Tip Thursday - Perception

We tend to quickly perceive...
... things we are focusing on, but not things we are not focusing on.
... things we expect to see, but not things we don't expect to see.
... things we want to see, but not things we do not want to see.

Our experiences and perceptions of people and events are therefore shaped by our focus, expectations and wants.  If you want to broaden your perceptions, to learn to view things more as they are and not how you want or expect them to be, you need to suspend your beliefs and expectations.

Don't interpret, simply observe.  Typically far easier said than done, but it will open you to far richer experiences.

Finding Your Flow

We all have an optimal state of focus at which we are our most productive.  These are the moments inThe Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance...which we are fully immersed in what we are doing, allowing us to get further and faster.  This is what is referred to as being 'In Flow'. According to Steven Kotler, author of

"Flow is an optimal state of consciousness, when you feel and perform your best.  It's the moment of total absorption. Time speeds up or slows down like a freeze-frame effect. Mental and physical ability go through the roof, and the brain takes in more information per second, processing it more deeply."

There is over 150 years of research in the study of flow, which professional athletes have long taken advantage of. They are typically extremely skilled at deliberately creating a state of flow, to enhance their performance in real-time moments of need.  Given that a gallop poll suggests that the average business person spends less than 5% of their day in flow we all have room for improvement.  Imagine if you were able to increase your moments of flow to 15% .  Just that shift would serve to double workplace productivity.

Use the following insights to help you learn to Find Your Flow more consciously and strategically...

Challenge Yourself.  For flow there is a clear balance that must be struck between Challenge and Skill. Too little of a challenge and boredom will set in.  A challenge without the needed skillsets to accomplish it will lead to anxiety.  The ideal is a high level of challenge where your existing skills are also high.

Take Risks.  All risks require focus.  Even emotional risks require concentrated effort.  Keep the above point in mind, looking for risks that present a challenge for you, a step outside of your comfort zone, but that fall within your skillsets.

Clear Distractions.  It will prove difficult, if not impossible, to work in flow if you are constantly being interrupted. Block off time, shut off electronic devices and close your door!

Use your Senses.  The deeper your level of engagement, the more of your senses you are likely using. Open your senses to immerse yourself more fully in the task.

Change the Environment.  Your workplace environment can drive comfort and complacency, which may work against your finding flow. A more complex environment, with a certain element of novelty can demand your focus, making it far more difficult to simply 'walk' through your day, since your habits and routines won't fit these new and challenging situations.

You'll know that you're in flow when you find yourself so absorbed and involved in what you are doing that you lose your sense of self and time to the task.  You will experience greater clarity, motivation and satisfaction from the work.

Given that your best and most productive work comes out of your moments of Flow, it makes sense to learn to cultivate these moments. Use the tips above to help you take your productivity (and success) to the next level!

    

Tip Thursday - Paying Attention

Although it is important to focus on the tasks we are engaged in, concentrating intensely on a task may blind us to everything else going on around us, thus limiting the quality of our end result. This is referred to as Attention Blindness. 

Each of us sees the world from `our` perspective, which can leave us blind to the perspectives and insights that others may have. Our Attention Blindness can lead us to a solution that fits our perspective, but not necessarily to the `best` solution. 

Acknowledge that there is more that exists beyond what you can see, soliciting feedback and insights from others to gain perspectives that can strengthen your results. 

Tip Thursday - Productivity

It is easy to feel overwhelmed, especially with a long to-do list hanging over our heads. Rather than focusing on 'everything', ask yourself instead... What is the best use of my time right now?

Focusing on what is within your control at the moment increases your sense of control over 'tomorrow'.

Focusing on the moment helps you to decrease the stress you feel about what else is on your plate, which makes focusing on what's left so much easier.

Sleep Your Way to Success

An overlooked but important component of our productivity and success is the quality and quantity of our sleep.  Sleep is an important time for our brains and bodies.  It is during our sleep that our brains work to clear our bodies of toxic waste chemicals, heals and repairs body tissues, consolidates memories, enhances our learning, processes emotional events...and on and on.  Our brains and bodies need this time.

Numerous studies have shown the debilitating impact of sleep deprivation upon our thought processes, productivity and capability.  However, most recent studies are also showing that we are not, as a rule, achieving the restful and rejuvenating sleep that we require to sustain our daily activities.

In order to achieve success and maintain a high level of performance, the quantity and quality of our sleep is a critical component to consider.  If you are not waking up refreshed, focused and ready to tackle anything the day may throw at you, it may be time to review some of your sleeping routines. Consider whether there are any potential changes you need to make to yours, giving your brain and body the time they need to prepare you for the day ahead.

Timing.  We know that our children respond best to a regular bed time, but our bodies and minds do too.  It is far easier to fall asleep when we get into a regular routine and habit.  Try to stick to a consistent sleep and wake up pattern, which will serve to signal the brain when it is to shift into shut down mode.  Certainly we will have exceptions to this routine, but make them the exception, not the rule, if you want to fall asleep faster and easier.

Upgrade your Bed.  You can't expect to have a restful night's sleep if you are sleeping on an old, lumpy, ratty mattress.  Ensure that you have a mattress that will support you the way you prefer to sleep, and a pillow that will do the same.  Oh, and don't forget to change those sheets regularly too. Feeling comfortable in your bed helps to signal the 'relax' function in your brain.

Fresh Air.  I know that there are some people that don't like to have a window open when they sleep, but fresh air and a cooler room are more conducive to a deeper more restful sleep.

No Food or Drink.  Avoid eating any heavy food or drinking alcohol with a couple of hours of bedtime.  Both require too much energy from the body for it to be able to unwind enough to relax for sleep.  Additionally, drinking too much before bed will require you to get up during the night to go to the washroom, which is also disruptive.

Limit Caffeine.  If sleep is regularly alluding you it may be time to review how much caffeine you are taking in throughout the day, particularly in the evening, and determine whether it may be a contributing factor.  Try cutting back on your caffeine intake, at least in the later afternoon and evening to determine if that was the culprit.

No Electronics.  Make sure that any of your laptops, phones or tablet are not in your bedroom or have all of their sound shut down.  Listening to pings and bells signalling the receipt of new messages does nothing to help you unwind and drift off to sleep.  Either keep 'em where you can't hear 'em or shut 'em down!

Avoid those Screens.  Apart from the noises your devices may make that interfere with your sleep, research shows that the blue light emitted by your electronics is disruptive to your body's natural rhythms.  Try avoiding all device screens for 1-2 hours prior to bed time to reduce its impact.  If you must use your devices prior to bed, try turning the brightness of the screen down, or use a light altering software to do it for you.

Relaxing Rituals. Creating bedtime rituals can be an extremely effective way of programming the brain to recognise when we are ready to begin shutting down.  Taking a hot bath, meditating or any other quiet activity can serve as your wind-down signal.  The more consistently it is used the more effective it will be in helping train your brain and body to know that you are preparing for sleep.

Exercise.  We know that there are numerous benefits of exercise, but studies show that those who exercise regularly sleep better at night and feel less sleepy during the day.  It also helps to increase the amount of time you spend in the deeper more restorative stages of sleep.  Exercising in the morning or during the day is great but, because exercise speeds up the metabolism, avoid exercising too close to bed time.  Ensure that you finish at least 3 hours before you go to bed to allow your metabolism to have slowed down.

Sleep is a critical part of our Success formula.  The better the quality of our sleep, the more focused and productive we can be.  However, the more we compromise the nature and quality of our sleep, the less prepared our minds and bodies will be to face the tasks we ask of them.  Creating the bedtime rituals and habits that serve your body and brain are all part of a success strategy that will help you get to the next level.

Tip Thursday - Talk Your Way into Productivity

One aspect of being more productive rests in your ability to focus on a task.  However, sometimes it seems as though our mind is not prepared to think the way we need it to, when we need it to.  You can help to redirect your brain and 'induce' focus by using visuals (draw a diagram or picture to move past words and help t cement your thoughts) and talk out loud, walking yourself through your thoughts. Talking out loud engages a different part of your brain than does thinking in silence, which can be enough to help you focus in on the issue you're grappling with.

What's Your Misery Index?

Sometimes, in order to become more successful, you have to look beyond the obvious. We all try to do all of the right things. We look at what the successful people do and we try to emulate. However, it can become frustrating when we don't seem to be netting the same results from those efforts. This is where thinking smarter about the way we work, and perhaps even the timing of some of our actions, is required. The right actions done at the wrong time will never net you the same positive impact of the right action at the right time.

For example, consider Campbell's soup. Like any company, they wanted to sell more of their product. Effort was put into the look and taste of the soup, the packaging and labelling of the soup, studies were done to determine the right price point of their soup in the marketplace. All of these were the 'right' and necessary things to do. These are similar to what each of us does (or should do!) in order to market our products or even ourselves. Campbell's ran ads in order to create more sales for their products. However, sometimes the marketing they did was effective, sometimes less so - even if it was the same advertisement.

In looking at their marketing information a little closer, they determined that the purchase of their product was influenced heavily by the weather conditions. Cold, wet, windy days drove more sales. Much of their marketing budget was wasted during bright, sunny days. The challenge, of course, was how to reach their audience primarily during those days and moments when it would be the most effective, when someone was chilled and a bowl of soup was very appealing. In response to this, Campbell's took meteorological data, tracked weather patterns, and created an algorithm - they called the Misery Index - to predict when to best run their ads, for each station/geographical location. Brilliant. The more miserable the weather, the more desirable their product. In making this simple connection they were able to increase the effectiveness of the same marketing programs and dollars.

In thinking about this concept, it occurred to me that we each have our own personal Misery Index. Where we happen to be on our own index, at any given point in time, will drive the effectiveness of our actions, influencing our outcomes. Brilliant. The more miserable we are, the less effective our efforts will be. Imagine then if you began to track and understand your trends, scheduling your work and efforts around your 'peak' times.

Some of our trends will occur seasonally. Some people find that they are much more productive during late spring, early summer and through the fall, experiencing a drop in their productivity during the winter and late summer. Extreme cold and heat can have a definite influence over our energy and focus.

Some of our trends may be driven by the calendar. Some people find that they are more productive during moments in the calendar year that seem to 'speak' to them of renewal: the start of the New Year, springtime, September. Others may find that Holidays have a significant impact on their energy, experiencing a positive or negative swing around these times of the year.

Some of our trends may be driven by the planets and stars.  Some people are influenced heavily by elements like the waxing and waning of the moon, without even realizing that their energy is being governed by it.

Some of our trends may be driven by our circadian rhythms.  Some people are more energetic and focused in the morning, some are most productive late at night.  Some people are raring to 'go' on a Monday, while others are at their peak mid or late week.

Understanding your Misery Index helps you to plan your work and activities to your peak periods, avoiding taking on a daunting task during your low moments.  However, it also is important to consider where your audience may be on their Misery Index.  If you know your boss is at her lowest in the morning, or hates the snow, you might not want to try pitching your new idea to her first thing in the morning during a snow storm, even if you are an early bird that felt invigorated cross-country skiing to work!

Plan your working schedule around your Index, but your pitching around the likely Index of your audience. The concept of the Misery Index is there to highlight for us the impact of doing the right thing at the wrong time.  Consider investigating further if you find that even doing the right things seems to result in your spinning your wheels.  The right actions, taken at the right time, will net you the right results.

8 Time Management Tips that Boost Productivity

I'm not going to talk about the basics of Time Management here.  We're not talking about creating to-do
lists, or filing, or prioritizing.  You should know that stuff by now or have access to numerous resources to help you understand the fundamentals.  What I do want to share with you are eight great insights into Time and your use of it, all aimed specifically at helping you be more productive.

We all have too much on our plates, and we all struggle with finding ways to get more done in our day. Although that tends to be a given, how we approach all of those tasks and how we manage them is not. Over my years of coaching and working with Managers and Executives from a variety of industries and in a variety of roles, I have had the opportunity to observe and learn from many of the best.  The list that follows are my distillation of their lesser known but absolutely key successful 'Time Management' habits.  I hope they help you to think of and look at time and productivity a little differently.

1. There is no such thing as Time Management. This term is a misnomer preventing you from understanding that, in order to use your time effectively, you actually need to develop your skills in managing people, managing systems, managing technology, and managing you.  The better you are at managing these elements, the better use you will make of your time.
2. All of your media has an off switch.  Use it.  Even shutting off from everything for one hour of completely uninterrupted time per day can give you a huge boost to your productivity.  
3. Schedule time for interruptions.  Think of this as the equivalent of a professor's Office Hours.  The more you are able to create a set routine as to 'when' these times are, the more you, in essence, train others around you to respect them.  Conversely, use a Do Not Disturb sign for those times in which you absolutely will not welcome interruptions.  Fair warning to others around you!
4. Know your energy cycles and schedule to them.  Plan to face your most difficult or challenging tasks during your Peaks, not when your energy and focus are crashing.  We all have our own unique rhythms.  Know when you are at your productive peak each day and use that time strategically.
5. Timebox your activities.  This means that you assign a time limit to your activities.  Rather than going into a task with the thought that you will stick with it until it's done, assign an end time to it.  Typically you will find that it is easier to remain focused and you are able to get more done than if all tasks are left open-ended.  Urgency helps to drive focus.  
6. Turn key tasks into habits. The more that you create automatic systems for your mind to latch onto, the faster you are able to get it in gear and slip into work mode.  I typically write better in the mornings.  When I have office days then, I have a set routine I follow when I first hit my desk that, essentially, tells my brain that it's writing time.  This allows me to slip into the mental space I need in order to write what needs to be written.  Without it, I flounder.  Create the habits you need to get your key tasks flowing faster and more effortlessly.
7. Chunk and Batch.  Take large tasks and chunk them into smaller activities.  This creates manageable chunks of tasks that are easier to schedule and move through.  Batch similar chunks of activities together to take advantage of your brain grooves.  Different tasks require different types of thinking. Batching similar items together allows you to move through them more quickly because your brain is already in that mental groove.  Switching from one groove to another has a start-up time that you eliminate if you allow your brain to stay in a particular groove.   
8. Take breaks.  I am a firm believer in the need to take regular, short breaks in order to refresh, recharge and refocus.  No muscle can operate at maximum capacity, without recovery periods, without crashing.  Your brain is no different.  Push it full out, then allow it a little recovery time, then push it again.  Adding in the breaks will make you more productive during the moments of focus, allowing you to get further with breaks than you ever did without.  

Try a couple of these ideas out for size.  In the end, it is really not about managing your time so much as it is about managing your productivity.  Try a couple of the ideas above out and let us know how they worked for you and feel free to also share a couple of your best productivity and time management ideas.

Focusing and Single-Tasking

Despite the much lauded concept of 'multi-tasking', we truly don't get anything done without the ability to focus.  The greater our ability to minimize the distractions surrounding us, and concentrate our thoughts and efforts on the task at hand, the more productive we will be.  Unfortunately, today's workplace seems bent on creating more distractions than ever before and in rewarding people for responding to them.  However,  our long term success actually relies upon our ability to ignore those distractions, hone in on one thing... and get it done!  Results, in the long run, are what are going to take us from here, to there.

Most of us spend our days on sensory overload.  Our mind actively works on shutting down much of the sensory information we receive in an effort to help us to direct our attention to our more important needs. Consider the feel of the chair you're sitting on, the brush of your clothing on your skin, the weight of your glasses on your nose, the feel of the pen in your hand or the weight of your coffee cup.  These are all seemingly small sensations, but are those that we do not consciously register until or unless we formally direct our attention to them.  Our brain is constantly at work minimizing these distractions so that we can fully focus elsewhere.  The more distractions that exist around us, the more difficult a task this becomes until our brains become overwhelmed and far less effective in keeping those distractions from, well, distracting us!

Concentrate all your thoughts on the task at hand.   - Alexander Graham Bell

I remember when I was a child, the great fun we had playing with a magnifying glass.  Yes, this was before iPads and electronic devices took over.  A magnifying glass, the sun and a piece of wood and you were good to go for hours!  Harnessing the power of the sun and directing it to one focused beam of light created great power.  This is the power of learning to harness the mental ability of your brain and directing it in a single-minded fashion at a task.  It stands to reason then that the more effective we are at managing distractions, the more productive we will find ourselves to be.  Here are a couple of tips to help you get more from your day...

• Shift your mindset from multi-tasking to single-tasking.  When we think that the goal is to be better at multi-tasking we are inadvertently giving ourselves permission to jump from task to task, thought to thought.  Distractions then seem to be a built-in part of this equation.  If our intent is on single-tasking instead, we do not welcome interruptions and are more consciously aware of the desire to avoid them.Our aim is to work optimally, which requires us to work in unbroken chunks of time.  You may choose to schedule your chunks in small 10 or 15 minutes segments, or in larger 60 minute ones, depending upon your environment, tasks and needs, but start chunking your time to focus on one thing at a time and see how much further it takes you.
• Cultivate your mindfulness.  You want to be more aware of where your attention should be, and to gently nudge it back if and when you drift or begin getting pulled in another direction.  You need to retrain your brain to recognise that you actually want to remain focused and not be distracted!  Much of the way we live, allowing every electronic ping to take us off course, has told our brain that we welcome such diversion, which is why you are on hyper alert and can't help reaching for the device every time it makes a cough, burp or sputter!
• Deliberately minimize distractions.  Don't make your brain have to do all of the work to shut distractions out and down.  Actively work to minimize some.  First of all, set your devices so they do not 'ping' you every time someone sends you an email or text.  If you know that you need an hour of uninterrupted time to focus on a project, put a sign up on your office door asking not to be disturbed, book yourself a meeting room away from others to help you concentrate or set up a red light/green light system.  I have a client who introduced this within their office to help people develop their focus.  All employees were given two flip cards, one green, one red, and were instructed when to use each.  In general, green meant they weren't working on anything critical and could be interrupted if needed, while the red card (which was used judiciously) indicated they were in deep-focus time and should not be disturbed.  A novel idea! 

Focus can be developed and strengthened, but it first needs to be recognised as a desired skill.  Our distractions are increasing at an alarming rate, necessitating the development of our ability to block out the extraneous messages.  Developing and strengthening your ability to focus is likely going to prove to be a decisive factor in your continued success.

For more reading on the concept of Focus and how to cultivate it...