Your Best Just Got Better

There are four things to do more of; that is, if you want to be better organized and get more of the right things done, you need to: Identify. Define. Experiment. Assess. As you head in to another day or week of "being productive," remember that sometimes your workflow habits of old may be getting in your way. Find one thing to change, and practice with it this week!

How are your morning habits and routines impacting your own productivity? Start a 5-day experiment, where you track WHAT you do between the time you wake up and about 10am. Do this for a week, and you'll surely find some things you can STOP doing. That will give you the time you need, to do what you want!

As you sit down and think about the next 6-12 months, and then the next 3-5 years, you're really considering two types of goals. Direction based goals are about the process, about what's happening along the way. Destination based goals, those are all about the product, what you'll have when you get there. Balance these two types of goals and you'll achieve more...and it will be more interesting when you get there!

You have studied productivity, right? You know "what" to do, to have a high performance day; but, do you know WHY productivity is important to you? I didn't know exactly what it was, only that I was always interested in getting a "little better." Then, I understood the significance of labeling my Productivity Profile. Think about why you want to be more productive; make it easy by looking at what's around you.

Think about the discussions you're involved in every day. You're always moving between: Transactions, Plenary Conversations and Strategic Thinking Sessions. Move between these three, and identify what you can do, who you can meet and when you can achieve on some of your goals that will show you making your best...even better

Everyone will ultimately have their own reason for getting more productive. What's yours? To begin with, take some time to stop and write down your own definition of the word. You'll get the opportunity to think a bit, craft some ideas, and more importantly create some kind of a filter for what you put attention on tomorrow.

Do you know how long it takes to make something in to a habit? One week? 21 days? 35 days? Maybe a lifetime? Well, here I want to talk about something very important. I want to know whether or not I should make something a habit in the first place! The only way I know of to do that is to experiment with something; try it out, every day, once a day, for 5 (or so) days.

What are you anticipating coming toward you - projects, events or situations - that you're going to improve toward? When it comes to pacing, it's important to know there are 3 very different approaches you take toward personal improvement. 1. What you think about. 2. The projects you take on. 3. Taking specific actions on those outcomes.

The movement of improvement requires action, attention and review. When you think about your role in making your best better, you need to know what an ideal, productive day would look, sound and feel like. Oh, and it helps to know when you're at your best, too! Take time, after you listen to this podcast, to write about one YOUR own Ideal Days.

There are three things that directly influence your productivity, and ultimately your success: Homeostasis, Context, Network. First, we tend to do what we've always done. It's normal! Second, we change what we do, based on where we're working. Third, the people we spend time with will influence what we think about, work on and do...it's true!

In order to make more (more of whatever you'd like to make!) you're going to have to think about how you think. Self-efficacy is the ability to "believe" you can do what it is you want to do. What can you look back on? What can you use as a reference point? What can you move toward? Address the way you think, and you'll change the way you work.

With "just" 96 fifteen-minute blocks of time during each day, the more important things to manage are your attention and your actions. By identifying what needs to be done during the day, you can most effectively manage what gets done in the time you have.

One thing I know about making my best better is that in order to get "there" from where I am "here" I'm going to have to learn something new. And, I'm experienced enough to know that learning and practicing something new (aka: making a change) is perhaps one of the hardest things to do. Here's how to get started: Study your practices.

Starting with the moment you wake up in the morning, you're on a path to productivity. However, did you know there are some things you can do today, and early tomorrow morning, that increase the likelihood that tomorrow will be a better day? Here are the ideas you need, to make your best...better!

I'm sure "you have a lot of work" to do. And, I'm sure it's challenging...it's yours! However, you want to know the MOST difficult thing you do during the day? Deciding what to do! Think about it: Email, Voicemail, Meeting Invitations, Reports and Presentations. You must DEFINE your work, before you can do it!