In a city where people are seemingly becoming busier and busier by the minute, do you ever wonder how others around you are managing work and life? Are you rushed in to making decisions on the spot, unable to focus or have a huge mental block that is stopping you from progressing? If so, then read on. I share my top tips, hints and tricks that I use to keep me on the ball, everyday!
1.Manage your focus, know what you want and avoid being swayed.
The first step is to focus, focus, focus. Before commencing a new piece focus by asking yourself:
-How long should this piece of work should take?
-What are my specific aims regarding this piece of work?
-Where this is piece of work potentially heading?
-In what ways can this work be challenged by others and how do I intend to respond?
-How does this benefit the bigger picture?
For example, if your current piece of work is 'write a monthly performance report' then your possible answers to the questions above could be:
I need to write up the monthly performance summary. This should only take 1 hour. I aim to highlight our achievements, losses, issues and improvements. This summary is potentially heading towards getting more resources. This may be rejected by Finance in which case I will respond by suggesting a meeting to discuss alternative approaches . The bigger picture is to improve performance of our teams.
2.Get creative when you are low
Everyone has peaks and lows in their professional and personal life. When things aren't going so well we feel stuck and powerless. At this point you can choose to focus on the worst of it or use this as a launchpad to generate new ideas. Get unstuck by generating a new momentum of ideas. Here's how you can do this now:
-Notice your body position. What would your shadow look like right now, would it be slumped looking downwards for long periods of time? Sit upright, allow your hands and arms to relax by your side, roll your shoulders back, lift your head upwards and outwards, look up towards the sky. Take in a few deep breathes and smile. Stay in this position for a few minutes. The purpose is to create in your body the feeling of someone who is full of positive ideas. Try doing this once every hour whilst at work.
-Think about someone you look up to professionally, this can be a former boss, an entrepreneur or a business celebrity. If they were in your shoes right now, what would they be doing differently? What would be their attitude? What advice would they give you?
-Be inspired. Glaring at the computer screen whilst stuck in a rut won't help initiate inspiration. Consider doing something more creative or physical to take your mind off the current situation. By engaging in an activity that brings forth your creative nature you are tapping into other parts of your brain and participating in such activities on a regular basis usually help to bring more inspiration for ideas into your life.
3.Notice your mental blocks
Sometimes our mental blocks stop us from even taking the first step. How often do you think 'I would love to do that but I can't because XYZ'? For instance,
I would like to call Darren and discuss this new opportunity which will be great for his company but after the last time our team under-delivered I feel embarrassed to pitch this idea and he will probably think I am silly.
The fact is we don't know what Darren is thinking, but we judge what we think Darren thinks based on what we would think if we were Darren. Noticing the judgements we place on ourselves and others will help to remove distortion and mental blocks which often stand in the way.
Get rid of your mental blocks now, with this handy 5 step process :
Step 1: Write down what you would like to do and the reason you can't do it. Look out for any judgements you have placed on yourself or others.
Step 2: Imagine placing the mental blocks and judgements into a box. It may help to stand up and pretend you are lifting the mental blocks and physically placing them into the box.
Step 3: Stand upright and imagine what would it be like if those mental blocks or judgements in that box were not there? Would the path be clear for you to go full steam ahead? If not, what else do you need to place in the box?
Step 4: Play out the scenario in front you, doing that thing you want to do without the mental blocks and judgements. If new mental blocks and judgements seep in, just physically grab them and place them in the box.
Step 5: (Optional) You may want to make the box larger, mentally place it somewhere else other than your home or office, or even recycle it and replace it with something more positive.
What we are doing here is challenging your usual thought process and asking a part of your brain to think in a new way that supports you in what you want to achieve. You need to really try it for yourself rather than just reading the steps :)
I hope this has gone some way in helping you to get creative, unstuck and focused. If you have any questions about any of the tips and processes I have just shared above, please contact me here http://www.hypnosis-in-london.com