Ask Sherry: How do you get your focus back again and get back on your feet?

You asked, and I am answering every Friday once I have enough questions!

You can ask any question using the form here.

What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?

So. MANY. But the biggest one is:

“But we can get a whole TEAM offshore for the rate of what this ONE person is asking!”

Yeah but this one actually knows what they’re doing.

Multiple bodies doesn’t equal the same level of expertise and intellect. Less is more in this case.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do? (If helpful: What questions do you ask yourself?)”

If I am overwhelmed:

I remind myself that things take time, and I have to just take a deep breath, step back, and THINK.

Thinking, writing things down, organizing everything that has to get down, helps me see what is on my mind (brain dump), and then from there, I use that list to prioritize what should be done first and what can wait.

I use this brain dump method on my life and in my career.

Then, I ask for help. A lot of help.

I step up, say — I cannot do it all, what gets tossed to the side for now? … and have others decide for me.

For losing my focus… I would say this happens more in my personal life than career.

In my working life, I am really laser-focused. I am on 18 things at once and my brain is clicking away furiously trying to slot things in between other things to get them done.

In my personal life, particularly my finances, I sometimes lose track of what it is I am doing with my money. Especially as of late because I haven’t set a money goal that resonates with me.

It is 100% easier to be focused when you have a goal that has set numbers and milestones, like getting out of debt.

Getting out of debt is easy. Saving money for some random faraway future is not. You don’t know how much (really) to save, just a ballpark number, and then you have no idea if you’re going to lose your job, kick the bucket, get a windfall…

It is just so OPEN that it can be easy to lose focus, and go on shopping sprees like I do because you are flush with money (now) without seeing the future in perspective.

What I really need when I lose my focus like that, is to sit and think.

(Yes, more thinking. This is where sugar helps, like candy….)

I sit, I think, I sketch out when I think I’d like to retire, what I think I’d like as a goal, and then sort of narrow it down to what is reasonable / feasible.

For instance, I’d like to move abroad for a year or two and give Little Bun an international experience. We have the means to do so, I can even work remotely abroad, so …. why not? This is a goal.

My other goal is I’d like to take a really big trip to Japan with Little Bun in 3 years. That is going to cost money, and to plan / organize my life so I can take a month off (assuming I am still working).

Then, I put pressure on my self (real or imagined) by looking at my actual income coming in, and setting goals to make MORE money to reach said goals I have written down or otherwise have as big picture items.

I spend a lot of time writing things down because it helps me put things back into perspective of what is important and then … how money and spending will fit into it.

Just curious: if your current job is making you unhappy, why did you give your current employer 30-days notice instead of 2-weeks notice?

I am a contractor, not an employee.

I was ending my contract earlier than my actual end date.

My contract says 30 days notice, not 2 weeks. They have to also give me 1 month notice before they end the contract early.

Would you ever consider getting a pet?

Absolutely not. Pets are work, and I already have a full-time family, job and blog.

I don’t need another stress on top of all of that. Even if it’s a fish, you have to think about feeding it, cleaning the bowl, etc.

Still have a burning question?

You can ask any question using the form here and all of my previous Ask Sherry posts are here.