How to Find and Hold onto your Mojo;
Both at work and at home by Mark Zimmermann
I’m on this exciting journey, now 3 years into my coaching studies to achieve my masters in Coaching. Every day I learn something new from the people around me. One thing that is abundantly clear to me is that I am always surrounded by two types of people, those who ooze mojo, passion and energy and those who have none!
So what makes those with rich sources of passion and energy embrace life’s challenges with such enthusiasm and determination, as opposed to those who face each day with a “glass half empty” approach? I ask myself that question often and here’s what I think we all need to do if we are to face each day with the right mindset.
1. Get up on the right side of the bed
If your last thought before you nod off each night is a positive one, then the chances are your first thought of the day will be too. I’ve proven to myself that falling asleep listening to a meditation segment or listening to soothing sounds leads to a healthy nights sleep. The outcomes of a great nights sleep will be evident through your first conscious thoughts when you rise to face the day. Wake up with a positive mindset and it will set you up for the day.
Your Mojo will flow!
2. Tackle the tough stuff first
Get the biggest tasks / the challenging ones out the way as early in the day as possible. Your mojo and energy will drive you to knock these tasks out of the way first up! This will create a sense of achievement and will set you up to smash through the rest of what the day has to throw at you, and remember, curveballs are a part of each day, so expect them!
3. Live Monday to Thursday like it is Friday!
Don’t dread the week, embrace it! Create fun and laughter around you. It’s infectious and it spreads. Bring that Friday feeling into your work life and watch the impact it has on those around you. Sounds crazy?
Try it! Healthy culture stems from each individual, and your Mojo drives it!
4. Have a clear plan for the day
How will you know if you have succeeded in winning the day if you don’t have a clear plan for what your goals are for the day? Sounds elementary, but you will be surprised how many of us fail in this basic discipline! Prioritise the activities that are most meaningful in terms of achieving your goals.
There is a great Japanese proverb that I cling to: “Action without vision is a nightmare; Vision without action is a daydream!” Bring Vision and Action together in the form of your goals and your plans for each day, and let your Mojo drive it.
5. Bite Size Chunks
Your mojo and energy are not infinite, so use it wisely! A daunting “to do” list can be scary to look at and demotivating to tackle unless you break things down into “bite-size chunks”.
It’s a balancing act, so don’t spread yourself too thin as it will drain your mojo when you start to feel like you are not accomplishing the things you want to so. We are not human doings, we are human beings, so it’s important to nurture and align your wants and needs.
6. Own it!
We need to make each day count, so when it comes to achieving your goals, make sure you enjoy and celebrate those successes. Likewise, when faced with a challenge, own it, front up to it, deal with it and move on from it. Your mindset, energy, passion and enthusiasm are the ammo that you will need to overcome almost any challenge.
7. Downtime
We all love to chill out watching Netflix, spending time on social media and generally being attached to our devices. Scientific studies have proven time and time again, that true “down time” is not spent in front of a screen. As the age-old saying goes; “stop to smell the roses”.
Detach from your device for an hour or two. 40 minutes of device-free activity or exercise will do wonders for re-charging the Mojo flow, and topping up your energy. Go for a walk, watch the sunset. Re-connect with nature.
So there you have it…those are my 7 points that I feel will make the difference between having a healthy Mojo flow, and a not-so-healthy one. Most of this we do already, but often we forget. It’s good to remind ourselves from time to time…
I get deeper into this topic through my Mojo Coaching sessions. Click here to contact me if you would like to find out more about how to develop your Mojo.
Cheers, Mark