finances – If there is one thing, after relationships, that needs to be always sorted out, it is this. You cannot sleep well when you have financial problems. Do everything possible to sort them out quickly and sleep well.
8. Sleep – Underrated lever of life. Have adequate sleep, and see how you become a task management ninja.
9. Breaks – Don’t lose yourself in the never-ending trap of calls and meetings. Just be ruthless about your time and take those 5-10min breaks after every hour. You need to be the master of your time, as much as possible.
10. Creative pursuits – There is no job or role today which doesn’t require creative thinking. That’s a muscle you need to build every day, intentionally. So make time to expose yourself to some art. Indulge in it or simply consume it. Any art. At least for 5-10mins a day. Admire it.

These are 10 levers I use to manage my focus areas and keep a positive attitude towards the “hustle” way of working. Of course, I don’t get it right every single day. I do have my share of bottom-quadrant days too, very often that too. But the days I hit all the right buttons, I tend to feel more positive about enjoying the variety in my job. The point is not about hitting perfection but the point is consciously trying to optimize as much as possible so that your mental stamina and your productivity translate into a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction and growth at the end of the day.

What are the levers that help you maintain a positive attitude towards overwhelming work? Are there any other levers, I am missing? Do let me know what you think.