Four Steps to Productivity and Organization
With close to twenty years working as a professional organizer and then productivity coach, I saw that the road to success for my clients could be simplified into four steps. Mindfully, I AM Evolution is a four step coaching system. The four steps are simple to learn and easy for clients to coach themselves.
Step 1: Mindful Awareness
Developing mindful awareness of successes and failures is the beginning of the process. I call this becoming aware of the two “T’s”, tripping habits and thriving habits. Tripping habits take us away from our success. Thriving habits help us get to our success.
We can’t change what we aren’t aware of it. Noticing the habits that cause us to trip, can sometimes lead to self judgement and shame. That’s where Mindfulness comes in. Mindfulness is defined as being aware, on purpose, in the present moment without judgement. Being aware without judgement is more helpful to simply notice the tripping habit.
Equally important is developing awareness around thriving habits. These are the habits we can use, and rely on, to support our efforts to change those tripping habits and turn them into behaviour that points in the direction of our Intention.
2: Intention – Clarity
Most people think of intention as setting a goal. In Mindfully, I AM Evolution, the I refers to Intention as who you want to be when your are your very best self. Not only who you want to be, but who do you need to become. Intention is about becoming the very best version of ourselves when we lead a life as our truest self.
I hear from my clients “I want to show up on time. I am so tired of always being late.” Another common intention is “I want to actually get to the gym and eat better and look after myself to be healthier.” If this is you, who do you need to become in order to actually be that person you want to be? Identifying your Intention give you Clarity.
Step 3: Attention – Strategy
Once you have identified your intention, the third step is recognizing where you would have to put your Attention, in order to become that person. Notice I didn’t say focus or discipline. In my experience these two words are triggering for many people. People who struggle to manage chronic disorganization or time challenges become immune to the constant direction to be “more focussed” or “more disciplined”.
Attention is about energy. It’s much easier to determine where to put the energy of your attention, once you know how you want to show up. The real you that you are striving to be. The you that show’s up on time, develops healthy lifestyle habits or produces reports on time. Where do you need to direct you energy to ensure your business success? Knowing where to put you Attention identifies your Strategy.
Step 4: Mindset – Action
The fourth and final step in the process is Mindset. What do you need to understand, know and believe in order to successfully take the Action.
Action is the antidote to fear and the generator of energy. Action moves us closer to accomplishment and success with our dreams and goals. Without it, nothing happens.
With a can do Mindset, there isn’t any action. With a Mindset that there is no failure, just as many attempts as necessary to create success, accomplishment is guaranteed.
This is often the hardest of the four steps for clients and for all of us. It’s hard to get past fear of failure or being ridiculed. However, moving beyond your comfort zone is where all the magic happens.
Your Turn
Try using these four steps to move yourself forward on something you’d like to accomplish. Let me know in the comments about your success.
