Busy doesn’t necessarily equal success. Here’s how to integrate your work and life better – all thanks to three simple steps. Take it away Jodi Geddes…
If you haven’t heard of this concept, then this will change your life as a busy working parent.
This is not just relevant for your career but sits across everything we do.
So often we judge ourselves on how many things we do. How many meetings did I attend today? How many emails did I send? This all makes us feel important and gives us a very quick ego trip, which quickly leaves us as soon as we walk through the front door at home.
Do our kids really care how many emails we sent or how busy we were at work today? No, they care about love and cuddles and stories and bath time.
Being happy after a day at work happens when we get the most important tasks done and feel a real sense of accomplishment. On the flip side, taking on too much can fuel anxiety and angst for the sake of our to-do lists. Choosing what to say ‘no’ to is as important as choosing what to say ‘yes’ to with our time.
I was someone who used to boast about the number of meetings I attended and how ‘busy’ I always was. I actually got a kick out of being seen to be busy, but now I realise I was lacking focus on the things that mattered, and on the fast track to burnout.
That was until I heard about a simple concept that I like to call the ‘three’ concept. Let me introduce you. It’s a game changer, and not just relevant for our careers but everything we do – at home and at work.
Here’s what to do:
- Across every aspect of your work (and life), pick the three most important tasks that you need to complete that day. I decide on mine in the shower each morning.
- Get them done. Don’t procrastinate. Block out time in your diary or cancel a meeting if you have to. Do what needs to be done to make time.
- Acknowledge your achievement. Take ten seconds at the end of the day to acknowledge what you did. If you follow a gratitude pledge, this links in well with your three things to be thankful for.
In three simple steps, I stopped compiling a to-do list two pages long, and instead began focusing on the top three things that were important to do that day. The things that would matter most once I ticked them off. Once I applied this to my daily work and personal routine, everything changed.
It’s not a difficult concept to master; then again the best things in life are the simplest. Give it a go – we think you will love it.
Written by Jodi Geddes, Co-founder of Circle In
