subject: Quieting the restless work-mind [print this page] Quieting the restless work-mind Quieting the restless work-mind
Many emotional struggles that people face come from a separation of what they spend most of their time thinking about and what they do. Unfortunately, sometimes the things we spend the most time on are not applicable to what we do on a day-to-day basis. This tends to set a type of "work-schizophrenia" in place that causes stress throughout the week and in our dealings with customers and other employees. Here are some tips to help settle those nerves to help you be most effective at what you do:
Focus. Get to the core essentials of what you need to do. Take the time each day to ensure you understand exactly what needs to be done to accomplish your tasks and goals. Once the essentials are in place, it is simply a matter of arranging them to carry them out in sequence.
Prepare. Arrange the necessary core tasks to be done in a logical and efficient fashion. Think about the specifics of what needs to be done and ensure the you have all the needed resources to carry out every step effectively.
Execute. Move step by step through your list of tasks to ensure they're getting completed thoroughly. As pedantic as it sounds, there is a proper way to accomplish a "to-do" list:don't move to the next step until you've completed the previous one. This one discipline can provide you the assurance you need that everything is getting done appropriately.
By aligning your thinking and planning with your everyday activities, you'll find that your work life becomes a more cohesive whole. Your thinking will be freed up to allow you to spend your time actually working at your best level without the associated stress and worry of what needs to be done next. You will better be able to perform job functions, interact with other employees, and serve customers as effectively as possible.
