6 Questions You Should Ask Yourself
Every Day
In
the lives of busy people we sometimes forget what's important. These six
questions will help you gain focus and productivity.
It's
easy to get wrapped up in the day to day and just do everything as if on
autopilot without much thought for the bigger issues at stake. I have
personally been in hyper-busy mode the last few weeks. In addition to this
thrice weekly column and producing a weekly
radio show, I
have been driving a major initiative for a new client and readying for teaching
three interactive sessions at GrowCo.
There
have been lots of 18-hour days. The hard work is lots of fun and very
productive, but can often feel a bit crazy as well. I keep my priorities
straight in times like this with 6 simple questions that keep everything on
track including my sanity.
Throughout
each packed day, I reference this list of questions and re-center to make sure
I am working at my best and accomplishing in a highly
productive
manner. Asking yourself these questions in busy times will help you stay
focused, humble, and on target.
1.
Why am I here?
This
isn't a big, abstract existential question. I mean it in an immediate,
practical sense. What brought me to the place(s) I am today? Motivation is key
when times are hectic. I want to remind myself why I am excited to do this work
and stretch myself. There are many motivating factors at play. Money, people,
accomplishment and fun all motivate me to work hard and do great work. Keeping
these motivators at the forefront of my brain makes me smile and provide
satisfaction with each completion. Understanding clearly how the choices I make
in the heat of the moment lead to my preferred destiny helps me drive through the
most challenging of times with purpose and resolve.
2.
What more should I do?
It
seems odd to ask what more you can do when things are already hectic and
jammed. But this question helps me identify what I might be missing in my
current plan. There may be additional places where my skills and abilities will
make the most difference to a project getting done successfully. Perhaps there are issues
I have been ignoring where my attention is needed, and where I can make a
positive impact. It is actually more important to ask this question on the days
that I feel overworked, because it will help me analyze where I should possibly
change the force of my efforts.
3.
What can I let go?
When
things are moving fast, priorities can change in a day or even an instant. It's
important to reassess and make sure the tasks on my plate are the right ones
for me. Some tasks that were high priority may be less important now after new
data. Or others on the team may more efficiently accomplish them. Any time I
can remove tasks from my list I free up time and energy for more productive use. I can take that energy
and put it towards something worthwhile. This is also a good question for
clearing my head emotionally. I use this question to isolate any stress or
frustration I am feeling during the day. Letting go of unproductive thoughts
and feelings clears the way for a better flow of mental energy.
4.
How can I be more efficient?
Necessity
is the mother of invention, and I often create my best management and
productivity routines when I am crazy busy. During the brief lulls of the day I
will often step back and try to find shorter more efficient ways to complete my
to-do list. Much of my creative energy is used on this question. I have no
sacred cows when it comes to process. If I can find a better and faster way to
accomplish, or someone else can show me one, I will quickly change over. I love
to get things accomplished and each new efficiency creates a mental high and
a smile.
5.
Whom should I thank?
I
am constantly aware and appreciative of the dedicated and talented people
around me who do great work and contribute to our overall success. But when
things are going fast I sometimes forget to tell them how much I am grateful
for their contribution. It doesn't matter if they are people directly on my team or outsiders who stepped
up to contribute. I must prioritize making them feel appreciated for their
efforts. They deserve the thanks and acknowledgement more
than I deserved the support.
6. How should I start tomorrow?
I generally don't wait until the end
of the day to ask this question. It's true that every day brings its own unique
challenges, and too much forward thinking can distract from the current day's
needs. But a little forward planning can ease your mind and allow you to set up
structures that may make tomorrow even more productive. Waiting until 8PM might
prohibit having everything ready to go on a new initiative or getting others
involved first thing. That being said, I will ask this again at the end of the
day as I make my to do list for
tomorrow so I can free my brain for a
great night's sleep.
You don't have to be crazy busy to
get value from these daily questions. On the slowest of days they will help you
center your mind so you can be confident, mentally free, and fully appreciative
of the things you do as well as the people around you.
BY Kevin Daum http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/6-questions-you-should-ask-yourself-every-day.html?cid=em01016week21e
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