Today was tough. So many things going on, so many problems clamoring for my attention it was hard to stay focused on one thing at a time. Many of you know that I believe in chunking not multi-tasking. Today really tested my resolve to do that.

In a situation like this I try to remember the Pareto Principle and focus on what's really important, not just urgent. I also try to delegate what I can but in the end it comes down to it's not how hard you work, it's what you get done so I focused on the task at hand, which was important, and let the others wait until I finished it.

What tricks do you use to stay focused in the face of conflicting demands on your time? Click the comments link below and share them with the rest of us.

I mentioned earlier a cost/benefit analysis I was doing as part of a presentation to our executive management. It was pretty detailed and took a long time. Ultimately, the presentation was unsuccessful, but the best part of it was the cost/benefit analysis. You can do a similar detailed cost benefit analysis if you need to, but often all that is required is a simple analysis, which can be done quickly and can help you answer difficult questions.

A cost benefit analysis is done to determine how well, or how poorly, a planned action will turn out. Although a cost benefit analysis can be used for almost anything, it is most commonly done on financial questions.

• Want to know whether that new machine is worth the cost? Do a cost benefit analysis.
• Not sure whether that proposed marketing campaign is a good idea? Do a cost benefit analysis.
• Worried about which health care plan to select for your employees? Do a cost benefit analysis.

It's a great tool. This article tells you how to do a cost benefit analysis right.