 |
Kelly Forrister
What a Difference Decisions Make
I did a coaching recently for a small business owner. On the first morning she did what many people do when I first enter their office space; she apologized! She shared that the office felt too cluttered and confining. She pointed out all the things she wished were different and commented that coming into this environment each day zapped her motivation and joy.
We spent the next two days processing everything in her office. I mean everything that had her attention, including anything that was not exactly the way she wanted it. We included reference files, desk drawers, bookshelves, piles on the desk, email inbox and the things on her mind. We were not cleaning, we were deciding actions.
Fast forward to 16 hours later and we’re done with the coaching. The client is relaxed and happy. What made the difference? She had decided her actions on every one of those items. It’s uplifting to see the positive impact that making decisions on the front end can have on people. Her mind could relax and she could do her job in a space that felt dramatically different to her, a space she now actually looked forward to spending her day.
The GTD coaching process is not about cleaning your office. It’s about getting completely clean with your agreements and commitments so that you can get you off your own back. Scan around your home or your office right now—what do you see? What do you tell yourself about what’s surrounding you? How about those books you keep telling yourself you should read? Or the pictures of your family or friends on the desk you keep telling yourself you need to update? Or the files that are so stuffed they are starting to prairie dog out of your drawer? If you haven’t captured your action with any of those things—including parking it on a someday/maybe list—it will in some way nag at you each and every time you walk into that space. Try starting with just one item that’s been pulling on you. What do you want to do about it? What’s one next action you can decide on that item to get it off your mind?
back to all
|
