I’m a lifelong student, always crafting processes that make me a better boss, businessperson, and human. Lately I’ve started practicing a new routine that has really elevated my mental game and overall work output. I’ll break it down for you here.
I create times on my calendar to signal that I should check in with myself. Each one is a reminder to focus on a core value I don’t want to lose over the week. For me, it’s three ’tudes: attitude, latitude, and gratitude. As disciplined as I am (or at least think I am), I still find that this date with my brain really helps me keep the commitment and think about it in achievable steps.
Attitude. On Sunday nights, I remind myself how much I love what I do, how much I can’t wait to get back to work, and how much I am committed to building a really successful company for me, my clients, and my employees. I’m a pretty focused and upbeat guy anyway, but that reminder is just a little nudge in that direction to make sure I am employing the right attitude to win.
Every week at that time (when I am in a great attitude mindset), I draft an email to my entire team and set the stage for their week. I read articles that motivate me to push harder, work deeper, and never sit back and coast. I even pick out the Monday morning Instagram post for my company that will set the stage for us to kick a*# and take names that week. The right attitude sets the altitude for the week for sure.
Latitude. On Wednesdays around 3 p.m., I do what I call a coordinates check-in. I’ve written before about how I try to regiment my days/weeks and cover a lot of different areas for my company. So at this time, I stop and look at my compass to gauge where I am for the week. Am I ahead or behind pace? Is there anywhere that I need to pivot or adjust? This allows me to course correct for Thursday and Friday and make sure I over-index in any area(s) that is/are lagging or that just needs heavy focus given the ever-changing needs of my business, especially one in the service space.
Gratitude. Having a “gratitude attitude” is really so important for your mental success. On Fridays, I spend time sending some sort of thank you message to a client, employee, or referral partner to let them know I am truly thankful for their contribution to my personal or professional successes. Sometimes I will even just call a parent, to check in and let them know I am thinking of them and want to see how they are doing. I do this because it is the right thing to do, and, to be honest, it feels good and helps refill my tank with good energy. After a week in client services, taking a few minutes to focus on gratitude is a much-needed reprieve from the constant barrage of negative energy (sometimes warranted; more times not) that comes my way.
Being positive, thankful, and focused is obviously a smart approach to business and life in general. This is just a roadmap to potentially help you get there. Add some ’tude time to your calendar and see if it works for you, too.
