The human mind is a mystery in many ways for scientists and biologists as they are still finding answers to the questions that baffle them. If you have studied about top entrepreneurs of the last 2-3 decades you will find a one common characteristic; they were used to have either Attention Deficit Disorder or (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) What are these and what do they connote is what I will discuss in this blog.

ADD or ADHD are not much different from each other. You can simply term them as “shiny object syndrome.” People who are affected by ADD or ADHD basically look at each opportunity with wide eyes and look to jump on the bandwagon. They get distracted by another opportunity along the way and try to do that task as well. In a similar way, they get distracted by each new opportunity until they are involved in too many projects, become over-committed and can’t complete even one project completely.

Do what you can do to the Best of your Abilities

There are a number of ideas that all of us has in our minds. Successful entrepreneurs also face similar situation but they are able to focus their mind on a single task and complete it with aplomb and only then look for another task/project. A primary force that make us go for a project is “Fear of Missing Out.” (FOMO) This connotes that people try to do various tasks simultaneously as they think they will miss out on a big chance to impress their peers or manager. This make them do an insane number of tasks and obviously failing in most of them.

Your focus shouldn’t be on the tasks to do but on what not to do. You need to choose projects/tasks which are critical and a little delay can result in dire consequences. If you also think that you have some symptoms of ADD or ADHD or you tend to work on multiple projects simultaneously only failing in doing so, you can apply the following techniques that are really good in assisting those in need.

1. Chose a Task by Comparing two Equal Alternatives

Our brain is a complex piece of flesh. When you will try to compare it with a choice A or nothing, it won’t give you a good answer. But when you will come up with 2 equal alternates, then your brain will do wonders and will come up with the best alternate. There are some productivity management tools like TaskQue available that can assist you greatly if you are facing problem in this regard.

2. A Lost Opportunity is not the End of the Road

Don’t take any missed opportunity to work on a project, you liked you so much, to your heart. One project missed is not the end of the world as there will be new projects available all the time. You need to focus on what you are doing currently and look for more opportunities come your way. Take heart from the fact that you are working on a project that some of your other colleagues couldn’t get a chance to work on.

3. Don’t be Shy in Asking for a Second Opinion

Before starting any task always try to get a second opinion from a senior or colleague. You never know that he may come up with a suggestion or feedback opening up a new dimension to that task. The FOMO theory I talked about at the start of this blog comes into play here too. You may think that you will lose a brilliant opportunity to work on a project you think is a masterpiece. Your colleague, on the other hand, may come up with a suggestion that can change your entire outlook on that project.

If you need to focus on work, use FOMO proactively to find more working opportunities. On the other hand, if you want to spend more time with your family, use FOMO to remind yourself that your kids are currently under the age of 18 and they need your time.

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