Being Specific - No Hall Passes
By Jason Henkel, Chief Balance Engineer
During our productivity trainings, I've found that a very common feedback statement from the folks who don't like feeling behind on email and work but also aren't really in the mood for the real change that is required is:
"Jason, I really love everything you showed us here today - seriously profound stuff, but this probably won't work for me." And then they continue on with some limiting belief narrative that keeps them stuck. This is a high level limbic response by them because they know deep down that the way out requires an exit from some part of their comfort zone (safety). (Brain translation = red alert! Survival Mode! Automatic No! Change is bad! Insert Mr. Crood Reference.)
Upon receiving this inevitable feedback (there's always one or two in every crowd), I know the exact way out and that is to zoom in and get really specific (who, what, when, where, why, how). I like to get to the nub of it, and usually they aren't expecting me to. This is where it gets fun because they thought I was going to just respond with some platitude of productivity statement and let them off the hook. But no sir; when someone asks me to dance, I DANCE.
I know from experience that I'm within two questions about specifics of what's driving their limiting belief. I'm able to confidently know this because there are two things I'm certain of about that person:
1
They are spending minutes and calories to do things.
2
Those things are all more important or less important when actually compared to each thing on their list.
My chain of questioning eventually leads them to eliminating a few of the less important things from their list. They were simply in the trance of doing instead of first prioritizing and then executing based on that deliberate priority order. Breaking the trance is both simple and difficult and usually requires outside intervention.
And so, if you are feeling overwhelm regularly: Pause, take 6 deep breaths, and begin identifying items on your to do list that simply shouldn't be hijacking your balanced day.
We teach this and how Microsoft Outlook helps to initiate priority in a working day. If interested in working better hours, not more hours, reach out (click here ) and set up an individual or team training!
Specifically Yours,
Focus to Evolve Team