{"id":2521,"date":"2016-01-07T11:03:54","date_gmt":"2016-01-07T11:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dudokconsulting.nl\/?p=2521"},"modified":"2024-06-02T06:08:38","modified_gmt":"2024-06-02T06:08:38","slug":"the-10-most-important-tips-for-planning-and-focus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dudokconsulting.nl\/en\/the-10-most-important-tips-for-planning-and-focus\/","title":{"rendered":"The 10 most important tips for planning and focus"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recent weeks, I have been busy with my goals, my plans for the year, for the weeks, and for the days. I started off enthusiastically, and it gave me a good feeling; I was in the flow… And then there is always that moment when I get stuck, become vague, and look for new ways and possibilities. You can imagine that I then wonder, “Am I a good planner?” But also, “How do I manage my time as effectively as possible?” I must admit that my answers can vary. Often, it depends on the flow I am in. Below, I share my 10 most important tips for planning and focus<\/strong> with you.
\nOne thing I know for sure: I have years of experience with time management, planning, and prioritizing. I am (still) always looking for (new) systems to approach it even better and more efficiently. And for this reason, I can support my clients well and ultimately help them discover what works best for them.<\/p>\n

10 tips for planning and focus<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I know there are a number of universal laws, and I know that it is customized for everyone to find out what works best for you. Here, I share my most important insights<\/em> with you.<\/p>\n

1. Don’t get distracted<\/h3>\n

Making a plan, following the plan, and thus staying focused also means \u201cdon\u2019t get distracted\u201d. So: when you make a plan and work on a project, turn off your social media notifications and email pop-ups. And put your phone on silent.<\/p>\n

2. What are your rituals?<\/h3>\n

You probably know that great leaders and great entrepreneurs swear by rituals. For example: getting up at the same time every day, exercising for an hour every day, or starting each day with meditation. Know or find out what works for you and stick to your rituals. The power of rituals is their predictability. You do the same thing in the same way over and over. And so, the outcome of a ritual is predictable.<\/p>\n

3. The rhythm<\/h3>\n

I am a sailor, and there is nothing better than the rhythm of the waves, the steady pace. It\u2019s the same at work: build patterns, build systems. Those that work for you. And those that work for your team members. I recently came across this: Monday = vision day, where we set three milestones for the week; Friday = reflection day, where we look back and ask questions like \u201cwhat went well?\u201d and \u201cwhat could be better?\u201d.<\/p>\n

4. Why?<\/h3>\n

What is your why? The stronger you know why you want to achieve something, the better. And that applies, of course, to your team members as well. Ask them their why. Did you know that the \u201cwhy\u201d question is the most frequently asked question by employees? So it\u2019s a very strong motivator.
\nThe key to good results = passion + goal<\/em>. If you share your \u201cwhy\u201d with others, it gives a lot of energy; it\u2019s even contagious.<\/p>\n

5. Focus on results, not activities<\/h3>\n

I once attended a leadership training in Malaysia, and at one point, the trainer exploded. He yelled at us, \u201cA lot of activities, but no results<\/em>\u201d. It startled me, and it made an impression. And I still keep that moment in mind. It helps me by regularly asking, “What is the result?” or \u201cWhat is the goal?\u201d. It greatly aids in focusing on clarity and helps to eliminate unnecessary activities. Scrum techniques (borrowed from the software development world) can be very helpful here.<\/p>\n

6. Plan your day in 3 steps<\/h3>\n

Step 1: Plan \u2013 5 minutes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Do this preferably before you sit down at your computer, with a blank sheet of paper. Write down what will make this day a success. One thing, maximum three things.
\nDecide what will make this day a great success. Now take your agenda and schedule those things into time slots. Finally, prioritize.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Check and review – 1 minute<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Preferably every hour. This way, you keep control of the day, and it doesn\u2019t slip through your fingers.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Review – 5 minutes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Do this at the end of the day. What worked? What did you focus on? What distracted you? How can you be even more productive tomorrow?<\/p>\n

7. Relax<\/h3>\n

Athletes perform best when they incorporate enough rest. In swimming, this is called the \u201cTaper Phase\u201d. Recovery time is key. To perform better, to work more effectively, etc. Plan this. When I work on a project, I often use the Pomodoro technique<\/a>. It reminds me every 25 minutes to take a break. And it helps me to maintain control over my time (usage).<\/p>\n

8. Urgent or important?<\/h3>\n

You probably know it: the Eisenhower quadrant. It makes you aware that you should focus on what is important, but not urgent. It provides focus, discipline, proactivity, and therefore more peace. This is quadrant 2 in the accompanying model.<\/p>\n

\"Eisenhower<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

9. Plan the unexpected<\/span><\/h3>\n

Leave some air, space in your agenda. Especially in larger organizations, appointments are often scheduled so tightly that there is no room for unexpected events. No time for a round with your employees, no time for a cup of coffee…
\nThis eventually leads to mega stress. It is one of the topics I spend a lot of time on with my clients. How do you create space in your agenda? Let your assistant help you with this (delegate!).<\/p>\n

10. Eat the frog<\/h3>\n

This is the title of a famous book by management guru Brian Tracy. \u201cEat that frog\u201d. The essence is to always do the hardest thing first. So, if you\u2019ve swallowed a frog, the rest of your tasks are probably a piece of cake.<\/p>\n

Now I am, of course, curious about your planning and focus: what works best for you?<\/span>
\nWould you like to write your response below this blog?<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In recent weeks, I have been busy with my goals, my plans for the year, for the weeks, and for the days. I started off enthusiastically, and it gave me a good feeling; I was in the flow… And then there is always that moment when I get stuck, become vague, and look for new […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2212,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[108,109],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","category-scaling-up-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe 10 most important tips for planning and focus - Dudok Consulting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"These 10 planning and focus tips will keep you on track!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dudokconsulting.nl\/en\/the-10-most-important-tips-for-planning-and-focus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 10 most important tips for planning and focus - 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