Staying in control of what matters
Most people know that feeling in control helps their motivation and performance. Few people actually work on feeling in control.
Knowing what affects your sense of control – where you’re currently focusing your time, energy and emotion – is the first step in making changes and strengthening it.
This tool will allow you to change the things you’re putting your thoughts, energy and emotion into, so you’ll feel more motivated!
What will it do?
This tool will allow you to change the things you’re putting your thoughts, energy and emotion into, so you’ll feel more motivated!
Using this tool the first time will take about 15 – 20 minutes, then use it as a review and planning tool whenever you’re feeling demotivated or looking for opportunities to get better. After a few uses the principle of “controlling the controllable” will allow you to refocus without actually necessarily using the tool itself.
Three steps to take
Get focused on the things that will make the most impact for you
1. Make three lists of things that impact your performance at work
One list of things you feel you have little or no control over, one list of things you feel you have some control over and one list of things you feel you have lots or total control over.
We’ve made some suggestions for you to think about and add to.
| Things you feel you have little or no control over | Things you feel you have some control over | Things you feel you have lots or total control over |
|---|---|---|
|
Who I work with |
My energy |
My attitude
|
2. How much time and energy do you spend on these things?
Now for everything in your three lists mark how much time and energy you spend thinking about and talking about these things. Mark them H for High (lots of time and energy), M for medium and L for Low. Finally take a look at what you’ve written. Ideally everything in the first column is marked L, everything in the third column is marked H and the middle column is, well, in the middle. If not, move to step 3!
| Things you feel you have little or no control over | Things you feel you have some control over | Things you feel you have lots or total control over |
|---|---|---|
|
Who I work with (H) |
My energy (M) |
My attitude (L) |
3. What does this tell you?
The things that you’re spending time and energy on (marked H) that you can’t control are – by definition – a waste of time and cause motivation to decrease. So what can you do to reduce this and shift your focus to things you can control (maybe things in the right hand column marked L)? Complete a new table with two columns like the one below.
We’ve added a couple of typical examples, in our experience, to get you going and then you can add to the list.
| Uncontrollables to spend less time and energy on and to talk about less | Controllables to spend more time and energy on and to talk about more |
|---|---|
| My targets Other people’s moods Company decisions |
My attitude My energy My effort |
Your plan
Get a plan Stan. The basics you need to have in your plan are set out below.
Plan basics
- What are you going to do? Start by carefully following the 3 steps listed above. Number 3 is particularly useful here in helping you decide immediate actions to take.
My actions:
- When are you going to do these things? You can start straight away. After this you can use this tool as frequently as needed to keep your sense of control as high as possible.
My start date:
- How often will you be doing it? You choose! Some people will want to use it daily, weekly or monthly or others just when they’re feeling out of control or like everything is being done to them.
Check-in frequency and dates:
Get serious
The difference between having a plan and making it work is about action. So get this in your diary now. Tell the people who need to know so that they can support you and won’t just think you’re being weird. Do it now.
Remember, it’s progress not perfection. You’re looking for gradual improvement, not for Rome to be built in a day.