What if there was ONE THING you could do to achieve more success in every area of your life? Would you do it? This ONE THING is, “Pay Attention!” Problems often occur when we are not paying attention. For example:

• The engine warning light on the dashboard of your car glows red and you ignore it.
• Your monthly bank statement arrives and you disregard it.
• Neglecting to check the scales, you continue to eat your nightly bowl of ice cream.
• You close the door to your residence without checking to see if it’s locked.

As human beings, we have a unique ability to allow our minds to stray into the future. By focusing our attention on something other than the present situation, we are able to learn, plan and reason. However, while we are investigating the future, we are not residing in the present moment.

Try doing the three things listed below for thirty days and you will find yourself doing the ONE THING that will enhance your ability to succeed, which is “Pay Attention.”

Get more sleep. You will find it very difficult to stay focused on anything when you lack sleep, because your brain is not only tired, it’s confused, Six to eight hours a night should be enough.

Eliminate as many distractions as possible. Due to the advent of electronics and multi-media, we are the most distracted generation in the history of America. Put down your phone, turn off your radio, television and computer. You’ll be amazed at how much your ability to focus on the present moment will improve.

Clean up your mess. No matter how often we peer into the future or travel back to the past, in order to focus on the present moment, we all need some order in our environment. This includes our home, our work space and even our automobile. It doesn’t have to be pristine. Simply make it less cluttered.

When it comes to achieving a goal, you have probably heard motivational statements such as, “Aim for the stars.” “Shoot for the moon.” “Go for the gold.” However, you’ve probably never heard, “Just be good enough.”

On the surface, this idea of “good enough” may appear to be settling for less. However, being “good enough” can also be the same as performing with excellence. For example, if an athlete is attempting to win a gold medal in the Olympics, how good does he or she have to perform? The answer is “good enough.” In the Olympics, “good enough” means the performance must be excellent. In another example, if a parent is making Jell-O® for their five-year-old child, how good does the parent have to perform in order to make the Jell-O® acceptable for the child to eat? The answer is, again, “good enough.”

In a final example, if you are placing your household garbage in a garbage can, how good does the garbage have to be wrapped? The answer is, once again, “good enough.” The wrapper must contain the garbage in a manner that will promote safety. A sturdy plastic bag will be fine However, no one would ever think of placing their garbage in nice box, gift wrapping it and adding a beautiful bow. Or would they?

How often have you attempted to do something and exceeded the “good enough” range when it wasn’t really necessary? Although you may be performing with excellence, you may also be wasting time, expense and energy by “gift wrapping your garbage.” By accomplishing your goals to the extent or the level that they need to be accomplished, you will be practicing the “good enough” philosophy and become a good manager of your resources. Here’s a simple motto by which to live. “Do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, to the proper degree that it needs to be done.” That’s Good Enough!

What tools or resources do you use to accomplish your work? This is a question that I regularly ask leaders. The initial response is usually, “No one has ever asked me that question.” We often talk about the principles, philosophies and laws of leadership. However, we rarely discuss the tools that leaders use to accomplish the tasks at hand.

I admit, I am obsessive about discovering new tools or resources to accomplish my work. When I use the words, “tools” and “resources,” I am actually referring to the tangible things leaders use every day such as software, electronics, etc.

A skilled craftsman will tell you that when you have the right tool, the job is much easier to accomplish. The same principle holds true when it comes to doing your work as a leader. So, here are a few of the software resources that I use to do my work.

The resource that I use most often is a software program called “Nozbe.” The tagline on the Nozbe website is, “Simply get everything done.” If you manage multiple projects and enjoy making “to do” lists, you will love this resource.

I’m also an ardent user of a software program called “Evernote.” The tagline on the Evernote website is “Remember Everything – Inspiration strikes anywhere. Evernote lets you capture, nurture, and share your ideas across any device.” If you write anything for any reason, Evernote is a fantastic resource that enables you to have everything you write in one place.

The final resource that I use on a regular basis is called “youcanbook.me.” The tagline on the youcanbook.me website is, “Simple online scheduling for your team. Eliminates back and forth emails. Customer bookings straight into your calendar.” I’ve been using this program for about four years. It’s the easiest and cheapest (free) program on the market for setting appointments without the hassle of playing email or phone tag.

So, there you have it. Three outstanding resources that I use every day to accomplish my work. Contact me at rcox@reworkme.net and let me know the tools and resources that you use to accomplish your work.