The 7 habits of highly effective you!

I have been a fan of Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for many years. And, when sorting out my bookcase the other day, I saw my copy and it got me thinking about the idea of, the 7 habits of highly effective you!
 
We are all different, we have different personalities, different home lives, working lives (or are retired). So, what we each need to be effective will vary. And it will also change over time.

5 questions to ask yourself

1. How effective were you over the last 12 months?

• 5 = Highly effective, clear priorities, always getting everything completed on your to-do list.
• 4 = Organised but with a long to-do list where you never seem to get everything done.
• 3 = Sometimes efficient and effective, other times organised chaos.
• 2 = Overwhelmed by life and work, you don't know where to start.
• 1 = Flying by the seat of your pants, easily distracted.

2. What would be the benefits, in and out of work, of being more effective?

This might include being more relaxed, calmer, more focused, sleeping better, and having a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. As well as a smoother running household/family life, improved performance at work, and time to do the hobbies and activities which really interest you.

3. What do you do now that works for you?

These might be daily, weekly or even monthly habits. These might be habits and routines in or out of work that keep you on an even keel. It might relate to your physical, emotional, mental or spiritual health.

4. What did you do in the past that helped but you don't do now?

Clients often say:

• "I used to walk the dog twice a day, then stopped going for walks when the dog died."
• "Before the children, I did X, Y or Z."
• "Before my back problems/operation, I did..."
• "Before my new boss/new company, I used to do..."

It might be about finding new activities that are going to suit your current lifestyle.

5. What is stopping you from doing what works for you?

For many people, it is the busyness of life, whether they have a family or not.

Here are some further questions to ponder based on part of Robert Dilts’ Logical Levels of Change. Email me for a handout on this...

Spirit or purpose

• What keeps you going? What is your why? Rather than your shoulds. 
• What lifts your spirit, and motivates you to keep going? Nature, singing, reading, a short walk at lunchtime.

Identity and beliefs

• What beliefs do you have about yourself in this situation? e.g. "I’m a failure, I’m lazy (many of my incredibly busy clients think that whenever they take a moment to rest!), I’m not disciplined, I’m no good at X or Y."
• What beliefs do you have about the situation? "I can’t make any changes in the way I work, they won’t allow me."
• What beliefs do you have about other people in this situation? "My partner will think I am lazy if I sit and read a book / My boss won’t allow me to stop and stretch when I am on my computer."
• Are these beliefs going to help or hinder you? If they are not going to help you, what might be a more helpful, empowering belief(s) to have?

First step - small steps

What one thing (however small) would start to make a difference to your life? Can you do it in the next 24 hours?
 
To support you in this, I'd encourage you to take my free coaching audit to explore how coaching can help you to thrive both in and out of work. Either email me or complete the form on my website.

You can also sign up today for my eight-week, video-based Being & Doing: Spring Into Action course, which starts on Monday 6th March and regularly throughout the year. Bearing in mind the cost of living crisis, there is a 50% discount on the eight-week course – instead of £99 it is £49. There are also discounts for multiple bookings and charities – email me for more information about this.

"Live out of your imagination, not your history." - Steven Covey

"Nothing is more effective than a deep, slow inhale and release for surrendering what you can’t control and focussing again on what is right in front of you." - Oprah Winfrey