Tips & Insights for Top Performance

Do you ever feel like you should know something, but are still learning it?
Do you ever feel like sometimes people YOUNGER than you are teaching you things, that you hoped you would know already? Sometime that can be a hard pill to swallow.

Our society praise knowledge and being smarter, faster and better than someone “behind” you. It is the race to get ahead, to win, to be the best, to be the “one”.  How misleading and poisonous this can be for us. It shuts down the learning process and introduces pride and judgment for where are you at in your “process”.

The people I respect and learn from to most are “gray hairs” who say they are learning from me! I respect them because they are incredibly talented, wise and experienced people who certainly don’t need to be learning from me;  I am honored to be in their presence. The amazing thing is they hold the truth that they are never done learning and can always learn from others, no matter what age. What a humble and wise perspective.

Learning is not a linear process, it is a circular process. You learn from me; I learn from you.

My 5 year old teaches me and I teach her.  I may be teaching her skills, manners, safety and awareness, but she is teaching me curiosity, play, creativity, etc.   I think younger people REMIND us of things we knew or share a perspective we cannot see anymore because we are past it.  For example, I LOVE hearing from people without kids how they think that kids should act. They have a non-worn-out filter/standard that I love to be reminded of.  It isn’t that they are experts on child rearing, they just have a perspective I can’t have anymore because now I have kids, so I lost that ability to think/look at life from that perspective.  I need those people to help me be reminded, see and learn from that angle.

Take another angle.  How many people are learning from kids about computers, websites, social networking, etc. There are many example of this.  As we are young we respect and look up to our teachers (parents, seniors, etc.) to learn from them.  As we grow older, in wisdom, we stay open to learning from all of those around us.  Each person has something to contribute and when you start viewing the world and the people in it, as unique individuals with each one having something valuable to share/offer, when you are open to learning, you ultimately grow yourself. Let go of the need to be right or be the expert and open yourself up to learn from someone else today.

In the Laws of Attraction thinking, there is encouragement to hold the perspective that “The Present is Perfect” and “We have everything we need in life” RIGHT NOW in this moment, no matter what is happening. This is a pretty hard concept to swallow when you are just laid off, or your company is faltering, you are in the middle of personal turmoil, etc.

How can you think, say or believe this when it does not feel so true? If you have goals and desires to be in a place different then you are now or when the present picture is not so rosy, it is hard to say, “the present is perfect”…. When it doesn’t feel so perfect.

This is a key concept to start to embrace in order to get where you want to be. I believe it is driving at contentment, acceptance and the place of not fighting against the present. While you need to recognize where you want to be in order to get there, there is a way that you can do it without making “right now” wrong or bad.

Take an example; my 5 year old Mikylie wants to learn how to read. Does the fact that she can’t read right now make this a crappy, bad day, because dog-gone-it she wants to read NOW and she can’t so she wrestles and fights against accepting her present reality? If she can accept that she cannot read right now and appreciate and love that I get to read stories to her right now and she is in the process of learning and one day she will be able to read too – she can enjoy the process rather than make it harder. Then she opens herself to learn from me, enjoy the stories and embrace the process. The funny thing is, when you fight it (i.e. she would be mad she can’t read) it takes longer to learn because you are not open, receptive and curious. If you don’t accept the present, you are more likely to be discontent, resentful and focused on the negative that you can’t, others can, etc. vs. being in the process (learning to read).

Another example, I was playing Othelo with Miklyie (a game) and she was getting frustrated that she was loosing. I told her she needed to enjoy the game and not worry about the outcome. I encouraged her to work toward her goal – of winning – but not “tallying” each step of the way, because everything changed each time a player moved, causing her to be stressed and tense about the game rather than focused on her next move and enjoying it.  (When she felt like she was loosing, she was more hopeless, discouraged and felt like she had no options!)

Sometimes in life we get all worked up about each move and get distressed feeling like we are loosing or failing. At times, I get sucked into this too. It is a daily practice to keep bringing yourself back to the present process, being aware that today is perfect and holding a clear focus about where you are headed, keeping a positive open attitude to what comes to you in this moment and day. For me, this is about my faith knowing God holds my bigger picture in His hands and that today He simply asks me to do my best. I don’t need to worry about regrets of the past or anxiety about the future, if I know where I am headed and am doing my best in the moment to work toward that goal, accepting what comes along the way (good or bad).   

The AM Power Hour seems pretty simple. It is, however, due to our human nature to not be discaplined and to get swept up with the urgent, our e-mails, voice mails and whatever is in front of our face, we can sabatoge the effectivness of a real Power Hour.

Here are some tips to make sure you set up, if you want to get the most of your time:
(if you don’t do these, you may find yourself saying, “it doesn’t really help”. If you say that, check and see if you are doing one of these pitfalls).
— Arrange to have this time set aside first and last in day (block and designate the power hour time)
— Plan to do it the same time everyday (otherwise you run out of time and have to jump into day)
— Have a routine for the time (otherwise you just sort things and fill gap and not be productive)
— Write things down to help clear your mind and not forget (don’t be argent and think “that is little I can remember that” )
— Understand this is BIG PICTURE time planning time not TO DO LIST time (it is not to be used to get things done from your to do list) (DO NOT DO TASKS NOW – if one comes to your mind, just write it down)
— The Power Hour needs to happen before my “work day” starts (home, office, etc.) – if you want to start working at 7:00AM, then this needs to happen before that (otherwise you will get interrupted and distracted)
— Needs to be just you (mute phone, shut down cell phone, eliminate interruptions, no talking to others…) (otherwise you get of track and all of the sudden it is 10:30)
— Believe it will work for you and will give you success (vs. fighting that this is wasting time or thinking I don’t have time to do this)

These are just a few tips to avoid some common pitfalls of ineffective power hours. The really are powerful. Experince it today!

Here are a few benefits you may gain from doing a AM Power Hour:
1. Clean out your mind so you can focus on one thing at a time vs. 9 things
2. Stay on top of things and avoid phone calls about forgetting things or being late
3. Keeps things in perspective and know what I have to do
4. Plan my days and week and have the big picture in mind (allows you to be more strategic)
* know when you have to say no vs. over-committing or dropping the ball
* accurately estimate how much time I need to block out for things,
* know when to ask for help
5. Are more productive, getting things done and making progress
6. Ensure you get the “behind the scene” paperwork done too (the important things)
7. Helps to get the frogs done (not procrastinate)
8. Keeps a clear schedule so you know what you need (if I need to work late, etc.)
9. Get out of the gate sooner; able to start the day at 7:30 without chasing tale for hours
10. Be in control of your day vs. your day and everything else controlling you = reduced frustration!

Many people think they already do this “in their mind” but don’t take the time to do it on paper. Others, feel they don’t have time to stop and do this. The amazing thing is, if you do it, you will have more time to do this and the other things. The key is the DISCIPLINE to stick to it. You have to make it a routine in your day; otherwise it is just hard to make it happen. If you miss a day, don’t stress. Try again tomorrow. The truth is, when you do it you will be more effective. When you don’t, you will absorb time trying to get your barring and might not be doing the things that matter the most. Do you care how your day unfolds? If so, try a Power Hour.

Your AM Power Hour is a planning time that you set aside 30 or 60 minutes to simple get focused and clear for your day. There are many benefits from doing this, the greatest is a clear direction for your day that moves swiftly and productively. Design your own routine. Keep in mind, these are not working on tasks, rather the focus and planning for tasks. Here is a sample:

1. Get focused: read goals, Proverbs 3, prayer and motivation statement
2. Review week/days game plan
3. Review your to-do list and meetings from previous days to recall commitments and promises and needs/actions
4. Brain dump any actions I need to take, plan things to do on the road, projects at desk, put on list of actions, delegate, etc.
5. Systems (set up folders or things you need to operate swiftly for the day)
6. Communication (e-mails, thank yous, proposals, letters, etc)
7. Admin tidbits (Bill, People needs, etc.)
8. E-mail / VM (read, sort, and delegate)
9. Note FROG Project for the day to work on next (book: Eat that Frog)

Give it a shot and draft one for yourself. Block the same time each day and follow your planning list.

 Genuinely volunteer but don’t have the time/resources to follow-thru; rarely volunteer
 Get caught in the analysis of paralysis (over analyze) or move without thinking it through
 Don’t pick up after themselves (leaving clothes on the floor, or wet towels on the bed) or a meticulous
 Spend impulsively or tight-wad
 Show up late or early
 Overly sensitive or overly callus
 Overly serious/no sense of humor
 Not purging and holding on to things
 Overly optimistic OR see things from a pessimistic/negative perspective/sarcastic
 Loose their temper OR are patient / loyal beyond reason
 Priorities (family over work; personal over family; etc.)
 Always cold or hot (seriously)
 Move a certain way (slam doors, walk heavy, shake foot, etc.)
 Are passive or laze fare about things; organized or hyper about things
 What have you observed in your co-workers, spouse, kids, neighbors, friends and family that you may find non-beneficial, annoying, frustrating or unproductive, but really it just is WHAT THEY DO??

Yes, this is very related to temperament, personality, environmental influences and experiences, etc.. The point is your temperament is inborn. Your personality is largely set through a variety of influences. We are who we are. One golden rule in marriage is “don’t try and change your spouse.” This applies not just in marriage. People are who they are. Seek to appreciate them for who they are, recognizing most weaknesses have flip strengths; try and see those. If THEY want to change, that is a different story. I will dive into that next time!

“People do what people do” is an adage my husband and I learned several years ago when we were leaders working with a team of volunteers.  As young go-getters, we had high expectations and eagerly expected follow-thru from the volunteers’ well intended commitments/promise of action.  While some people were great, there were some that surprised us with their lack of follow-thru in different areas, and we began to feel frustrated.  Not wanting to feel this way toward people, we stepped back to evaluate what was happening and what we should do or change. (Reading this, you may be on the volunteer side thinking we need to be more lenient or apply more understanding towards others, or if have been in leadership, you may know that is to be expected and/or share in commiserating with the quandary and challenge.) 

So, as we reflected on what was happening, we learned the sentiment that “people do what people do,” meaning, if you have a person who has been quick to produce in the past, given a similar context, more than likely he/she will be quick to produce in the future.  If a person has been a quick volunteer but backed out a number of times in the past, more than likely you will need extra hands on that task as it is highly possible they might back out again. (I am not suggesting you walk around judging and labeling people without a track record and then putting them in a box based on one or two interactions; I am suggesting that people’s track records generally preceed their behavior). 

This has been a principle we have applied in leadership, our personal and professional lives. It helps to remind ourselves of human behavior, manage your expections of others and see them for who they are rather than expecting them to be something different then who they are. It has applied in many situations: volunteerism, work, marriage, kids, and people in general. This little thought was just a quick way to reframe, plan accordingly and manage our expectations.  Most people have good intentions and are influenced by their personality, situation, influences, life circumstances, etc., It does not make them bad or wrong, it just is what it is. It is generally true that a person will do what they have done in the past.  

This is not to be used to judge or tell someone who they are or what they should do, but to help you plan and manage your expectations of them. Also, it is not telling someone else how they should act, the observation of behavior is simply telling you how they are. That is why it has been said for years, “Actions speak louder than words.”

Does this make a person hopeless to change? Absolutely not; but change comes from within and a persons desire to change; not someone else desire for you to be different then you typically are. This is a personal principle for you to get what you need vs. expecting other to change. Therefore, my encouragement is to reduce your frustration of people acting different then you like, try to see people through how they are and work with them in that light.

If you don‘t agree, remember it is said the best predictor of the future is history. When you study history and new developments, you can see how that is true. As humans, we are always unpredictable and unique; however as humans, we are creatures of habit and behavior. Sometimes we are not even aware of it ourselves, but step back and consider: do people in your life do what they have always done?

Many of us make to-do lists. Usually they are long and filled with a variety of tasks. Not only is it essential to prioritize the list of items, but also estimate how much time each task will take. Often when you do this, you find you have two days worth of to dos on your list. One thing that zaps our energy is feeling overwhelmed and getting distracted. When you have long to do lists that are not even reasonable to accomplish, often much less gets done.

If you take your list, budget how much time important tasks will take, you can then plan them into your day better. If you have a 10 minute task, you can plan that for a 15 minute downtime period. If you don’t do this, people usually take 10 minutes just to figure out what they are going to do and then they only have 5 minutes left to do something, which is not enough time, so then nothing gets done (or they start a project and are stressed and then late for the next appointment.)

It also helps you to plan your day to see that you need 2 hours of blocked time to eat your frog (the #1 most important to do). This way you can plan your day to get that big thing off your plate. I guarantee when you get the weight of a large project off your back first thing in the morning, you will be super charged and excited for the rest of your day. Then knowing what you will do, how long it will take you and “budgeting” when you will do it, creates a clear focus and drive for you to accomplish many more things in your day.

Action:
* Take your prioritized list of to dos and write behind each how much time each will take (pad more time then less time)
* Look at your schedule for the day and plan when you will do which tasks. If you have a large tasks, see how you can break it down into parts that fit into your day.
* Write specifically what you will do on the calendar. (i.e. budget 1 hour to write newsletter. Have a 15 minute opening in the AM; plan to write the intro to the newsletter.)