The pandemic has forced many of us to slow down and given us time to rethink our priorities. As a society that values busyness, it’s easy to lose ourselves in our responsibilities and forget the things that really matter to us.
At a certain point, we stop getting what we need to be our happiest, truest selves because we’re so busy checking off the next task on our to-do lists. So why not use your down time to reevaluate your goals and core values?
If you’re struggling to make time for the things that bring the most meaning to your life, here’s how to use strategic thinking to reset your priorities.
Reflect
Using strategic thinking to reflect on what it is that you really want in life can help you hone in on your priorities. A recent article from Chatsworth Consulting Group lists helpful questions to help fuel your thought. Here are a few to ask yourself:
- If I could do or achieve anything, what would it be?
- What does it mean to me to have a rich, purposeful life? In other words, what is my “why”?
- How can I treat myself well today?
- What difference do I want to make, and how can I make that happen?
Taking the time to think through these questions will help you understand your priorities and values. Remain thoughtful and uninhibited as you record your answers, and don’t over think them — you want your most authentic values to come through. Revisit your answers every so often to see if they still align with your values.
Managers who truly care about their employees should consider raising similar questions in group and one-on-one sessions. Understanding employees’ values can foster meaningful dialogue, increase workplace satisfaction, and improve employee retention by showing employees their managers care about their personal goals and values.
Reorganize
Once you’ve articulated your true values, you can restructure your use of time and energy. First, make a list of your major roles in life (within your family, professional life, community…). From there, dedicate at least a small block of time every week to advance your role contribution. For example:
- Within your family, you want to strengthen or repair a specific relationship
- Professionally, you desire a challenge or to learn something new
- In your community, you want to serve or contribute in a specific way
- Personally, you’d like to develop a new habit
In the workplace, managers can implement strategic thinking and reorganization to nurture loyalty among their employees and create bonds that pay dividends. Work with your team to support their efforts to enhance the meaning and fulfillment they get from their jobs.
Respond
No amount of strategic thinking will propel you toward your goals. Lasting fulfillment is achieved by taking action. Avoid making an easily breakable new year’s resolution and instead take action on your top priority!
Setting milestones can help you track your progress, but don’t make your list too long and detailed — keep it simple. Work on one action or behavior for a full 100 days and then reevaluate your progress to make sure your actions are still aligned with your values. From there you’ll know whether to keep going as you are or adapt your actions as you grow.
Replace
Instead of allowing yourself to be overcome by anger toward the standstill the pandemic has caused, why not replace your frustration with strategic thinking and use the opportunity to reset? Take some time to practice introspection and reevaluate your core values.
Likewise, if you’re a manager, encourage your employees to use strategic thinking to figure out what they really need from their workplace and careers. A little me-time can be truly transformative.
What role in your life are you inspired to improve with strategic thinking? Let us know in the comments!