• Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
  • AWARDS
  • EDUCATION
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Breaking Flooring News
  • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
  • Carpet & Area Rugs
  • Hardwood
  • Installation Products
  • Installation Tools & Equipment
  • Laminate
  • Resilient
  • Specialty
  • Tile & Stone
  • MARKETS
  • Commercial
  • Residential
  • AWARDS
  • Installation Awards
  • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
  • Continuing Education
  • Webinars
  • MEDIA
  • FLOOR Podcast
  • Videos
  • TISE 2025 Videos
  • Product Spotlights
  • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issues
  • Contact
  • Advertise
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
    • Breaking Flooring News
    • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
    • Carpet & Area Rugs
    • Hardwood
    • Installation Products
    • Installation Tools & Equipment
    • Laminate
    • Resilient
    • Specialty
    • Tile & Stone
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
    • Commercial
    • Residential
  • AWARDS
    • Installation Awards
    • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
    • Continuing Education
    • Webinars
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
    • FLOOR Podcast
    • Videos
    • TISE 2025 Videos
    • Product Spotlights
    • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP

Habit: Figure Out What, When and Whom to Ignore

By Sam Allman
December 14, 2010
Want to get work done and keep your business successful? Learn when to ignore that ringing cell phone and prioritize what needs to be done. Minimize distractions to maximize your success.


Recently I have written about the importance of being focused on what you want. In tough times, many businesses focus on surviving instead of thriving. So, what happens? Their businesses survive, and sometimes, just barely. Avoiding doesn’t work. When in the survival mode, opportunities are missed because your focus does not allow seeing or being aware of those opportunities. The fact is: what you focus on is what you get.  

Success in any endeavor is the result of focused time. Focus or energy well directed is the single most important ingredient for success. Focus requires our minds to be able to see a clear result or outcome. The power of focus is that our subconscious will provide solutions to the “how,” if we provide the “what” or the clear result that is desired. Vision is defined as the clearest possible picture of a future desired result.  

However, our minds can only focus on one thing at a time. It’s why there are so many accidents when people try to drive and talk, text or eat at the same time. Being excellent at multi-tasking is a myth. Focus fails if our minds are distracted and jumping around.

During my recent travels as I sat in an airport, I looked up and observed that my fellow travelers were oblivious to what was going on around them, concentrating on something in their hands. There were five people on the shuttle I rode from the parking lot to the airport; all five were oblivious to each other and focused on the cell phone in their hands. Hate to say it but so was I. We were all looking for that next text message or email.

What are we waiting and watching for? What’s so urgent? We have moved from communicating by long distance from the “pony express” to mail, to FedEx, to fax, and now to instant messaging and email. One time, we patiently waited; not anymore. We want our communications and we want them now!

My 16-year-old son is even more addicted than I am. He won’t phone his friends, but he text messages. When he’s not texting, he’s on Facebook or listening to music on the phone. He rarely responds to us because his earphones block our voices. (By the way, I am on Facebook. I notice that, in the middle of a workday, many of my working friends are perusing the site.)

As I discuss my concerns of his “connectedness” with his phone, my son asks, “What’s your point?  Everyone is doing it.” Here’s my point. These devices are supposed to make us more productive. However, their misuse causes us stress and anxiety, and most of all they distract us from the laser-like focus we need in order to be successful and highly productive.  

In a study done by Hewlett-Packard, the average worker’s functioning IQ falls 10 points when distracted by ringing phones and incoming emails…more than double the four-point drop seen in studies on smoking marijuana. In addition, the study also found that 62% check emails while they are out of the office and 50% of all workers respond to emails within 60 minutes.

We owe it to ourselves to get the most out of everything we do. We can’t allow our addiction to cell phones, the Internet, or the interruptions of others to interfere when we need to focus. In a study of 500 corporations, the biggest reason for failure in sales and life was “poor use of time due to lack of focus.” Studies by the Families and Work Institute found that 55% of workers are overwhelmed by how much work they have to accomplish. Forty-five percent feel they have to carry out too many jobs at once and multitask too often in order to keep up. Ninety percent strongly agree that they work too fast and too hard and never have enough time to get a job done properly. Why then, are we on Facebook in the middle of the workday?

Time matters, all the time. In our busy lives, we will never run out of things to do or things that compete for our attention. It’s imperative to develop the habit of figuring out what, when and whom to ignore.  

What should you ignore? When you have a need to focus ignore ringing phones or the sounds that indicate you have a new text message or email. Better yet, since it takes at least 15 minutes to return to a focused state once interrupted, turn off the ringers of your computer and cell phone. Set times that you will check emails and return messages so that you cannot be distracted from your highly productive focused state.

Whom shall you ignore? You should ignore the people who are more interested in their own priorities than your own. Learn to say “no.” Many of us add stress and anxiety to our lives by not knowing how to say “no” diplomatically.

Limit your socializing. Ignore people who stop by your office to socialize. There is a time and a place to network and build important relationships. If you don’t choose to take control of your time, you choose to allow others to. Send a message when you want quiet time. Learn to shut the door of your office. Stand up when people walk in your office; don’t allow them to sit down and get comfortable. Rearrange your furniture. If you really want to prove your point, cut the front legs of the chairs in your office shorter than the back legs so that if anyone stops to visit they can’t stay long. If you have to, work from home to avoid the people that distract your focus. After an interruption, get back to what you were doing quickly.

Focus actually frees up time. Rather than consuming a person, it liberates. In business, if you want to thrive, you must focus on increasing sales and worker productivity, improving margins and lowering operating expenses. Everything else is a distraction. You must be disciplined to minimize your distractions and interruptions to maintain your focus. You must figure out what, when and whom to ignore. Turn off your cell phone; you might get something done.

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Sam Allman is president of Allman Consulting and Training. He is an internationally recognized motivational speaker, consultant, trainer and author who delivers inspiring programs in areas such as leadership, customer service, management development, team building, retail sales and personal quality management. He has developed many audio and video programs and has created hundreds of training and educational learning systems.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • resilient flooring

    The 7 Types of Resilient Flooring

    The resilient flooring category is comprised of many...
    Resilient Flooring
    By: Resilient Floorcovering Institute
  • QuickDrain USA’s ShowerLine linear drain

    Tips for Curbless Shower Installation Using a Linear Drain

    Consider these four tips when planning for a curbless...
    Installation How-To
    By: Darryl Jones
  • 2024 New Flooring Product Guide

    2024 New Flooring Products Guide

    We explore this year's introductions in area rugs,...
    Commercial Flooring
    By: FLOOR Trends & Installation Editors
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

Shaw Flooring Network Retailers Report Post-Election Sales Surge

Shaw Flooring Network Retailers Report Post-Election Sales Surge

Retailers Share Top Takeaways from Shaw Flooring Network Convention

Retailers Share Top Takeaways from Shaw Flooring Network Convention

Takeaways from the 2024 AHSG Convention & Member Outlook for 2025

Takeaways from the 2024 AHSG Convention & Member Outlook for 2025

What Shaw Flooring Network Dealers are Banking on for 2025

What Shaw Flooring Network Dealers are Banking on for 2025

More Videos

Popular Stories

RevWood American Originals.jpg

How Mohawk's Domestic Manufacturing Powers Growth in Challenging Times

Ken Ballin manning the Tools 4 Flooring booth in Tool Alley at TISE 2025

10 Tool Innovations Every Flooring Contractor Should Have on Their Wish List

Paul Hambidge

The Waterproof Laminate Myth: Why Consumer Expectations May Never Be Met


Download the Free Moisture Meters Guide

Events

June 9, 2025

NeoCon 2025

A trade show for the commercial interior design industry.

December 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Flooring Groups

Flooring retailers, do you belong to a buying, marketing or franchise group?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

2025 BNI Interiors Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

FLOORtalk podcasts - Listen Now

Related Articles

  • Art of Retail Management -- Habit: Figure out if you are earning, or just churning

    See More
  • Habit: Fire Yourself (Or at least stop trying to do it all)

    See More
  • Habit: Clarify Values To Minimize Trouble

    See More
×

We’re rolling out the red carpet of flooring knowledge!

Stay in the know on the latest flooring retail trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
    • Breaking Flooring News
    • eNewsletters
  • PRODUCTS
    • Carpet & Area Rugs
    • Hardwood
    • Installation Products
    • Installation Tools & Equipment
    • Laminate
    • Resilient
    • Specialty
    • Tile & Stone
  • A&D
  • INSTALLATION
  • MARKETS
    • Commercial
    • Residential
  • AWARDS
    • Installation Awards
    • Top Flooring Products
  • EDUCATION
    • Continuing Education
    • Webinars
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MEDIA
    • FLOOR Podcast
    • Videos
    • TISE 2025 Videos
    • Product Spotlights
    • eBooks
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP