Publisher’s Letter: The Power of Focus

I’ve written about focus before, but the more I reflect on it, the more I realize just how essential it is—not just to success but to maintaining sanity in the whirlwind of daily responsibilities.

Publishing and editing North Forty News every day requires tremendous focus. On top of that, I maintain another full-time job—the one that provides benefits. To be great (not just good) at both, I have to ensure that I’m getting the work done well.

At North Forty News, we publish about 100 articles per month. Sometimes, that task can feel daunting. I’ve found that lists help. But as helpful as they are, they can also be overwhelming. My most effective strategy is a combination of lists and task focusing.

Here’s how I do it:

1. Keep the list general – Too much detail becomes overwhelming.
2. Focus on one task at a time – I try to ignore everything else on the list until that task is done.
3. Break down big tasks separately – If something is complex, I make a separate checklist just for that.

It’s simple, but it works for me. Maybe it will help you, too.

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Thank you for reading and for supporting local, independent journalism. Your engagement helps keep North Forty News going strong.

Until next time,

Blaine Howerton
Publisher, North Forty News

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