70: How Ops Execs Transform from Busy to Brilliant

For the full transcript, visit yourfuturerealized.com/70.

What if you didn't have to choose between working hard and taking care of yourself? Is it possible to find that right balance?

As an operations executive, you’re carrying the weight of such a demanding job, dealing with globalization, fierce competition, and limited resources among other things. There’s constant pressure to always be improving. 

But here's the truth: you can't do it all. And that's perfectly fine.

Taking care of yourself is just as vital as completing your work. Many think, "I’ll focus on myself after I’ve finished my tasks." But there’s a fundamental flaw in that logic. Your feelings significantly impact your actions and how you perform, and that influences your results. 

Keep listening for an idea that can help you break the non-stop cycle of productivity and enjoy what you do again. 

Transcript

What if you didn't have to choose between working hard and taking care of yourself? Is it possible to find that right balance?

As an operations executive, you’re carrying the weight of such a demanding job, dealing with globalization, fierce competition, and limited resources among other things. There’s constant pressure to always be improving. 

But here's the truth: you can't do it all. And that's perfectly fine.

Taking care of yourself is just as vital as completing your work. Many think, "I’ll focus on myself after I’ve finished my tasks." But there’s a fundamental flaw in that logic. Your feelings significantly impact your actions and how you perform, and that influences your results. 

Keep listening for an idea that can help you break the non-stop cycle of productivity and enjoy what you do again. For the full transcript, visit yourfuturerealized.com/70.

Hey Ops Execs,

Maximizing Impact: Focus on Value over Volume

Imagine ending your day every day feeling good about what you accomplished because you made a real difference, not just checked off tasks. Focusing on what truly matters makes your work feel more rewarding. 

It's like enjoying a piece of fine dark chocolate instead of gobbling up a bunch of store-bought sweets.

Now, this isn’t your first rodeo. You know what you’re doing. Always pushing for more can really take a toll on you and isn’t something you can keep up forever. At some point it’s simply not possible to cram more things in. Doing a few things really well can improve your health, earn trust, and make you more efficient.

Think about what you can do today that will make the biggest difference for your team and company.

Effective Task Management: Prioritize for Success

You might be thinking, "But I can’t ignore the ‘little things’." True. Low priority tasks won’t vanish. They are part of the job. But the key lies in managing them appropriately and not letting them overtake your time. That means five things:

1. Delegate Wisely: Get really good at delegation. You’re not dodging work. You’re focusing on what matters and helping your team grow.
2. Batch Similar Tasks Together: Tackle similar small tasks at designated times. This prevents constant focus shifts that drain your energy.
3. Set Clear Priorities: Be smart with your planning and keep your priority list handy so you know what really needs your attention. 
4. Automate Where Possible: Let technology handle the routine stuff so you can focus on the important work.
5. Reflect Regularly: Think about your achievements in terms of weeks and months. This helps you see you where you need to change your approach to stay on track.

Creating Sustainable Work Habits: Strategies for Lasting Success

By the way, this isn’t an overnight change! Shifting your focus to what really counts takes time and effort. It might be a bit tricky at first to change your routine with everything going on around you. Here are three tactics to help you get and stay value-oriented:

• Calendar Hacks: Label calendar events by their value and the outcome you expect. For example, rather than ‘Team Meeting’, calling it ’Improved Process Efficiency Meeting’ helps you focus on results.
• Value-Driven Meetings: Rather than conducting meetings without a clear outcome in mind, start meetings by stating the value you’re expecting to create. For example, "Let’s make sure we wrap up this meeting with a clear plan for our new IT setup."
• Weekly Value Assessments: Each week, jot down three meaningful things you accomplished instead of just crossing things off like “I developed a training checklist that will increase clarity and team productivity.”

And hey, remember that taking care of yourself with sleep, meditation, exercise, cooking good food, etc., isn’t just a task. Taking care of yourself makes you sharper and stronger. There’s great value in these things, too.

So, give it a try, and let me know how it goes.

Today I’ll leave you with this question: In what ways do you contribute to the long-term success of your organization?

And if this episode struck a chord with you, check out episode 35, “How Shrewd Ops Execs Prioritize Strategic Initiatives for Maximum Impact”. You’ll find it at yourfuturerealized.com/35.

You can’t stop the chaos, but you can change the game.