Fewer than 5% of us will ever make it as far as CEO level so ’ we more focused to ask ourselves how can you perform at your peak every day?
If you’ve ever begun your day with a plan of what you want to achieve only to get blown off-course by responding to other people’s needs, then it’s time to change your strategic approach to your work.
Stop and consider what is more important to you in your career, not how you can help someone else in that moment. As research shows that fewer than 5% of us will become CEOs, it’s time to put the focus back into how to perform at your peak every day – all day, every day.
With years of experience in sourcing premier talent for Ireland’s leading companies, my insights will get you back on track in terms of managing your inbox, your creative time and your emotions – and performing at your peak:
So, How Can You Perform At Your Peak Every Day?
DON’T CHECK YOUR EMAIL FIRST
Once you get absorbed by your inbox, your brain gets overwhelmed with information and ideas, and your personal objectives and goals start to seep away. Get through your own workload first.
IDENTIFY THREE PRIMARY GOALS AND SEE THEM THROUGH
Research suggests that we can only remember three ideas relatively well. With so many potential distractions at work, be really clear about what is most important and limit yourself to three key goals for the day. Doesn’t sound like much? You’d be surprised! Try it on Monday and you’ll be amazed at what you will have achieved by Friday.
BE POSITIVELY SELFISH
Saying ‘no’ to non-essential tasks isn’t being selfish. Everyone’s ability to make sound decisions is a limited resource, so it’s essential to learn to say ‘no’ to non-priority tasks. On a micro level, switch off your smartphone during a meeting instead of casually checking email, you can’t respond anyway, so conserve your energy for the task at hand. Take this approach to a macro level and you won’t expend energy on a project until you have all the necessary information gathered.
YOUR QUALITY THINKING TIME IS PRECIOUS
Find and protect your vital focus time for level three thinking, deeper problem solving and your writing and creative work. This is vital for your career, so make it a priority and eliminate all distractions. Generally, the best time is early in the day and early in the week.
DON’T FALL INTO THE MULTI-TASKING TRAP
Clients/ employers aren’t looking for people who can half-do ten things at once. Our brains are hardwired to concentrate on a single conscious thing at a time. Switching between tasks not only wastes energy, but multitasking can leads to decreased performance and mistakes. And, it saves no time at all! Multitasking between two activities takes the same amount of time as doing them one-by-one. If you have two equally important and urgent tasks, do one first, then the other.
EVERY WIN COUNTS
We all are so busy we rush from one thing to the next and don’t engage with our own progress.Yet a sense of progress has been shown to be one of the most rewarding and engaging experiences in the workplace. Positive emotions are helpful on many levels, including improving immune function and making us more creative.
Take time out to actively celebrate your wins and the work you have done to achieve your goals and both you and your employer will reap the benefits.
Managing stress at work in a healthy way can also help to achieve peak performance at work on a daily basis, read “10 Ways To Beat Stress At Work” !
