Productivity results from focus. To be focused you need to be clear about what is important. To know what is important, you need to check in with yourself daily to ensure you are working on the things that are the highest priority and get you the greatest return on your effort, time and resources. Try this practice at the start of each day and watch how your productivity soars!
- Check in with your head: What’s on your mind? Where is your attention this morning? (What I have to do?, What happened yesterday that I have to fix?, etc.) What are the tasks that I want/need to do today? What are my thoughts about getting these done? What am I thinking it is going to take to get these done? What thoughts are supportive? Which are not? What thoughts will support you today?
- Check in with your heart: What’s going on in your heart? What feelings or emotions are activated when you think about what you need/want to get done today? What emotions/feelings need to be expressed today? What “heart-to-heart” conversations do you need to have today? What connections do you want/need to make today? What relationships need attention today?
- Check in with your body? What is going on in your body? Is your body tense, achy, energized, tired, etc.? See if you can scan your body and tune into what’s going on. Check in with your gut. Take a few minutes to listen to what, in this moment, is going on for you.
- Now from your body center, ask the questions:
- “For this to be a productive day, what do I need to accomplish by the end of the day?” Consider the list you generated when you tapped into your thoughts and your heart.
- “Is there anything that I need to do today but I may want to put off or avoid? What can I do to ensure that I take action on that today?”
- “If I accomplish these things today, I will …. ” Fill in the blank as to what the pay-off (What’s in it for you?) is to get these things done.
The first couple times you do this, it may feel like it is taking a while to do but as you build your internal muscle for aligning your three centers, it will get easier and faster. Remember energy follows attention and by checking in with your head, heart and body — your three centers of intelligence — you are building a muscle that ensures you stay aware, aligned and awake … simply put, present, focused and productive!
