How to Stay Focused

Are you staying focused?

In late February 2006, I was preparing my boys high school basketball team for the NY State Section V Class AA final. This was a couple weeks after the J-Mac game, so the media attention following the team was a bit extensive, to say the least.  A local news channel in the Rochester, NY area made its way into the locker room and requested a quick interview before the game.  As I greeted the reported and began the interview, Jason “J-Mac” McElwain chimed in and put a stop to the whole operation.  “Coach, it’s time to focus on the game.  No media interviews.”  This week I am going to give you some tips that Jason certainly practices every day.  How to stay focused during times of high stress.  Enjoy.

• Prioritize. When you are being pulled in many different directions during times of high stress, it is important to remember what is truly important. Plan out each day with your main goal in mind. Your plan must always include actions that you complete on a consistent basis.
• Write it down. Creating your schedule must start with writing it down. Focusing on one item at a time is also crucial. Don’t get distracted when writing your action items down. What is the last plan you wrote down? Did you accomplish it?
• Stay organized. Keep your areas of high activity as organized as possible. Your car, desk, and home should all be well-kept as they are extensions of your lifestyle and organizational capabilities. Is your car clean and organized?

As many of you know, last week was the 10-year anniversary of the J-Mac game. We had many events including book signings, the anniversary game, and fundraisers.  I would like to thank the following people for their hard work and dedication to our Autism Up event week: Roy Firestone.  My speaking team: Kate Holgate, Regina Osirus, and Doug Potter.  The wonderful people from Autism Up lead by Sarah Milko, Beth Ciardi, and Lisa Ponticello.  My awesome committee: Gene Johnson, Tom Johnson, Fred Garwood, Gary Kleiman, Joe Wilson, Frank Citro, Greg Duffy, Bob Steinle, Dave Rice, and Bill Selke. Also all to our terrific sponsors led by Wegmans.  We look forward to having the Opportunity awards as an annual event .

Life Tip #47: Ask yourself… When I make this decision, then what?