The following is a guest post from Luke Burkey. Luke is a student at Wheaton College and a software entrepreneur looking to solve pressing problems in the staffing industry. You can connect with him on Twitter @luke_burkey or via email.
In my last post here at Productivityist, I gave you a glimpse of the custom productivity process I now use. It is a reminder board I developed called the “Zoomout Chart”. I will spend some more time introducing it today, and hopefully some of you might find it improves your levels of motivation and focus. I would especially encourage you to use this tool in tandem with Mike Vardy’s weekly theming concept, which allows you to focus each day of the week on a new mindset. The attachment below also includes a template for you to fill out and experiment with both of these productivity methods together.
The Zoomout Chart is a reminder board you can either print and display on your desk or simply have as an open document on your computer. I personally use it by setting it as my home screen on my computer browser, so I see it every time I open a new browser tab.
The Zoomout Chart is comprised of 4 quadrants:
- Inspire
- Remind
- Improve
- Maximize
In each quadrant, the user ofTthe Zoomout Chart will place three to five sentences or bullet points that they would like to remind themselves of. These featured items could be of quotes, books, or words of wisdom to help you recalibrate throughout the day. These lessons and values we hold to fill the four quadrants based on what we want to be reminded of throughout the day.
Here is the latest version of the personal Zoomout Chart I use on a daily basis:
On a very basic level, The Zoomout Chart is designed to be flexible. It should cater to your individual needs however you see fit. As I mentioned before, I designed it primarily to be a reminder board that you see every day. It helps you stay on target by reminding you of your values, hopes, and messages which in turn keep you moving forward. The visual reminder is very beneficial to stay present and engaged, even when you are feeling unmotivated or mentally strained.
Each Zoomout Chart will look different from the next, since we all have different goals and aspirations. I would even encourage users of The Zoomout Chart to change the categories within the system to match their individual needs. The most powerful productivity and mindset approaches are founded upon flexibility and customization, since the world we live and work in is constantly changing.
In conclusion, I encourage you to download The Zoomout Chart template attachment below and to give it a try. The exercise of typing and recording some of the goals and inspiring values you hold to alone will be a very beneficial exercise.
When your mind is as focused and organized as your to do list, you will find it is amazing what can be accomplished. With tools like The Zoomout Chart and weekly theming you can reach new levels.
Ready to go? You can get The Zoomout Chart and Themed Week Template here.
