It’s easy to spend all day crossing things off your to-do list. Between client emails and quote requests plus meetings and follow-ups, you may feel like you’re always responding to what’s in front of you rather than thinking about the big picture.
A post on the TechTello blog says urgent work often crowds out important thinking. You stay busy by completing tasks but you’re not making any meaningful progress. A better way, according to the post, is to make some changes in your daily thinking habits. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share some strategies from TechTello on how to think beyond your current tasks and deadlines.
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Anticipate challenges. Don’t assume that everything will go as planned. Unexpected challenges and unknowns can confuse or upset you, the post says. When you don’t take time to think through the challenges you may face, even a small hurdle can feel like a major stumbling block. The post recommends preparing for the bumps in the road. For example, consider what issues could come up and if you have a plan B. This allows you to plan for issue upfront instead of reacting to them.
Identify opportunities. When your schedule is packed every day, it can be difficult to think about how you could grow. You probably just keep doing the work that comes easy to you without stretching yourself and stepping out of your comfort zone. The TechTello post suggests partnering with your boss and asking how you could lighten some of their workload. Actively seeking the right opportunities makes you come across as someone who’s interested in their own growth, the post says. It builds trust.
Consider long-term consequences. Every time you cross an item off your to-do list, you get a little dopamine hit. This can lead to a never-ending cycle of quick fixes and short-term thinking. The post recommends optimizing for long-term gain. Take a big-picture view and consider how you can make decisions with positive outcomes compounded in the future.
Implement the feedback loop. The biggest mistake you can make when running behind deadlines, the post says, is to not learn from the process. You may stop paying attention to the feedback and continue running on autopilot. You may not see the gap between how you view yourself and how others perceive you. You may become so hyperfocused on your own wants that you may not see what others need. It’s important, according to TechTello, to review your past and make corrections now so that you create a better version of yourself.
It feels good to cross things off your to-do list, but to really grow, you need to think beyond a checklist. Anticipate problems, ask for feedback and reflect on your progress. This is how to be intentional with your workday rather than reacting to whatever lands in your inbox.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: A blog post from TechTello, an online personal development and leadership platform.
