Mary, COO of an internet services company, contacted me because she suddenly found herself in a great spot – too many opportunities and not enough time! The business was about to undergo a massive growth spurt. Could they handle it?
“The business keeps coming,” she explained. “And that’s a good thing. We are at that sweet point where we are about to grow by leaps and bounds, but we can’t scare up the capital to support more staff, as yet. And the workflow and distractors seem to have ramped up – and it’s crazy-making. What do I do?”
“I can’t get rid of the unexpected,” said Mary. “My business thrives on opportunities and I have to jump on them. And of course, I am going to have distractors and interruptions – that’s just business!”
“Do the Google thing,” I countered.
“The Google thing?” she responded.
“Yes. Practice mindfulness. Being fully present in the moment. And it starts with dropping the multi-tasking, and starting to focus on what is right in front of you. Companies that want to operate at optimal level are taking this same approach and reporting phenomenal changes. Entities like Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Apple, Intel, Medium, Starbucks and General Mills.”
“Here’s what I mean: You can probably get things done in a quarter of the time it is taking now, and feel less stressed. I’ve walked around your offices and noticed something. People are picking up and putting down the same documents several times. Because of this one behavior I see, I am guessing they are also a bit scattered in other areas – responding to the tyranny of the urgent. It’s time to practice some mindfulness, Mary, by starting with focusing on what’s in front of you. Let’s do a 30-day experiment – are you willing?”
Mary was more than willing with the promise of less stress and more productivity. She wanted to include some other key staff members in the experiment.
Thirty days later, she gave me a quick call and a glowing report.
“Our productivity is up – and the stress is down. People are coming out of their cubicles to have lunch with each other, and going home on time. We are getting more done and they are happier. It’s amazing!”
I was not surprised.
A recent study showed that executives who focused on one project at a time took an average of 15 minutes to review and decide on next steps for four projects. On the other hand, those executives who multi-tasked by jumping from one project to the other, and back and forth, depending on the interruptions and distractors of the day, took an average of 2 hours to do the same!
What does that mean for you? Whether you are a business owner, an executive, or a leader in another capacity, it means that if you are not being fully present in the moment, focusing on one thing at a time, you are losing – big time.
Ready for less stress, more clarity, focus, and productivity? I challenge you to a 30-day experiment. Take the mindful approach of uni-tasking. And let me know how it works for you!
Want to fast-track? Click here to get my morning success routine for more clarity, focus, and productivity.
Patti Cotton reenergizes talented leaders and their teams to achieve fulfillment and extraordinary results. For more information on how Patti Cotton can help you and your organization, click here.
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