PPB March 2021

working from home, chances are that your desk is full of paper you don’t know what to do with. Stop this maddening cycle by touching each sheet of paper just once and figure out the appropriate action. Either put it in a to-do pile so you can deal with it immediately, a file (for documents you must keep), or the trash. This keeps the papers moving and keeps you sane. Recapture your “throwaway” moments. Everyone can find a few minutes a day between meetings or phone calls to achieve a few small goals. But many times, those moments just pass us by, and we are no closer to our goals than we were before—and once they’re gone, they’re gone . Seize these “throwaway” moments and use them to accomplish some of your goals. For example, in fiveminutes, you could review your schedule, return a few e-mails, write in your journal, organize your workspace, tell someone “thank you” or offer a compliment. In 15-30minutes, you could return or make a call, clear your inbox of e-mail clutter, exercise or cook a quick meal. Do a priority “tune-up.” We have very little trouble prioritizing everything in a real or perceived crisis, yet we struggle doing the same thing with our precious minutes on any given day. We make excuses as to why less important things rob us of our time. We need a priority “tune-up,” starting with setting realistic goals for ourselves on both personal and professional levels. To do your tune-up, begin by looking at your life in small chunks. Take into consideration how you spent your time over the past three months. Now ask yourself the following: • What would I keep doing? • What would I want to eliminate or stop doing? • What’s missing that I might want to add? Now, using that list, create goals for the upcoming three months. Be as specific as you can. Try to separate professional goals from personal ones. Select three or four priorities that rise to the top of your list and make a commitment to keep them front and center over the next few months. Identify your “time robbers” and cut them out. It can be eye-opening to find out where all your time goes in a day. Make a list of how you spend your time in a 24-hour period. Account for things like sleeping, eating, self-care, exercise, entertainment, surfing the web, work and housework. You might be surprised to discover one or more “time robbers” that you were unaware of before. But that’s good news because once you recognize them, you can take action to focus on them less. Practice mindfulness and breathe. When working from home, it’s almost impossible not to be distracted. But imagine how productive you could be if you could focus, calm all anxious thoughts and truly be present. Find out by practicing mindfulness. Breathing is a tool for achieving a relaxed, clear state of mind. There are multiple methods for achieving this state, including tai chi, meditation, yoga or simple breathing exercises. Find one that resonates for you and practice it daily. Make time for laughter. Laughter can be a powerful motivator. It can build cohesion during a team project, make a task seem less daunting and PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT Gonzalo Aragon / Shutterstock.com 74 | MARCH 2021 | THINK