Resourceful Entrepreneurs Stay Focused

This is the third installment exploring elements of Rosenbaum’s model of learned resourcefulness as it applies to entrepreneurship.  In previous blogs, we looked at the importance of positive self-statements and applying a repertoire of problem-solving strategies.  In this blog we examine the concept that resourceful people stay focused on their challenges or tasks by delaying small rewards and avoiding procrastination and distractions.

We’ve all experienced this, we diligently work hard on achieving a goal, moving forward on it, and feeling good about our accomplishments.  And then for some reason you end up taking a break which turns out to be longer than you had anticipated. It results in losing your momentum, and with it goes your focus. The structure you had in place to get the work done seems hard to regain, and the clarity you once had, doesn’t seem to be there anymore. It results in avoidance, easily getting distracted and a build up of stress when you think about what you should be doing, especially when you reflect on the mojo you once had driving the project forward.

Ironically, I am experiencing something similar to this right now.  I had been writing these blogs on a consistent basis and experiencing positive feedback along the way.  I’ve been observing an increase in readership and a growth in interesting discussions.  A behaviourist would say I was getting the right type of reinforcement to encourage me to maintain and even up my blog writing behaviour.  But then came a vacation and I took an extended break from writing and when I returned, I did not immediately re-engage myself, instead I found a multitude of distractions, and it took me much longer than I had hoped to regain the discipline and focus to write again.

There is a real dilemma here, staying focused is important, yet so is taking breaks, or living a life that is not singularly focused. And for many entrepreneurs who look around and see so many opportunities and interesting possible ventures, how do you stay focused and organized without denying yourself of the pleasures that really drive and motivate you as an engaged and vibrant human being?

The key is to do your best to stay organized and build a realistic plan or schedule that is possible to maintain. A “stick to it” plan, ought to be balanced and designed specifically for your schedule.  It needs to revolve around the things that truly motivate you but still attends to the crucial things in your life that need to be addressed.

It is important to recognize that things in your life are continually changing, demands and priorities are in flux.  Therefore, to stay focused and maintain momentum, it is important to regularly carry out personal check-ins where you look at everything that is going on and figure out how to best accomplish them. How one goes about doing this is of personal preference.  For me it’s a matter of making lists, figuring out priorities, then look at your days, weeks, month etc. and see how everything can fit together.  There are planning apps out there and plenty of advice both free and paid for.  It is worth taking some time to explore what works best for you.

Consistent with Rosenbaum, it is important to look at the workflow of any project that you’re working towards and develop the discipline to achieve meaningful breaks in tasks.  For instance, in the case of writing this blog, the meaningful break I have chosen is to write the complete first draft of it in a single session.  To accomplish it, I chose a time where I was pretty sure I was not going to get distracted or drawn away from it before I was done.  And before I started, I had mapped out where I was going with this piece. By the time, I have completed this first draft, I will have achieved a sense of accomplishment and a reduction of stress in that I have made a significant advancement towards achieving my goal of posting this blog. This sense of accomplishment should be enough to motivate me to return to this piece at a specified time and begin my editing process.

Despite being committed to staying organized, focused and disciplined, we will all fall off the resourcefulness wagon from time to time. It is therefore important to share some ideas of how to get back on board and return to a structured, organized work approach. Here are some commonsense yet useful tips to consider.  Pick the right time to start.  If you are in a period where everything is in flux and you’ve got many special tasks or immediate time-consuming pressing deadlines that need your undivided attention, this is probably not the time to return to your original approach. For instance, when we got back from vacation, I immediately was in catch up mode on several fronts. Getting back into my writing routine at this point was just not realistic.  Take a little time to find the right moment to get back into your productive routine.  Once you make some breathing room begin by looking at your current list of goals and tasks. Then revisit the first element of Rosenbaum’s resourcefulness model.  Get into that positive mindset and employ a positive ‘you can do it’ self-statement. Anchor yourself, then break things down into manageable pieces to figure out how to address them using your repertoire of problem-solving strategies. Be sure to structure your work plan to make meaningful progress at each step.  Embrace the sense of accomplishment you achieved and use it to motivate you to stick with your plan.

The intent of this blog has been to demonstrate how I apply Rosenbaum’s model of learned resourcefulness to stay focused on my work. There are many ways these concepts can be applied to meet the type of work that you do, the demands that you face and the type of motivations that resonate with you.  Therefore, it would be of great value to this discussion if you could share your perspectives in the comment section below. What are your challenges, demands, and strategies, when it comes to staying focused and meeting your goals and how closely does it align with Rosenbaum’s model of resourcefulness?