How To Get Better Results

When you’ve got a dozen priorities, meetings, emails, and “urgent” requests hitting you at once, the problem usually isn’t effort—it’s focus. Here is a simple way to get your thinking organised, coordinate your work, and choose actions that actually improve results: build a focus map, then run each sub-topic through a six-step action template.

How do I get focused when I’m overwhelmed with too much work?

You get better results by shrinking the chaos into one clear “area of focus,” then organising everything else around it. Overwhelm comes from competing directions—sales targets, KPIs, internal coordination, client deadlines, hiring, and admin—all demanding attention at the same time.

The fix is to pause briefly and decide: what is the one thing (or two things) I need to improve most right now? That becomes your anchor. Once you can name the focus, the brain stops thrashing and starts sorting.

Do now: write down one or two words that define your key focus for this week.

What is a “focus map” and how do you make one quickly?

A focus map is a one-page visual map: one central focus, surrounded by the sub-topics you need to improve. Put a small circle in the middle of the page and write your main focus inside. Then add related words that come to mind as surrounding circles—like planets around the sun—creating sub-categories you can work on.

This works because you already have the answers in your head; you just haven’t released them into a structure. The visual element matters because seeing the relationships between ideas stimulates thinking differently than typing a list.

Do now: draw one central circle and add 6–10 surrounding circles of related sub-topics.

What should I put on my focus map?

Use practical “better” themes and then generate sub-categories that are behaviour-based. Common centre-circle themes include: Better Time Management, Better Follow-up, Better Planning, Better Communicator.

If your centre circle is “Better Time Management,” your surrounding circles might include: prioritisation, block time, procrastination, Quadrant Two focus, to-do list, weekly goals, daily goals.

This is where the method wins. Instead of vague productivity promises, you can see the levers you can actually pull—calendar blocking, priority choice, and the habit of starting the day with a ranked list.

Do now: choose one sub-category you can improve in seven days (for example, prioritisation).

How do I turn the focus map into actions that improve results?

After your focus map is complete, pick one sub-category and run it through this six-step template:

1) What has been my attitude in this area?

2) Why is this important to me and my organisation?

3) Specifically, what am I going to do about this differently?

4) What results do I desire?

5) How is this going to impact my Vision?

This works because it forces clarity and specificity. It connects behaviour change to outcomes and makes it harder to stay vague.

Do now: write answers for steps 1–3 today; do steps 4–5 tomorrow.

Can you show a completed example?

Yes. Here is a plug-and-play model using Time Management with the sub-category Prioritisation:

Area of focus: Time Management → Prioritisation

Attitude: “I know I should be better organised…but I never get around to taking any action…because I don’t choose activities based on priorities.”

Why important: “If I am better organised I can get more work done…focus on the prioritised areas of highest value…contribute more value to the organisation.”

What I’ll do differently: buy an organiser; use to-do lists and a calendar; block time for highest value items; start each day by nominating tasks, then prioritising and working in that order.

Desired result: spend best time on highest value tasks with greatest impact.

Impact on vision: efficiency and effectiveness rise dramatically.

Do now: copy this structure and fill it in for your own sub-category (block time, procrastination, weekly goals, daily goals, and so on).

How do I use this system every week (not just once)?

Repeat the map-and-template cycle weekly, focusing on one sub-category at a time until the habit sticks. The power is in consistency: you can repeat the same process for block time, procrastination, Quadrant Two focus, to-do lists, weekly goals, daily goals—each becomes its own mini-improvement project.

Think of it as building a personal operating system. Some weeks are chaotic, so pick a small, controllable lever. Other weeks you can go deeper. This is a fast tool that produces practical ideas you can apply immediately.

Do now: schedule 15 minutes every Monday to create one focus map and choose one sub-category to improve.

Quick checklist (copy/paste)

• Choose 1 key focus (1–2 words).

• Build a focus map (6–10 sub-circles).

• Pick 1 sub-category for this week.

• Run the six steps and define 1–2 new behaviours.

• Review weekly; repeat with the next sub-category.

Conclusion

Better results come from better-directed effort. The focus map gives you clarity fast, and the six steps turn that clarity into behaviour change tied to outcomes and vision. Try it once and you’ll get insight. Run it weekly and you’ll build momentum.

FAQs

What is a focus map? A one-page visual map that takes one main focus and breaks it into practical sub-topics you can improve.

Should I work on the whole map? No. Choose one sub-category per week and improve it until it becomes a habit.

Why do the six steps work? Because they force you to be specific about attitude, actions, desired results, and alignment with your vision.

Author Credentials

Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.

He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban “Hito o Ugokasu” Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).

Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan’s Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.