Man, February 2020, that was a wild time, right? Not just because of everything that eventually blew up, but for me personally, it felt like a real turning point for my career stuff. I remember staring at my screen, scrolling through what felt like endless tasks, and just feeling… stuck. Like I was grinding gears but not actually moving forward. My performance, bless its heart, was just kinda coasting. Nothing bad, but definitely not stellar. I wanted more, you know? I wanted to feel like I was crushing it again.
The Kick in the Pants I Needed
So, I basically told myself, “Alright, this month, Feb 2020, you’re going to boost things.” It wasn’t some grand plan, more like a gut feeling. I’d been feeling this low-key rumble of dissatisfaction, like I was capable of more but not quite getting there. I saw others around me nailing it, and I thought, “Why not me?” It was less about chasing a promotion and more about rediscovering that spark, that feeling of actually accomplishing something significant every single day.
First thing I did was just plain sit down and actually look at my calendar, my to-do list, all that jazz. Not just glance, but really scrutinize it. I started seeing patterns, like how I’d jump from one thing to another without really finishing anything properly. Or how I’d get sucked into endless emails first thing in the morning, blowing an hour before even tackling my main work. It was a mess, honestly.
My Little Experiments
So, I decided to run some personal experiments. Nothing fancy, just trying to switch things up. Here’s what I tried:
- Blocking Out Time: This was a game-changer. I literally blocked out my mornings for deep work. From 9 AM to noon, no emails, no Slack, no social media. Just pure, unadulterated focus on my hardest task for the day. I’d shut down all other tabs, put my phone on airplane mode, and just dive in.
- One Big Thing a Day: Instead of having twenty small tasks floating around, I picked ONE major thing I absolutely had to get done. My goal was to finish that big task before lunch. If I did that, anything else felt like a bonus. This helped me feel like I was winning daily, instead of just pushing papers.
- Taking Real Breaks: Sounds simple, right? But I was terrible at it. I’d eat lunch at my desk, scroll through news. Nope. I forced myself to get up, walk around the block, grab a coffee away from my screen. Even just 15 minutes of fresh air made a massive difference in clearing my head.
- Ending My Day Strong: Instead of just shutting down my laptop whenever, I started taking 10 minutes at the end of the day to plan out the next day’s “One Big Thing” and organize my desk. This meant I woke up with a clear action plan, not a scramble.
It wasn’t smooth sailing, not at all. The first week was brutal. My brain fought me constantly. I’d instinctively reach for my phone during blocked-out time. I’d get antsy thinking about unread emails. It felt like I was wrestling with myself, trying to break years of ingrained habits.
There were days I completely fell off the wagon. I’d get sucked into an urgent request or just have zero motivation. But then I’d try to reset. “Okay, yesterday was a bust. Today’s a new day, let’s try again.” That flexibility, that willingness to just pick myself up and restart, was crucial.
I also started being super honest with my team. If someone popped up with something during my focus time, I’d politely say, “Hey, I’m deep into X right now, can I circle back at 1 PM?” Most people totally got it. And if it was a real emergency, well, of course, I’d jump on it.
The Payoff
By the end of February, I swear, I felt like a different person at work. I wasn’t just doing tasks; I was completing projects. That feeling of actually crossing off a big item every single day? Incredibly empowering. My output definitely went up, but more importantly, my satisfaction went through the roof. I felt more in control, less overwhelmed, and genuinely more engaged with what I was doing. It wasn’t just about boosting performance in terms of numbers; it was about boosting my own mental game and feeling good about the work I was putting out.
That month taught me that sometimes, the biggest boost you can give your career isn’t some huge external change, but just small, consistent shifts in how you approach your daily grind. It’s all about finding what works for you and sticking with it, even when it’s tough.
