Are you distracted by the wrong problems?

This week our government seems completely transfixed by the phone hacking scandal. And I do think it’s a scandal I am completely against this kind of behaviour.

But I also think that there are other serious problems that the government should be focussing on at the moment. Like the economy.

Of course, the media don’t help. This is a problem with the media itself, so it’s bound to be of more interest to them than other issues.

It’s easy to be distracted

The trouble is, when there are very serious problems to be tackled it’s very easy to get distracted by things that aren’t as serious. This is because you lose your ability to prioritise.

Prioritisation is a vital skill that you generally need more of when there are many problems to be solved.

How to prioritise

The first thing is to make sure you have a clear, SMART objective or goal. Once you have this, ask yourself what will enable you to achieve it.

Draw up a plan

It’s always good to have a plan. Even if you change it later, it’s still a good thing to start with one. It helps you to keep focussed on the right things rather than lurching from one thing to another all the time.

Reassess you plan

Lastly, keep checking the plan and update it if you need to. Often new problems crop up that cause extra work or simply divert you from your goals. Make sure you keep your plan up to date so you are always working on the things that will help you the most.