‘Think Smart, Work Smarter’ (II)
This week, we’ll continue with ‘Think Smart, Work Smarter’ by Tremaine Du Preez.
The Mental Bloopers that we all make:
To reduce the effect brain bloopers have on really important decisions, ask a few simple yet powerful questions:
a) What/ who is the source of my information?
b) Where did my source get it from?
c) Am I presuming anything?
d) What are my presumptions based on?
e) Am I only using the latest information that I have seen, heard or read?
Tips for avoiding mental bloopers:
a) Challenge your own opinions. Are they based on good information, guesses or on hearsay?
b) Infer, never presume.
c) Celebrate being an expert at something, but watch for clues that your skills might be getting outdated.
d) Look for evidence that tests, and not just confirms, your thinking before you finalize any decision.
Comfort zone thinking:
Sometimes we go to great lengths to justify previous decisions. This protects our egos and reputation. This may even mean making a string of bad decisions to avoid admitting we were wrong in the very first one. In the short term this may seem like a sensible decision, but the long-term consequences can be devastating.
Great thinking happens outside of our comfort zone. Ask yourself:
a) Is the status quo still the best option for me? How long has it been since I have re-evaluated it?
b) Set specific goals for the decision or challenge. This will help you change focus from the options at hand to the required solution and work backwards from there. Ask yourself what are your ultimate objectives? Does the status quo suit those objectives now and in the future?
Tips to kick the procrastination habit:
a) Prioritise activities for each day and make sure that you start with your top priority.
b) Allow yourself the fun stuff but only after the top priority is taken care of.
c) If you are putting off a hard-to-make decision, remember that it will have to be made at some point. The sooner you make it, the sooner the pressure of it looming will be relieved.
Creativity produces better solutions and breakthroughs:
To nurture your seeds of creativity,
a) Get up to date — — What is the latest best practice in this particular area? What do other people know that you don’t? Again, we can learn other people’s experiences as well as our own.
b) Frequent, short ‘mental breaks’ from projects and good quality sleep are essential for peak mental performance and idea generation.
c) Breathe deeply for several seconds with your eyes closed
d) Keep photos of your last holiday on your desk and allow yourself to slip back into it with a little daydream. No one has to know.
e) Listen to relaxing music on your iPod for a couple of minutes.
Intelligent brainstorming for breakthroughs:
To extract maximum value and creativity from the group,
a) Keep the group as small as possible so that everyone is able to offer ideas and opinions.
b) Assume nothing. Ask for ideas about what caused the problem or led to the need to brainstorm. Write up different suggestions and notice how many you receive. Clarify and correct wayward ideas and faulty thinking. Note any ideas that are new and sensible.
c) Ask for ideas and solutions, which would ordinarily be spoken, to be written on cards instead, anonymously.
Many projects that fail during a recession or a changing business cycle do so because the project team doesn’t explore the question, ‘What is the worst thing that could happen?’ There is no harm in being prepared for both the best and worst that can happen.
Source: https://www.meisterdrucke.uk/fine-art-prints/Delapoer-Downing/299562/Musical-Interlude.html
Source: https://artvee.com/dl/in-the-fullness-of-summer/
