Time to Read: 3 mins
My husband and I are currently in Italy for a month. 🇮🇹
He’s on vacation.
I’m working remotely.
Our lives look very different in this way.
His work gives him long blocks of time off each year. But if I did that, my business would flatline.
So while we’re both in the same place… we’re operating in very different realities.
And I’ll be honest… continuing to carve out space to get meaningful work done when you’re surrounded by beautiful scenery, incredible food, and the general “you should be relaxing right now” energy is not easy.
It requires something very specific.
It requires that I eat my own cooking and practice self-leadership daily… if not hourly. 💡
Because if I’m going to maintain personal effectiveness on a trip like this, I have to be incredibly intentional about when and how I do things.
Not rigid or restrictive — after all, I do want to enjoy the local culture…
But very intentional.
As an example, right now we’re walking through the streets of Palermo, weaving our way through cobblestone alleys to meet a guide for a tour of the city.
And as we’re walking…
I’m using speech-to-text to write this newsletter. 🎙️
Is it the perfect time to be doing this?
Not really. (Especially if you ask my husband 😆)
But it’s the time I’ve got, so I’m making intentional use of it.
Doing so required two things:
First, clarity around knowing exactly what needed to get done today.
And second, self-leadership! In other words, following through on what needs to get done today, even though there are way more enticing options competing for my attention. (Hello, gelato! 🍨)
But here’s what strikes me as I’m writing (speaking) this…
Most people assume they need better conditions to follow through and get the thing done.
Whether that’s more time…. more focus… fewer distractions.
But the truth is, while those things are helpful, they’re NOT required.
What is required is the ability to lead yourself in the environment you’re in. 🎯
💡 Practionable Takeaway
Take a moment today and ask yourself these three important questions:
1️⃣ What’s one thing I can do today that moves me forward, even in the middle of everything else going on?
2️⃣ When am I actually going to do it?
3️⃣ What might try to pull me away from it, and how will I respond when that happens?
If you just focus on doing one thing, **on purpose, every day, you’ll be surprised by what you achieve. 💪
🎥 Want to Go Deeper?
Managing personal effectiveness is actually a pattern you see at the highest levels of leadership.
Even among the best CEOs in the world, it shows up as a consistent way of operating.
If you want to see how that plays out, and why it matters more than most people realize, I break it down in this video on “CEO Excellence” — an excellent book if you haven’t yet read it.
You can check it out here.👇
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Ciao,
Laura 💜🧡
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