Unlocking Year-Round Productivity

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There is a reason why most people are highly productive the week before they go on vacation. They have a specific time frame, a formal or informal plan, and specific tasks to accomplish before they go. They do this to clear their desk so when they go away, they can be liberated from work responsibilities. At least, that’s the hope!

I love what leadership success coach Pam Solberg-Tapper shares in her article: How the Day Before Vacation Is Most Productive of the Year.

We become super-efficient, Pam says, because we do the following things:

1. Create a plan - Before vacation, people typically make a to-do list of essential tasks.
2. Focus - With such a limited window of time, you focus only on what must be done - no meandering or busywork.
3. Delegate or ask for help - We have no choice but to request help with the things we won’t be able to do - either right before we leave or during the vacation itself.
4. Defer - Non-essential meetings and projects are scheduled for a later date or canceled.?

Some of you may know I’m a runner. Not a marathon runner, but I run about 8-10 miles per week. Pam’s article reminds me of the two ways I can go out for a run: I can go out with no time limits and no sense of direction, or I can go out with a course of action that includes time, distance, and roads traveled. Both are runs. However, the latter is focused and provides a rhythm that you don’t even have to think about once the framework is established.

When you tap into the ‘day before vacation’ mindset regularly, you make a habit of prioritizing what’s important.?

Not only do vacations make us more intentional and productive before we leave, but they inspire us to work smarter when we return. Psychology Today reported, "Brain imaging studies show that doing nothing, being idle, daydreaming, and relaxing create alpha waves in the brain that are key to creative insights and innovative breakthroughs. Research by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity, has shown that positive emotions - the kind we feel on a relaxing, playful vacation - make us more inventive and able to think outside the box."

Reflection

• Track your time for the next 10 workdays to accurately assess how you spend time. After those two weeks, make adjustments based on your data. There are many time tracker apps that can help!

(**Content is taken from Chapter 9 in my latest book,?'Move the Needle: How Inside Out Leadership Influence Organizational Culture')

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About Robb Holman

Robb Holman is a sought-after Global?Keynote Speaker?and Author of three transformational leadership books,?Lead the Way,?All In, and?Move the Needle. In recognition of his expertise, Robb was named one of the world's top 30 leadership speakers and thought leaders by Global Gurus in both 2022 and 2023. He was also recently inducted into the Power List of the Top 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership in 2023. His innovative Inside Out Leadership philosophy has gained significant recognition and has been featured in publications like Inc, Forbes, and Fast Company. You can visit Robb by going?here.

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