A scattered mind can lead to many undesirable effects in business – one of them being multitasking. I’d venture that you’re familiar with the “not so new” news that multitasking is not a “good” thing?

Being overwhelmed forces many of us into mental paralysis or the exact opposite – multitasker busyness where some type of activity is deemed better than none at all. This is detrimental to your business because “when we constantly multitask to get things done, we’re not multitasking, we’re rapidly shifting our attention. And this rapid shifting kills the mind, it waters its effectiveness down significantly, according to HowToGetFocused.com.

This begins to make senses when you consider that concentration drives intelligence. Paul McKenna the author of I Can Make You Smarter suggests that intelligence is not founded on one’s memory. Instead, intelligence emanates from one’s ability to control their selective attention (i.e. concentration). It’s their ability to shift concentration, find and execute, and disengage that makes a tremendous difference.

You get better at concentrating when you concentrate. “As you improve in the ability to strategically allocate your attention, your brain also improves. In fact, it rewires itself. As you exercise concentration and selective attention, your mind rewires itself to support your new habits.”

A 3-Step Cure for Entrepreneurial ‘Overwhelm’

Can you overcome being overwhelmed? Absolutely. Here are three practical ways to get started:

1. Unplug.

Studies have revealed that the average person looks at their phone 150 times per day. Can you imagine what that study would look like from a sample size of entrepreneurs?

Take your own National Day of Unplugging to refresh, rejuvenate and restore your mind so you can move forward with the next step.

2. Overcome imaginative doubt.

In the book, Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes author Maria Konnikova illustrates that when faced with a dilemma never “forget that between observation and deduction there lies an important mental moment … the crucial need for a moment of quiet reflection.” Konnikova goes on to explain the idea of functional fixedness; suggesting that we tend to see objects (i.e. people, places, and things) the way they are presented, as serving a specific function that is already assigned. Instead, we must realize that between observation and deduction lies the crucial, irreplaceable step of imagination.

3. Selectively say “No”.

Yes, I know it’s not trendy – but it is practical, it works and it could save your business. Think of entrepreneurs you admire. Consider that it is highly unlikely that they say “Yes” to everything that crosses their desk. Why? Because they realize that attention is a limited resource.

According to Dr. David Rock, CEO of the NeuroLeadership Group and author of the book Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long, “Every time you focus your attention you use a measurable amount of glucose and other metabolic resources. Studies show that each task you do tends to make you less effective at the next task, and this is especially true for high-energy tasks like self control or decision making. So distractions really take their toll.”

You can end “overwhelm” if you make a commitment to do so. Reclaim your personal and professional power — take control of your business. Tomorrow is a new day.

How will you overcome “overwhelm”? Let me know in the comments section below.

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