If there’s one lesson to be reminded of during lockdown, it’s the importance of being present.

Like many you, we run our own business.

And, like a lot of you, we are a family / husband & wife team.

Add in the mix of kids who not only need home-schooling; they need reassurance, extra love, and entertaining so they’re not glued to a screen all day long.

Finally, there’s the house to ‘keep in order’ (as Jacki said the other day, it’s like reverting back to a 1950’s housewife).

There’s no such thing as multi-tasking – so how do you go about this without working 24/7 and getting stressed and overwhelmed?

There’s no easy answer, but one that has made a massive difference to us, is that of being Present. Whenever I do one of the activities above, I make sure I am only focusing on that one thing.  For example, …

If I’m on a call to a client, I am not printing off homework sheets in the background.

If I have a virtual board meeting, I explain to everyone when this happening so they do not come and disturb me, and I can be 100% present in that board meeting and give my very best.

If I’m helping the kids build a Trojan Horse out of toilet roll, I’ll make sure I am putting all of my attention to this and not checking my WhatsApp in between taping and cutting.

When we have our family lunch, I’ll make sure I am 100% present and not distracted by my phone.

Here’s some ways to help you, and those around you, be present in your business:

• Become aware of how you impact others, as well as how you’re impacted by others.
• Create the right environment including a culture & process for open, honest feedback.
• Start listening, stop telling. Telling leaves people feeling you’ve given them all of your burdens but taken none of theirs off their shoulders.
• Replace bad habits with positive ones (by bad habits I mean procrastination, not letting go, not making decisions, getting distracted by shiny new things…).
• Stimulate conversations with questions to engage others and allow your team the opportunity to challenge and learn.
• Communicate to your team (on a regular basis) how you expect them to think, act and behave.

Understanding and executing these will help deliver the results without the stress or burden of being stuck in an environment of chaos.

This week, do some honest reflection – how present have you really been up to now? What can you stop doing / do more of to be present?

Today is a gift and that’s why it is called the present….

BW,

Martin

Martin Norbury

Investor | Business Mentor at Advocate | Author of I don’t work Fridays

PS What do you think of the Trojan Horse?!