How much effort are you putting in?
…And what is the right amount of effort?
I think this is an interesting one, because it’s crucial that we protect our energy and are selective about where we invest it. But I also believe there are moments to go ‘all in’ - so how do we choose?
Firstly, how much effort would you say you’re investing in your day to day work - 70%? 100%? If you’re high on the effort scale:
- Watch out how much energy you’re investing over time. If you’re constantly throwing 100% effort at work you could be at risk of burn out. Pause and take stock
- Take care what else you’re committing to. It’s tough to throw 100% at all parts of your life- pick and choose what will get your energy.
My view is you can deliver excellent results at work, and still be holding back some energy for yourself and your wider life. Going all in at work over an extended period (I’ve done it and I’m sure you have too) is exhausting.
And quite frankly, you’re probably still getting amazing feedback from your boss and colleagues reigning effort back in to 90%.
If you’re putting in a lower amount of effort:
- If you’re working on something that’s a ‘career defining’ moment- be alert to it so you can crank up the effort short term
- Check in with why- is your current role starting to feel a bit meh? If you’re starting to disengage, you want to catch this early so you’ve got the energy to prep for your next career move.
So the action this week is to make a daily note - how hard are you working? What’s your effort % each day?
And the second question- does your level of effort (and hard work) make sense in the current work context or are you over/ under invested?
This insight can help you edit your performance. Interested to hear your reflections, hit comment and let me know.
P.S. Check that you're not putting all your energy into work AND check you're putting in enough. It's all about the elusive balance, right?!
P.P.S. Do you know any awesome branding consultants? I'm doing more work with companies and want to broaden my branding. I've love any introductions.
