The start of the week always makes me think about how I want to spend my time to get the best outcomes for me and those close to me. Here are some of my thoughts on what I do to make a difference in my life.
1. Maximise your time: It’s a truism that we all have the same 24 hours, but it’s what we do with them that counts. Brilliant preparation always makes every interaction amazing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a client, your partner or a friend, using your time to do something for someone important creates a memory that never fades.
2. Be superb in every interaction: How you show up matters. People remember times when something has exceeded their expectations. And the surprising thing is how little you need to do to exceed someone’s expectations. Take the time to do a little research, so you know something unexpected about the person you’re meeting with. Remember a colleague’s birthday. Or make your partner’s day easier by taking something off their plate when they have a busy day. It doesn’t take much to delight those around you, but how you make them feel will last for a long time.
3. Be kind to yourself and others: Research shows kindness is the most important element of successful long-term relationships. Read any magazine or relationship website and you’ll end up believing that money, intimacy, compatibility or intellect are the most important factors in determining a successful relationship. The truth is that being kind to your partner, and yourself, is much more important. Make time in your week to do something special and unexpected for your partner. And, equally, make the same time to something special for you. The choices are limitless, but time invested in yourself and your loved one will be returned many times over. The same applies in the workplace. Bullying and abuse erode any discretional effort our people put into their jobs. Kindness on the other hand ensures employees deliver 100%+ effort.
4. Confront an issue: Nothing erodes your mental well-being as an unresolved issue that plays on your mind. If you resolve to tackle one issue a day that is bothering you or impeding progress, then you will find that you reduce the overall stress in your life and go a long way toward improving your overall mental health. When you make a discipline out of confronting those issues that are hanging over your head, you rob them of their power over you.
5. Learn or try something new: It was Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” For me, scaring yourself is optional, but challenging yourself to grow and learn should be something we all make a habit. My mother has one of the most engaging minds that I’ve come across, and though she is well into her 80s she continues to be an avid reader who consumes the latest books. If reading isn’t your thing, then start running half marathons, take up knitting or rock climbing, sign up for cooking class, or a painting class, or a pottery class. Just remember, your continued personal growth comes from challenging yourself.
Breathe life into what makes you wonderful, and live a life of meaning and purpose.