When your day has no breathing room, and you’re feeling off-kilter because your routine has gone out the window, how do you regain focus?
Do you ever find yourself in that space of having “no control”? Too much to do and not enough time? Are your thoughts supportive when you’re under pressure or are you maybe feeling self-doubt? Can I get it all done? Will I be able to meet my goals? Definitely not the space you want your head to be. With all that I know about creating focus and influence in business and career this can still happen to me, but now I have a tool that helps me stay focused, and I want to share it with you.
The Power of 3
The Power of 3 is concentrating your focus on three things at the beginning of each day. Now, I know you’ll say there are more than three things that require your attention. You have careers, businesses, families, friends, and charities that require your time and attention but what I want you to do is pick the top 3 things you want to focus on at the start of each day when you’re feeling overwhelmed and out of control.
If you’re a manager, you might have a project or goals you are working on. What are the top 3 things you want to do today that will move you closer to that goal? Break it down to the point where you have actionable items to place in your calendar and schedule 3 at the beginning of each day. When you schedule them ahead of time, you know exactly where to start your workday or where to go to when the day inevitably gets off track. When you’ve accomplished the first 3, schedule the next 3.
The reason its “3” is because three isn’t overwhelming. It’s doable. You can wrap your head around it. It gives you focus. The Power of 3 will give you a starting place, it will help you to re-establish your routines faster, and it will reduce your anxiety over the unknown.
How to Use It
Do this at the end of each work day, so you know where to start the next morning. Do this on Friday, so you know what the focus is for Monday and eliminate the Sunday evening anxiety. Do this before you go on vacation and have a clear plan of what you’ll dig into when you get back.
Thinking about and planning for the first three specific steps takes the stress off of you, even if the plan changes. You’ll be giving yourself the gift of clarity on the days that you need it most.
Here’s wishing you the clarity you deserve!
