Recently I learned, through ClearFit’s  ‘job-fit’ profiling tool that being organized is not my strength - anyone who knows me might be surprised by this. I mean I manage my life by lists, I tend towards being OCD the day before a vacation, or running an event, and my filing systems are beautiful! Well it turns out that these are all coping mechanisms for naturally *not* being organized. If I was naturally so - this would simply flow effortlessly.

 

 

As a Leadership Coach  - I have the advantage of hearing about this common problem from many vantage points. There is not one client I’ve had, from the C-suite on down who doesn’t struggle with this same thing. There are an amazing plethora of books dedicated to this topic  and my favourite first foundational tool is Covey’s First Things First. This book is my go-to on this topic because he uses a super simple model that’s easy to remember and apply for any list of priorities. But when I am feeling particularly overwhelmed or stuck in the choice modality, I turn to the two action steps I share below

 

 

So, from the ‘trenches’, here is a dead simple 2-step daily practice. And the key to the success of this approach is daily practice!

 

• Step 1 - Each morning take a few minutes to yourself to sit quietly and answer two questions: What is most important today to focus on? How do you want to show up for the people you will be meeting?  

• I do this sometimes in the car while waiting for the engine to warm up in winter - I close my eyes, and take some nice slow and deep breaths

• My favourite version of this practice, is to take 15 minutes and mediate in my cozy been bag chair ideally in the morning sunrise light and find the answer to these questions before my time is done

• Step 2 - When you get that 'overwhelm' feeling take 3 deep - and I mean deep - breaths. Then decide what is most important in that moment. And/or go for a walk around the block - essentially you want to get in touch with your physical being.

• Bonus step - find an activity that works for you in practicing that brain/body connection  eg,Yoga, TaiChi, Basketball, Running, whatever will do it for you.

So, what's working for you?

Comment below or tweet me @micberman

http://michalberman.typepad.com/my_weblog/2014/05/two-steps-to-getting-better-organized.html