Turn Off the TV: Here's an Idea to Increase Your Focus

If you're one of the growing number of people feeling the pinch of this recession we're in, turn off the TV. There's little good news and much of what the pundits are talking about is incomprehensible to normal human beings. The problems are too big and complex, and they are oversimplified in the effort to explain. And now that the 2008 elections are history, there's not much we can do about most of it.

Here's an idea: how about starting a notebook to help you focus on the important stuff? You can do this on your computer or the old-fashioned way with pen and paper. Or use a combination-whatever works for you. Set up the following sections.

• Goals for This Week/Month. What do you want to accomplish? Make the goals specific and measurable. Don't make them so big or so impossible you can't complete them, and assign a date (and maybe time) to them.
• To Do List. Translate those goals into tasks. Prioritize them high, medium or low; high has to get done; medium would be nice to get done, and low tasks could fall of the list without causing problems. Assign a due date and/or time to each, and note any resources you'll need to get the work done. That may mean access to the family computer, information from another person, or a meeting room. If you like to use software, there are a number of options available. Microsoft Office Suite and Apple's iCal both let you enter tasks and events. There's also iGTD, a very flexible To Do List tool for Apple, based on Merlin Mann's 43 Folders concept.
  
• Contacts. Update your contact list, Rolodex, address book, customer management software, or whatever it is you use. Make sure you have the most current cell phone number and email address for each of your contacts. You can also track where and when you met someone, and whether they were a referral from someone else.
  
• Calendar. Get all meetings and events on your calendar, not just the critical ones. Don't forget to add birthdays, anniversaries and all the other date-dependent information you need to track. Now block out times on your calendar for you to work, to check email, and to return phone calls. Make a deal with yourself to stick with this schedule, and you'll be surprised how much you can get done.
  
• Good Stuff List. Finally, start a weekly "Good Stuff List." Write down everything that brings you joy or lifts your mood, and I do mean everything. Some days for me that means the sunset was stunning or a client paid me a compliment. It doesn't have to be big and momentous. When you get discouraged or feel bad, pull out your Good Stuff List. You'd be surprised how many great things happen in a week.

Finally, be kind to yourself. Tough times happen to everyone. Day to day, you're doing the best you can. Some days are better than others, sure, but on the whole, you'll make it. Once a week, find some way to treat yourself to a small reward. Maybe it's splurging on a cup of coffee at a cafe, talking a long walk in a beautiful area, or taking some time to call a friend you haven't heard from in a while.

And don't forget that Good Stuff list.