How long is your to-do list right now? If it’s anything like mine, it’s a mile long and getting longer. So it’s likely that one of the most difficult things to imagine as you’re watching that to-do list grow by the second, is sitting at your desk and NOT doing a single thing on it, yet having THAT benefit you more than if you could cross everything off your list today.
Wait… what?!
According to Forbes.com, there was a fascinating study conducted on the 1979 Harvard MBA program where graduate students were asked “have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?” The result, only 3% had written goals and plans, 13% had goals but they weren’t in writing and 84% had no goals at all. Ten years later, the same group was interviewed again and the result was absolutely mind-blowing.
The 13% of the class who had goals, but did not write them down was earning twice the amount of the 84% who had no goals. The 3% who had written goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97% of the class combined!Not only that but, taking time off work actually can increase your productivity. In fact, according to Entrepreneur Magazine, taking time off away from your day-to-day is the secret to increased productivity at work. Why? Because that time away supports creativity, clarity and inspired strategic planning.
So here are the steps you can follow to take time away from the day to day of your work to ultimately make more money from your time out:
- Block out an uninterrupted day in your calendar to look at where you are at in your game at this point in the year.
- Determine, based on your current numbers if you are on track for reaching your goals, exceeding your goals or are you short of desired goals to date?
- Take an opportunity to celebrate what is working, look and see what you need to do differently, and where you can capitalize on opportunities.
- Develop a new game plan to overcome existing challenges so that you can finish the second part of the year strong.
