Berger Leadership Blog

As many of us work from home, we're dealing with distractions we normally wouldn't face when in the office. Of course, the office environment comes with its own set of interruptions – like catching up with coworkers or leaving your desk for meetings – that can delay us from completing our work. But, the coronavirus has posed a unique set of challenges for staying on task.

Leadership guru John Maxwell has tips to help. His core piece of advice: Find traction. Pursue the things that make you feel fulfilled. Here are three main reasons for distraction and Maxwell's recommendations to overcome them:

1. Mind wandering? Set a focus. The adjustment of working from home can be burdensome. We might be working in the dining room with kids or pets running around, have a social media break that goes on too long, or be too eager to tackle the household chores surrounding us. To keep you focused on the work you need to accomplish, Maxwell recommends setting intentions. This is not only helpful for getting your work done, but it can also help you draw clear lines around "office" hours and "home" hours. As you settle at your computer, ask yourself these questions to guide your day. And when it's time to sign off, reference this end-of-day checklist to ensure you can fully disengage from work and prepare for tomorrow.
2. Negative thinking? Stay positive. The challenges we're facing are unprecedented. Leaders are making difficult decisions to take care of employees, meet members'/customers' needs, and keep their businesses running (or position themselves to be able to reopen once the worst of the pandemic has passed). Instead of becoming consumed by what is going wrong – or could go wrong – reframe your mindset. Throughout the pandemic, I've stressed that leaders' negativity will trickle down to the entire team. Keep in mind what is most important and use these traits to lead the right way.
3. Uncertainty anxiety? Rest on your certainties. It might seem like there is little to be sure of right now, but keep faith. As it relates to your business, now's the time to analyze your business model: Identify risks posed by the pandemic and what changes you can make to take advantage of new opportunities. Just as you shouldn't get bogged down by the negatives facing you and your company, you shouldn't lose sight of the future. There are silver linings to everything, and we must use this time to position ourselves to come out even stronger.

One more recommendation from me: Don't be too hard on yourself. We're all doing the best we can right now. There are a lot of decisions to make and considerations that go into those. If something doesn't go the way you want it, regroup and move on.

Stay confident, compassionate, and level-headed. We'll get through this.

Follow me on Twitter (@BDanBerger)