January is almost over. It seems like yesterday we were preparing for year-end holidays, and now the first month of the new year is almost over.
As you get to be more and more involved in your daily activities, it's important to set time aside to unplug and revise your vision.
Take some time to reflect without being connected.
Following are four ways you can unplug, focus, and be ready to give your best year-round.
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate
Say no to administrative tasks. Stop taking meetings that don’t drive business value. Delegate everything you can without breaking your talent. Open your days for thinking and for strategy. On your free time, put a large sheet of paper on the kitchen table. Divide it in half. One the right-hand side you will list all of the things you want to accomplish that fit your core strengths. On the left-hand side you will list all of the things you want to accomplish that don't fit your core strengths. You will delegate everything on the left-hand side of the paper.
Create Thinking Time
As you look at your calendar in February and beyond, find uninterrupted time every day that doesn’t have distractions. This will allow you to spend time thinking. Schedule appointments with yourself and don't cancel them or move them around, except in an emergency.
Develop Your Vision and Repeat It
Over and over and over again. If the vision isn’t moving throughout your organization, revise it so people are on board with it. If someone else can’t articulate what it is, it either needs to be revised or you’re not discussing it often enough. Use part of your free time to revise as necessary.
Reflect and Adjust
Failure is the big F word no one wants to discuss in business. But it’s only failure if you allow it to paralyze you. Learn from the mistakes you make. Reflect on what’s working and what’s not working. At least once a week. And adjust your vision, your strategy, or your communication to improve your efforts.
And, of course, always remember what’s really important in life. Unfortunately you won’t be remembered, after you’re gone, for how many hours you worked or the fact that you could do it all.
So be sure you take time to be present with your family. Really be present. Without your phone, tablet, or laptop.
