When you’ve got a dozen priorities, meetings, emails, and “urgent” requests hitting you at once, the real problem usually isn’t effort—it’s focus. This is a simple, fast method 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. In practice, overwhelm comes from competing directions—sales targets, KPIs, internal politics, client deadlines, hiring, and admin—all demanding attention at the same time. In Japan, this can be amplified by stakeholder-heavy coordination; in the US and Europe, it can be amplified by speed and constant context switching. Either way, your effort becomes scattered and poorly coordinated.
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 the 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 (for example: “Better Time Management”). 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: arranging the circles stimulates thinking differently than typing a list in a notes app. It’s fast, low-tech, and effective—especially for leaders toggling between deep work and constant interruption in a post-pandemic, hybrid world.
Do now: Draw one central circle and add 6–10 surrounding circles of related sub-topics.
What should I put on my focus map (examples leaders actually use)?
Use practical “better” themes—time, follow-up, planning, communication—then generate sub-categories that are behaviour-based. Common centre-circle themes include: Better Time Management, Better Follow-up, Better Planning, Better Communicator.
Example: if your centre circle is “Better Time Management,” your surrounding circles might include: prioritisation, block time, procrastination, Quadrant Two focus (Eisenhower Matrix), to-do list, weekly goals, daily goals.
This is where the method beats generic productivity advice. Instead of “be more organised,” you can see the real levers: calendar blocking, priority choice, and the habit of starting the day with a ranked list. In an SME, this might be about protecting selling time; in a multinational, it may be about reducing meeting bloat and stakeholder drag.
Do now: Choose one sub-category you can improve in 7 days (e.g., prioritisation).
What are the six steps to turn a focus map into action?
The six steps force clarity: attitude → importance → new behaviour → desired result → vision alignment. After your focus map is complete, pick one sub-category (say, prioritisation) and run it through this template:
What has been my attitude in this area? Why is this important to me and my organisation? Specifically, what am I going to do about this differently? What results do I desire? How is this going to impact my Vision?This is essentially strategy on a page. It connects behaviour change to outcomes and makes it harder to stay vague. It also works across cultures: whether you’re operating in Japan’s consensus environments or in faster-moving US/Europe contexts, you still need a clear “why” and a specific “what next.”
Do now: Write answers for steps 1–3 today; do steps 4–5 tomorrow.
Can you show a completed example (so I can copy the format)?
Yes—use the example below as a plug-and-play model for any topic you choose. For “Time Management” with the sub-category “Prioritisation,” a completed version looks like this (edited only for formatting):
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 + 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 sub-category (block time, procrastination, weekly goals, etc.).
How do I use this system every week to get better results (not just once)?
Repeat the map-and-template cycle weekly, focusing on one sub-category at a time until the habit “sticks.” The magic is 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 like leadership development: you don’t “fix productivity” once; you build a personal operating system. Some weeks will be chaotic (product launches, quarterly reporting, client crises), so you pick a small, controllable lever. Other weeks you can go deeper. This method is described as a go-to tool because it’s fast, it goes deep, and it 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 results and vision. If you try it once, you’ll get insight. If you run it weekly, you’ll build momentum.
FAQs
A focus map is basically a mind map for execution. It moves you from “busy” to “clear” in minutes by visualising priorities.
Start with one sub-category, not the whole map. Results come from focusing on one lever (like prioritisation or block time) per week.
The six steps work because they force specifics. You can’t hide behind vague intentions when you must name attitude, actions, results, and 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.
