Back in the Groove: How to Quickly Regain Focus After It's Lost

You're feeling low. You didn't get enough sleep last night; you argued with your best friend this morning; your work has become boring, your calendar full, and you have to complete a project before noon. You can't concentrate like you should because something weighs heavily on your mind.

If you feel that you've lost the ability to zero in on your goal and complete a task, you may be suffering from a mental meltdown. The problem results when you have so much on your mind that thoughts and ideas begin to criss-cross and the whole sordid mess becomes a mass of incoherency. Simply put, you lose your focus.

If you find yourself in a quandary and unable to take the next necessary step, it may be time to rethink your process.

Conduct a Brain Dump

Are you a to-do list junkie? Or, are you the person who laughs at those of us who make lists of our lists? If you don't write anything down because you prefer to keep it locked inside that computer brain of yours, now is the time to conduct a brain dump.

Sometimes, the only way to regain your focus is to clear out the clutter. Grab a piece of paper and start writing. Or, better yet, open a new Microsoft® Word file and start typing. If you've ever wondered why people keep diaries, now you will learn: It's to rid themselves of the thoughts and feelings that would otherwise clog up their brains. If you're angry, disappointed, fearful or sad, say so.

As much as you would like to keep all of your private thoughts private or believe that you're fully equipped to remember every important detail, you may come to a point where your mind implodes and all of your thoughts begin to swirl in an unclear pattern. Stop it now, and clear away the cobwebs.

Reorder Your Priorities

Whatever thought seems to be interrupting your focus, deal with it. This may just mean that you need to take a look at your priorities. If you have a deadline looming, but an emergency demands your attention, you have several options: Admit you're human, ask for an extension, bow out of the meeting, delegate a project, schedule time to talk to your boss, apologize to a coworker, or do whatever you need to lift the weight off your shoulders. Then, get up, stretch, walk around the building, grab a bottle of water, and head back to your desk.

Once you've removed the immovable object, you're likely to find that your focus returns. You can now go back to working on what sits immediately in front of you.

Call in a Backup

Sometimes, the only way to move through a log jam is to talk about what's eating at you. If you're having a bad day at work or something just blew up in your face and you can't let it go, talk to a loved one, friend or coworker. Not only will it allow you to vent, but the other person may be able to help you put things into perspective.

The whole idea is that when you realize your eyes are glazing over and the numbers in front of you are looking like zoo animals running around the page, it's time to take a step back and regain your focus.