What founders get wrong about focus
Being a founder means having to move between different types of work, because the nature of the job requires you to constantly be wearing multiple hats. While this can be a fantastic training ground for developing new skills, it makes learning how to focus effectively much harder. Traditional productivity advice does not account for the fact that many apparent distractions for founders can be…
Being a founder entails multitasking, as the role demands juggling various responsibilities. This can make honing focus capabilities more challenging. Conventional productivity tips often overlook the reality that many perceived distractions are legitimate duties founders must attend to. A frequent misunderstanding among fellow founders is equating focus with busyness.
While completing tasks can create a sense of accomplishment and motivation, the motivation often stems from tackling the simplest tasks, and there's a lack of discipline to determine which tasks genuinely require focus. To grasp the concept of focus, it's crucial to differentiate it from concentration. Concentration is about dedicating time to a task and completing it, whereas focus involves concentrating on something that has significant consequences.
To maintain focus, I reserve specific time blocks in my daily schedule to deliberate on important decisions. I communicate these blocks to my team, enabling them to provide valuable input without constantly interrupting me. Here are five habits that have proven effective in preserving my focus:
1. Track decisions rather than work areas: Instead of vague goals like "work on onboarding," set specific targets such as "understand why people leave before completing onboarding."
2. Anticipate potential changes in perspective: Before diving into a new problem, consider what new information might lead you to reconsider your current viewpoint.
3. Allocate dedicated time for deep thinking: Founders often neglect deep thinking due to a lack of reserved time. Schedule focus time on your calendar and arrange meetings around it.
4. Empower team members to make small decisions: In situations where multiple options are viable, trust your team members closest to the work to make the right choice. This approach fosters a more self-sufficient organization.
5. Reflect on your focus efforts at the end of each week: Analyze how your focus attempts have gone, identifying successful moments and areas for improvement. Adjust your approach accordingly to enhance your focus capabilities.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
