If you’ve been in business for as long as I have, you will notice over time certain re-occurring trends; the main one for me is the tendency and temptation to stray from my primary/core business skill set. I sometimes find myself doing some other business that is not within my core business but it generates some cash but often time has a connection to my core business.

But let’s face it, being in business means that some days you will feel bored, unmotivated, or be unable to stay focused on your productive activities. We all have times when we lack motivation! On the other hand, you may be so motivated and full of ideas that you lose your focus because you are trying to juggle too many tasks at once.

In this situation, for some multi-tasking may do more harm than good. When your mind is divided by too many tasks, your productivity decreases.

Procrastination is another troubling and recurring habit. While trying to get your business off the ground, you also tend to neglect some key strategic elements that can help your business in the long run. Deep down you know they are important, but just because they aren’t urgent you keep postponing them till it becomes too late.

While being occupied with the day-to-day operations of your business, you realize you’re no longer paying adequate attention to pursuing your vision, that which got you started on this perilous and sometimes lonely journey. You forget about the change you originally set out to create in the industry. You forget about the very idea that inspired your going into business. You get caught in doing business as usual.

While making enough sales with your current product/service, you forget about product/service innovation. While satisfying existing customers, you fail to pursue new ones. While pursuing new ones, you fail to satisfy existing ones.

On and on, you find yourself and your business falling short in one or more important aspects of your business. All these are the realities of being in business and we face them daily. So here are some tips that I found on the internet to help you and I stay focused and motivated on our business each day.

1. Choose a Niche. Once you know what your niche market is, you will be able to focus on tasks that will help you with that particular market. Try to narrow your market as much as possible. For instance, if you have an executive coaching business and want to help people work from home, perhaps you can target a certain field, such as web designers or virtual assistants. You will gain a reputation for being an expert in that field and will be able to help people create specific plans while coaching them to success.

2. Set Goals, and Write Them Down: When you set goals for your business, you’re defining the direction in which you want to take your business. When you write them down, you are greatly increasing the possibility that you will accomplish the goals you have set.

3. Create a Business Plan: When someone wants to start a brick and mortar business, they need to create a business plan and submit it to a bank to secure a loan. A business plan is a summary of how a business will be organized and a listing of activities that the owner needs to complete. For instance, a business plan will explain when a business owner expects to make a profit, as well as the type of marketing they intend to do. Creating a business plan for your business will increase your chances of success and also be a constant point of reference and compass on your journey.

4. Stay Away From Distractions: It is easy to lose track of time when reading emails, blogs, checking discussion forums and surfing the internet. Set aside a block of time in the morning and evening to take care of email. Try to limit your internet during work hours for tasks specific to work, such as research. Wait until you are done with your work before visiting the news sites or your favorite fun internet destinations.

5. Prioritize Your Tasks: When you write out your to-do list, prioritizing your tasks will keep you working on what is important. Some items may need to be accomplished as soon as possible, while other things can wait a day or two. Take a colored highlighter and highlight the things that need to be done ASAP. When you look at your to-do list, your eyes will be drawn to the items that need the most attention.

6. Outsource When Possible: As you look over your to-do list, do you notice items that can be handled by someone else? By delegating tasks to others, you will have more free time to work on things that require your attention.

These are just a few ideas of how to stay focused on your business. I’m sure you have a few of your own. Share them with us. BM