***Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical, legal, or health advice and is not a substitute for mental health services
Are you finding it hard to stay on track and motivated with your tasks? Is it difficult for you to get started at the beginning of the day? Are you easily distracted and notice it’s tough to keep yourself on task?
If so, then these strategies may be helpful to consider as you try to stay on track with your goals.
1. Time chunk
Have you ever heard of time chunking or time batching?
It’s a concept that allows you to focus on a task for a set period of time before moving on to something else.
This focused concentration can not only help you complete a task more efficiently, but also helps reduce any additional mental strain that can come from constantly switching back and forth between different tasks.
2. Set clear goals
Have you set clearly defined goals?
Writing out your goals using the SMART method (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) can help you narrow down what you want to truly focus on.
In thinking of your goals in this way, you will be able to have a better sense of where you are at and what direction you are heading in.
3. Identify urgency and importance
Figuring out what items are urgent and important can help you determine how to best organize your time.
Ideally, the task would need to be urgent and important for it to be at the top of your list.
4. Focus on your priorities
Similarly, once you’ve figured out what is urgent and important, these tasks can be described as your priorities — try your best to stick with them.
As you go through your week, avoid getting sidetracked by all of the little distractions that come your way and redirect yourself to your key priorities if needed.
5. Change environments
Are you feeling stagnant in your workspace? If possible, try to change things up.
For example, if you work remotely and find it hard to stay motivated at home, perhaps you can go to your local library or coffee shop for a change of scenery — see if that helps.
If you’re in the office, are there other private workspaces you could use? Perhaps a meeting room you could reserve for yourself? Or a quieter shared space that you could shift to so that you can focus a little more easily?
Or, would it help if you arrived earlier in the day or left later in the evening, if possible, to maximize the peacefulness that may come with a lower volume people surrounding you at the start or end of your work day? Explore the options available to you and that make sense based on your other commitments.
6. Avoid distractions
You may hear constant notifications on your phone and these can shift your attention away from the task you are trying to finish. If this helps, mute notifications, perhaps with the exception of being able to receive messages from loved ones in case of an emergency.
By turning off everything that is non-essential, this can go a long way towards helping you remain focused on the task in front of you.
7. Be intentional
By being intentional, you are protecting your most precious resource — your time and energy. In addition, make sure you are taking time for yourself in terms of self-care — this helps prevent the risk of overwhelm and burnout and allows you to return to your to-do list feeling refreshed and renewed.
Final thoughts
Hopefully, these strategies regarding ways to stay on track with your goals are helpful — whether you’re a student preparing for exams or an assignment or you’re a worker navigating the daily grind of your job. No matter what type of challenge is ahead of you, these ideas may give you some peace of mind as you take small steps forward each and every day. Wishing you well on your mental health journey.
Davina Tiwari MSW, RSW, CSFT Registered Social Worker and Certified Solution Focused Therapist
If you are an adult in Ontario or Alberta seeking online therapy and would like to request a free 15 minute phone consultation, please Book An Appointment or reach out directly under the Contact page.