Looking back at my first post of this year {here}, the theme of focus has stayed with me. I still need to work hard at it, but thinking of it in a positive way helps!

“Focus??” I originally thought, but what about all the things I want to get done?! How can I let any of them go? How can I not do the things I have wanted to do now that I have some time to do them? So many things call to me: knitting, sewing, painting, photography, reading, writing, collage, playing music, learning a new language, travel – why can’t I  pursue all of them?

What about all the things I want to get done?

So many things I want to do – just looking at that list makes my head spin – and the idea of focus just seemed like I would have to lose a lot of projects. Aww. But when I turn the idea around – focus is exactly what I need to make sense of the jumbled list of options. If I focus realistically on what I can actually DO, then the stress of trying to do everything is eased. I can go deeper into the meanings and reasons for doing the things that I choose to do first, and really take the opportunity to do them more wholeheartedly.

I do a lot of reading online, and in the past few months have noticed that many other people are interested in focus as a tool to prioritize and get things done.

Focus is THE way to reduce the noise and get things done.

Tara Gentile helps creative entrepreneurs with a whole strategy centered on finding your focus to help your business succeed. {click here}

Kari Chapin,an author and creative business consultant, wrote a piece about creative focus being essential to getting things done in your creative business. Sorry I can’t find it right now, but I think she re-did her whole website recently, to streamline and refocus on her main projects. She has a new podcast about how people keep their focus in focus. {click here}

Marie Forleo has some great advice for multipassionates like us. {click here} And lots of other wonderful insights.

Meditation is a wonderful method to bring clarity to a mind cluttered with jumbled lists of ‘to dos’ and projects. Whether it’s 5-10 minutes of mindfulness or a 20 minute TM session, surrounding your thoughts with silence can do wonders.

Other things you can do: Do What Matters {click here}, Productivity {click here}

I’d love to know what your techniques are for focusing in on what really matters and how you get your priorities in line. Please share in the comments – we’d all love to hear more tips!

Thanks!