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Be Opportunistic – A Little Bit Every Day!
Life is busy, chaotic at times. One of the biggest challenges we face daily to get everything done is time. If we can barely get the things done that we NEED to, how can we possibly find time to get everything else done that we WANT to?
For me, the things that I want to do are:
- Working on my blog
- Connecting and growing my network via social media
- Working out / staying active
- Playing the piano
Jeb Blount from SalesGravy.com discussed a concept on his podcast Quick and Dirty Tips last year and I still think about it .
“A LITTLE BIT EVERY DAY”
Would I love to block off large chunks of time every day to get everything done that I WANT to do? Of course. I do it when I can. But on days when things go sideways, and I cannot stay on track, every little bit helps.
Take a moment and think about fitness and health. I have never purchased a gym membership, nor wanted one. The industry thrives on people committing early on, and most never following through long-term. There is a preconceived notion that “If I don’t work out for at least an hour, there will be no value”.
Before our son was born, my wife and I had a personal trainer come to our home. She taught us to use the equipment we already owned, and we could work out in the basement at our convenience.
As life got busier with a new-born, it became more difficult to do full workouts. But with the reminder of A Little Bit Everyday in my head, I still get down there as often as I can to work out. I have a pact with myself to do at least 15 minutes of push ups and sit-ups every morning. Anything in addition is a bonus.
I power walk in to meetings, take my dog for short brisk walks, and run after my son as he gets comfortable on his new bike.
AND NO DRIVE THRU coffee shop windows! (unless you have one or more screaming kids in the car). Get out and walk! And please take the stairs to meetings instead of just hopping on an elevator.
With respect to my blogging and social media work, the short 15-30 minute segments of activity are still very valuable, and inch me closer to my goals. A few of those sessions and I have still put in your two hours of work that I was hoping for. It becomes a mindset, and the theory of “anything is better than nothing” helps inch me closer to my goals than doing nothing at all.
I love to get up early in the morning to work, or stay up late at night. I sacrifice watching some of my favourite TV shows, but it will be worth it in the end.
Google “Gary Vaynerchuk Stop Watching Lost” and see what comes up in the search if you don’t mind an in your face take on this, with a few “bad” words. His philosophy on the phenomenon of wasting time is a powerful wake up call for the couch potatoes.
- Do you feel overwhelmed and just cannot get everything done during the day?
- What can you change now to subscribe to the “Little Bit Every Day” theory?
If this post has inspired you to take action, please leave me an update in the comments section over the next few weeks discussing how you are now getting more done that you WANT to.
A Little Bit Every Day… A Little Bit Every Day… A Little Bit Every Day…
(I hope it is in your subconscious now too.)
Keep Smiling!
Dumb and Dumber
Dan Rockwell, aka “The Leadership Freak” had me at “Dumb and Dumber”! I love the premise of this post, and how it relates to always trying to find answers. Enjoy and have a fantastic day!
The same people sitting around the same table produce the same results. It’s dumb to think otherwise.
It’s even dumber to expect the people who caused the problem to solve it.
The future is the past without intervention.
Working harder, if you’re already working hard, won’t change much.
Efficiency is never the path to exponential change.
Hope for dumb and dumber:
- Identify an opportunity. Drucker said, “Results are obtained by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems.” Leaders who only point out problems lose.
- Entrenchment produces resistance. Expect entrenched people to resist change. Rotate jobs and modify job descriptions.
- Don’t rely on working harder. Hard work got you here. Sincerity and good intentions won’t work either.
- Embrace the pain. Your leadership contributed to the results you currently enjoy. Disappointing results point to unsatisfactory leadership. The more control you have the more responsible you are.
- Determine what to stop. Stopping is…
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The Waiting (Is The Hardest Part)!
Tom Petty was right. The waiting is the hardest part!
We always seem to be waiting. On the surface waiting sucks, but why not take advantage of the down time? Waiting can equal learning while you are:
- Waiting for, or riding public transportation
- Commuting to work and/or driving to meetings
- Waiting for an appointment
- Waiting in line at a store
- Waiting on a golf course between holes
… You the idea. There are many other examples.
- When you are on public transportation or waiting anywhere with respect to your role, have some “catalog time” with your company’s literature. It is incredible how much more comfortable I became with catalogs by focusing on them as little as 10 minutes per day.
- When you are commuting to work in your vehicle, or driving to appointments, listen to podcasts or audio books that will help you with business and/or personal development.
- When you are waiting for a business appointment, go over your notes to prepare and focus before the call. Don’t get distracted by email or phone calls. That can wait until later
- When you are in line at a store, always be in engagement mode (check out earlier post here http://bit.ly/KAcGXS )
- If you are golfing with customers, take time to really get to know them when you are waiting between holes. You have their undivided attention.
I used to get VERY frustrated with all the waiting that goes on in everyday life. But now I embrace it, and get as much done during business hours when I have time to spare. If I have put everything in to my work during the day, it gives me more time to devote to my family out of “office hours”.
- Do you make valuable use of your “waiting”, or do you just waste time?
- If not, what improvements can you make going forward?
Remember, waiting can equal learning if you use your time wisely!
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