focus

The Hardest Part of Focus

January 9, 2023 by Marcus 3 Comments

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. – Alexander Graham Bell

Most mornings my day begins somewhere around 3:00am (later on Saturday when my body finally tries to catch up from my lack of sleep). What I love about that time of the day is the quietness. It’s still dark outside. There is stillness. I feel like I am the only who exists on the planet. And since I have always been a morning person, getting up early isn’t the hardest part. [Read more…] about The Hardest Part of Focus

Take Stock

January 30, 2020 by Marcus 1 Comment

Welcome to the end of January (it’s only a couple of days away!).

As many of you know, I’m staying off the grid this year, and in the early days of this journey I want to share how it’s going so far.

What’s going well

Writing. A twelve-day staycation allowed me to finish the first round of editing to the sequel to Broken Man Broke. Despite a hectic schedule, I’m being consistent with my blog and newsletter. And I’m having fun working on a new book. You can read a sneak peek here (and I’d love to know what you think!).

Running. Winter in Toronto can be bitterly cold, but January hasn’t been that bad. Once I get going, running outside when it’s -21 C doesn’t feel so bad … if you’re dressed properly. And even though the stomach flu put me out of commission for about five days, I ran more than 220 km (a small increase over January 2019).

Social Media. My presence on social media has been minimal. Not having the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram apps on my phone helps me to stay disconnected.

New experiences. I bought a pasta maker and made homemade, goose-filled ravioli. They were delicious. I also attended a Beef Hind Quarter Class offered by my favourite local butcher. They showed us how to break down the beef hip and loin sections to produce popular cuts like striploin, tenderloin, rib eye, top sirloin, inside round, eye of round, outside round, and sirloin tip. It was fun.

Challenges

Sleepwalking. Not in the way it sounds. Even rising at 3:00 am, it didn’t feel like I spent a lot of time doing focused work. Small tasks that needed to be done stole a lot of time, as if I’d sleepwalked through the day. I didn’t feel as if I’d accomplished much, or made the progress I’d hoped for. My goal is to get back to a place where I can get in four to five hours of focused work daily.

Podcast. In 2019, I produced twenty episodes for my podcast, Black Sweater Talk. I was hoping to launch Season 2 this month, but it would have meant stretching myself even thinner. I’m grateful that people are still following the podcast and hope to produce new episodes soon.

Training. Last October, I signed up for an online training course for authors. I know online training is all the rage, but I struggle with the format — someone just speaking at me without any interaction. It’s the same thing that made university a challenge for me. I’d rather read a book and take notes than watch a video or be in a large classroom with others. My goal was to finish the course this month. It didn’t happen.

What’s ahead for February?

Staying true. Even without social media, there are so many demands on our time, so much noise coming at us. And amidst it all, I lose track of why I’m doing what I do and what’s important to me. That’s the moment that doubt sneaks in and steals the show.

That’s why staying true is so important for me. When I stay focused on my ‘why,’ I can sit down at my desk and write across the finish line. On that bitterly cold morning, I can eagerly brave the cold to run. When negativity explodes at my day job, I can stay positive and not let it bring me down. Staying true, I can make healthy meal choices, take time to recharge and rejuvenate, and seek balance.

Specifically for February, my goals are: 1) finish the online training course; 2) begin and complete fifty percent of the second round of editing on the Broken Man Broke sequel; and 3) increase my focused work time by ten percent.

Like I always try to do, I’ll take it all one day at a time.

How was your January? What are you planning for February? Click Reply to let me know. I love hearing from you!

The Homestretch

November 20, 2019 by Marcus Leave a Comment

Temperatures dip consistently below zero. Black Friday sales ads dominate the airwaves. The sun rises later and sets earlier. And soon, if you haven’t heard them already, Christmas songs will bombard us everywhere we go. Sure signs that we’re in the homestretch as 2019 winds down.

The Beginning

At the beginning of 2019, I started off pumped. This would be a year of transformation and personal growth. I took it seriously, too. Devoured books on productivity, leadership and high performance (High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard; Company of One by Paul Jarvis; Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt; The Latte Factor by David Bach … to name a few). Set goals — actually wrote them down and reviewed them daily. Enrolled in online training and attended webinars. Published a book. Trained for, and completed, a marathon.

It’s mid-November, and I’m still pumped. I’ve pushed myself beyond what I thought I was capable of. I’m not the same man I was when the year began. I have been transformed. And that has me asking several questions. One in particular…

Am I Headed in the Right Direction?

homestretch As the year draws to a close, something about my accomplishments feels hollow. Don’t get me wrong… Running a marathon and publishing a book are huge accomplishments. Instead of just talking about doing something, I showed up daily to do the work — even when I didn’t feel like it. Looking back on this journey, I realized that I was, in part, chasing someone else’s dream. I was no longer certain that I was headed in the right direction.

After reading so many books and completing various training courses, processing so much information on how to become more efficient and productive overwhelmed. I devoted too much, perhaps, time to figuring out the processes and hacks that would potentially make me more productive — elevate me to that realm of high achiever — than actually doing the work I love. Even more time spent watching and helping others realize their dreams than building my own. As they entered the homestretch, I still hovered around first base. I knew something had to change.

The Homestretch

In these final weeks of 2019, I’ve turned my focus back to the things I love to do: writing, running, cooking/baking, reading, visiting museums, et. al. I’m showing up to be present in all that I do instead of being overly concerned about how to do these things more efficiently. Really, who was I kidding? Trying to become more productive is like binge watching Amazon Prime. Watching every episode of Jack Ryan (John Krasinski and Wendell Pierce excel in this series if you haven’t checked it) is just another way to put off doing the work.

We each have our own rhythms and processes that energize us in the homestretch. What works for one person may not work for you or me. And I’m okay with crossing the finish line at my own pace and in my own time. Because it’s all about the journey.

And now I know I’m headed in the right direction.

Do you spend too much time planning than working on your goals? Are you happy with what you’ve achieved so far this year? What can you do differently in the next six weeks to ensure your continued success? Click Reply to let me know. I love hearing from you!

The 30-Minute-a-Day Social Media Diet

March 6, 2019 by Marcus 5 Comments

In November 2015, I pulled the plug on social media — Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogger. Then I went beyond that. I limited my use of e-mail, kept the TV off during the day (until my partner came home from work and turned it on), sent few text messages and, when I wasn’t working at my day job, kept my mobile on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode.

Going Dark

I went dark, off the grid. This was, in part, inspired by a story I’d read two years earlier about a family that decided to live like it was 1986 again. No computers, internet, or cell phones. And they dressed the part, too, with mullets and cut-off jeans. They brought 1986 to the 21^st century to embrace the simplicity of that era. That said a lot, to me anyway, about how we’ve evolved — and the role technology has played in that evolution. Would I want to return to 1986 (I was thirteen then)? Probably not.

While I didn’t go to that extreme, I required a much-needed timeout from social media because I felt overwhelmed. At that time, I was working on the rewrite of a novel and trying to stay current on industry trends. Suddenly, I felt like everything was coming at me fast and furious. On Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or my inbox, the bombardment was unrelenting: ‘advice’ on holiday book marketing, or writing and selling your novel, or how authors can use Facebook Lead Generation Ads, or how to grow your followers, et. al. Overwhelmed, I couldn’t hear myself think, didn’t know how to proceed.

Being overwhelmed had a spiraling effect. I don’t know how to move myself forward, couldn’t concentrate, and then procrastination set in. And boy, oh, boy, did I embrace procrastination! Frustrated (and it was all my own doing) because I wasn’t making progress, wasn’t pushing the boundaries, wasn’t bringing my writing projects to completion. Everything stalled, and I was left flailing.

So, I went dark, off the grid. For two weeks.

An Uneasy Relationship

Now it’s 2019, and I haven’t gone off the grid again. As a self-published author, I recognize and appreciate that social media — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. — can be powerful tools in the promotion of my author brand. It’s still not something that comes easily or naturally to me, but I’m grateful for the exchanges on Twitter and Facebook that connect me with other writers/artists facing similar challenges. Holed up in my own world, I’ve become part of a community that supports and encourages each other. And it’s great to connect with readers, too.

But…

Social media has a way of sucking you into the vortex. A decision to check in ‘quickly’ on Twitter can blow apart your day. That’s why social media is both my friend and my enemy. I took the timeout because social media felt more like my enemy.

My enemy. Because, real or imagined, some days social media has dominion over me. Am I engaging enough? How many likes did my post get? Has anyone responded on Facebook? I get all worked up about if I’m doing it right, if I’m doing what I should be doing to be successful (if I’m listening to all the expert advice out there).

The social media world is constantly evolving. Late in 2018, as I started to catch up to some changes that had occurred in recent months — and realized I was far behind in the game — I panicked. I felt like I immediately had to get up to speed. Overwhelmed, I couldn’t think, couldn’t focus and, worst of all, couldn’t write. I took a day and a half to step back, breathe and then come up with a plan to move forward.

You Need a Plan

When I went dark three years ago and pulled away (briefly) from social media, I was happy with the results. I wrote. More focused, my productivity skyrocketed. That meant I ran more, and got out of the condo to explore my neighbourhood, discovering new restaurants and shops. I read more, challenged myself in the kitchen and organized my spice cupboard (the latter is back in a state of disarray). I felt relaxed and, at the end of each day, a sense of accomplishment. Something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

The exercise made me realize, as an indie author — or any artist these days — you can’t bury your head in the sand when it comes to social media. But you still don’t have to let it rule the day. Yes, writers like Stephen King, Paulo Coelho and Jodi Picoult use social media (and brilliantly at that), but if you asked them I bet they’d tell you they had a plan for social media management. You need a plan, too, but one that you’re comfortable with and let’s you pursue your creativity your way. It’s a little like writing or painting or making music … you have to find your voice.

The Wake-Up Call

In December 2018, I realized I needed to make changes to my daily schedule if I really wanted to achieve my goals. At the end of the day, I didn’t feel fulfilled … like I had squandered the time gifted to me to live out my purpose. I wasn’t tending faithfully to my dreams. That need for change led me to read books by Brendon Burchard, Brené Brown, Michael Hyatt and Keith Ellis — so I could be inspired to do what was necessary to live my best life ever.

I was excited, energized, pumped.

But nothing changed. Why? I couldn’t break the cycle of self-sabotage. After all these years, I was still afraid of what people would think of me for daring to be a writer. That they’d ridicule me (which people did and still do) when I talk about my dream of writing full-time. “Stick to what’s safe,” they told me. Or, “How many books have you sold?” they’d ask mockingly. “I could never do that.” And I took their fear and owned it.

Until…

In January, working the flight to London, something felt off. Usually excited to go to London, I felt numb. Listening to my colleagues talk, a calmness invaded my heart. I went quiet. I realized this wasn’t my dream. Sure, it’s great to travel the world. Having 13-14 days off each month? Freakin’ fantastic. Great benefits? Absolutely. Starting my day in the middle of the night, stuck with rude passengers and colleagues at 35,000 feet for hours, and beyond exhausted for 24-36 hours after returning home? Not my dream.

It was time to start marching to the beat of my own ambition.

The 30-Minute-a-Day Social Media Diet

I didn’t quit my job. I focused on expressing my truest voice instead of constantly giving myself over to distractions and unfulfilling activities. On the top of my hitlist? Social media.

I have an active presence on three social media platforms: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. That is the order I give them priority. And now, each network gets only 10 minutes a day of my time. How do I do that? I use Screen Time, Freedom and StayFocusd.

Screen Time: Available on iOS, it lets me set a daily allotment of time for each app. When the allotted time runs out, access to the app is blocked. Be aware, though, that it’s easy to ignore the limit set, so it also requires self-discipline.

Freedom: This app allows me to block websites as well as apps on my iPhone for the time period set (make sure you create a block list).

StayFocusd: A Google Chrome extension, it allows users to limit time spent on certain websites and block access to the internet (Nuclear Option).

Three apps, using them 10 minutes a day, produces the 30-minute-a-day social media diet.

That’s how, finally, I’m mastering my day, taking control of the agenda and direction of my life.

Do you have a plan for social media management? How is it working for you? Click Reply or leave a comment in the section below. I’d love to hear from you.