Watching college football games over the weekend and thinking about how we are coming to the end of a challenging year I am reminded how critical it is for us to be focused because there is such a slim margin between winning and losing.
1. Your morning pregame
All athletes know the importance of pregame preparation which is why some are almost obsessive to have the identical pregame routine before every game. Listen to the same music, have the same meal, even to the point of in what order they put on their socks. Lack of a structured pregame can have a negative impact. I've witnessed games lost because of the attitudes in the locker room before the game ever started.They just didn't have their minds ready for the game.
Rushing into your office at the last minute with a cup of coffee and a half eaten Danish isn't how to start your day. Neither is wiping away the sleep from your eyes because you stayed up late watching the game the night before.
Define your perfect morning pregame. What should you eat? How much rest should you have the night before? What are you thinking during your commute? What is your excitement level for hitting the office door charging into your day?
The next time you watch a college football game imagine the team strolling onto the field just before kick off still pulling on their uniforms and grabbing a snack. Would you think they were prepared? Why do you accept that losing behavior in yourself? Get in the game before the game.
2. Clearing your mind of distractions
Athletes with off the field problems frequently tell reporters they enjoy being in the game because they get to block out the distractions and focus on winning. How many office mates do you see wasting time, energy and effort on distractions outside of the job? When you are at work are you AT work? When I pay to see a concert I expect the band to be in the moment and deliver their best effort I paid to see. When I see an athlete play I want to see a focus that is on nothing else but winning the game I paid to attend.
Your employer paid to have you deliver your best performance. Are you focused enough to bring your best to the table? Once upon a time people brought their work problems home. Today, people bring their home problems to work and their performance reflects this distracted behavior.
Get in the game. Leave the distractions for another time and get your focus on like millions are counting on you to deliver the victory -- because you employer, customers, potential customers and employees are.
3. Know your role
I saw a great quote of a military edict: Shut your hole and know your role. Imagine if you adopted that approach to the rest of the year of work? In the final three weeks of the year create a focus that isn't about small talk and gossip and instead was a pure focus of getting things done you know need done. Perform your role you know makes things positive happen. Forget the chit chat, zone in on the task at hand.
4. Have a plan
The night before you check out of your office did you leave a specific plan for the next day? Without that plan most people lose the first couple of hours of the morning trying to get the day started in the right direction. Imagine your job is a movie and when you turn the lights out in your office for the day you hit the pause button on the movie. The next morning when you throw on the lights for the day you hit the play button on the movie. No warming up, none of this "Now where were we?" No refiguring what needs to be done. The movie picks up on the line of dialogue it paused at with a seamless plan (script) still in place.
A plan will give you that type of consistency day to day that will help you get many more things accomplished.
5. Execute the plan
I hear executives tell me they do write down their plans for the next day the night before but when they hit the office in the morning there are unforeseen demands and distractions and some days they never get to the plan. Sounds to me like the job is in control of the executive instead of the executive being in control of the job. When you have a plan and execute the plan you know how to deal with the few distractions that come up.
Having a plan and not sticking to it, is nothing but a Santa Claus wish list of things you want to happen. Everyone wants to win, but those who win are the ones who have their mind in the game.
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