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Remove distractions.
Plan small rewards for good behavior.
Share your wisdom. Can you be proactive in explaining your scheduling choices to colleagues?
Planning Deliberate Downtime
It might go against our instincts, but making the most of the day doesn’t mean churning away nonstop.
Researchers are finding that when we allow our brains to take a break from a task, they appear to do important work in encoding and consolidating the information that we’ve just absorbed—and this reflection time results in enhanced learning and insight.
Never let more than ninety minutes pass without doing something to refresh your mind and body—if possible, by stretching your legs and getting a brief change of scene.
REFLECTION TIME
Amplify the value of the experience by taking a moment to step back and reflect on your insights. What struck you most? (What will you do differently as a result?)
Every evening, Robyn also uses a quick reflection practice that she invented, which she calls “DATE,” an acronym that reminds her to think back on her day and recall what she’s discovered (“which could be an interesting fact or lesson learned, or perhaps something I’ll do differently tomorrow”), something she achieved, one thing she’s thankful for, and something she wants to remember that she experienced, whether in her work or beyond.
PLANNING DELIBERATE DOWNTIME
Take smart breaks.
Make decisions at peaks (not troughs).
Schedule breathing room.
Allow reflection time.
Overcoming Overload
THE MINDFUL PAUSE
use a technique called ‘triangular breathing,’ where you breathe in for a count of three, then breathe out for a count of three, then pause for a count of three. By slowing your heart rate, you’re sending a signal to your brain that the threat has passed, so it reduces the other signals of stress.”
THE “POSITIVE NO”
Normally Anthony would have written something like this: “I’m so sorry, but unfortunately I’m no longer going to be able to join you on the trip to KL. We’ve recently taken on three big projects and I’m finding myself swamped with all that entails. As a result, I just can’t carve out the time to make it possible, despite my best efforts. Huge apologies again.”
By comparison, his positive no went something like this: “I was honored that you invited me to KL. The work you’re doing is fascinating and impressive [warmth]. As you might know, our side of the business has also grown enormously in the past few months. We’ve taken on three exciting new projects that will really change the way our clients think about marketing. I’ll be setting up the projects in the coming month, and it’s my responsibility to make them the success they deserve to be [his yes]. To do a good job, though, I’m having to let go of a lot of things. And sadly, one of them is the
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AUTOMATE THE SMALL STUFF
That’s why a number of world leaders choose to minimize the amount of time they spend worrying about their wardrobe.
OVERCOMING OVERLOAD Next time you’re feeling overloaded, try these strategies—in fact, why not try them right now?
Mindful pause. Give your brain’s deliberate system a chance to fully engage, by pausing to focus on your breath (or scanning your body, or counting back from one hundred) for five minutes.
Get it out of your head. Write down everything that’s swirling around your mind, even the tiniest to-dos.
Most important thing.
Smallest first step.
Comparative advantage. What are you uniquely well placed to do—and what could others do,
Positive no. For a commitment that you need to delegate or decline: start with warmth; say what you’re saying “yes” to; say your “no”; end with warmth.
Setting boundaries.
Automate small daily decisions.
singletasking
Beating Procrastination
TRY THE “FIVE WHYS”
The technique originated in the auto manufacturing sector, where it’s used to work out why a production process has gone wrong. It’s certainly not a substitute for psychotherapy. But it’s always striking to me how quickly the “five whys” can help to uncover the root causes of many day-to-day difficulties.
BEATING PROCRASTINATION
Picture the benefits.
Plan a short-term reward.
Tie the first step to something you like.
Amplify the downside of inaction.
Ask the five whys.
Relationships Making the Most of Every Interaction
Building Real Rapport
ASK QUALITY QUESTIONS
Merely by saying “Tell me more about that,” you’ll be in the top percentile of listeners that anyone will meet today.2
Ask truly open questions, rather than making suggestions masquerading as questions. Properly listen to the answer. Notice what seems most striking, and ask more about that.
Find a shared interest.
Highlight a common goal.
Talk about a common complaint. Be careful how you use this, because negativity can nudge people out of discovery mode.
