Having just passed financial year end this can be the time that the workload of many accounting and finance professionals shifts up a gear as we deal with auditors and reporting deadlines as well as business as usual. When there is lots to be done it can feel completely counter-intuitive to hit pause and take time for reflection.
And yet this is absolutely essential if we want to make progress towards our goals. We need to slow down to go faster!
Cramming a million things into our day and working longer and longer hours often results in us going round in circles or getting so bogged down in the weeds that we can't lift our heads above water, which is a sure way to move towards burnout.
So often a client will sit in front of me full of nervous energy, and a growing sense of overwhelm at the long list of things they need to do, and the impossibility of fitting it all into their working week, and the best thing we can do right at that moment is to sit and breathe, grounding ourselves in the here and now. As they slow their breathing and get connected with the senses in their body they switch on the parasympathetic nervous system, which literally opens their mind to new possibilities so they can move forward with greater clarity about what is most important.
Scheduling a dedicated time in a safe space to explore your assumptions, your ideas and your thinking can actually create more freedom to figure out new ways forward, which will ultimately get you to your desired goal more effectively.
There is a fabulous quote from Abraham Lincoln "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend four hours sharpening the axe." We need to prepare ourselves to do our best work.
A great strategy is to carve out some time purely for thinking and planning, and lock this into your calendar as if it were a meeting with an external stakeholder because too often we have good intentions about this time but allow it to be over-ruled by the demands of other people. Another obstacle which often gets in the way of us taking this time is an underlying assumption that it is more important to be "doing" than thinking; so many of us are uncomfortable with the idea of having nothing to do or complete in that time, yet that safe space with boundaries of time is exactly the space we need for new ideas to emerge.
Another key element for this space for thinking and reflection is a consideration of the physical space - getting away from the distractions of the open plan office and into a new space without interruptions - even better if it involves walking outside in nature!
How are you creating time and space for reflection and growth? Time for exploring ways to improve your life at work and that of your team? How are you preparing yourself before you get onto those starting blocks?
I love working with clients to provide them with the space and the sounding board that they need so they ensure they keep their focus on what is really important, as well as holding up the mirror so they have an opportunity to see how they are showing up in other people's eyes.
If you would like support stepping up into your next role and how to increase your leadership capacity please book in a discovery call with me for a confidential no-obligation chat today here or email to [email protected]
And yet this is absolutely essential if we want to make progress towards our goals. We need to slow down to go faster!
Cramming a million things into our day and working longer and longer hours often results in us going round in circles or getting so bogged down in the weeds that we can't lift our heads above water, which is a sure way to move towards burnout.
So often a client will sit in front of me full of nervous energy, and a growing sense of overwhelm at the long list of things they need to do, and the impossibility of fitting it all into their working week, and the best thing we can do right at that moment is to sit and breathe, grounding ourselves in the here and now. As they slow their breathing and get connected with the senses in their body they switch on the parasympathetic nervous system, which literally opens their mind to new possibilities so they can move forward with greater clarity about what is most important.
Scheduling a dedicated time in a safe space to explore your assumptions, your ideas and your thinking can actually create more freedom to figure out new ways forward, which will ultimately get you to your desired goal more effectively.
There is a fabulous quote from Abraham Lincoln "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend four hours sharpening the axe." We need to prepare ourselves to do our best work.
A great strategy is to carve out some time purely for thinking and planning, and lock this into your calendar as if it were a meeting with an external stakeholder because too often we have good intentions about this time but allow it to be over-ruled by the demands of other people. Another obstacle which often gets in the way of us taking this time is an underlying assumption that it is more important to be "doing" than thinking; so many of us are uncomfortable with the idea of having nothing to do or complete in that time, yet that safe space with boundaries of time is exactly the space we need for new ideas to emerge.
Another key element for this space for thinking and reflection is a consideration of the physical space - getting away from the distractions of the open plan office and into a new space without interruptions - even better if it involves walking outside in nature!
How are you creating time and space for reflection and growth? Time for exploring ways to improve your life at work and that of your team? How are you preparing yourself before you get onto those starting blocks?
I love working with clients to provide them with the space and the sounding board that they need so they ensure they keep their focus on what is really important, as well as holding up the mirror so they have an opportunity to see how they are showing up in other people's eyes.
If you would like support stepping up into your next role and how to increase your leadership capacity please book in a discovery call with me for a confidential no-obligation chat today here or email to [email protected]
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