| My email in-box is jam packed, I have several calls | | | | helps me identify potential "focus issues" before they |
| from sales people that I haven't returned yet, my | | | | get out of hand. If I've just spent 4 hours doing |
| desk is a mess, and I'm finding it very hard to | | | | market research for a sales letter, I would ask |
| concentrate. What in the world is going on here! | | | | myself if this is a particularly difficult market, or if the |
| Well, for starters, my friend Chris is undergoing her | | | | client hasn't provided enough background information, |
| second brain surgery today (a 7 hour procedure that | | | | or if my brain is "dilly dallying" and not concentrating |
| will hopefully eliminate what remains of the tumor), | | | | on the task at hand. Sometimes, just making myself |
| my husband is recovering from surgery that was | | | | aware of the fact that I've lost focus will help wake |
| definitely not as easy and painless as the doctor lead | | | | me up and get my "brain escape" in check quickly. |
| us to believe it would be, my staff is about to double | | | | Use Binaural Beats to Activate Your Brainwaves |
| from 3.5 of us to 7.5 of us. All of this has caused me | | | | I've also become a regular user of binaural beats. If |
| to totally lose my focus. | | | | you're not familiar with binaural beats, they are "two |
| Losing focus can be disastrous for any one, but it's | | | | slightly different audio waves being heard separately |
| especially deadly for entrepreneurs and small business | | | | by the left and right ear (such as in a pair of |
| owners. And I don't know about you, but for me it | | | | headphones) in a manner that encourages the |
| tends to be a vicious cycle. I lose concentration, then | | | | neurophysiology to generate a specific unified brain |
| I get mad at myself for losing concentration. So I | | | | wave pattern." |
| end up "beating myself up" and focusing on the fact | | | | Basically, you send different sounds to different parts |
| that I'm not focusing. The next thing I know, the | | | | of your brain to activate certain brainwaves. Binaural |
| entire day (or week!) has flown by and I haven't | | | | beats sound almost like the old fashioned ocean |
| accomplished a single thing. | | | | noises, or a small motor running. While they don't |
| And, while poor Michelle and Cyndi and Paige are | | | | sound like much, they are actually scientifically |
| sitting back waiting for me to snap out of it and tell | | | | engineered to stimulate specific parts of your brain. |
| them what our next moves are going to be, there is | | | | Different beats affect different brainwaves which |
| no one taking charge of our business growth. | | | | have different benefits to your mental state. For |
| And the worst part is, so much of this - the whole | | | | instance, 40 Hz Gamma waves are known to result |
| "beating myself up" thing and "focusing on the wrong | | | | in higher mental activity, including perception and |
| stuff" thing - is going on in my subconscious, so I'm | | | | problem solving, while 13-40 Hz Beta waves result in |
| not even aware that it's happening until it's almost | | | | enhanced focus and concentration. |
| too late. | | | | Since binaural beats are best used with headphones, I |
| So how is an entrepreneur supposed to take control | | | | put them on my mp3 player and listen to them |
| of an issue like this, one that she can not see, can | | | | whenever I'm struggling with my focus. If you'd like |
| not touch, and is probably not even aware is | | | | to give it a try, just search for "binaural beats" on |
| happening? | | | | the internet. There are several free downloads |
| The first step is to try to make yourself aware of | | | | available. Just make sure you download a stereo |
| the issue before it gets too out of hand. | | | | version (as opposed to mono) since you want each |
| Use Checklists to Keep Your Focus in Check | | | | side of your brain to receive a different sound. |
| I'm a big fan of checklists and tracking sheets and | | | | Another great way to get your focus in check is to |
| scorecards and the almighty egg timer. When I'm | | | | pay better attention to your emotions. As |
| having a hard time concentrating, my checklists and | | | | entrepreneurs, many of us tend to be analytical and |
| tracking sheets help ensure that I haven't missed a | | | | systematic, so we downgrade the part that our |
| step in any certain project. | | | | emotions play in our overall success. But our |
| I started using scorecards and kitchen timers when I | | | | emotions are simply a symptom of our thoughts, and |
| noticed certain projects were taking way too much | | | | if we're not thinking correctly (which we often don't |
| of my time. Since we charge our clients based on the | | | | recognize) we won't be accomplishing the things we |
| project and not based on an hourly rate, it was easy | | | | need to accomplish. |
| to lose track of how much time we were spending | | | | Pay Attention to What You're Thinking |
| on each project. Eventually, I had to start allotting | | | | My friend Steve Ulrich recently sent me a book by |
| only a limited amount of time to particular jobs and | | | | Esther and Jerry Hicks called "Ask and It Is Given". If |
| particular clients, so I developed scorecards for each | | | | you're not into woo-woo existential thinking you |
| project and used the kitchen timer to keep me | | | | might get turned off by the book. But I think it was |
| honest. | | | | a brilliant insight into how our unconscious thoughts |
| Let's take copywriting for instance. According to my | | | | control the results of our days, and it also provided |
| scorecard (based on experience), it should take no | | | | some neat mental exercises for managing those |
| more than 3 hours to research a solid target market | | | | thoughts. And after all, it's almost impossible to |
| profile to be used as background information for | | | | concentrate on the task at hand if your thoughts are |
| writing a sales letter. And I should be able to | | | | running away with you. |
| brainstorm at least 2 dozen effective headlines in one | | | | In business and in life it's easy to let outside |
| hour. It should take about 90 minutes to write, | | | | circumstances that we have no control over get us |
| rewrite and perfect a clear and compelling, irresistible | | | | down and cause us to lose our momentum. By |
| offer. | | | | following the few simple steps above, you can |
| I simply set the timer at the beginning of each task | | | | improve your focus, regain your momentum, and |
| and keep track of how long it takes. | | | | achieve better business success. |
| What I've noticed lately is that using this system | | | | |