Are you a busy professional, stay at home parent or really anyone that lives in today's information-centric, have-it-now society?
Life doesn't slow down. You know the feeling, right? You are trying to get those last deals signed for month-end, support calls have exploded or everyone seems to need your attention the most when you are facing a tight deadline.
Life doesn't slow down, but in order for you to be productive you have to slow down to speed up.
On the surface that doesn't make any sense, but in a project gone awry how much time is spent in damage control (apologizing, blame-games, corrective action, etc.)? For those who've been there, you know the answer is always way too much!
The tenets of slowing down to speed up are simple:
- No More, No Less: Take the appropriate amount of time
- Devil in the Details: Observe the necessary details and omit what's not
- Pace and Purpose: Do not allow the pace to overshadow the purpose
- Urgent or Important: Guard against others' false urgency
While the operational pace can be difficult, and others' sense of false urgency (even panic) can surely distract and ultimately undermine your chance for success. You must be mindful to keep your head screwed on straight in the fevered pitch of battle.
Here are some quick things to try that might help:
- Just Breathe: When the pace gets to be intense: stop, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and relax into a vision of you conquering this trial.
- Step it Up: If you find yourself stressed, try stepping away for a few minutes. Usually a brief walk will help you clear your head. (Hint: Can't find an excuse if someone's watching? Excuse yourself to the restroom.)
- Talk it Over: There are some times when talking your issue over with a friend can really help you see through it.
- Sleep on it: I can tell you from personal experience, sleeping on it let's your subconscious mind chew on the problem for a bit. If nothing else, the rest will do you some good!
- Just Say No: This is perhaps one of the hardest things to do, but you ultimately must make a choice between doing a lot of things just so-so or doing a few things really well. (Hint: Try offering an alternate option everyone can live with when you don't think you can commit to what is being asked of you.)
Share with others. What are some tips and tricks you've learned?
Change starts here, with you! Throw aside assumptions and begin your journey to success today in the ChangeForge, a website, focusing on how to deliver results in the collision of business, technology and relationships. As the owner of ChangeForge, Ken Stewart is passionate about helping you solve business problems by helping to craft solutions which achieve business objectives through applying technology smartly, change management considerately, and motivational techniques genuinely.
Download his new free ebook, 7 Secrets to Destroy Your Daily Distractions: A Field Guide to Staying Focused Today!