Flash decisions and fresh insight
Hi,
I’ve got three thoughts for you today: flash decisions, fresh insight, and the path to strategic solutions.
Making choices faster than you think you can
The decisions we make aren’t nearly as definitive as we think. When choices can be easily reversed, a good rule of thumb is to move faster.
You can really win time by pushing yourself to make choices uncomfortably fast—flash decisions.
Quick: What decisions are you postponing? What choices could you make today?
Giving yourself the gift of fresh insight
I’ve never heard anyone say, “I make a habit of reflecting on what I do and how I spend my time. But I don’t ever get anything out of it.”
What I do often hear: “I read your book and follow your tips, which help a lot. But I can’t manage to fit in the Friday recap—even though I know how much it helps!”
Some things to try:
Try again this week, and make your weekly recap much smaller. Try scheduling it at a different point in your week, make your checklist right now (keep it short!), and ask a friend or coworker to join you, to keep you on the ball.
Consider trying something completely different. I’ve started taking a half-hour walk most weekdays, without phone or podcast. When I scheduled my walk in the afternoons, I found myself skipping it more and more. So now I walk first thing on weekdays. The goal? Guaranteed alone time and room to think.
You could also park—for now—the idea of adding a recurring element like that to your routine. Instead, set aside a single block of time this week and ask yourself questions like What gives me energy? What saps my energy? What am I pleased with or proud of? Where have I dropped the ball?
Reserve an hour: write out your thoughts on these questions for the first 15 minutes, then take a half-hour walk, and use the final 15 minutes to refine your answers and clarify your insights. I’m certain you’ll come up with some new ideas.
Tactical problems can lead you to a new strategy
Take any selection of questions in my inbox, and you’ll mostly find inquiries about tactical issues. These are the logistical problems that can preoccupy us. What’s the most efficient way to fit email requests into my schedule? What’s the best system for keeping track of notes? How do I combine my work and home calendars?
Those are all fine questions, but there’s a world to win by taking a step back and looking at things from a more abstract perspective. If you’re running into lots of tactical dilemmas, that’s a great time to think and talk about your larger strategy:
Am I working on the right thing? Do my boss and I agree about what’s really important? What 20% of the things I do are responsible for 80% of the results?
What should I delegate or stop doing altogether? What am I still doing that takes 20-30% of my time, even though I suspect I shouldn’t be doing it?
How can I grow? Am I seriously investing in skills and expertise that I’ll need in the next 3 to 5 years?
Have a good week!
Rick
produced by the language girl