Frequently when I’m working 1:1 with an individual, and even when I’m presenting to a group, someone will say,
“I find I’m so much more productive when I ______, but…”
or
“It feels so much better when I ______, but…”
All I do is put a period after the first part of the sentence and repeat it back to them:
“It sounds like it feels better and you’re more productive when you _____.”
They nod.
There you go. In a lot of cases, you already have the answers. What you need is permission to stop rushing through the day. Notice what’s happening. Ask what you can do to make it work better for you. And then do that.
It isn’t that we “don’t have time.” It’s that we don’t take time to notice. It isn’t that the solution is impossible, or even difficult. Often, it is simply that we’re habituated to criticizing ourselves and then continuing to do what we’ve always done instead of allowing ourselves to stop and choose a more productive path.
Give yourself permission to notice, and then decide how you want to move forward. Trust yourself – you already know the answer.
Or call me. I’m happy to help you learn to notice and will show you how to put the period where it belongs in the sentence so you can gain confidence from hearing your own solutions!
Let me know how you do.