How Can I Focus With Anxiety All Around Me? 3 Helpful Triggers To Get Your Concentration Back

It’s been an anxious few weeks: Another government shutdown is impending. Stock market is up and down. Hewlett Packard is laying off over 10% of its workforce.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable if all of the commotion threw you off your routine:

• physically because you spent time reacting to a crisis rather than what you had lined up for that day;
• mentally because you were following the latest drama rather than focusing on the task at hand;
• emotionally because you’re drained from narrowly averting yet another crisis.

Unfortunately, we have to press on amidst the distractions. The market is going to be volatile for the foreseeable future. Layoffs will not go away. If you don’t learn to step out of the anxiety and back into focus, you are ceding control to events around you rather than what you need and want to do.

If you think about performers or athletes, there are many instances in their career when they have to harness all their calm, focus and energy into a single moment – an audition, a concert, a big game. Not only can you not be worried about the economy or the environment, but you are battling nerves, performance anxiety and bouts of insecurity. Yet, you need to be 100% focused in the exact instance when your name is called and the camera starts rolling. I learned my three favorite techniques for pulling myself back into focus from an acting teacher:

Read an inspirational quote. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. – Steve Jobs. We all start with all there is. It's how we use it that makes things possible. - Henry Ford. The fastest way to succeed is to double your failure rate. – Thomas Watson Sr, founder of IBM...Or perhaps you prefer these quotes from Oscar Wilde or other entrepreneurs.

Listen to an uplifting song. Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga? Theme from Rocky? Find your anthem.

Look at a picture. When I have a big sales meeting, I look at a picture of my two kids. I instantly remember that this potential business could be their college fund – get my game on! I also remember that life is so much more than this meeting – instant calm.

***For more career advice, join me and my SixFigureStart co-founder Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio for a free webinar series: Confessions of a Former Recruiter. We’re both former recruiters, hiring entry-level thru executive for multiple industries, and we’ll share what works and what doesn’t for negotiation, LinkedIn and more! Next webinar airs Oct. 7***