The Now Habit at Work: Perform Optimally, Maintain Focus, and Ignite Motivation in Yourself and Other

Chapter 1. The Seven Essential Strategies

The single most important characteristic of good managers is that they protect their employees—protect their time, protect their dignity, protect their career potential.

——Robert Townsend, Former Director of American Express and Author of Up the Organization

The Seven Essential Strategies

I know you're busy, so let me start by giving away the essential secrets for performing optimally at work. Here are seven basic principles for working efficiently while minimizing distracting and destructive habits. While many of these concepts have been around for several millennia, not many know how to access and apply them to work and career situations. With some practice, you'll be able to make these strategies work for you within a few weeks. Start today; challenge your old beliefs, habits, and defaults; and begin to replace them with what has proven to work for peak performers in every field of endeavor.

Principle One

Shift from your current habit to corrective action. The fastest way to change is to link your current behavior to corrective action. In many cases, this can mean doing the opposite of what you're doing now.

Avoidwastingtimecriticizingwhatyou'vedonewrong. This only adds emotional trauma to an already confused mental and physical state. Instead, point yourself toward the correct behavior. To be an effective manager of yourself and others replace "Why did you spill the milk?" with "How do we clean it up?"

You're probably a more effective manager ...