Do you have an intentional method you regularly utilize to determine what you will spend your time on? In other words, what will your attention and focus be on and which items take priority over other items?
This spans the spectrum from personal care, to family, to community to business and more. How do you determine what is going to be done first, second, third or in the ‘to do’ pile?
For example in the personal category – do you shave first and shower second or shower first and shave second? Do you go through this same exact routine all of the time? Why?
In the family category do you begin each day giving your spouse a hug and a kiss and tell them you love them? Every single day?
In business do you answer your email first thing in the morning or later in the day? Is it at approximately the same time every day or do you answer email all day long?
These are examples for you to utilize in order to consider your own reality. Write the out here for your reference.
| ITEM | DO FIRST | DO SECOND |
| Personal
Why? |
||
| Family
Why? |
||
| Community
Why? |
||
| Finances
Why? |
||
| Career/Business
Why? |
||
Let’s now look at focus especially in career and business. Do you carry through all the way to completion? At what point do you take a break and possibly walk around outside of the office for a five or ten minute ‘clear your head break’? You might say ‘no break’or you might say ‘at least every 90 minutes’. Do you take this action step all of the time? Some of the time? How do you handle this area – focus?
The entire point of these questions and the thinking you are being asked to do is to have you consider if there are other behaviors you might consider which would make you either more productive or free you up to be more creative?
Potentially you will come up with other questions or other thoughts which will take you along a path to follow toward achieving the stated goal.
Try it out and let me know what you find out about yourself.
Intentional Living begins with 10 minutes a day. Learn how to live a life that matters. Learn more by clicking HERE.
Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive coach, speaker and trainer based in Stamford, CT.
You raise some good questions here, Mitch. I haven’t been doing much for most of 2015 due to cancer treatments and all but I’m planning 2016 like crazy:-) I like to bunch like tasks together so I write for a block of time, check email in the am and again in the pm. I’m planning out my year based on my 2016 goals in all areas of my life and setting myself up for success. I think intentional planning is key.