The Most Important Thing You Manage isn’t Projects or People
Someone or something is controlling your attention. Often it’s not you. Maybe it’s an email alert or a buzzing cell phone.
Distracted leaders live inconsequential lives.
The most important thing you manage is your attention.
Need for distraction:
Our need for distraction is so strong that when we aren’t distracted by notifications, we look at our cell phones to be sure we haven’t missed something.
Something designed to make you more effective – notifications – makes you less efficient.
Notification distracts attention.
Meaningful work:
All meaningful work requires undistracted attention. That’s why you leave the office to get deep work done.
Interruption dilutes attention.
Nobel Prize winner Herbert A. Simon explained that information consumes attention.
“A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” Simon
#1. Manage attention by eliminating distraction.
“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” William James
#1. Schedule shallow work between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. These are the most distracted hours of the day for most.
#2. Eliminate distracting thoughts by writing them down. You think, “Oh, I need to stop by accounting today.” Write it down.
Help your brain focus by writing down distractions.
#3. Eliminate external distractions. I’m working in a poorly lit room. It’s dark outside. I’m ignoring email. No one is around. It’s quiet. In this context time slows. In a couple hours I’ll come back to reality with an article to post.
- Close your office door.
- Turn off notifications.
- Open ONE browser window.
More: How Distraction-Addicts Find Focus
#2. Manage attention with leadership intention.
Show up with two intentions.
- Establish and strengthen meaningful connection. The key to connection is paying attention. (Inspired by Jeff Klein’s TEDx talk.)
- Accomplish relevant work. Organizational mission, vision, and values define meaningful work.
Repeat two questions:
- How might you establish and strengthen connection?
- How relevant is this work?
What distracts leaders?
How might leaders better manage their attention?
Love this one. So me!!
Sent from my iPhone
Thanks Shel. It’s so US!
Dan,
This can go hand in hand with your post on listening. One thing I find most disrespectful, and an obvious indicator of someone who isn’t listening is the constant checking of alerts on phones and watches while a conversation is occurring, no matter how important (or casual) the content.
Thanks CG. Bottom line, we can’t connect with the person in front of us while looking at a cell phone. And as you indicate, distraction is disrespectful.
Dan, I like your comment, “The most important thing you manage is your attention.”
My attention needs to be focused on my top priorities. When I’m not clear on my priorities, it’s very easy to get distracted.
Visual reminders (written goals on a white board) help me stay focused.
Thanks Paul. Love the simple technique of using a whiteboard. Powerful suggestion.
If we write down the day’s priority, it’s one less thing our brains need to focus on. Now we can focus on actually doing it.
Dan,
I use the white board at work, truly keeps me focused on my duties, not to mention sticky notes plastered in orderly fashion on my monitor! As I complete the items, add the next task and keep on course!
Great theory, plus practical tips.
Thanks Ian.
I am about to leave the work force after 45 years and this reminded me why I had often been successful – it was the simple act of paying attention. One of my former staff members recently commented about her new manager – “He wasn’t paying attention to me”. I suggested she could serve him better by helping him to learn to pay attention.
Congratulations Rob. It seems it’s better to live a life paying attention that spending our time in distraction. The simplicity of this idea belies it’s difficulty and importance.
Best wishes for the future.
It’s so easy to become distracted today! My cell phone now stays on silent unless I’m expecting a critical call. It can still be a distraction because of the buzzing when a call or text arrive. I find myself listening for those buzzes.
I’m a fan of paper lists because my brain simply cannot hold everything.
Thanks for the post! Great advice! In addition to the issues of distraction at work, this applies to relationships. Too often, we are so focused on notifications that we miss the conversation among family and friends.
Thanks Elaine. I thought about the stereotypical husband behind a newspaper. Pretty hard to connect that way.
Great point on the stereotypical husband! That stereotype transfers directly to the cell phones and watches, but it isn’t only the husbands!
That’s the truth!
Lists and sticky notes are my saviors. I find 8-9am and 5-6pm to be the only times I have without constant distractions. The rest of the day is buzzing with meetings and conversations with employees and peers.
Thanks Christin. It’s so powerful to identify those times of day when you can focus. I’ve pretty much given up on doing anything that requires deep thinking from 1 to 3. I feel myself kicking back in after that. Like you, later is a great time for me too. I can roll right through to 7 or later.
Great post, Dan. Simply said – you nailed this one!
Hey SGT. Great seeing you. Thanks for the good word.
This one hit me between the eyes. A couple days ago I was “distracted” by organizing and dusting my workspace. When I find myself cleaning, I ask myself what is it I am avoiding. It is almost always a project I’m procrastinating about. I laugh now…”okay, I’m cleaning, what is it I’m really supposed to be doing?”
Thanks Connie. I love that… Nothing like self-awareness to kick us in the pants. 🙂
I think this was written just for me. ONE tab would be a place to start for me!
Thanks for this insight and reminder.
Thanks John. I go in and out on using ONE TAB. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense. Like when I’m researching something. However, there are definitely times when I need to close those suckers down. One of the worst distractions is email for me.
Happy One-Tabbing. 🙂
People appreciate your attention to them.
They surely do. Thanks Prof. Leemann.
Dan,
I use the white board at work, truly keeps me focused on my duties, not to mention sticky notes plastered in orderly fashion on my monitor! As I complete the items, add the next task and keep on course!
Thanks Tim. I’m with you. I have two small white boards. One for long-term items and one for short-term.
Hi Dan, this is a great post! Focus is the word that comes to mind as I read your post. For this reason, I start my day at 4:00 am where I can work distraction free for at least 3 hours before others even start. I realize this may not be possible for many, but it’s absolutely what works for me.
Hey Redge. Thanks for joining the conversation today. I’m with you. Those hours of quiet work are powerful. It seem easiest at those time to slip into flow and do our best work when we’re alone and there are few if any distractions. Cheers