Job One is Always the Same

Posted on June 06, 2013 by Ann Hession, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.

Job One is always the same. That’s right, Job One – meaning your first, most important job at any given time – is always the same.
That may sound like crazy talk to you – I mean, doesn’t it make sense that Job One will keep changing as you get things accomplished and as new problems and challenges arise?
One day Job One is preparing for a particular meeting or presentation, another day Job One is handling communications breakdowns, another day it’s making time to write or create, and let’s face it, some days Job One is taking care of a sick kid or taking the dog to the vet.
Isn’t managing your time and effectiveness all about being able to prioritize and decide what Job One is on any given day and then doing it? And so forth for Job Two, Job Three, etc., of course.
Well, I’m suggesting another approach, and one that will revolutionize your life, both in and out of your business.
This approach is deciding that Job One is always the same thing. Do you know what it is?
It’s you. More specifically, it’s your energy. Job One is raising and maintaining your own energy, keeping yourself strong and well, so that you can be focused and effective and brilliant while taking on Jobs Two, Three, Four, and so on.
It’s very simple. When your energy is high you can bring your best to every task you take on. When your energy is low, you can’t.
When I started to apply this to my life, I noticed a remarkable thing. If I take the time to attend to my own energy first, I always get far more done, and done better, than if I just reactively jump into the job that’s demanding my attention.
It takes some discipline to apply this idea. Sometimes shifting your energy is easy, and sometimes it’s not.
Sometimes you really have to step back from that problem that needs your attention, and instead go for a walk outside, or do some stretching, or go get a drink of water and rehydrate yourself. You might need to stop and write down what’s on your mind that’s dragging your energy down and sucking up your brain power, so you can deal with it, or call someone you can connect to who can help you get clear and focused. You also need to spend some time proactively and regularly finding out ways to keep your energy high, ways that work for you, and then use them when your energy is low. (Stretching is one that always makes a difference for me.)
The most successful and effective and transformational people in the world are people who know this and apply it in their lives moment by moment, every day. And because they keep their own energy levels high, they are not only effective and efficient themselves, they are also attractive and charismatic. They are people you want to be around, people who others want to be connected to and working with. They are people who make amazing things happen.
I invite you to take on the Job One Challenge with me. Commit to making your own energy level Job One for the next month, and see the difference it makes in how you handle all those other “jobs” that life will throw at you. Let me know what happens!
Your Coach,
–Ann