Most people are on cruise control when it comes to improving the way they work. We just assume that we’re optimizing as we go. However, just like grabbing a morning cup of coffee or any daily habit, we are often on autopilot and don’t think about what we’re doing -- we just do it.
But I’ve discovered that awareness can be a powerful tool in improving your work experience and holistically attaining the goals you set.
With that in mind, here are three things you can do today to make an immediate impact on your performance and your ability to succeed -- and have fun -- at work.
1. Schedule time to think. You may believe that you can get your thinking done in between tasks or running to and from meetings. However, deep creative and strategic thought comes from focus. Most likely, in those back-and-forth moments, you are thinking of 10 things, not one. Be creative with the time that you spend thinking. It doesn’t necessarily have to be quiet time staring at your computer. In fact, I have found that going dancing, while pondering a problem, is one of the most productive ways I think. For you, maybe it’s sitting in a crowded space, like a nearby cafe. Whatever it is, the key is booking time so that you give yourself the space to focus on challenges that require deep thought.
2. Be the CEO of your career. Being your own “CEO” requires spending time to be strategic about how you operate. Most rank-and-file and even upper-level managers are disposed to a reactive mode (not CEO behavior) because of the pace of business. However, by not taking a step back from your day-to-day, you miss out on creating your own opportunities, instead of being on the receiving end of an endless flow of tasks. First, do a quick analysis of your situation.
Are you ever innovative with your approach to your job? Meaning, you are able to be objective about how your day-to-day activity is related to your career. If you aren’t, then it could mean that, like the above step, you aren’t scheduling the time to think and then craft initiatives you would want to spearhead. For example, as the CEO of your career, you need a vision and a mission. Knowing that can help make clear if your current job is where you’re meant to be -- or just a stepping stone.
3. Take a stand for your talent and purpose, or “Zone of Genius.”
Even if you don’t know your talent (the innate way your brain solves problems) or your purpose (what makes you feel fulfilled) then you can take a stand for the work that you enjoy most. Don’t take for granted the moments where you are super fired up.
Start tracking them and dissecting what it is you are doing in those moments. Start to be strategic with how that work can be multiplied for yourself and if doing more exciting work is beneficial for your business or organization. Commit to prioritizing work that is challenging (in a good way), fun, and fulfilling.
Start with these three suggestions and then start a new weekly habit of asking yourself these 15 questions, which are designed to help you become more conscious of your performance and what causes you to enjoy or begrudge your job. Good luck -- and remember, no matter your role in your company, the benefit of being the “CEO” of your career is loving work and having unlimited success. Is there anyone that can say no to that?
