Ever have one of those days where you’re really hitting your stride and feeling inspired by your work?
Wish you had MORE of those?
Here are a few strategies to help:
- When you’re "in the zone", watch carefully. What you’re working on (or the end result of the deliverable) is either something you're extremely passionate about, a natural strength, or both.
- Take notes and be specific. What is the topic, who are you working with, what kind of project, etc. Write down the details.
- That next time someone asks, “What do you want to do next?” go back to your notes so instead of saying “I don’t know” or rattling off a list of things you DON'T want to do, you can articulate the type of work you do want to do.
- Procrastinate everything else at that moment. We’ve become pros at procrastinating when we don’t want to do something so when we DO want to do something, do whatever you reasonably can (without harming or neglecting others!) to stay in this flow state. Move the other meetings, make that “IOU” call to the other mom at school to grab your kids. Try to stay in this state as long as you can. Funny side bar, when I was recently "n the zone" I was a little bummed because I had an upcoming flight to catch which I knew would take me of course. The flight was delayed 2 hours. One of the very few times I've been excited about a flight being delayed!
- Speak about it. Tell your family, friends, colleagues, and anyone who will listen about what you were doing, how you felt, and what you did. Put it out there. It's inspiring to hear when others are inspired.
- When I asked members of my VIP Facebook group their tips,
Julie Hardy
of
Salesforce
added "I pop on some good music, shut down my Slack notifications, and put my phone out of eyesight. I am easily distracted so I have to be very intentional to create an environment that minimizes distractions."
- And lastly, enjoy the ride! These moments come and go, but recognizing the work and activity that truly takes us away can help us ride the wave more often.
When was the last time you were "in the zone"?
Jen Adams is the founder of?Gold Light Leadership?and creator of?Launch into Leadership Success, a group coaching program for women in business. She is a certified life and spiritual coach with over 20 years of corporate marketing experience working for some of the world's most recognized brands. Her elite roster of coaching clients includes high-achieving executives across sports, tech, travel, and finance.
Chief Customer Officer | Transformation expert | Culture builder | My views are my own
1 年Music or white noise is essential. For me it’s also working at my productive peak, which is either late afternoon or night. If I try to “flow” in the morning, it’s very likely not happening.
Chief Marketing Officer | Turning Brands Into Household Names | Founder | Public Speaker
1 年I put on one of the "focus" playlists from Spotify and get to work, closing down email and silencing notifications on my phone. But prior to that? I clean off my desk of any clutter (like unopened mail or receipts I need to upload to QBO), make sure the area around me is "in order" so I don't get distracted by the "oh, I have to RSVP to that wedding or I must put away these clothes". ??