Each day we are faced
with numerous distractions and if we don't manage them, they can truly impede
our progress and productivity. These
distractions, if left unchecked, can keep us from moving forward towards our
goals and achieving the bigger vision we have for our business. We forget that
we have a choice as to how let these distractions influence our day.
I'm sure I'm safe in
saying you are not at a loss for keeping busy. Even
if you don't have as many clients as you'd like to have right now, I bet you
still feel busy. We all have a way of filling the 24 hours each one of us is
given each and every day but how we fill these hours makes all the
difference. Being busy is not the answer, learning to say yes to what
truly matters and is important for our progress is what truly matters.
Unknowingly, we often
let others determine how we spend the time we're given each day. We feel obligated to respond to the agenda of others rather than
put
ting
our agenda first and working around that. An email, text or phone call
come in and we feel compelled to response right away for fear we'll be missing
out on something. You are much better off to plan when to respond so you
can stay focused on the task at hand and actually get it completed.
To move forward and be
productive, you have to take control of your day. You have to get into the habit of saying "no" to the
random distractions and "YES" to what matters most. By doing
so, you'll get through your task list and feel like you're in control rather
than letting others determine the course and outcome of your day. It's not
about keeping busy; it's about working smart.
Check in with yourself
throughout the day and make sure you are working on tasks that will move you
closer to your goals and vision. If you
cannot make that connect, it's time to stop what you're doing and switch
gears. Are you allowing distractions to creep in and not putting your
priorities first?
We've all be given the
same 24 hours to work with each day and the most successful people know how to
make the most of it. Eliminating distractions and
learning to say yes to what matters most assuredly move you closer to achieving
your bigger vision!
Action Steps:
Carefully consider all the
distractions that enter into your day. starting making note of where the leaks
are and then plug them. Don't continue to let them rule your time and take
ownership of your day. A good exercise to really uncover how you're
spending your time is to write down everything you do for one week. Keep
close track of where you're spending your time and note when the distractions
come up and how you respond. This includes checking email and answering
calls.
When I did this exercise it
become very apparent to me that while I was "busy" each day, I
was allowing distractions to creep in and literally suck away my time from
doing what mattered most for my continued growth and success. Really
take the time to do this and I think you too find some powerful revelations in
how you're spending your days. Once you see where you're wasting your time,
you'll feel empowered to say no to these distractions and "YES" to
what really matters most to achieve the success you so strongly desire!
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