Prime for peak performance

Peak performance is obviously a process, but it starts with getting to the top of your capability every single day. Have some personal rules to help you do your most and best with what you have. Here are a few some tips;

Know your slack times: Few people are productive 24/7. To bring a higher level of efficiency and impact to career and life, you have to know your least productive times and do something about them. Don’t just “not do anything’’ during such times. One approach is to do work that uses another part of your brain; for example doing something that is less taxing in your brain instead of switching off altogether.

Separate obligatory from discretionary: Know what’s mandatory and prioritise them. Build a buffer between you and anything and anyone that might be a distraction or an interruption. In your daily planning, block out all the times you need to commit to mandatory things and then apportion the rest of your time as you see fit.

Do what moves the needle: Identify upfront the wins you want to achieve with each assignment. Know what your goal posts are otherwise it’ll be hard to win. Having this positive focus is one of the best ways to boost your confidence. Work specifically on targets and success criteria.

Apply a ‘no task without a deadline’ rule: Clearly, not every task is urgent, but having deadlines as a typical way of working will help you maximise your time. Doing things on time gets you out of shooting at too many things instead of applying your best efforts and measuring what’s being delivered.

Now take action: Identify at least one ‘rule’ to help you get move towards peak performance.Change your mindset and seeing you get to do as an opportunity rather than a duty. n