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Category Archives: Changing Your Life

April 19, 2023 From Busy to Productive: 5 Steps to Take Control

We rush about our days, furiously trying to accomplish more and more, yet we often feel like we’re getting nowhere. If this resonates with you, it could be time to re-evaluate your approach to productivity. Here are five steps you can take to turn busyness into productivity.

Engage in Big-Picture Thinking

Too often, we approach our days in a reactive manner: racing to answer emails, putting out (figurative) fires, and responding to tasks. Instead, try shifting your focus to the bigger picture: what are your goals? What is your motivation? What would success look like? Take a few moments to review what you’ve accomplished in the past, the challenges you faced, and the progress you’ve made.

Simplify

Are you spending too much time on low priority tasks? Take inventory of the tasks that have filled up your days. Ask yourself what is the most meaningful thing you could be doing right now to reach the goals you’ve set for yourself? Ask yourself, “What am I avoiding?” Consider eliminating tasks that don’t support your larger goals. Reduce distractions and simplify.

Start the Day with a Plan

Rather than just diving into whatever tasks are right in front of you, take a few moments to plan out the day. Look at your bigger goals in the context of the day, and make a plan for which tasks will help you get closer to those goals. Give yourself permission to be realistic and start small. Determine what’s worth the effort and what can be left until later.

Say No

Be willing to say no to new tasks, even if you feel pressured to take them on. Respectfully decline projects that don’t work with your personal vision, goals, abilities, or current bandwidth. If a project conflicts with your goals, feel confident enough in yourself to say no.

Focus on Projects, Not Hours

If you’re told you have to sit at your desk for eight hours no matter what, you’ll likely pace yourself so you fill those eight hours exactly. This reminds me of how goldfish will grow bigger or remain small, according to how big their fish tank is. You have no motivation to work efficiently if you’ll be sitting in that chair for eight hours, no matter what.

On the other hand, if you focus on the project at hand (instead of hours), you’re more likely to work efficiently and effectively to complete it in a timely manner.

Turning busyness into productivity is not an easy task, but it IS achievable. Start by looking at the bigger picture, simplify, start your day with a plan, say no, and focus on projects instead of hours. With a few shifts in mentality, you can foster a much clearer and calmer workflow.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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April 12, 2023 How to Capitalize on High Energy Moments

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Everyone has a pulse…and I’m not talking about the beating of your heart. Your “second pulse” is the rhythm you experience throughout the day—your ebbs and flows of energy. Some people get a burst of energy in the morning; others experience this in the afternoon or evening. And then there are times when you feel depleted and distracted—stretches of time during the day when you’re not performing at your peak.

In his book When, researcher Daniel Pink calls these daily lulls your “troughs,” but you can also think of them as your valleys or low points. Since it’s difficult to do your best work during a trough, it can be beneficial to focus on relatively simple busy work during these periods. Save the high-engagement, creative, high-stakes work for the times when your energy is high and you’re feeling motivated.

Here are 4 ways to do that:

Pay Attention

For most people, a daily trough occurs in the afternoon. Our concentration begins to slip, we grow tired, and it’s difficult to think on our feet or be terribly creative. But everyone’s different! That’s why it’s important to pay attention and begin to understand when you’re energized, and when you’re simply not.

You may also notice that your energy tends to increase or decrease during certain days of the week (e.g., low-energy Mondays vs. productive Thursdays) or during certain events (e.g., at the beginning of a new project). If you’re feeling energized, take note! And if you’re not, pay attention to that, too.

Block Off High Energy Times

If possible, block off high energy times on your calendar so no one can bother you during your peak moments. This may require setting a few healthy boundaries and saying “no” to some things (that 8 a.m. meeting), but your efforts should quickly pay off. Additionally, if you get into a pattern of consistently blocking off a certain time period for deep, intense work, your brain will start to anticipate and recognize that this is a time for high productivity.

Batch Tasks

If you’re feeling energetic and creative, take advantage of the moment by batching several tasks that can be done in one sitting. Approaching several tasks at once gives you the opportunity to take advantage of the momentum of your high energy moments and finish more in less time. Plus, you don’t have to waste time switching gears and starting up again if you’re feeling tired or disinterested.

Break It Up

If you find that the task in front of you is too daunting or complicated, don’t be afraid to break it into smaller, manageable pieces. Doing so will enable you to take advantage of moments when your energy is high, without feeling overwhelmed. It’s also a great way to ensure that you’re still making forward progress on large tasks even when your energy is low.

It’s important to pay attention to your daily energy flows and use them to your advantage. If you’re feeling energized, embrace it and tackle tough projects. If you’re feeling drained, that’s OK too – use that time to check off items from your to-do list or catch up on emails. By acknowledging the natural rhythms of energy that come with the passing of time, you can make the most of your high energy moments and effectively manage the ones that are lower.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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March 8, 2023 The Courage to Change Your Mind

A version of this post was first published on July 29, 2020.

“Sometimes a hypocrite is nothing more than a man in the process of changing.”

Brandon Sanderson, Author of Oathbringer

It takes courage to admit when you’re wrong, and it takes even more courage to shift your perspective and open yourself to change. The older we get, the easier it is to do things the same way day in, day out. We become entrenched in our beliefs, and it becomes more and more difficult to shift our way of thinking.

In psychology, this “set in your ways” attitude is called mental rigidity.

While it’s normal and healthy to have a routine, mental rigidity goes a step further. It limits how you see the world, makes you less adaptable, and causes you to be closed off to new ideas or perspectives. As one article puts it, “Mental rigidity cuts off the wings you need for imagination, improvement, and exploring new places.”

Mental rigidity can also make it difficult to have empathy–to walk a mile in another’s shoes. We become accustomed to one reality, one way of life, and that becomes the ONLY way. However, different people hail from different backgrounds and have different experiences and beliefs. We can’t necessarily KNOW what another person is thinking or feeling, but we can attempt to UNDERSTAND.

When you introduce yourself to different perspectives, beliefs, and vantage points, you do something a little scary: You open yourself to the possibility that your deeply entrenched attitudes and ways to thinking might change.

Change is never easy, especially when others expect you to remain the same. When you begin to shift your perspective or beliefs, you might face criticism from those who think you’re a “hypocrite” or “wishy-washy.”

I challenge you to stick to your guns and make an honest effort to change, if you believe that change is necessary. Recognize that you are doing yourself a service in the long run, and others’ snide remarks can’t stop you from continuing to learn and grow.

On the same token, be gracious to those who change their minds. No one has all the answers, and it’s okay to learn and evolve. In fact, it is healthy.

So, be fearless. Challenge your assumptions and be bold enough to get uncomfortable. It is only when we dare to step outside our comfort zones that we can truly expand our horizons and potentially change our points of view.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 

HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE.

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