Do you aspire to be a great high growth leader, yet run out of time and energy to get things done? Or perhaps you are performing well leading a high growth team but the stress is getting to you and you know you can’t keep it up. You look enviously at your peer group who seem not to have the same struggles. They have the same time limits and demands as you, but seem so much further ahead in their career path, or they look fit and relaxed whereas you just feel exhausted. Do they have boundless energy, superhuman capabilities, or have they figured out the secret of not needing sleep? The truth these successful people have figured out the secret of working smarter, rather than harder. They understand the secrets of willpower and know how to schedule their priorities, rather than prioritise their schedule. They manage their stress and nurture their relationships.Over the next few weeks I will share with you some tips on how you can achieve this. This week I will focus on confronting mindfulness.
Life presents us with a myriad of distractions when we try to get things done. E-mail and social media can be a time drain. It’s much more fun to look at our friends’ holiday pictures or may be the inspirational quotes posted by coaches on a great pictures! Even when you do try to get down to a tasl, your thoughts may drift. It’s so easy to go mindless, especially when you are tired or stressed. Successful people know that they have to remind themselves to be mindful several times throughout the day. That is why top companies, such as Google, have a “Mindfulness Officer” to teach their employees these skills. To adopt the habits of these mindful, successful Googlees, you will need to set yourself cues for mindful check-ins. You could use the Mindfulness Bell app on your mobile, just set your phone alarm, or use an external cue, such as every time the phone rings. At least once every hour, stop and ask yourself: “Where am I? What am I noticing, thinking, feeling, and doing right now?” And “Is this what I want to be thinking, feeling, or doing?” If the answer is “No,” gently redirect yourself back to where you want to be. You’ll be surprised how much more time you actually have for your priorities when you train yourself to be more mindful.
