Written by: Sally Higoe, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
That can be tricky this time of year. As Christmas approaches, along with ‘the busyness’ we’re experiencing, (trying to keep up after a couple of years of slightly more unusual Christmas practices!) it can be hard to be intentional as to how you will spend your time – meetings, luncheons, EOY gatherings, school activities, planning, finalising... all of it can seem an important way to meet our needs. But you’ve worked hard to get where you’re at and now is not the time to be distracted.
“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities” – Stephen Covey
That can be tricky this time of year. As Christmas approaches, along with ‘the busyness’ we’re experiencing, (trying to keep up after a couple of years of slightly more unusual Christmas practices!) it can be hard to be intentional as to how you will spend your time – meetings, luncheons, EOY gatherings, school activities, planning, finalising... all of it can seem an important way to meet our needs. But you’ve worked hard to get where you’re at and now is not the time to be distracted.
One of the keys to running your team and business effectively is to know exactly how to prioritise what needs to be done, and when. The alternative is piles of to-do lists, disorganisation, random jobs and tasks, things forgotten and slower growth of your business.
So why is it that some people ‘have’ time and others never ‘have enough’? Realistically, every one of us has access to the same amount of time.
Perception. Time and the amount of time we have is based on our perception. Sharon Pearson of the Coaching Institute states “If you play at the level where you know you do what is important to you, and makes you feel good, and don’t do anything else, you will be able to assess what you value currently in your life and your business.”
As humans, we have a preference for pleasure... we want this more than the feeling of pain. When a task is perceived as challenging, we relate this to pain... it’s going to be hard, I’ll have to concentrate, how long WILL it take me to do? So we justify with reasons to avoid doing it at all... and we take the more pleasurable option – the task that can be achieved quickly or easily and most definitely, more enjoyably.
The results you are getting in your business right now will be a direct reflection of this simple principle.
If you love starting projects, you will likely have lots in the pipeline, some great brainstorming sessions and probably not a lot of profitable results on an ongoing basis. If you love going straight for the profit, at any cost, you will probably not have many fulfilling relationships around you – culture and motivation will be low level.
You get the idea.
Where we place our efforts, we will see the results. Results are a direct reflection of our efforts.
Is it possible to change what we associate as pleasurable and what we associate as pain?
What if you made a conscious decision to link your efforts to the results that you want?
This can be done in two ways:
Link huge pleasure to what needs to be done
Make a decision to do what needs to be done, even if it causes you pain
1. Linking pleasure to what needs to be done
Make a list of all the positives that come from the ‘painful’ activity. For example, if you don’t like goal setting, link more pleasure to it by writing the following;
It will move me closer to my dreams
I will know exactly what action to take
I will have satisfaction knowing where I’m headed
I will avoid procrastination
I will feel more worthy and purposeful as I consistently achieve
I will know exactly how to guide my team
I will know where to focus training
I will know where ‘stretches’ are needed
Linking a list of pleasures to the undesired activity certainly makes it more appealing and doable... in fact, there is even some excitement built around it and an urgency to accomplish it.
2. Make a decision to do what needs to be done, even if it causes you pain
The only difference between ‘successful’ people and those that aren’t is how they push through, the discipline they can maintain to overcome fear and pain and do what needs to be done (instead of only what they like to do!)
It is this kind of decision-making that will set you apart from the rest. It is discipline.
It’s important to find balance in your role, to maintain the ability to ‘choose’ how you will spend your time, to meet your needs and continue growing.
This technique gives you the freedom to do just that ‒ to own your time and feel good about how you’re doing it.
If you need more information on scheduling your tasks, appointments, weeks... and life!... email me at sally@team-resilience.com.au and mention this article. We’ll book you in for a free call and chat about how you can reach your goals with much more ease, right now.
This is your opportunity to make 2023 your best year yet – FOCUS on what matters and achieve the results you’re after!
Sally Higoe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sally is uniquely world-experienced in building resilience, emotional fitness, and quality sustainable practices in leadership. Her experience across multiple countries leading high-performing teams in high-pressure outlying remote environments has amplified her ability to know what it takes to connect a conscious leader to their team, with outstanding results.
Having spent decades on diverse projects in every climate imaginable, Sally discovered the critical aspects of authentic leadership and team alignment. She has now blended research-based, proven methodology with her pragmatic approach and ability to 'be herself' to create the transformative Align & Shine program. There, she guides formerly flustered, confused, and internally insecure leaders, to tap into their true classic selves, without the need to conform to outside pressures, helping them become bold, present, courageous, and energized leaders who genuinely connect with their team AND their business.
Sally is co-author of Resilience in Leadership, Pt 1 of the book series, leader of both community and international hardship projects, and accredited in scientifically proven Human Behavioural Profiling and Meta Dynamics ' thinking-based methodology, adding to her Practitioner of Coaching credentials.
Most importantly though, Sally, Founder of Team Resilience Method, is now on a mission to show striving leaders how to shine, gain clarity and create a ripple of positive change, from the inside out.
