There are many ways to do fine work. One approach is to start by clarifying the real results you want to achieve when doing a piece of top class work.
You may then become totally absorbed in doing the work and, when appropriate, give yourself treats. These can help to keep you going and do your best to deliver top class work.
Different people follow these steps in different ways. Whatever route they take, however, these often involve focusing on the following steps.
Top Class Work
Imagine you want to do a piece of top class work. You may aim to do this when working as a counsellor, educator, medic, specialist, crisis manager, specialist, leader or in another role.
What may be the piece of work you want to do? You may want to help a person who is experiencing difficulties, inspire students, provide medical treatment, lead a pioneering team or do another activity.
Great workers often start from their destination and work backwards. Bearing in mind what they can control in a situation, they explore the following questions.
What are the real results I want to achieve? What is the picture of success? What will be the benefits of achieving these goals? What will be happening that will show that I have done a piece of top class work?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you: a) to describe the specific piece of work you want to do; b) to describe the real results you want to achieve when doing this piece of work. Here is the exercise on this theme.
Totally Absorbed
Imagine that you have clarified the results you want to achieve – the picture of success. You may then become totally absorbed in doing the work. This can involve focusing on the following themes.
You can clarify the strategies
most likely to achieve success
Great workers do what they can to increase the chances of achieving the goals. They often do this by exploring the following themes before embarking on doing the work.
What do we know works when doing such pieces of work? When have I or other people done such work successfully? What were the principles I or they followed to achieve success?
Bearing in mind the piece of work I want to do, what are the strategies I can follow to give myself the greatest chance of success? How can I translate these into action?
Imagine that you have explored these themes. You may then make an action plan for working towards your goals. When doing so, it can also be useful to bear in mind the following theme.
You can organise your time in
blocks so you can do deep work
Great workers often organise their time into blocks. They set aside time to be able to immerse themselves fully in the work. They are then more able to do what the author Cal Newport called Deep Work.
They follow this pattern whether they are planning a day, a week, a month or a longer period of time. They may then take the following steps when moving into action.
They may prepare by following their chosen ritual. They relax, refocus and rehearse what they are going to do next. They then click into action and go into their version of the arena.
They aim to be fully present and, when possible, to flow, focus and finish. They then keep repeating the process on the way towards delivering the desired results.
Imagine that you want to follow elements of this approach in your own way. How can you clarify the strategies you want to follow when doing the piece of work?
How can you then organise your time in blocks? How can you relax, refocus and rehearse what you are going to do next? How can you then be totally absorbed in the work and do your best to achieve the desired results?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentence.
Treats
Great workers often apply themselves fully. There is only so long, however, that they can perform at the top of their game. Sometimes they may need to build in times for rest and recovery.
There may also be times when it is appropriate to give themselves treats. These can help to keep them going and do their best to deliver top class work.
Imagine that you are doing a piece of work. What are the kinds of treats you could give yourself along the way? Here are some answers that people give when exploring this theme.
Treats – The things I can do to give myself
treats when doing a piece of work are:
To take time out … To have short nap … To reflect on the positive things in my life … To go for a walk … To spend time with my dogs … To listen to music … To potter around … To do something that gives me positive energy.
Great workers are also good at pacing themselves properly. They may be times when they go at a slow, medium or fast pace. Sometimes they think deeply and slowly. Sometimes they may act with high intensity.
Such people may therefore see it as a treat to give themselves time to rest, reflect and recover. This can also give them to chance to regain their energy and rehearse what they are going to do next.
Imagine that you are doing a piece of work. When appropriate, how can you give yourself treats along the way? If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme.
Top Class Work
Great workers do their best to perform top class work. They may do this when working as carers, educators, medics, designers, crisis managers, leaders or in another role.
They keep following their chosen strategies and do superb work. They also focus on continuous improvement by aiming: a) to build on what is going well; b) to keep improving and finding solutions to challenges.
Imagine that you are following elements of this approach in your own way? How can you do your best to achieve the desired results and deliver top class work?
One approach is to learn from your positive history. This can include times when you have done superb work and, for example, added that touch of class. Bearing this in mind, you can explore the following themes.
When have been the times in the past when I have done my best to achieve the desired results and delivered top class work?
What were the principles I followed then – and how did I translate these into action – to deliver top class work?
What can I do to follow these principles – plus maybe add other skills – to focus on the piece of work I am doing and deliver top class work?
Let’s return to the beginning. Imagine that you have clarified the results you want to achieve when doing a piece of work. You have then become totally absorbed when following your chosen strategies.
You have been able to manage your energy properly and also given yourself appropriate treats along the way. How can you then do your best to deliver the desired results and do top class work?
If you wish, try tackling the final exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentence.
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