Tag: give thanks

Think expressing gratitude is something that exists only at the Thanksgiving dinner table? Think again. In today’s lightning-fast digital world, we don’t always acknowledge or recognize the abundance that exists in our business and personal lives.

Case in point: People tend to downplay the many workflow gifts that enter their lives. I see this firsthand in my work as a productivity coach. Be it a rescheduled appointment that allows you to catch your breath after a busy week, or a meeting-free day that allows you to sit and plan in solitude, these situations get swept under the proverbial productivity rug.

If you want to improve your relationship toward your work, you then must take a close look at how you work and why it matters. Here’s a simple Thanksgiving-inspired process you can use as fuel to boost your productivity levels this season.

Ask “gratitude” questions

If you really want to up your productivity game, you need to get in the habit of answering questions honestly and truthfully. Try answering any of the following questions before, during, after the holiday, or whenever you so choose. What you show gratitude for grows. So, just use these gratitude questions as your starting point.

Grab a pen and a notebook and thoughtfully answer the following questions:

Your business life

• Who are you most thankful for? Why?
• What are you most thankful for? Why?
• When during the year are you most thankful? Why?
• What location, physical or virtual location, are you most thankful? Why?

Your personal life

• Who are you most thankful for? Why?
• What are you most thankful for? Why?
• When during the year are you most thankful? Why?
• What location or area of your living space are you most thankful? Why?

Evaluate answers with care

Now that you’ve got your answers, it’s time to take things a step further. You’re now going to take your answers and see what you can learn from them.

To be crystal clear, this isn’t a competition with yourself or with others when it comes to the different areas of your life. Where you are right now is where you are, and that’s perfectly OK. Rather, this is about about showing gratitude. You’re learning how one area of your life influences the other, and vice versa.

Now, it’s time to put on your thinking cap and start evaluating your answers. Consider the following:

• What similarities do you notice in your answers?
• What differences do you see in your answers?
• Which aspect(s) of your personal life influences your business?
• Which aspect(s) of your business life influences your personal life?
• What’s something you didn’t previously notice about your workflow?

Create your productivity plan

Lastly, use your answers to help you create a customized productivity plan for your future self. Choose one of the four initial gratitude questions as your focus. I’m going to provide an example for you right now so you can see how it’s done.

Let’s say you’ve decided to focus on whom you’re most thankful for. For example, maybe you identified your executive assistant because they keep your busy schedule on track in your business. Perhaps you identified your partner in your personal life because they’ve provided unwavering support. So, the common theme here is the guidance and support.

Now it’s time to take that spirit of gratitude and use it to your advantage. For instance, where can you provide more guidance and support for yourself in your work? Take several moments to brainstorm your ideas. Do you need to learn a new productivity skill or up level an existing one? How about delegating more tasks to your assistant? Do you need to schedule sessions with a coach to get you to the next level?

Hopefully, this exercise will provide you with a new way of looking at what already exists in your life. Above all, be thankful for what you have. It’s a true launching pad for your future success.

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