It’s easy to understand why one loses focus during the times of year when we are bombarded with calls, emails, sales and customers. But for the many businesses that experience a summer slump, it can be just as easy to lose focus during the slower times. After all, you’ve got many seasonal distractions that go with that time of year: summer vacations, family activities, beach, pool, nice weather.  Sounds tempting.
But if you’d rather use this slow time to get productive, then this is the list for you. Here are five ways you can get busy checking items off your business to-do list for this summer. And, while you’re at it, you can enjoy the nice, cool A/C indoors!

1. Keep projects and goals in perspective: What needs to be done this month? This week? Today? Know what the purpose of your work is, then break your list into smaller more manageable pieces.
2. Prioritize regularly. Not all projects are created equal. So put them in order of what HAS to be done immediately, what SHOULD be done today, and what COULD be done tomorrow.  Update it daily. Keeping your daily task list organized will help you spend your time better.
3. Learn to say “No” and “Later” to distractions. Multitasking is a gift some people have, but other times additional projects in the back of your mind can keep you from doing a great job on what is in front of you.
4. Tackle the big things first. Most people have a tendency to overcomplicate projects they dread, and therefore never put them at the top of the list. But, if you tackle it right away, you may be surprised to learn that the project didn’t cost nearly as much in time (or dollars, even) as you feared.
5. Work a little bit on the project each day. This is one of the 10 Laws of Productivity, and there’s no better time than during a slow season to pace yourself when working on a large project. Set aside time every day to work on it and stick to it.

Be sure to check out our other post, 26 Ways to Plow Through Your To Do List, for a lot more practical ideas on how to stay productive.

Tell us: what are you going to do this summer to stay focused?

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Valpak

Valpak, one of the leading direct marketing companies in North America, is owned and operated by Cox Target Media, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cox Media Group. With nearly 170 franchises throughout the United States and Canada, The Blue Envelope® delivers savings and value to nearly 40 million households each month.

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