Are you one of the people who finds January gloomy and endless? Congratulations! You’ve already made it more than halfway through this month. (And if you’re the rare person who absolutely loves January… share your secret, won’t you?)
Of course, January has its upsides. One of the highlights for me, so far, was leading my recent webinar and sharing some of my favorite productivity tools. I want to share one of those tools with you in a minute. But first, let’s talk toddlers.
Anyone who’s spent time with young kids knows that their attention spans tend to be goldfish-like. You might spend 15 minutes setting up an activity and the kiddo is interested for about 15 seconds.
(Stick with me – I swear this is relevant to productivity tools.)
Because young kids get distracted easily, they tend to need a lot of redirection. “We’re going to put books away now and go eat snack.” “Please stop pulling the dog’s fur and go to the bathroom.” “No, your sister doesn’t like being pinched, drink your juice.” It’s frustrating, but as adults we understand that young kids need a lot of support in this area.
You’re not a toddler, which means there may not be nap time and bubble bath on the horizon today. Still, course correction is something even the most accomplished professionals and brilliant entrepreneurs need help with.
That’s where my Practice the Pause™ strategy comes into play. It’s one of the productivity tools I shared during the webinar, and I want to make sure that all of you are taking advantage of this technique. It’s a simple, quick way to redirect your own attention and course-correct your productivity when you’re getting off track.
Here’s how this productivity tool works:
Throughout the day, I want you to pause whatever you’re doing and take a deep breath.
Maybe close your eyes and relax your shoulders.
Then you’re going to ask yourself three questions:
“What is the most meaningful use of my time right now?”
“What was I doing before I paused?”
“What do I want to move into?”
Maybe, when you answer those questions, you’ll realize that you were already working on the right thing. Or maybe you’ll realize that you’ve been distracted by unimportant and non-urgent tasks, and it’s time to pivot to something different.
What I love about the Practice the Pause™ technique is how quick and simple it is. Do it every hour to make sure you’re on track with your day’s to-do list, or do it just when you’re feeling overwhelmed and distracted. Less than a minute is all it takes to redirect your focus.
Need more support? I’m here for you. When you schedule a one-on-one Time Matters Success Strategy Session, I’ll help you figure out your next best steps to get a grip on your time and get to the next level in your life and business– exactly what you should do next to start living the life you dream of for yourself. Apply for a Success Strategy Session by clicking here.
We’re also gearing up for the start of my Time Matters Boot Camp 90-Day Program, an intensive virtual program designed to give you customized productivity tools that work for your brain and your life. It starts January 28th, so enroll now before this window closes. Click here for more information.
In the meantime, remember: no matter how busy you are, there’s always time to stop and pause.
Gratefully,
Sarah
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