..Operate in the Now.

The final reason in the Inspo 10/10/10 series on why people thrive in their career relates to their ability to perform ‘in the now’. In his book, “In Pursuit of Excellence”, Terry Orlick cites how ‘distraction control’ is key to thriving in your career. In addition, Orlick states that those who ground themselves in the present manage daily distractions effectively, thus ensuring that quality permeates throughout their performance.

What drives the ability to operate in the now?

Plan well:

Those who operate in the now, and at their best, are effective planners. They have a great handle on their diary. Which means they know what’s ahead of them, what’s required to perform well in each case and what time needs to be set aside to ensure good work outcomes. Consequently, they can operate well and fully in the moment, with the knowledge that they have themselves covered in every aspect of their work demands.

Speak their mind smartly:

Those effective at performing consistently well are good at communicating. An underlying component to that is their ability of knowing what needs to be said. This comes from strong levels of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and a willingness to ‘have the conversation’. Speaking their mind smartly allows for things to be dealt with in the moment and focus to be retained on the job at hand.

Get things done:

People operating in the now and at their best get things done. In this instance, ‘things’ particularly refer to tasks of necessity, as mentioned in last week’s blog on enjoying career successes. They are not particularly enjoyable. However, they are necessary and must be done well as part of achieving career goals. The following two strategies are commonly used to get tasks of necessity done as efficiently as possible:

1. Get them completed at the earliest available opportunity.
2. Set a slot aside in the diary to ‘blitz’ the tasks of necessity for that week.

These two approaches miminise time and (wasted) energy given to tasks of necessity. In addition, they optimise the energy, focus and performance levels in all others facets of their role.

Mindful working:

I see a growing number of those operating in the now adopting mindfulness to enhance their performance. Mindfulness, primarily a meditative practice, enhances ability to live and act in the now. Simple steps, such as three-minute ‘mindful breaks’, can positively contribute to living in the now. As well as contributing to delivering the best possible outcomes in your work.

All of the above are doable. And all can enhance performance at work.

A goal for you is to plan your working week ahead, incorporating speaking your mind smartly, getting things done and mindful working, to enable you to be as high-performing as possible.

You can contact me directly at john@inspo.ie for further information on Inspo.