1. What’s DirecƟng Your Daily RouƟne?
From Jones Loflin‐The Speaker With TWO Last Names
I was preparing to start my presentation at a corporate leadership retreat,
when one of the meeting planners stopped me and said, “We’re going to
wait a few minutes. Some of our people aren’t here yet.” While their late
arrival for the meeting was not surprising as people struggle to get so much
done before leaving the office, their reason was a bit unusual: Their GPS
units had gotten them lost.
The meeting was held at a beautiful and remote resort, and with the
surrounding mountains, GPS signal was poor and the directions weren’t
always accurate. Relying totally on these electronic navigation devices had
caused some to travel miles down gravel roads only to reach a dead end,
while others were given directions that took them an extra 45 minutes to
arrive at the resort.
Their dilemma was not unlike the approach many people take when
mapping out their daily activities. Armed with a long task list, they plunge
headlong into the first task, expecting the completion of the items on the list
to result in a day of productivity and sense of accomplishment. Too often
they too, are found not arriving where they had hoped.
The solution, both for those who want to minimize the impact of faulty GPS
instructions and those who want to improve their daily routine, lies in what
we did before the era of GPS units. Those things include:
Getting out the map. With a physical map you can more effectively identify
the general direction of your destination, and plan your best course. It’s like
identifying your goals and objectives first, and then planning your activities..
As you look at the route, you can attempt to avoid tasks that could take your
day in the wrong direction, or take too much time with the time you have
available to make the trip. Most importantly, you’ll be able to quickly
recognize when a task might take you off course, just like a road taking you
south when the direction of your destination is north.
Making a physical list of the roads and turns. When driving on a trip you
would never just turn down an unknown road and keep driving. How often,
though, do we allow an interruption to take us off task for an undetermined
amount of time? When you align your tasks with the desired destination,
©2013 Jones Loflin www.jonesloflin.com
The reason for
their late arrival
to the corporate
retreat?… Their
GPS units had
goƩen them lost.
You would never
just turn down an
unknown road
and drive for
miles‐but isn’t
that what you are
doing when you
allow yourself to
be interrupted?

2. What’s DirecƟng Your Daily RouƟne?
Page 2
you have a much greater likelihood of arriving where you want-when you
want-at the end of the day.
Reviewing the map from time to time. It’s the best way to determine if you
are moving in the right direction. Most people make their list in the
morning, and rarely look at it again until the end of the day. Looking at
what you have accomplished several times throughout the day and asking,
“Are these activities leading me closer to my desired outcome for the day?”
helps you make course corrections quickly and not waste valuable time
going down the wrong road-or engaging in the wrong task.
Talking with someone else who knows the direction to your destination.
They can give you tips on the best route and what you can expect to see
along the way that will let you know you’re getting closer to success in
reaching your destination.
Most importantly, take the time to plan your trip. Sure it’s convenient to
punch in a street address and expect the GPS unit to work perfectly-we have
a similar attitude when it comes to our daily routine. A better option,
however, may be to spend a few minutes really thinking about where you
want to go with your day, periodically reviewing your progress, and not
allowing yourself to travel on roads that won’t take you where you want to
go.
What changes could you make to your daily routine to help insure that you
stay on course toward your desired destination?
Jones Loflin is an internationally-recognized speaker and trainer. His
messages focus on change, motivation, time management and work/life
blend. He is the author of two books: Juggling Elephants and Getting the Blue
Ribbon. Jones’ new book, Getting to It, will be released by Harper Collins in
the fall. His humor, energy and audience engagement make an impact on
every member of your group, not just an impression.
©2013 Jones Loflin www.jonesloflin.com
Ask, “Are these
acƟviƟes leading
me to where I
want to go?” If
not, it’s Ɵme to
revisit the map.
The beginning is
the most
important part
of any work.
‐Plato