How focused are we on what is really important?

Questions regularly crop up in these blog posts, so let’s continue the habit with this one: ‘How focused are we on what is really important?’

Our answer to the inquiry ‘How focused are we on what is really important?’ will depend on our rapport with heartfelt goals, plus our ability to schedule priorities. Provided we are clear about what we want to achieve and base our endeavours on this, our focus will automatically be on what is really important to us.

At varying moments of the year, we may be obliged to spend time on matters not directly related to our core goals. Nevertheless, even in these instances, we need not lose sight of our overarching objectives.

There is no reason to be despondent just because we have to work on less strategic issues once in a while. And, provided it is only ‘once in a while’, we shouldn’t worry about not dedicating all our time to our key concerns. 100% remains the response to ‘How focused are we on what is really important?’

Anyway, enough of my thoughts on the issue ‘How focused are we on what is really important?’ To share your input, please leave a comment below.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing motivated people who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

Curious? You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

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Do one thing

When we choose to do one thing only it can feel as if we are cheating the world. Multitasking seems to be almost a compulsory way of behaving nowadays. That said, we all know the possible dangers of attempting to do everything at once: increased stress, missed deadlines, insufficient attention to details and so forth.

So why don’t we just do one thing at a time, to its completion or natural end then move onto the next item? There will be many reasons for not doing this, some even valid. But perhaps we should ask ourselves to what extent we are happy being busy, especially when busy doesn’t equate to being productive.

Operating with a ‘Do one thing’ mindset could, in the first instance, create hostility in those people who are used to offloading everything to us. Stating and defending our priorities with a polite refusal when necessary won’t win us many friends in the short-term. But then, unless that is our goal, we shouldn’t worry.

To soften the perceived slight, we may offer a convenient moment to deal with their request or, better still, suggest a more suitable person who is in a position to help. Either way, if we let go of feeling guilty and focus on providing alternative solutions things probably won’t be so bad for all concerned.

Rather than getting bogged down with words, I’ll bring this ‘Do one thing’ post to an end. To share your thoughts on the ideas raised here, please leave a comment below.

Kindest regards.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Knocking on the door of 2019

 

Well, we’ve reached the doorstep, all that remains is for us to begin knocking on the door of 2019.

How we actually undertake the annual task of seeing in the New Year is one for each of us to do in our own desired way. Knocking on the door of 2019 is, of course, a personal matter.

But however you decide to go about knocking on the door of 2019, let me wish you all the best, for today, tomorrow and each day of 2019.

Enjoy!

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian taught a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Do we want to wait?

With the traditional summer holiday period in full swing in the northern hemisphere, perhaps we have time to ponder the question ‘Do we want to wait?’

It might be the inquiry itself is linked to a particular event or activity requiring some time before it commences. Alternatively, we could be considering a new venture and need to be clear about when we should begin.

Asking ourselves ‘Do we want to wait?’, puts us on the spot. In all likelihood, we know the response in our heart yet may have shied away from it. The timing for certain specific matters is determined by factors beyond our control – Bank Holidays, annual festivities, for example, occur regardless of our priorities.

However, when responsibility for something is ours to carry, there should be an assessment of the likely success or otherwise of holding back from initiating actions or events. Our interests deserve attention. ‘Do we want to wait?’ thus transforms into ‘What are the costs and the gains associated with waiting?’

Clarifying these details is a crucial part of being in a position to answer with conviction the inquiry ‘Do we want to wait?’ And once we have decided our strategy we are in the position to move swiftly or enjoy a moment of leisure if we have given a resounding ‘Yes’ to the query ‘Do we want to wait?’

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian teaches a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Viewing the future in the present

Without indulging in the theoretical question of time being relative and so forth, it could be interesting to spend a few moments pondering the value of viewing the future in the present.

Many people set aside a period of time on a Sunday to prepare the coming week. Goals are assessed, strategies clarified and the agenda reviewed to ensure at least part of the week is going to be dedicated to our core objective – be it as a minor or major step based on the time likely to be available to us.

Within this process of viewing the future in the present, certain items may need to be given a greater or lesser priority to accommodate pressing issues, ideally without overlooking our professional and personal interests.

Viewing the future in the present in this manner is a way to anticipate challenges and schedule in periods of the week to handle them should they arise. Building flexibility into our timetable also reduces stress in the event we are obliged to modify our programme to deal with the unexpected.

Once the week is structured, it can be good to give ourselves time daily, possibly before getting out of bed, to mentally run through the tasks of the day. By viewing the future in the present in this way, we have the chance to rehearse and tweak, if required, our actions with a winning mindset.

To share your input on the issue of viewing the future in the present, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian teaches a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

How can we increase our effectiveness?

 

Although giving our best is surely a hallmark of who we are, answering the question ‘How can we increase our effectiveness?’ might produce some interesting insights.

Whether managing better priorities at work, maximising free time, or keeping goals in mind as we undertake our daily routine, something more may be done.

How can we increase our effectiveness? Pondering this, we open ourselves to the idea of harnessing our resources of time, energy, and mental capacity. Taking responsibility for these elements is itself a positive approach to life.

And, if for any reason we have neglected this in the past, it now becomes a valid response to the inquiry ‘How can we increase our effectiveness?’

To share your input on the issue of ‘How can we increase our effectiveness?’, please leave a comment below.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian teaches a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

What will you do differently this time around?

The goals are set, plans are in place and intentions are good. Yet we can imagine this was the case last year too. So, what will you do differently this time around?

Is extra effort going to be given to ‘completing more’ instead of ‘starting lots’?

Perhaps attention is now on our strategic long-term objective rather than concentrating on tactical day-to-day actions.

Pondering the question ‘What will you do differently this time around?’ might be, in itself, a major shift in our mindset. Linking action to priorities will additionally add value to later efforts.

If past goals were regularly achieved then there may be no reason to do anything differently this time around. “What will you do differently this time around?” “Nothing at all.”

Changing for the sake of changing seems a waste of time and energy. That said, to take into account new input, modified circumstances and an enhanced vision of how we wish to live our potential this year, tweaking and adjusting could be called for.

Being clear about our strengths and weaknesses gives us a base to work from over the coming months. For now, it is enough to listen to your answer as you go about answering the inquiry ‘What will you do differently this time around?’

Kindest regards.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian teaches a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to reach their full potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.