Have you experienced days where nothing seemed to be going right for you? Did you find yourself stuck, helpless and asking yourself, “Why is this happening to me”?
If yes, you’re not alone.
Almost every one of us experiences days when nothing goes right for us and we are forced into reactive mode right from the get go.
It’s easy to lose control and go crazy during those occasions… but it’s important to keep control & wither the storm so you can fight another day.
For me, yesterday was one such day. Chaos & uncertainty is a part of most people’s lives, but not mine. I always keep a calm outlook and never act in a reactive way.
However, things took a 180 degree turn yesterday when I found myself in a gridlock traffic jam.
What should have been a quick 30 minute book interview turned into a long 4 – 5 hour chaotic drive.
Now this is just a once in a while event in my life, but I know for some of my clients and readers, this is the norm.
Chaos and confusion is a part of their life. From the time they wake up to the time they go to bed, every action they take is a reaction to something else.
It’s never out of 100% FREE WILL.
And when bad things happen, they feel drained and have no zeal left to continue. All they can think of is returning home, turning on the TV and hitting the sack.
If you’re stuck in one such routine and want to get out, then here’s how…
Create Time For Introspection:
Every one of us, whether it be a CEO or a layman – all of us are only bestowed with 24 hours each day. Some people use it fruitfully and some don’t.
Introspection is valuable because it allows you to gain perspective over your life. It helps you ensure that the ladder you’re climbing is actually pointing at the right wall.Don’t say that you’re busy or don’t have time for that. You are just deluding yourself if you say so.
You have to learn to make time for introspection.
The best way you can do it is by setting aside a specific block of time each day for this purpose – whether in the morning, noon or evening.
Make A List:
Do you maintain a list of activities and tasks that you need to perform every day (personally and professionally)?
When I mention a “list”, I don’t mean a task list – with tasks that you have to do on a certain day. These tasks are likely to change and may need changing on the go.
But you need to at least have an idea of processes or certain activities that you have to do on a day to day basis to fulfill your personal/professional obligations effectively.
If you haven’t made such a list yet, begin right now. That’s one of the first steps to becoming an organized person.
It gives you control – a structure that you can follow to fulfill all of your expectations.
Plan Your Day:
One of the most powerful things that you can do right now to MASSIVELY explode your productivity is to plan your day thoroughly and set aside specific times for various types of activities and work on those activities at only those times.
It doesn’t matter even if your home/office schedule is unpredictable. Having a plan – a list of certain key priorities and appropriate times for them gives you the structure you need to conquer your day.
Even though I got stuck in a severe jam yesterday, I was still able to make my book interview in time because I had planned well the previous day.
To begin, start by creating consistency in day to day lifestyle activities like waking up, eating your breakfast or lunch.
Set aside a specific time each day for these activities and only perform those activities at that time. Keep doing this for a couple of weeks.
The discipline that you build here will tip over to other areas of your work and exponentially increase your productivity.
Stop Multi-Tasking:
Whenever I say this to my clients, they become perplexed.
A lot of people have the notion that a person who multi-tasks is a winner and will climb up the corporate ladder pretty fast.
However, this is a fad. Research has proven that humans are incapable of multi-tasking i.e. paying attention to more than one thing at the same time.
When they try to do that, their efficiency decreases and they struggle.
So if you’re someone that multi-tasks, stop right now. Focus on doing only ONE thing at a time and do it very well.
Manage Your Communication Impulses:
There are many people that have an irresistible *urge* to immediately check or read any messages they receive and respond back.
Many of these people who have such urges often end up being the ones that experience the most stress. The ones that don’t check their phones impulsively, take time to respond are the least stressed. They are more relaxed and calm than their counterparts.
I belong to the latter group.
If you’re someone that belongs to the former, it’s time to get control. Remember, technology needs to be your tool/friend. It should only be used for productive purposes.
Using it for any other purpose means that you’ve become its slave.
Review Your Day:
Every evening once you’ve completed all of your work, you need to review your day. Be sure to ask yourself the following questions:
“Did the day go well? Did I complete all of my tasks within the stipulated time? If not, why?
Is it because I loaded up too much on my plate or is it because I got distracted and didn’t focus well enough”?
As I was doing this review on one particular day, I found that I had failed to complete all the tasks I had planned to do.As I introspected, I found that I had spent about 5 – 10% of time doing things that weren’t productive.
So the next day I went back with vigor and determination to not commit the same mistakes again.
If you’ve tried everything that you can possibly can but find yourself struggling, then go here right now:
Yes, I Want To Gain Back Control
Working with a professional coach who can listen to your frustrations non-judgmentally and support you will help you get results faster.
Besides working with clients 1 on 1, I also engage with corporate teams through my Group Coaching Sessions.
Through these sessions, your team will learn to make powerful changes to their current engagement and improve performance. In my personal Intervention, I will teach them how to…
- Develop a die-hard attitude for achieving their personal and professional goals
- Create a powerful Road-map in their lives which ultimately results in success
- Double, triple or even quintuple their productivity by teaching them to overcome stress effectively.
Are you an executive who’s looking to increase your team’s overall productivity? Then mail me on enquiry@satishrao.in to bring in the much needed change within your team.
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