Have you ever wondered if you were truly operating at an optimum performance level? Do you feel like you have an ADHD work habit? Research, think, ready to write? Hey there goes a squirrel. Then you ask yourself, “What was I doing?”
Are you like me? Tired of a “Daily To-Do List”? It is just a long list of things that grows longer every day. Why? It is because the same things,(that we don’t want to do), gets moved to the next day. So let’s talk about how to make your completion rate POP!
What ENVIRONMENT
IS BEST for you?
We all work at a differently. Some like to work in loud environments; others like it quiet. Some like to collaborate with a team; others are better by themselves in a cubicle. I enjoy a “coffee shop” environment. I like a place where there are people moving and interacting. When I need POP, I put in my noise-canceling ear phones with music and I’m in my zone.
What would ENERGIZE YOU MOST if it were completed?
Be honest, you don’t want to do everything on the list. In fact, not everything on the list NEEDS to be done. Even further, some of things on the list should be done be someone else. Do you have things on your list that could be delegated or deleted all together? Those should be the first things to go. You might want to read my previous post on Project Hoarders, The Art of Delegation (Click Here). Pick the 2-3 things that you will attack first.
What is your preferred
PACE OF ACTION?
Some think they work best when they multi-task; others think they should focus on one thing until the bitter end. The problem with these is that frustration keeps both from being completed. Multi-tasking is a ruse. Your brain cannot effectively and adequately think on two things at a time. Neither gets the proper attention. Working on one thing without breaks will cause boredom and reduced mental effectiveness.
What is your attention span? Learn to work in consistent “energy bursts” with breaks to re-focus. See the diagram below that works for me.
This is the sequence of my POP: Personal Optimum Performance
What works for you? I work best in 45-60 minutes energy bursts. I completely engage on a priority for that space of time, then take about 15 minutes to change the pace and do something completely different (ie. Email, phone, conversation). Then, it’s time to get back to another energy burst.
Find your Environment, Energy, and Pace and you will find your POP: Personal Optimum Performance.