Three Questions to Put a Spring in Your Step

Welcome to Spring. How’s it feel?

Pretty good for most of us, we’d say. Things are looking up for the building industry: this year, 73 percent of construction firms expect to hire new people to address demand. It’s a hopeful environment, a reassuring one.

And while you should stop and smell the roses, you should also look forward.  An upward-trending year is the perfect time to examine your situation and plan for the year ahead. Much like how New Year’s is the perfect time to set a resolution.

And like New Year’s, such plans often fail to bear fruit. Why, and what can you do? In a new article for Builder, Clark Ellis – principal at Continuum Advisory Group – explores that dilemma.

The core of Clark’s argument is a cultural one. Society in and out of the office provides a constant stream of information. To keep up you need to really look at the information. This is especially prevalent in an industry like construction, where demands can shift by the day.

That constant chase can manifest in problems with:

• Prioritization, where we can no longer commit to improving one thing. We juggle multiple balls, and end up losing them all.
• Stress, which comes in a vicious cycle. You’re stressed from trying to up, and then you’re stressed from trying to deal with the stress!

Clark’s approach is simple: don’t chase. Instead, slow down and be more planful. Spring, with its early balance sheets and welcoming weather, is the perfect time. You can start by asking yourself three questions:

1. What is your number one? If you only had time to focus on one project, one goal, on idea, what would it be?
2. What keeps you up at night? Whatever it is, it’s likely your biggest problem. Consider it a guidepost for your planning.
3. What does your company offer? Specifically, what do you offer employees? If you want your plan to work, you definitely need committed partners.

Of course, like any plan, even your best-laid ones might not work out. But in the process, you’ll learn a lot about your company, yourself, and how to manage your life. Sure beats spring cleaning.

You can read the full article on Builder now.