Energise for Exceptional Results10 Tips to Transform Your Day

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We are highly experienced in improving business outcomes through creating more focused leadership and energised and engaged employees.

Whatever you would like to improve, we have the solution.

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Matching Demand with SupplyHow can you increase your energy supply to meet the demands placed on you every day?

Implement these tips and energise your day for greater enjoyment and results.

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Time

Energy

Your EnergyDemand

Your EnergySupply

1. DON’T...Make e-mails the first thing you do.

Switching on and hitting send/receive is highly likely to sabotage the day you had planned.

Instead of following your agenda you may lose focus and run the risk of generating wasted emotional energy, such as anger, disappointment, frustration or feeling overwhelmed.

Don’t let others control your day.

You are likely to still need to action e-mails and on the facing page there is a suggestion for when you might start doing this.

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1. DO...Start your day by completing those activities, actions or tasks that are most important to your success. ✓ Spend the first 90 minutes doing the

one to three most important things you have to do that day, e.g. writing that report or making those sales calls.

✓ Keep your focus, stay on your agenda and only then open e-mails (and action the important ones).

✓ Whatever else the day brings, you have already completed your most important work.

Try it – you will be amazed at your increased energy and productivity.

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2. DON’T...Multitask.Focusing on more than one thing at a time drains energy. Your mental capacity for the task you are doing reduces by up to 50% as you add a new one.

Quickly alternating between many tasks is likely to have the same effect, reducing energy, focus and results.

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2. DO...Prioritise and carry out one task at a time.

✓ For those people who love variety and checking each e-mail as they hear a ping, this may be difficult and will require effort.

✓ Take regular short breaks between tasks to allow you to have a new focus for your attention. Your energy levels and productivity will increase.

Although you are busy, do give this a go, persevere, and watch your results improve.

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3. DON’T...Try and get through the whole day without taking a mental break and disengaging your mind from your day job.

Thinking about one thing after another without a break will see your energy and productivity plummet as the day goes on.

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3. DO...Take a mental break every 90 minutes.

Completely disengage your mind from the work tasks you are carrying out.

✓ Regularly do something that energises you – things that you enjoy. Perhaps reading, listening to music or just going for a walk?

✓ Do this for 20 minutes before returning to your work.

You may find this difficult to achieve in your busy day, and even starting with shorter breaks will make a difference.

Make this a daily habit and watch your productivity soar.

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4. DON’T...Worry about things outside your control. The minute you do this your energy is focused where it won’t be effective.

For example, successful Olympians don’t focus on how a competitor might run or jump (they can’t affect it). They only think about their own performance.

The same is true for high achievers in business and in every walk of life.

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4. DO...Focus only on your own performanceand those things you can control and influence.

✓ All your energy is positively pointed towards the areas where you will be able to make a difference.

✓ Use facts only - what you know is happening and not your perceptions of it.

✓ Focus on what you are going to achieve today – not on what others might do to prevent your success.

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5. DON’T...Skip meals. Missing breakfast will put a dampener on your day, whether you think so or not.

Failing to eat regularly while you work will reduce your energy and mean you are less productive.

It will also be likely to increase your irritability, much to the disappointment of your colleagues.

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5. DO...Give your body fuel everyday.

Always eat breakfast and within one hour of getting up.

Eat light and eat often (at least every 4 hours).

Eat within 2 hours before and after exercise.

Eat until you are satisfied and not full.

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6. DON’T...Be thirsty and miss opportunities to keep hydrated.

This will reduce your energy, lead to lethargy and possibly cause headaches and other symptoms that will hamper your performance.

Don’t severely impact your wellbeing and your results through dehydration.

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6. DO...Drink regularly throughout the day.

✓ Between 2 and 5 litres of water (depending on your weight and the amount of physical exercise you do).

✓ Drink water whenever you feel tired or lethargic. It will give you energy and increase your concentration.

✓ The Wateraid website has a great handy calculator that you can use to calculate how much you should be drinking. Visit www.wateraid.org.

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7. DON’T...Sit at your desk all day and fail to move around.

Don’t remain stationary and use your computer and other devices to do all your work or to keep in touch with colleagues and the rest of the world.

This will not meet the physical needs of your body and will lead to falls in energy, engagement and the ability to deliver results.

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7. DO...Regularly get up from your desk and move around at least once every 60 minutes.✓ Find reasons to move. To go for a

short walk, talk with others or carry out some simple exercises.

✓ Your body was designed to move. It needs some action, no matter how small the steps.

✓ Take them every hour and see the difference it makes. You should take at least 10,000 steps each day.

✓ Think about using a pedometer to see how you measure up.

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8. DON’T...Regularly go to bed late and have little sleep.

To have the right energy you will need to recharge your batteries and constantly skipping the time needed for rest will lead to lower energy, enjoyment, productivity and results.

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8. DO...Get the right rest. ✓ While individuals do have different

needs, depending on age and other factors, seven hours a night should be the minimum for most people.

✓ Do go to bed and get up at the same time each day (wherever possible).

✓ Early to bed and early to rise really does provide the most energy for the majority of people.

The right rest will lead to greater enjoyment, improved performance and better results.

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9. DON’T...Drift and have no idea about where you are aiming or what you would like to achieve.

You are unlikely to be fully engaged with your life and work and will not achieve your full potential.

Without a clarity of personal visionyou leave to chance where you will end up and your energy, engagement and productivity are likely to be low.

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9. DO...Have a clear vision for yourself and set clear goals.

✓ Break these down into manageable steps and commit to specific action.

✓ Set out when you will do these (not by when) and allocate specific time in your calendar.

✓ Knowing exactly where you are heading (and adjusting as needed) will provide you with enormous energy each day and support you in overcoming any obstacles that get in your way.

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10. DON’T...Think you can do everything on your own or surround yourself with people who drain your energy.

Constantly facing challenges as an individual will drain your energy.Being with others who are negative or constantly moaning will drain your energy.Surrounding yourself with unsuccessful or unambitious people will drain your energy.

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10. DO...Build an effective support team - all successful performers surround themselves with a great team.✓ Include successful people, positive

people, energetic people, funny people and people with the skills and knowledge to complement yours.

✓ A problem shared with the right people really is a problem halved.

✓ Make sure you embody the right behaviours so you are part of the teams that others can draw on too.

Be someone who gives energy to others as well as being able to build it for yourself.

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Do use all your resources to implement these tips.Draw from all four quadrants of energy to deliver your best performance and results.

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QuantityHow much you have comes from your Body

QualityPositive or Negative? Comes from your Emotion

PowerCommitment and clarity comes from your Spirit

FocusTight or scattered comes from your Mind

What Now?Do you want more energy in your life?Energy that you can use to generate greater enjoyment, engagement, performance and results?

If you have answered yes, we have some simple tools to support you in taking action.

Visit www.developingpotential.co.uk

Now choose those tips you would like to implement. From these pick the one that you think will have the greatest impact for you and your performance and then turn the page and take action.

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Take ActionFor the tip you have chosen, what is the first step you need to take?

✓ How will you do this and do you need anyone else to support you?

✓ When will you take this step? We recommend setting a specific timeto do it and not a ‘by when’ date.

✓ Take the step and learn from the result. High performers keep taking action until they get the result they want.

Then repeat until you are sustaining the changes you want to see. In time you can do the same for more of the tips.

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Final ThoughtsAre you now feeling more positive about taking action to boost your energy?

If you had all the energy you needed every day, what would you be able to achieve? Both in and out of work?

We would love to hear your success stories and if you have any questions why not give Les or Mark a call?

Les Duggan+44 (0) 7812 995780lesduggan@developingpotential.co.uk

Mark Solomons+44 (0) 7836 613952marksolomons@developingpotential.co.uk

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Contact UsTo find out more about energising your performance and your leadership for exceptional results please contact us.

Visit our website, send us an e-mail or call us. We will be delighted to hear from you.

Phone +44 (0) 20 3303 0496E-mail enquiries@developingpotential.co.ukWeb www.developingpotential.co.uk