I don’t know about you, but I can be easily distracted. Maybe it’s my Piscean nature. Staying focused and on track can be challenging for me, even when I have a goal. So I’ve started asking myself one simple question throughout the day:
“Is what I’m doing now getting me closer to where I want to be tomorrow?”
Since I’ve started asking myself this, I’ve found it has five benefits:
It anchors me: It’s a simple touchstone I can return to again and again to be sure that I’m not losing sight of what I want to accomplish. It anchors me so that my time and energy don’t drift away.
It calms me: Keeping this question in mind is calming and centering. I feel better because I know that I have a simple tool at my command to help me get the most from my day. It’s an antidote to distraction.
It orients me: Asking this keeps me rooted in the present — it invites me to look at what I’m doing in the moment — right now — and see if it’s the most purposeful activity I can be doing.
It focuses me: I’m going to jot this question down on a 3×5 colored index card as a quick reminder to gather myself and concentrate on whatever task I’ve decided I need to being doing to move my writing forward.
It motivates me: If I do find myself off track for whatever reason, this question helps fire me up with renewed purpose. It announces to me that I have a job to do and my job is to do it.
So often, we find ourselves sidetracked for an hour or two or a whole day. An errand takes longer than expected or a problem crops up. Asking, “Is what I’m doing now getting me closer to where I want to be tomorrow?” can help us stay happily on track as we all write on.