Your Next Clear Move
Welcome to Your Next Clear Move™—the podcast for leaders, professionals, and high-capacity humans who are done “getting ready” and ready to move.
I’m Debbie Peterson, Leadership Readiness Expert, and in each episode I deliver grounded insight, clarity-driven mindset strategies, and one actionable step to help you stop the drift and lead yourself forward.
This isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about reconnecting to what matters—and making decisions that align with who you are and how you want to lead next.
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Your Next Clear Move
Say Goodbye to Chaos and Hello to Clarity in Your Leadership
Discover how to transform the chaos of leadership into a beacon of clarity and effectiveness. Imagine a world where your to-do list doesn't control you, where emails and meetings don't overwhelm, and where distractions are nothing more than an illusion. Join me, Debbie Peterson, on the Getting to Clarity podcast as we tackle these common challenges and explore how clarity can be your greatest competitive advantage. I'll share insights into the essence of chaos, which stems from a lack of focus and direction, leaving you stuck in a reactive cycle that stifles productivity. By defining priorities and cutting through the noise, you'll learn how to make faster decisions, engage in high-impact work, and communicate with unwavering confidence.
We'll also explore practical strategies for limiting information overload and prioritizing tasks that truly matter, enabling you to make decisions aligned with your goals. As a leader, embracing clarity not only boosts your productivity but also empowers you to create a significant impact with less sacrifice. I invite you to explore additional resources and programming options available on my website to support your journey toward clarity-driven leadership. Finally, remember to prioritize self-care as you navigate your professional and personal life. If this episode resonates with you, please consider rating and recommending the Getting to Clarity podcast on your favorite platform.
Hey, hello and welcome back. I am Debbie Peterson of Getting to Clarity, and this is another episode of the Getting to Clarity podcast. This is the place where you come if you want to get the tips, tools and techniques that are going to help you create more success in your leadership with less sacrifice in your life. So today we are talking about chaos and clarity, so stay tuned.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Getting to Clarity podcast, the place where busy leaders discover how to create more success in their leadership journey with less sacrifice in their life. Here's your host, debbie Peterson, of Getting to Clarity All right.
Speaker 1:Chaos and clarity. What am I talking about in their life? Here's your host, debbie Peterson, of Getting to Clarity. All right, chaos and clarity. What am I talking about? Well, let's dive in, because if you've ever been in a place where you feel like your to-do list is the one that's running your life every single day, you've got emails piling up, you've got back-to-back meetings, you've got constant distractions. You know that is the place where, before you know it, the day is over and you're not even sure if you actually got anything done. And that isn't just being busy. Those are the days that I define as chaos. And for me, chaos is when we've got our little fingers and absolutely everything. And it's not time management that's the problem, it's clarity, because without clarity, everything feels urgent and it is so easy to get stuck in a reaction mode. But when you have clarity, when you know what truly matters to your role, your leadership, your career, you stop chasing everything and you start making real progress. So how do you cut through the noise and focus on what is going to move the needle for you? Great question, let's dive in.
Speaker 1:So what I invite you to consider is that clarity is actually your competitive advantage. It's not just about having an organized calendar although, believe me, that helps. It's about making decisions that create more impact. So I want you to think about some of the most effective leaders that you've worked with and hopefully there's been more than one and when you consider these people, were they always putting out fires or were they more deliberate? Did they move with more confidence? Did they have more focus? Were they more intentional? You know, chances are they were clear on what mattered most. So, when you're clear on your priorities what's really important, what is going to move the needle on what mattered most? So, when you're clear on your priorities, what's really important, what is going to move the needle on what you're looking to accomplish when you have that clarity, then you make faster decisions. You focus on high impact work instead of just the busy work. You communicate with more confidence because you have that clarity of something that you create. It's something that you develop.
Speaker 1:So let's talk about the steps that can help you do that. No matter what your role is, no matter what your experience level is, the first step is always to define what truly matters. You got to name it, to claim it, so cutting through the noise is identifying what truly matters in this moment, in this day, um, in this role, during this project, whatever it is that you are focused on, Um, it is understanding what is going to move the needle, and too often, professionals spend their days just reacting to urgent requests instead of focusing on what's going to make the biggest difference. So there are some questions that can help you sift and sort through all the things coming your way so that you're making better decisions. So ask yourself a few key questions like what are the top three priorities in my role right now? Understanding that, if you don't know, that's okay. Here's your opportunity to find out. You know, making sure that they're aligned with your department, with your leadership. Make sure that what you're spending your time and your effort on is going to move the needle in your role. Another question that you could ask yourself is which tasks or projects create the greatest impact? You know I have some entrepreneurial clients and I'll have them go through their to-do list and say, hey, I want you to write down everything that it is that you do and what is revenue generating, what is non-revenue generating? That's going to give you great information. So, similar to you and your role, what is going to make the greatest impact. You know what are the benchmarks.
Speaker 1:Number three what distractions or low value work is taking up too much of your time? You know we get sucked into it, whether it's social media, um, whether it is playing in chat, gpt, whether you know it is um on the phone, um, avoiding things. So understand what you're getting distracted by and then you can do something about it. So once you identify these priorities, put them front and center, write them down, keep them visible and use them as your filters for decision-making. So if a task, a meeting, an opportunity doesn't align with your priorities in your role right now, then maybe consider its importance. Is it something that has to be done right now? Can it be done later? Can someone else do it? If it isn't aligned with the tasks or the projects that you have deemed making the greatest impact, then you have a chance to make another decision. And if it's just one of those things where it's distracting or it's low value work, then you also have great information so you can make another decision.
Speaker 1:So step number two is related to the noise eliminating the noise. Distractions are everywhere, from endless emails to constant notifications to just the mental clutter of trying to do too many things all at once. So gaining clarity requires an intentional effort to say, hey, I want to quiet the noise, and one way to do this is by limiting the amount of information that you can consume. So, uh, I imagine, uh, as a high performing professional, you have a lot of email subscriptions and maybe some of them add value Great, keep them. But maybe some of them don't add value Perfect, Maybe you unsubscribe. So, going through with a lens of is it adding to what you do or is it taking you away from what you do? Same thing with notifications. You know, be very selective about what you allow into your mental space, because that affects how you look at things, how you make decisions. Another strategy is to create focus time in your day where you block out a time and you protect it, where you are doing deeper work, where you're doing that strategic thinking, where you are having a chance to give yourself uninterrupted time on key projects that you really need to get done. So these can help you make real progress.
Speaker 1:And then, finally, take a look at your physical workspace, because I'll tell you, a cluttered desk often leads to a cluttered mind. When you've got a cluttered desk, when mine gets too cluttered, I get twitchy, but when we have cluttered spaces, our mind is constantly evaluating those spaces. Do I need to do something about that? Is that something I need to take action on? Is this something that I need to pay attention to, so when your desk, when your workspace is clear and uncluttered, you don't have those distractions to your mental capabilities? So, you know, tidy it up at the end of the day.
Speaker 1:You know, all of this sounds so simple, but it's. It's kind of like driving through a thick fog. You know, I woke up this morning and I looked out the window and it was a thick fog and eventually it burned away. But in your day, when there's too much noise, emails, notification, endless to-do lists, it's like having low visibility. You know you're driving on the road, there's fog, you can't see where you're going. Perhaps it's a road you haven't driven on before. It feels uncertain, but when you clear your distractions, it's like the fog lifting. So I'm looking out the window now and it's a nice, bright, sunny day, the fog is gone, and same for you. When you address some of these, you can finally see what's ahead of you and move forward with more confidence.
Speaker 1:So step number three are about boundaries and learning to say no. So here's what I mean by that. Clarity isn't just about knowing what to focus on. It's also about knowing what to let go of. If you're constantly saying yes to everything, then you're never going to have time for the work that actually moves the needle. So start by saying no to distractions. If a request, a meeting, an opportunity doesn't align with your priorities, be willing to decline it, delegate it or at least speak up about it. So protecting your time is just as important. If meetings are taking over your schedule, start questioning which ones are truly necessary. Do you really need to be there? Could the same conversation happen in another medium, and maybe an email or a chat or a phone call? You know, maybe hopping on the phone with somebody could replace an hour long session. Finally, resist the temptation to treat everything as urgent. Not everything requires an immediate response, and when you prioritize wisely, you create space for what matters instead of getting lost in the weeds.
Speaker 1:All right, well, next I want you to consider step number four creating a system. I am a systems gal. Systems make my little toes tap, and if systems are a thing, great, create some. If they're not likely. You know people who do thrive in systems, like I do, and you can tap into their wisdom to help you create a system that is comfortable for you, because clarity thrives in structure. If you constantly feel overwhelmed, it may be time to put better systems in place, so consider this the three task rule.
Speaker 1:So, instead of trying to tackle everything, identify three key tasks each day that are going to move the needle Everything else is secondary and protect these time, block them so that you can get focused on them. But if you can do something to move the needle toward each of these priorities first, then that frees you up to get to other things later on in the day. So by scheduling, you know some of the things that we talked about in boundaries, dedicated time for deep work um, you know your own personal growth. You're ensuring that the most important work actually gets done. I call it the power of three and I will put three things on my calendar each day that I know will move me toward what I want most, and it can be an itty bitty thing I do to move me in that direction, or something big, depending on what I've got going on, but it can help you make sure that you're focusing on what is most important.
Speaker 1:Some people also find the rule of five. So power of three, rule of five. Rule of five is define five key priorities, and these are the priorities that are going to help you maintain steady progress. So create systems around these, and the right system for you will be different than the right system for somebody else, but the goal is the same Spend less time wandering and spend more time on actually doing it. So, instead of thinking about it, you're doing something about it.
Speaker 1:Step number five do a check-in, okay, and adjust. Clarity isn't a one-time event. This is a journey. This is like a muscle it needs to be worked in order for you to get better at it, because the other thing is priority shift. Distractions will creep back in and without a regular check-in, it's really easy to lose focus, and that is why it's important to build in a habit of reflecting and adjusting. How did you do?
Speaker 1:At the end of each week, take a few minutes and ask yourself, okay, what worked, what didn't, what do I need to change? And then make sure for the next week you incorporate these learnings, you revisit your priorities to make sure you're still focused on the right things, especially if distractions have crept back in. So don't forget to acknowledge your progress. I keep a tracking sheet and it allows a visual aid for me to know if I'm going in the right direction. And if you would like a copy of my tracking sheet, I'm happy to send it to you. Just either reply to this particular message or email me at debbie at debbiepetersonspeakscom, and I'll be happy to share it with you.
Speaker 1:But I want to give you a challenge, a 48 hour clarity challenge. And if you're ready to move out of chaos and into more clarity, here's your challenge for the next 48 hours. First, write down your top three priorities for this week or next week. Next, identify one distraction that you can eliminate At least be aware of it, because without that awareness you can't change it and find the things that are taking up your attention that you really don't need to focus on. So look at those things. Schedule 30 minutes of uninterrupted focus time one day this week or next, because it's the small actions that are going to lead to big changes, and the more you practice clarity, the easier it gets. So if you want more strategies on cutting through the noise and leading with more clarity, or if you're interested in programming for your organization, then head on over to my website at wwwdebbiepetersonspeakscom. So until the next time, here is wishing you all the clarity that you deserve. Take care, be good to yourself and bye-bye for now.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening to this episode of the Getting to Clarity Podcast with Debbie Peterson. If you enjoyed this show, please rate and recommend it on iTunes or wherever you enjoy your podcasts. To learn more about how you can bring Debbie and her transformational clarity leadership strategies to your organization, visit DebbiePetersonSpeakscom.
