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Edited by Beth Ann Iselin, Lissielou, Cheeser, Catdog and 3 others

Close attention to detail is a necessary part to completing many tasks and projects. Whether you are assembling a bookcase at home or tabulating employee time sheets at work, the ability to concentrate on important details is essential for achieving greater success in life. To become more detail-oriented, follow this guide to find ways to increase your focus.



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    Review. An inaccurately balanced checkbook, missed appointments and complaints from clients about incorrect product shipments are examples of issues that can benefit from greater attention to detail. Always review your work before you set it aside as complete.
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    Conform away from your lack of focus. Lack of interest, exhaustion and lack of time may be reasons behind avoiding or rushing through the details. If you must, ensure that each task has been done and reviewed more than once to assure desired completion.
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    Think positively. Increasing your attention to detail might result in a promotion at work. Your relationships with family and friends may even improve if you concentrate on the details shared in conversations. At school, attention to detail may translate into better work habits and opportunities.
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    Practice increasing your focus on a particular detailed task. Try to stay focused on every detail of the task. If creating a spreadsheet of data, for example, insert and review all column headers, data sets, groupings, formulas, subtotals and totals.
    • Choose a task that has a beginning, middle, and an end. Try to complete every phase of the task as accurately as possible.
    • Challenge yourself. Some detailed tasks may be tedious. Engage yourself in the process by doing the work faster or more accurately.
    • Take breaks. If you find that you start out alert but lose focus afterward, work in smaller intervals. Try working for 20 minutes and taking a five-minute break.
    • Increase your interest level. Some breaks in concentration are a result of a lack of interest in a task or particular material. Whenever possible, make connections between the details of the task and a greater purpose. For example, assembling a bookcase may be tedious, but its completion will mean a more organized home for you and your family.
    • Incorporate physical activity. Exercise is known to increase the ability to focus and concentrate. Stand up and move around when you can to circulate your body. Also, integrate a regular routine of exercise into your daily life to increase attentiveness.
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    Set up new systems to increase attention to detail. When keeping track of appointments and meetings, create a system of writing down each event and transferring it to a hard copy calendar, online schedule or cell phone calendar.
    • Create checklists. To keep track of important details, create lists of items that must be completed before you can proceed to the next step. Keep the list where it is easily accessible such as on your refrigerator, on your desk, or on a bulletin board in your office.
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Article Info

Categories: Personality Traits and Attributes

Recent edits by: Jeff, Aaron Chinen, Catdog

In other languages:

Español: Cómo mejorar la atención al detalle, Italiano: Come Migliorare l'Attenzione ai Dettagli


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