One Word: Focus
Staying focused when everything's changing.
I opened my laptop this morning to work on my book project. Twenty minutes later, I’d reorganized my desktop folders, answered three texts, and started researching a completely different project. I hadn’t written a single word.
If you’re in the process of building something new (whether it’s a business, a creative practice, or a clearer sense of who you are now), you already know that focus feels different after 50. It’s not about willpower or discipline. Those old productivity tricks don’t work like they used to. They might feel like they were designed for a former version of you that no longer exists.
Staying focused in your second act isn’t about doing more. It’s about getting clearer on what deserves your energy and letting go of what doesn’t. Some days it’s easy. Some days it’s not. And that’s okay. The key is returning to what deserves your attention.
Here are five ways to find and protect your focus.
Choose Your Three Top Priorities This Month
Not ten goals. Not a vision board with forty dreams. Three things.
When I asked myself this question last month, I realized I’d been carrying nine different priorities and not making progress on any of them. Once I named three, everything else became secondary. When you know what’s most important, your “yes” list defines your “not now” list.
Write down three things that would move your life forward this month. Everything else can wait.
Create One Small Ritual That Signals It’s Time to Start
You don’t need a complicated morning routine. You need a simple anchor that tells your brain: it’s time to focus now. ” For me, it’s making my favorite hot tea (blueberry hibiscus) and turning on the Focus@Will music app. That five-minute ritual tells my brain it’s time to work.
Try creating a tiny ritual to start your focused session. Commit to doing it for two weeks and see what happens.
Break Your Big Goal Into Small, Easy Steps
When you’re building something new at this stage of life, the big picture can feel overwhelming. You’re not just learning new skills. You might be pursuing something you’ve never done before.
The weight of it all could make you freeze up. So what should you do? Don’t focus on all of it at once. Break it into bite-sized pieces (remember the old question: how do you eat an elephant?). For example, if you want to start a consulting business, instead of trying to market your services to a large audience, just reach out to one person who might need your help.
Protect Your Attention Like It’s Your Most Valuable Asset
Because it is.
Every open browser tab is a distraction and can drain your focus. Every “quick check” of your phone breaks your train of thought.
Try this for one week:
Limit the number of browser tabs you have open (I’ll be doing this)
Silence your phone during focus time (or put it in another room)
Check email twice a day instead of multiple times a day
You’ll start to notice how much space opens up in your mind and feel less distracted.
Track What You’re Avoiding (It’s Trying to Tell You Something)
Sometimes, loss of focus could be clarity in disguise.
If you keep procrastinating on something you said was important, maybe it’s not important to you anymore. The real question to ask: Am I avoiding this out of fear, or because it doesn’t fit anymore?
Sometimes the best thing you can do is let things go.
Finding focus or the ability to stay focused in your second act isn’t about trying to control everything or optimizing every hour. It’s about choosing and prioritizing what gets your time and attention.
Three Questions to Ask Yourself
What are the three things that would move my life forward this month?
What am I still doing that I should stop?
What am I avoiding, and why?
The biggest question worth asking: What deserves your attention right now?
When you know the answer to that, staying focused becomes easier. Not perfect, but easier.