I presented in-person recently, and quickly realized that I’d forgotten some of my best practices.
Don’t get me wrong, the talk was well-received, but I was aware the entire time that I wasn’t feeling as grounded and present as I have in the past.
This video gives three best practices for speaking in-person… ones I’d forgotten about after so many years of speaking virtually.
If you don’t already know I am a nut about time blocking and time management!
Here is a quick video of my one “no-matter-what” habit, and one change I made recently that is making a difference in my clarity and focus on a daily basis.
I want to give you two questions I use to keep myself centered and stay organized.
Ready to level-down your stress and get focused?? Here we go…
1. The Question that Leads to Better Bottom-Line Results
There’s a tendency to always be looking for what’s NEXT to do or what ELSE you could add to your plate. The questions, “What should I do next? What else should I be doing?” – these create a perfect environment for distraction and overwhelm.
The question to ask instead is, “What’s working?”
This reminds you to focus on what is already bringing results. You’re going to get more traction when you double down on what’s already working, instead of always experimenting with something new.
The biggest challenge to making this work for you, is taking the time out of the busy operations of a business to actually step back and evaluate your efforts so you can uncover the answer to this question.
2. The Question that Melts Resistance to Challenging Work
When you want to accomplish a project or goal that is unfamiliar or outside your comfort zone, your self-talk usually runs along the lines of, “This is going to be difficult, it’s going to be stressful, and it’s going to take forever.”
And that’s absolutely natural.
Your brain is getting you prepared for any potential hardship. The problem is that by doing so it’s also building resistance that will keep you from moving forward.
In order to melt that resistance, the question instead is, “Am I willing for this to be easy?”
Anytime you find yourself overwhelmed, stressed, worried or apprehensive about a project, about marketing, or even about simply having a way too long to-do list: use this question.
Repeat it like a mantra, “Am I willing for this to be easy? Am I willing for this to be easy? Am I willing for this to be easy?”
Your brain will be redirected from focusing on difficulty to instead consciously finding the path of least resistance.
When you own your own business, it’s discouraging to feel like you “aren’t doing it right.” A client recently told me:
“Today I didn’t have client calls but I struggled so much the first few hours of the day that really it was just time wasted. If I don’t have calls in the morning, I may as well not go to the office until after lunch…as soon as afternoon hits I am way focused. What do you think about client calls only until 1PM and then the afternoon is office time?”
There’s a simple three-step solution to making decisions like the one my client faced.
1. The first step towards adjusting your schedule to one that works for you is to become aware of your peak (when you are most alert and productive) and trough times (when you are least productive).
2. The next step is to create a menu of those tasks and projects that can go into those peak and trough times. [link to full blog]
For example, projects that require your strongest focus, motivation, and energy should be scheduled during your peak time. Tasks that require less brainpower, like filing, clearing your desk, or some email processing, could be checked off during your trough times.
3. Last, take advantage of as many peak times each week as possible by arranging your tasks into the appropriate time slots. When you plug tasks into your calendar with an awareness of “best times,” you’ll begin to create a new routine around scheduling. One tip I use for scheduling is to color code my tasks on my to-do list, purple to schedule in the morning and blue for afternoon.
I get it – it can be hard to leave a task undone and move it to the next day. What helps me push through that “undone” discomfort is a reminder that in the long run, when I match the task with the appropriate time of day, it typically takes me half the time.
Matching tasks to the right time of day is just one way you can gain more time each day. If you want to tweak how you schedule your peak and trough times, we can discuss in our next session!
Lisa Crilley Mallis MA, COC, ACC
Helping service-based microbusiness owners eliminate day-to-day busyness. ImpactiveStrategies.com
Am I the only one having trouble fitting it all in?
I committed to working less, I set my goals, I prioritized, and STILL I have to keep a vigilant eye on my time management.
I figure I’m not alone, so here are three resources for you. The first two are TED talks that shake up your assumptions about procrastination and creativity. The last one has a slightly lower viewership, but has perspectives my clients find valuable.
1. Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator
2. The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers
3. Breaking the “One More Thing” Habit
Share your favorite time management solutions, please!
This trip was different from past travel in both its extended duration and for the combination of work and pleasure. Because it was my first time doing this, I learned an amazing amount about myself, my business and how to travel while working. That last sentence can also be written as follows: because it was my first time traveling it was painful and not as much fun as I’d hoped.
You see, I didn’t think ahead about time zones, access to health care, pilot strikes, cost of changing a portion of a trip, mental recovery time or how living outside of your comfort zone can be challenging even if you are loving it.
So, in an effort to prepare you for work away travel, here are tips from business owners who are successfully taking extended travel without losing momentum in their businesses.