The art of managing the Big Stuff

Someone once told me that for something to become a habit, you had to do it for four weeks, consistently.  I remember trying this with regard to wearing contact lenses.  At that time I wore them occasionally, and more often than not forgot them. Four weeks of planned and continued use and then for years  I wore contact lenses each day, without thought.


So on that basis (and I do have other examples), doing something regularly for a relatively short period, should enable things to become habitual - something you do automatically, without thinking or questioning.  This is probably the case, or at least the starting point.


While this was a personal example, the same should work for habits at work right?  well yes.. but how many of us have managed to do something consistently enough for it to become a habit where we really feel it matters, and what impacts it?


My personal view is that we allow ourselves to become sidetracked and distracted.  It's always busy, always!  There are constant emails, IM's, texts and cloud requests that require our attention and I'm not even going to mention the little red flashing light on the phone to tell you that you have a new message..  no.. I'm not going to look..  I'm doing something else...  no..  ok.. well it might be important.. or ...


OK.. and I'm back with you, the phone light has been turned off.

I remember attending the launch of a previous company's New Employee Orientation programme.  The CEO and members of the Executive Management team presented on the history, the solutions and the future and it was great... but there was one particular sentiment that resonated with me; that we, as individuals, have to decide on and keep our own focus in a slightly chaotic environment.  


Most company's I have worked for have been slightly chaotic in the way they work.  They can change direction, process and approach regularly and it is so easy to get caught up in playing catch up ... managing our emails - ensuring questions are dealt with - getting that report done ... that we forget to look at the bigger picture and remember where we are going.  I am sure I am not alone in working for this kind of company!  What are we supposed to be doing to make the company and ourselves successful?  We should be focusing on the things that will make a difference.

And I am also sure that it many cases it isn't just our "Company's" that are slightly chaotic, anyone with children or dependants is likely to be in a similarly chaotic environment outside of work too... from juggling nursery and school drop off's and collections, dog walking, clubs, activities, cooking, cleaning and homework management, Honestly, some days it is a miracle that we haven't left a child with some other family, or at the gymnastics club!  So all the more reason to ensure that focus also applies to our home lives too .. I mean .. does it really matter if the house isn't tidy if you get to play "Settlers of Catan" as a family one evening?

Which brings us back to habits (via a rather long winded route I admit).  In order to keep FOCUS you don't need to consistently keep track of the little things, you need to keep track of the BIG STUFF, the things that will make a difference to you, your life, your role and your company (not necessarily in that order).

For me, this means keeping a draft email open where I write down the big stuff that I need to remember because when I have gotten caught up in the latest urgent requests for information and actions driven by that little red flashing light on the phone, I sometimes need a quick reminder of the fun stuff I still need to develop and work on that I know will make a difference in my role, and to the company as a whole.

And remember!  The  "big stuff" list doesn't just apply to work - put on there the things you need to do to keep your life balanced too... whether for this week that means going to the gym twice, or attending your son's end of term assembly.. if it isn't on the list, you might prioritise something else over it, and would you really want to miss a rousing rendition of "summer holidays" by 150 children?