Start Your Workday with a Ritual

ritualWhen faced with mounting distractions, stressful situations, and conditions outside your control, are you really capable of delivering your best? Most of us are not. To deliver our best, we need to be calm and centered. We need to have focus in order to provide customers with the service they desire.

How can we keep that focus and remain at the top of our game, despite mounting stress levels? One way is by bringing rituals into your workday. Rituals are about paying attention. If you take a moment to notice what you are about to do, you remind yourself to appreciate and focus on the task, rather than rush through it.

For example, when you sit down at your desk in the morning, pause before your turn on your computer or pick up the phone. Take a deep breath and spend a few moments thinking about what you wish to accomplish that day. Think about what is most important for you to do. This can help keep you on task so that even when distractions pile up, you can return to what is most important.

Another ritual is to clear your desk at the end of the day. Before rushing out, take the time to organize everything on your desktop. This helps bring closure to your day. As you organize, make a list of what needs to be done tomorrow. This gives you the opportunity to start your next day with purpose, rather than starting the day already feeling behind.