5 Tips For Focusing Your Energy In 2021
by Lisa Bodell for ForbesWomen
The past year has upended many assumptions about work in America. As it turns out, video-conferencing and remote work can stand in for a physical office. Teams are entirely capable of collaborating virtually and delivering on schedule. As we reflect on the learning lessons — as well as the chaos — of 2020, I believe there’s value in establishing personal goals around how we want to spend the year ahead.
As CEO of an accelerated learning company with a focus on simplifying, I’ve helped people around the world streamline their work lives for better productivity. Among the techniques that my teams have tested and perfected with Novartis, Google, Accenture and more are a set of simplification questions and tactics. While these populate the better part of a chapter in my simplification book, the five below are particularly relevant to our current WFH reality.
1. What task or work habit should I stop doing in 2021? Do you contribute an hour or more to a pointless report every month? Attend remote stand-ups with dozens of attendees and no agenda? Do you struggle to keep up with replies to internal emails with tons of recipients? Each of these areas can provide immediate opportunities to save time, so if you’re empowered to step away from any of these low-value tasks, do it today. If you need buy-in from someone higher up, then make your case to them and frame your ask around wanting to demonstrate better daily ROI.
WSJ Best Selling author & founder of QCard, a SaaS platform designed to empower professionals to showcase their expertise, grow their reach, and lead their markets.
3 年Great tips, Lisa! The pandemic has changed the way we work indefinitely - and I’m not even sure if it’s going back to the way it used to be. These tips will surely come in handy to anyone who’s still struggling with the new work culture.
I am a dedicated leader with a passion for sales & service. I bring authenticity, curiosity, and enthusiasm to every interaction.
3 年I love so much about this. Reminds me of some other advice I heard on a recent podcast about giving yourself permission to say “no” to things. I’m a pleaser and find myself saying “yes” even when I stand to gain little to nothing from the commitment I made. The person on the podcast said that “saying yes to others is saying no to yourself.” Similar to the question posed in this article about whether the ask benefits your customers, at times, you should also question if it benefits you. It’s all about balance.
I build your team's management capabilities to create a workplace that's better for your employees, better for your bottom line.
3 年Great tips, as always, Lisa! The pandemic has certainly challenged us to work differently. With months still to go, it’s an ideal time to revisit how we spend our time and be more intentional. Hope you are well!