We live in a world of perpetual distraction. We are never “caught up,” whatever that means.
- Multitasking, once valued as a productivity tool, now more often than not creates a sense of activity while actually decreasing output.
- “Task Switching” – the time it takes to mentally reengage when shifting from one task to another.
- The unimportant and the trivial consume the time we should spend doing significant, meaningful work.
- And it comes about because we neglect to focus.
Each of us faces demands beyond our control.
- Customers make requests, colleagues ask for assistance, and bosses – both enlightened and unenlightened – pile on the work.
- These are valid explanations for why it is hard to focus.
- But they are not an excuse for being unfocused.
The goal is to move beyond the perpetual distractions we face and focus on what really matters.
- Your agenda is what you hope to accomplish in both the short term and the long term.
- It means visualizing your final goal so that the “to dos” move you closer to completion.
We can’t wait for random events to help us achieve our goals. Our challenge is to plan to do things of significance and impact, then strategically pursue them.
- Prioritize – Understanding the relative importance of the things we do and spend time on them is key to being efficient and effective.
- Creating a daily list of things to do is only part of the solution. Knowing what is most important on that list, and choosing to complete it first, is the other part.
Live intentionally – you can’t inject more time into your life.
- The challenge for all of us is to put more life into our time.
Re-source: Redefine
to define again or differently : to reexamine or reevaluate especially with a view to change
Most of the so-called defining moments of our lives really aren’t. College graduation, marriage, and retirement are often called defining moments. In reality, they are commemorative moments.
- Graduation commemorates how you spent the past four years.
- Marriage commemorates the courtship leading up to it.
- Retirement commemorates a life at work.
- In each instance, the person has been defined long before the moment occurred.
What are the moments that define you? They are right now. Each moment we live helps to define us.
- People who act as leaders in their lives, and in the lives of others, understand this and choose to live intentionally.
- By focusing attention and care on each moment, we can create a legacy of accomplishment and achievement at work and in life – in everything we do.
MVP activities are those that are Most Valuable and Profitable.
- What MVP activities give you the biggest payback on your investment of time and energy?
- Develop a list of MVP activities…
- Now work to spend 60 to 80 percent of each day doing them.
- You still have 20 to 40 percent of each day to deal with interruptions, requests, putting out fires, and emergencies that you couldn’t plan for.
craving and resource from “You Don’t Need A Title To Be A Leader” by Mark Sanborn
