I received some great comments on last week’s column on “Think Time.” Although it’s a relatively simple concept, it isn’t that easy to implement consistently. Over time, tight schedules take over and people forget about it, schedule over it, or procrastinate doing it.
The comments triggered a good segue to a directly related theme. One of the factors that differentiates top performers from everyone else: they stay focused on the result. They think about how their work can have the greatest impact on the result. This is an example of think time in action.
The workplace is filled with busy people, and some may offer the excuse that they’re just too buried to bring project x to the next level. Although this may be true, those who break through the busy-ness barrier do it regularly because they stay focused.
When you don’t get trapped in the distraction of daily busy-ness and stay on point, you develop a laser-like focus. People who have this talent know how to cull what isn’t relevant or important and synthesize the essentials.
How do leaders cultivate this? Understand the expected outcome that your end user seeks (for example, your client, your management team, your board of directors). It’s imperative for you to project your thinking to the highest and best result for that end user.
Your perspective changes when you apply a laser focus. You conceptualize differently. You deepen your degree of critical thinking. You develop greater clarity.
As you can see, think time and laser focus are interconnected. When these become your habits, the way you view yourself and the world around you will shift. Both are well worth cultivating.
Header image by Jan Krnc/Pexels.
