As a productivity and attention expert I often prescribe to the audiences in my keynotes ‘UNSUBSCRIBE’… yes I am shouting!
In a world where so many leaders are overwhelmed, overstressed and over-tired we need to focus on what really matters, pay attention to the people and the activities that will give us the greatest return on our time and attention investment. This is where you come in.
Here are three strategies for you to be more focused, responsible and diligent this year.
UNSUBSCRIBE – not just for the email you get bombarded with. UNfollow people on Facebook… UNfriend them if you need to. Be focused about what you are reading on a daily basis and what you are allowing into your beautiful mind. I unfollow, unfriend and unsubscribe every.single.day. My Facebook feed might feature maybe 12 people now, if I want to know what’s happening in someone’s life I type in their name. Easy peasy. Get rid of the mental clutter. UN-everything. Be focused.
Avoid drama – my friends will tell you I don’t do drama, don’t tolerate drama and when there have been times in my life there has been drama, maybe I told 2 people. Why? Because no one cares. No one needs to know about all the drama. Social media sites like Facebook used to be a for fluffy bunnies and cute kittens or baby goats in pajamas, now it’s full of nasty political posts and people screaming for attention. When I posted the above image on Instagram (one of my fave social media sites), my friend Clay Hebert responded ‘not my circus, not my monkeys’– great phrase. If you have people in your life that I call VDPs (very draining people), eliminate them. If you can’t eliminate them, minimize your exposure to them. Don’t waste your time and energy on other people’s drama. Be diligent.
Ask Who? – determine who gets your valuable attention. One of my brilliant friends once told me ‘if I give you my attention, that’s my most precious resource’ – he’s right. We can’t manage time, we can only manage who and what gets our attention. Avoid the VDPs, the social media drains, the social obligations you despise, and the negative people in your office. Your focus, your energy and your time, it’s YOUR choice. Be responsible.
This year you determine how you can be your most ah-mazing self.
How you can lead your team, yourself and your community?
Who, and what deserve your attention.
So go out there and Unsubscribe from other people’s issues. Focus on creating more significant moments that matter.
