1 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: new world of work where location and hours are more 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to create 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: a shutdown ritual. Identify the steps you need to take 6 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: when you stop work so you can start again quickly, 7 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: knowing you're on track for all your big goals. I'll 8 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: offer five questions to guide your shutdown and then describe 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: what each entails. First, what were my big accomplishments today? Second? 10 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: Did I do what I planned to do today? Third? 11 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: What new tasks came up today? Four? What's the hard 12 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: landscape for tomorrow? And finally, what are my priorities for tomorrow? 13 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: The first question is pretty simple. You want to start 14 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: your shutdown ritual by recognizing your bushmans for the day. 15 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: Write them down on the done list we've talked about before. 16 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: Progress is motivating. When you reflect on what you've gotten done, 17 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: you're inspired to keep going. After you've acknowledged your accomplishments, 18 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: look back at your to do list for the day. 19 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: Did you get to everything that you planned? If not, 20 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: knock out any tasks you can address right now. So 21 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: you in the day without nagging to do. If there 22 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: are things you can't do now, make a plan for 23 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: completing them. And if there's something that's still in process, 24 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: make a note about where to pick back up. To 25 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: save yourself time figuring that out tomorrow, you could even 26 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 1: type start here in capital letters and a document you're editing. 27 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: As for step three, well, new stuff always comes up, 28 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: so figure out what it is and make a plan 29 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: for dealing with it. Assign things a spot on your calendar. 30 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: It might be next week, it might be two months 31 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: from now. But all tasks take time, so designating a 32 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: time is a good way to make sure they happen. 33 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: Question four turns your attention to tomorrow. Look at your calendar. 34 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: Are there things that have to happen at specific times? 35 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, calls these the 36 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: hard landscape. If you need to prep for any of 37 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,679 Speaker 1: these events, do that now or figure out when in 38 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:28,639 Speaker 1: tomorrow's schedule the prep can happen. Finally, consider tomorrow's priorities. 39 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: Two's maybe three additional important but not urgent tasks and 40 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: schedule these in around the hard landscape. Well, this may 41 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: sound like a lot, it really isn't. Once you get 42 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: into the habit of using a shutdown ritual, it can 43 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: take fifteen minutes or less. You might set an alarm 44 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: on your phone for thirty minutes before you plan to 45 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: stop working. That leaves time to get to a good 46 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: stopping place and then time to go through the ritual. 47 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: Even if leaving work just means closing your laptop these days, 48 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: a shutdown ritual is still time well spent. When you 49 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: sit down at your laptop next, you won't burn time 50 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: deciding what to do. You know exactly what you need 51 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: to do, so you're not lured into a whole morning 52 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 1: in your inbox. If you have a shutdown ritual that 53 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: works for you, I'd love to hear about it. You 54 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: can let me know at Laura at Laura Vanderkamp dot com. 55 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 56 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:35,119 Speaker 1: here's the succeeding in the New Corner Office. The New 57 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: Corner Office is a production of I Heart Radio. For 58 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: more podcasts, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 59 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your favorite shows.