Attention Management is the first module in the Stagen Leadership Academy’s brilliant, impactful year-long Integral Leadership Program (ILP)
By being more proactive about managing our attention, the idea is to find two or more hours a week which can then be reinvested in learning the program demands.
Of all the attention management tools, Rand Stagen tells ILPers, the single most impactful is the “Weekly Focusing Process” where he encourages us to set aside time each week to plan out our week and schedule our most important activities.
In his book, First Things First, Stephen Covey recommends a very similar process.
This week we’ve been looking at how to create what philosopher Brian Johnson calls masterpiece days . Brian suggests we make time at the beginning of each week to zoom out and decide “What’s Important Now” (WIN) this week?
Each week has 70 90-minute time blocks. Brian encourages us to look at the upcoming week through the lens of “the Big 3” – energy, work, and love. We decide what’s most important in each category. Next, we block out time in our calendar. Then, we get it done.
Brian’s tip #1: For maximum effectiveness, create a “tech free zone” each morning where we schedule our most important or most creative work first thing.
Brian’s tip #2: Always focus on “micro wins” – the next small step we can take toward our larger goal.
Brian’s tip #3: When we accomplish something, celebrate! Say, “That’s like me!”
Brian tells us to have fun with our days. Make it a game and compete with ourselves to get more things done each day.
Each week, we step back, and ask ourselves:
1: What’s working? Lock it in.
2: What needs work?
3: What will I do differently this week?
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Reflection: What are the benefits of setting aside time to plan and schedule my upcoming week?
Action: Experiment with one of the ideas above.
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