Focus On the Essential

Recently, I was speaking with a young mentee who asked for some advice on how to be more productive at work.

I felt it was important for me to leave him with a tiny byte of wisdom that he could quickly implement.

I advised him to focus on the essential and eliminate the rest. Keeping it simple is the key to productivity. Try not to do too many things at the same time.

My young friend was persistent. His question on the rebound was – “How do I identify what is essential?”

I realized my goal of keeping the messaging crisp was in danger. So, to avoid getting sucked into a long-winded conversation, I decided to share a simple tip my mentor gave me.

Imagine you’re navigating a plane with ten friends aboard, and the plane is about to crash. There are only three parachutes on the plane, and as the captain, you have the power to save yourself and two of your friends. Who would you pick?

Now think of your ten friends to be like your many priorities. If forced to choose, you always know which two friends you will pick. It’s the same with your priorities.

My young friend smiled knowingly as we parted ways!!