Productivity Tip - Get Clarity
We've all had those moments in our careers where we feel like we're just spinning our wheels, or feeling buried under a growing list of incomplete tasks. Or we're constantly pivoting between meetings and phone calls till the end of the day and then realizing you hadn't accomplished much at all.
And then we burn away our evenings, weekends and precious time with family and friends thinking we will eventually catch up. Which never happens because we don't want to disappoint those we work with. So, we continue to overpromise what we're not so sure we can accomplish. And most of the times we do. But at what cost?
Operating without clarity of a long-term strategy and priorities can lead to an enormous waste of time, resources, mental and emotional energy on tasks or projects that don't get us closer to our bigger vision.
You may say, "I work well with chaos or ambiguity. This is how I operate and I get lots done. So, I must be doing something right."
Maybe so, but check in with yourself. How are experiencing stress, and feelings of frustration, anxiety, and overwhelm? How well is your approach working for you?
It's important to stop and assess where you are.
Where are you in relation to your long-term vision?
What are your short-term priorities to achieve your long-term vision?
Is what you're doing right now constructive or purposeful or supportive of your short-term priorities?
If not, how can you eliminate, postpone or delegate what you're doing to return your focus to your primary goal?
In addition to self-reflection, it's important to get feedback from your direct reports, peers, managing directors and mentors to help gauge if you're doing the right things to achieve your goals.
Like with everything in life, it's too easy to get caught up in the details and looking for problems to solve. It's very important to rise above the day to day to remind yourself of the bigger picture and to make sure you're moving in the right direction. It will save you time, energy and resources in the long run.