Day Dreaming Is Good For Your Career

Highly Effective People Day Dream

Most of us will have been chastised at some point for daydreaming in class. (That’s not just me, is it?) Similarly, we’ll probably have been ticked off for doodling and that is really good for us. And so is daydreaming.

Stephen Covey, in his book, ‘The Habits of Highly Effective People’ (still in print I believe) said start with the end in mind. It’s good advice and like all good advice it sounds obvious and simple.

But how do you know what the end is? Some of us are lucky enough to know just what we want but for most of us we need to spend a bit of time teasing it out. And to help with that I suggest you try daydreaming. Yes, I’m giving you permission to do nothing but sit and dream!

(You might find my free visualisation helpful with this. It’s in my shop but it won’t cost you anything to download it.)

A Day Dreaming Exercise

Ask Yourself These Questions

So, overturning years of conditioning in your past about daydreaming being a waste of time, spend a few minutes on your future. Make yourself very comfortable, grab a cuppa if you want, close your eyes (not with a full cup in your hand, that could be a disaster) and just allow yourself to breath naturally for a while. If you pay attention to your breathing you’ll probably find it slows naturally which helps the relaxation. Be more cat.

• What is your main priority right now?
• Is there anything you can do in next week about that priority? (You need to clear this from your mind to free you up for daydreaming)
• If so make a mental note to do it soon, and now relax and day dream
• Who do you envy for their job?
• What do you like most about your job?
• How could you get more of that in your life?
• Who do you admire in your field?
• How does a perfect day at work look to you?
• Where are you?
• Who is with you?
• (There are many more questions like this in my eBook DreamBig. it’s about Dreaming Big – yes, I’m very literal…)

Get Ready

Now you have spent a little time thinking/daydreaming ahead let’s get practical. The following is something I find useful to do for all sorts of things, work, projects, holidays, parties. You can refine it to your heart’s content; this is the simple version:

Post It Joy

1. Take two different coloured packs of post it type notes

2. Choose one colour for things that give you are happy or are relatively easy to do, one for things that must be done (and don’t fill you with joy) but are longer term and will help you achieve your dream. Yes, dreaming is good but we have to do something so start now.

3. Start writing out your tasks /plan and be specific. For example, don’t just write ‘buy presents’ but write a note for each person you have to consider. Some people it will be a pleasurable task to buy for, others not.

4. I mix work and pleasure tasks as I am self employed and my time is mine to arrange. You may choose to have two sets of task lists and do this separately for work; it depends on your preference. Make it work for you.

Get a Date

5. Put a ‘do by’ date on each one.

6. Distinguish between what’s important, what is urgent and what are both. Obviously all of your career is important but there may be some things you need to do right now.

Stick ‘Em Up

7. Now, with all your lovely colourful notes, stick them where you can see them in date order, so that the earliest date is on top. Put them so they slightly overlap but are visible, maybe on a filing cabinet, maybe on the fridge, but where you can see them.

8. One reason they need to be visible is that thoughts about them will come to you at odd moments and you can add to them i.e. you get a brilliant idea and think ‘I need to contact so and so’ Add it to that post it note.

9. As you tackle each task take the note down. I put the sticky on my diary page for the day and gleefully throw it away when done.

Be Realistic About What You Can Do

10. A beneficial side effect is that it can help stop you over committing yourself. It’s a very visual reminder of what you have to do, to yourself and anyone else passing, and may help you say no now and again.

Take a look at your notes. Do you have a good mix of colours or does one predominate? Are all your notes in the pleasure zone? Lucky you if they are! More likely you have a plethora of jobs that must be done. If you have all jobs that leave you cold it’s time for a rethink. (If this is the usual pattern i.e. all jobs you dislike, then the New Year should see some serious thinking from you about your work life balance and whether you are living the life you want).

If you do have a list of ‘not thrilling’ jobs ahead try and put in some things that will please you, will give you energy, as these will help you manage your stress levels and enable you to do the tedious tasks more efficiently. Can you make a less attractive task more so by doing it with a friend or colleague? Can you turn it into an opportunity to showcase your talents to someone who matters? Is it a personal development opportunity for you? If you can’t change the task, then try and change your attitude towards it.

Dream Big!

RenewYou, My Tried and Tested Career Booster!

RenewYou has helped thousands of women make positive and lasting change in their lives. I deliver it one-to-one as part of a bespoke coaching package for women looking to move into leadership, to progress their career, or who wish to be the absolute best version of themselves.

Posted on January 11th, 2022 by Jane