More done in less time…

We received the following feedback on planet K2 yesterday. Not only did it make us feel quite good about ourselves, but we also realised that there’s quite a bit we can learn from these select words, particularly when it comes to filling the physical component of the performance pie…

“My training continues – making the right eating choices still goes up and down, but increasingly more ups than downs as time goes on. I’ve no doubt that my current physical performance and state of readiness contributed to my recent success and I have to say, it all started with the principles from your workshop.

The business pay-off? Afternoon slumps are a thing of the past and I’m getting more done in less time. Bonus!”

What can we learn from this gentleman?

First, most change in behaviour is not a straight line. There will be ebbs and flows in how well we do what we set out to do. The two keys to his success in making sure an ebb did not lead to a total lapse?

• • To have a constant reminder of his commitment to pursuing his goal. He used the colour blue to remind him, gave himself a blue screen saver on his work PC, wore a blue wrist band got himself a blue water bottle (he was training for his blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu!).

• He accepted that making changes to habits will not be a straight line. Stuff gets in the way! He has a young family, a demanding job and walks past an award winning bakery on the way to work! He judges himself by how well he sticks to the behaviours and also by how well he gets back on track after a slip up. First prize is to have no slip up. Second prize is related to how well he recovers from slip ups. This doesn’t mean he’s easy on himself, but it enables him to retain perspective and root his efforts to change in reality, not in a fictional perfect world.

The fitter he gets and the more healthily he eats, the better he performs at work. He’s choosing his fuel more wisely and making sure he’s training appropriately. Good food choices and regular exercise are now physical performance fundamentals for him. Without them he’d be getting less done in more time! So he’s controlled the things he can control (no-one else puts food in your mouth!) and has systematically developed his physical capacity to perform.

Do you know what your physical performance fundamentals are? Are you in control of them? Do you have a strategy, not only for what you intend to do, but how to stick to them? Commonsense? Perhaps. But how commonly are you applying this commonsense? These simple physical performance fundamentals become even more vital in allowing you to deliver consistently to your best in the face of changing demands.

So, are you choosing to get more done in less time or less done in more time?