If I stick with the plan, this will be a series (so far, so good, as this is article #2 😆)!

Having focus challenges is costing ADHD entrepreneurs (myself included) a boatload of money! 💰 While there isn’t a magic solution to help us focus more, there are steps we can take to help us (and our bottom lines). I spend time on the focus struggle bus and am currently there, so this article and my research are well-timed.

Getting stuck in distraction mode can happen for a variety of reasons. For me, currently, I’ve been sitting for too long and playing post-vacation catch-up, so as soon as I’m done with this, I’m rewarding myself with a chapter or two of my current book. So there’s my first tip, wrapped up in what I’m applying personally!

1. Reward Yourself: Don’t try and struggle through your to-do list without breaks. During your breaks, I encourage you to do something that feels like a reward. The challenge is, of course, not heading down a rabbit hole with your reward, so setting a timer or other limit (like # of chapters). And yes, the reward can be doing absolutely nothing or scrolling on your phone. If you’re working on tasks that require a lot of focus, letting your brain rest is important. 🧠

2. Ditch the Multitasking: Yup, I said it! We think we can do more than one thing at a time, but the truth is that each time we switch from one task to the other, we lose momentum and make the tasks we need to get done take even longer. To help with this, put your phone on do-not-disturb, create specific times each day to check emails, and try to work somewhere without a lot of distractions. If you are like me and you need a little distraction like some background TV when working on admin tasks, go for it. I find it helps me focus so much!

3. Break Tasks Down: The larger the task, the more likely we are to lose focus. Breaking things down into smaller steps can help us stay on track and allow us to add more rewards along the way (YAY)! Not sure where to start? Check out this tool to help you break down larger tasks. You tell it what you’re working on and it breaks it down into multiple steps for you! Then you get to check each on off as you go. ✅

4. Find Your Productivity Peak: Spend some time thinking about what time you tend to get the most done. Then, schedule your most important tasks for that time. If you have a client-facing business, if your peak hours need to be dedicated to admin tasks, block out this time in your calendar for the things you need to work on. Or maybe these hours are best suited to meeting with clients. Play around with this to see what works best for you.

5. Create a (flexible) Routine: We tend to rebel against rigid routines, but having a routine can be a game changer. So, a flexible routine can be the sweet spot we need. Having weekly and daily routines can be beneficial. I personally work best by starting the week with non-client days and trying to start my days with a little sweat session. I also partner my morning coffee with getting started with my work day. It isn’t always how it goes, but it works for me most of the time.

6. Controlled Distraction? I mentioned it before, but this deserves its own bullet point! If you work best on some tasks with a podcast, music or comfort TV show playing, don’t force yourself to work with total quiet. It’s about figuring out what helps you focus not trying to fit yourself in a box of the things you think you should do.

7. Mindful Minutes: Feeling the pull of distractions? Take a break and give your mind a little unwind time. A few options that work for me: journalling, meditating, a short walk, or some deep breathing. These can feel like great resets and help me get back to what I need to focus on.

8. Curate Your Work Space: Take a few minutes to reset your space at the beginning or end of your day. This can give our brains less to be distracted by. Even if it is moving paperwork we don’t need a pile to deal with later; this can free us from future distractions.

9. Find and Accountability Buddy: Sharing our to-do lists with an accountability buddy can help us stay on track. I know when I share my list with someone, I am much more likely to get it done than when I’m the one trying to keep myself accountable! Maybe it’s a shared notes app file or even a daily photo of your to-do list. Give it a try and see how it works for you.

10. Work on Your Screen Time: I know personally that picking up my phone can easily suck me in for longer than I’d like to admit. I use an app to help me (Be Present) as well as my phone's screen time setting. I also have only the essential notifications on my phone to help reduce my distractions.

So, my ADHD entrepreneur friend, what tips will you work on implementing into your life to help reduce distractions and increase your focus? If you have any that work really well for you, I’d love to hear about them. Feel free to leave a comment on this article or shoot me an email!