Anyone can call themselves a coach these days, but you don’t need to be one to benefit from tried-and-tested coaching methods in your everyday life. Here are 5 simple techniques that can easily become a part of both your work and personal lives. Making them into habits will help you on your way to success.
- Planning is everything
Being organized and paying attention to detail have become almost as much of a cliché as employers asking for proficiency with Microsoft Office. However, not many people talk about what being organized truly looks like and how it can help you in everyday life.
Successful people make detailed to-do lists. Be highly specific with the tasks on your to-do list and the actions needed to cross them off. Plan your time with the same amount of detail, either before you go to bed, or first thing in the morning.
Good time management and organizational skills build a habit of always seeking more efficient ways of organizing your own thoughts, actions and goals. Taking timeout just for yourself should also become part of your daily schedule, you need to relax.
- Always set goals – If there are no goals, set intentions
Get into the habit of approaching any situation with a constructive mindset. If you know that there is a problem you will need to deal with, think about what the process is going to entail. Analyze and understand the problem, then work towards a solution.
A process like that may not always be straightforward or quick. Learn to manage your expectations and break your goals down into smaller, achievable steps. Having a sense of accomplishment is a great source of motivation.
Should you find yourself in a situation where you cannot think of any immediate goals, give yourself an intention. Simply listen attentively and learn what there is to learn from the person in front of you with genuine curiosity, before forming any judgments or courses of action.
- Focus on what is in front of you
How often do you find yourself multitasking? Granted, there are jobs where multitasking is a must however, once it becomes ingrained, it is hard to stop your mind from multitasking when it actually doesn’t need to.
Imagine you’re on the phone with someone and suddenly think of an email you forgot to reply to. Make a note to do it after you finish the call and stick to that intention. You probably wouldn’t appreciate talking to someone who pays more attention to their phone than to you in real life.
The same principle can be applied to your free time as well. Let’s face it, is your mind really resting when you watch Netflix and while reading the news on your phone at the same time? Make a conscious choice of how to spend your time off, don’t just succumb to distraction.
- Build others up, don’t tear them down
Nobody is perfect. We all have stuff that we’re working on, plan on working on, or simply feel like we should do something about at some point. Having this burden can be quite taxing on its own, without others reminding you of your shortcomings and how these affect them.
But everybody also has strengths. Take the time to identify your own strengths and put the effort into looking for the good in others. Businesses can’t succeed and profit on damage control only; they must know how to utilize their assets. So why shouldn’t you?
When you stumble over something, would you prefer to get a helping hand and a tip on how to avoid it in the future? Or would you rather have the nature and magnitude of your failure explained in great detail? Change is a process and you can be the catalyst for the first step.
- Raise your glass, not your shield
We all probably know people who always have their guard up or those who just take some time to warm to others. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, unless you notice that it starts to hinder progress towards your goals or have an impact your relationships.
Many businesses talk about having a company culture. This can often be just a friendly and informal work environment between the co-workers themselves. On the other hand, open and honest top-down communication can be a stronger incentive to stay than competitive salaries and benefits.
As I have written earlier, ask yourself a question: Are your words and actions building the trust of others, or diminishing it? Set your goals, evaluate your progress towards achieving them and adjust your actions accordingly. It is easier to earn trust when others know you can give it too.
Daniel Král – Acertified English teacher and a psychologist