Focus Enhancement Strategies

As an executive and marketing leader you are never going to get away from too many meetings. Anyone who tells you otherwise is taking crazy pills. ;) I've never tried to "fix" the amount of meetings I have on my calendar. Sure, I've cut down. Sure, I've prioritized my time. However, I don't believe meeting bloat is solvable. But meetings are important if done right and well. The important thing is to prioritize your time for meetings and for deep work. Focus. Focus. Focus. Here's what has worked for me and it's all about TIME BLOCK. However, it's extremely difficult to do. Either way, you should try it: 1) Two 60 or 90-minute blocks, every day. Make your calendar title: "FOCUS BLOCK - DO NOT BOOK." And when you jump into the 90-minute meeting close absolutely everything. I'll type it again. EVERYTHING CLOSED: Slack, email, tabs. If it's super urgent, they will call you. 2) You could also add a couple of simple rules of engagement to the calendar block link: If you need an answer today → call or text. If it can wait 24 hours → put it in a doc. If it’s a brainstorm → book 25 minutes with an agenda. 3) Measure your output in the time block. Make sure you are tracking what you want to accomplish. What do you want to get done in the calendar block? What do you want to ship? What will make the time feel successful? Focus time shouldn't feel like a hack but you have to be super aggressive with your time in order to get the most done in any day.

Lately, I was sitting with a hotel GM, poring over the monthly numbers. All was good, profitability, revenue growth, cost metrices But then came the F&B report—a story of missed opportunities. It wasn’t that guests weren’t spending; they were just spending somewhere else. The problem? Guests loved the local taste in the market, and try that instead of identical hotel menus. They were flocaking to a trendy cocktail bar with Instagrammable drinks, and the buzzing local café offering live music on weekends. The truth hit hard: We weren’t just competing for heads in beds; we were competing for plates and glasses too. We brainstormed the ideas to reclaim our fair share of the guest’s wallet and came across few time tested options: 1. Curate Experiences, Not Just Menus Guests crave stories. Host a wine night featuring bottles from local vineyards or a chef’s table with dishes inspired by the region’s flavors. Make dining more than just a meal—make it a memory. 2. Partner with, Not Against, Local Attractions The café next door doesn’t have to be your enemy. Collaborate with them for exclusive guest perks: free dessert with dinner, a signature cocktail, or a voucher included in the room rate. When you work together, everyone wins. 3. Leverage Convenience Without Feeling "Corporate" In-room dining has a reputation for being uninspired and overpriced. Break the mold. Offer picnic baskets for guests heading to the beach or late-night snacks tailored to their Netflix binges. 4. Know Your Audience Families, solo travelers, couples—they all want different things. Maybe your rooftop bar transforms into a family movie night on Sundays. Or your breakfast menu includes quick grab-and-go options for business travelers. Tailor your offerings to their needs. Here’s the thing: When guests have an unforgettable dining experience at your hotel, they’re more likely to return—not just to eat, but to stay. They’ll remember the rooftop view, the friendly server, and the local flavors. And they’ll associate all of that with your property. So, if your F&B numbers are lagging, don’t just ask why guests are leaving. Ask how you can make them want to stay. And if you can meet them where they are, you won’t just win their dollars. You’ll win their hearts.

Are you in control of your focus, or is social media controlling you? Endless scrolling. Checking notifications. Liking. Replying. Then, repeating the cycle. Sound familiar? Before you scroll past this… No, you don’t have to quit social media. (But knowing when and how often you check)- It could transform your focus and mental well-being. For me, it’s about what this enables: ✅ Fewer distractions. ✅ More deep work. ✅ Less stress & mental overload. 📉 Social media distractions aren’t just harmless habits—they hijack your focus, drain your energy, and impact your mental well-being. The average person spends over 2+ hours daily on social media. That’s millions of dollars for platforms—while you lose valuable time and productivity. So, how do you break free from the scroll trap and regain control of your focus? Here are 7 strategies to reclaim your attention and protect your mental well-being: 1️⃣ Limit access to social media ↳ Remove apps from work devices and set specific check-in times. 2️⃣ Schedule check times ↳ Allocate fixed slots for social media, avoiding constant interruptions. 3️⃣ Use focus tools ↳ Leverage website blockers and app limiters to minimize distractions. 4️⃣ Silence notifications ↳ Turn off non-essential alerts to stay immersed in deep work. 5️⃣ Batch your tasks ↳ Group similar activities (emails, messages, social checks) to reduce context switching. 6️⃣ Prioritize deep work ↳ Tackle your most important tasks before allowing distractions in. 7️⃣ Embrace digital detox moments ↳ Unplug before bed, step away from screens, and reconnect with real-life moments. The choice is simple: Be the master of your focus or a slave to the scroll. How often do YOU check social media at work? Be honest. Drop a comment below! ⬇️ ------------------- I’m Jayant Ghosh. Follow me in raising awareness for mental health that inspires growth and well-being.

12 steps to protect your focus - And develop a deep work routine: (5 and 6 are so important) 1) Prioritize ↳Before you begin, pick just 1 task you want to work on (no multitasking) ↳Choose your "frog" - the important item you've been putting off 2) Protect the time ↳Find a window of at least 1 hour (2-3 is even better) and block it on your calendar ↳Experiment to find the time when you're most productive and focused 3) Find a space ↳Choose a location where you can close the door and limit distractions ↳Ask others not to interrupt you when you're in there 4) Prepare ↳Download files and gather resources you'll need to complete the work ↳Go to the bathroom, grab a water, and anticipate any other needs 5) Put your phone away ↳Switch your phone to airplane mode and put it out of reach ↳Do NOT look at it until you're finished - that friend's text can wait 6) Shut apps  ↳Close anything on your computer that has notifications, like email and Slack ↳X out of any distracting tabs like news sites or social media 7) Grab a pen and pad ↳It's impossible to stop to-dos and other thoughts from popping into your head ↳Simply write them down when you think of them and then move on 8) Use headphones ↳If you're particularly sensitive to sound, try noise-canceling headphones ↳Find what's best for you: playing nothing at all, white noise, or music without lyrics 9) Clear your mind ↳When everything is ready, pause before diving in to briefly relax ↳You can simply close your eyes and breathe, or do a 1-minute meditation 10) Use a timer ↳Set a timer so you don't have to worry about watching the clock ↳Experiment with techniques like Pomodoro to work and break in intervals 11) Improve ↳After every time you do deep work, reflect on what helped and hurt your focus ↳Make improvements each time to consistently enhance your productivity 12) Handle the basics ↳Exhaustion, hunger, and lack of exercise can be even worse for focus than your phone ↳Get adequate sleep, eat well, and move your body every day Just two hours of deep work can beat a full day of distracted work. Use this checklist to focus deeply on your most important tasks, And turbocharge your productivity. P.S. I'm always curious to hear: When do you get your best deep work done? --- ♻ Repost to help your network be more productive. And follow me George Stern for more. If you want the high-res PDF of this sheet, sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gpe6Q3V6

🍴 SOP & SOS: The Power Duo Behind F&B Excellence In food & beverage, success isn’t just about flavor—it’s about flawless execution. That’s where SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) and SOS (Speed of Service) come in. Together, they create a system that’s scalable, safe, and guest-focused. 🔧 SOP: Your Brand’s Operating Manual A well-written SOP is more than a checklist—it’s a training tool, a quality control system, and a safety net. Here’s what strong SOPs deliver: • Consistency • Compliance • Efficiency • Risk Reduction • Knowledge Retention ⚡ SOS: The Guest Experience Accelerator Speed of Service means being coordinated, confident, and guest-ready. • Peak Hour Mastery • Guest Satisfaction • Operational Flow • Team Energy 💡 Pro Tip: SOP + SOS = Scalable Excellence When SOPs are clear and SOS is embedded in training, you get replicable success across every outlet. That’s how brands grow without losing quality. #FandBLeadership #SOPMatters #SpeedOfService #OperationalExcellence #TeamTraining #GuestExperience #FoodSafety #FandBSystems #RestaurantManagement #ServiceStandards #FandBSuccess #HospitalityExcellence #TeamEmpowerment #ConsistencyIsKey #FandBOperations

7 Ways to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others (Your peace of mind needs this) Social media has created a comparison epidemic. What we see: ↳ Curated success ↳ Perfect moments ↳ Everyone's highlights What we don't see: ↳ The daily struggles ↳ Failed attempts ↳ Real stories Here's your practical guide to break free: 1. Handle Comparison Triggers ↳ List exact moments you compare (salary discussions, family events) ↳ Create specific responses for each trigger ↳ Practice prepared mental scripts ↳ Build new situational habits 2. Create Your Tracking System ↳ Use a simple 15-minute weekly check-in ↳ Measure only against your last week ↳ Keep a progress spreadsheet 3. Redefine Success ↳ Write down what "enough" means to you ↳ Create your own scorecard categories (impact/freedom/growth) ↳ Define what matters in each life area ↳ Set your own standards, not society's 4. Design Your Environment ↳ Unfollow specific types of content ↳ Join communities that match your values ↳ Create phone-free zones and times ↳ Build an inspiration-only feed 5. Focus on Implementation ↳ Break goals into weekly actions ↳ Schedule specific work blocks ↳ Create daily micro-tasks ↳ Use checklists for accountability 6. Build Your Support System ↳ Find an accountability partner ↳ Schedule monthly mentor calls ↳ Join a mastermind group ↳ Create check-in protocols 7. Extract Real Lessons ↳ Study others' processes, not outcomes ↳ Ask specific "how" questions ↳ Document applicable strategies ↳ Test one new approach weekly Remember: Everyone's journey is different. Your chapter 1 might be someone else's chapter 20. Which area needs your attention first? Drop a number below 👇 ♻️ Repost this to help others grow 👉 Follow Suren Samarchyan for more mindset tips

Engineering teams aren’t short on effort. They’re short on focus. In nearly every org I've worked with the dev teams are pulled in a dozen directions at once to address prod issues, support last-minute changes, manage cross-team dependencies, and respond to chaotic strategy shifts. The result is lot of activity but not a lot of finished work. We waste countless hours on things that don’t align with current priorities or move features closer to delivery. And then the work that should be moving forward gets stuck. What’s missing is a simple system to protect focus time and make tradeoffs visible. When teams limit what's in progress, elevate blockers quickly, and can see the connection of day-to-day work to strategic priorities, delivery speed improves without burning people out. Small changes to how work flows through your system can unlock a big shift in outcomes. It's time to stop doing more and start managing work differently.

Stop letting artificial headlines keep your teams from intelligently pushing forward. Building something meaningful requires laser focus. Yet every day brings fresh distractions: breaking news, market volatility, social media spirals, political theater, economic predictions that change by the hour. Here’s what separates high performers from the overwhelmed: They differentiate between signal and noise. Founders, operators, and leaders don’t get paid to react to every headline. We get paid to execute relentlessly. We get paid to keep the team moving toward the goal line. If you’re committed to staying locked in while chaos swirls around you, here are: 10 Ways to Block Out Noise and Maintain Strategic Focus ⬇️ ↳ 1. Anchor decisions in first principles, not fluctuations. Build your strategy on enduring fundamentals that outlast market cycles. ↳ 2. Create a deliberate “ignore list.” Name the inputs you’ll consciously filter out, daily market reports, political punditry, trending controversies. ↳ 3. Reinforce your mission relentlessly. Your primary job is keeping your team crystal clear on why you exist. Clarity cuts through confusion. ↳ 4. Distinguish real change from manufactured drama. Adapt when your market shifts—not when media narratives do. ↳ 5. Tighten your feedback loops. Skip waiting for macro indicators. Talk to customers. Monitor your metrics. Watch your cash flow. ↳ 6. Schedule strategic adjustment windows. Replace constant reaction with planned quarterly reviews for course corrections. ↳ 7. Treat uncertainty as competitive advantage. The best companies emerge from turbulent periods. Play offense not defense. ↳ 8. Replace intuition with frameworks. Use structured tools to keep decision making rational. ↳ 9. Guard your deep work fiercely. Block weekly time for high-impact projects. No distractions. ↳ 10. Model unshakeable calm. Your team mirrors your energy. Composure spreads. So does panic. Choose wisely. You can’t silence the world. But you control what gets your attention. The operators who thrive don’t have fewer distractions, they just exert discipline on what they give their attention. 👉 What’s your go-to strategy for maintaining focus during uncertain times? Drop it in the comments. 👇 Ready to cut through the noise? Here are three steps to start today: ✅ Write down your three most important long-term goals and post them where you’ll see them daily ✅ Set specific times to check news and social media instead of consuming content randomly throughout the day ✅ Schedule one uninterrupted hour this week for your highest-priority project with all notifications turned off ♻️Repost and follow John Brewton for content that helps. Do. Fail. Learn. Grow. Win. Repeat. Forever. ____ 📬Subscribe to Operating by John Brewton for weekly deep dives on the history and future of operating companies. ➕Follow 6A East Partners for content that asks: What is the future of companies?

7 Practical Steps to Manage the Comparison Tax The Comparison Tax is real. When self-doubt hits after seeing someone else's success, you need to switch from the public External Scorecard to a realistic Internal Scorecard. Here are 7 grounded steps to manage comparison and refocus your energy: 1- Grade Effort, Not Outcomes  ↳ Action: Focus on the consistent effort you put into the pitch, not landing the client. Success is a choice of process, not result. 2- Define Your Achievable Win  ↳ Action: Set a realistic minimum for the day (e.g., reply to 3 urgent emails). Guarantee a small, reliable win before the day ends. 3- Use Evidence Against the Narrative  ↳ Action: When imposter feeling surfaces, list one piece of factual evidence from the last two weeks that proves competence. Challenge the feeling with facts. 4- Adopt the 'One-Person Limit'  ↳ Action: Identify one specific person whose early process genuinely motivates you. Ignore the rest. Inspiration is specific; comparison is general. 5- Separate the Action from Your Identity  ↳ Action: When something fails, state: "That action didn't work. I am okay." The result is data, not a verdict on your worth. 6- Find the Smallest Start  ↳ Action: If a task causes anxiety, commit only to the first five minutes of work. The momentum often takes over from there. 7- Acknowledge the Messy Process  ↳ Action: Remind yourself that everyone, including those you admire, is working through messy, unseen problems. You are comparing your reality to their public presentation. Example: Instead of thinking "My report isn't as good as theirs" (Comparison Tax), you focus on "I hit my Achievable Win today by finishing the data section" (Internal Scorecard). This keeps you moving forward. Self-belief is built slowly, one action at a time. Be consistent, be kind, and keep showing up for your process. Which of these 7 steps feels the most realistic and helpful for you to implement this week?

Only a few years ago I was jamming work into every waking minute. Today, I accomplish much more by working less. Here are the strategies I’ve found to be effective after dealing with intense burnout periods. 01/ Busy ≠ Productive The myth that more hours equal more output is costing tech teams their best talent. At G2i, we’re having better results with flexible work weeks capped at 40 hours than traditional mandated 40-hour schedules. Here's what we've learned: → Developers work better and faster when well-rested → Shorter focused days produce more value than standard five 8 hour days → For teams requiring five-day coverage, two half-days work wonders → Breaks between intense work improves problem-solving, creativity, and more The real metric isn't time spent working -- it's the quality of the work. 02/ Build the space for deep work Developers need uninterrupted time to enter a flow state and produce their best work. I do this myself and communicate it to my team: → Designate 2-3 hours daily for focused work → Mute notifications, calls, and Slack messages → Block specific "no-meeting" times ⁣ 03/ Cut the Zoom madness Your team’s time is too valuable to waste on constant sync updates. This is what we do at G2i: → Use loom for async communication → Reserve meetings for complex collaboration and discussion → Document decisions and action items asynchronously 04/ Slow down to speed up ASAP EOD NOW The rush to deliver often backfires. It seems like everyone eventually learns this the hard way, but when we slow down, we can actually move faster: → Fewer mistakes requiring rework → Higher-quality code from the start → More sustainable product development Demanding great output while pushing a "work until you drop" mentality is counterintuitive. Cultural change requires 100% commitment from leadership to see progress. Anything less and these attempts will be short-lived.