Independent Banker - February 2023 - 33

PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS
Fighting the February lull
By Lindsay LaNore, ICBA
7. Keep a distraction notebook.
When an idea pops into your
head or you remember something
you might forget again, write it
down and don't let it cloud your
focus time.
8. Take breaks. Scheduling a full
day of focus time isn't healthy
either. Listen to your body and
beat the fatigue by giving yourself
breaks to stand, stretch and eat.
9. Look up. Your mind can start
to blur, so look away from the
screen from time to time. Follow
the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20
minutes, take 20 seconds to stare
at something 20 feet away.
he nights are still long and spring hasn't yet sprung, so don't blame yourself
if you're feeling sluggish. But how do you keep productivity up when your
workload is showing no signs of hibernating? The theme for next month's ICBA
LIVE is " Light the Fire. Light the Way. " So, with that in mind, here are 12 ways to
light up your February and fi nd your focus.
deadlines and check each piece
off as you progress.
2. Make a to-do list. If it's
daunting, break it down into
smaller chunks for the day-
or even the hour-ahead.
End the day by mapping out
tomorrow's list.
3. Prioritize. Not everything on
your list is urgent. Tackle the
most important work fi rst.
4. Break it up. If a project is labor
intensive, divide it into smaller
sections. Outline a plan, establish
5. Schedule focus time.
Research has shown it can take
an average of 23 minutes to
refocus on a task after you've
been interrupted, so carve
out some dedicated work
time. Consider using tools
like Microsoft Viva Insights to
help. And listen to the natural
reactions of your mind and body,
scheduling focus time when you
perform best.
6. Manage the noise. Some of us
like perfect silence. Others prefer
classical music or even white
noise. Wear noise-canceling
headphones or crank up some
Mozart-whatever works for you.
T
1. Eliminate distractions.
Studies suggest we're constantly
distracted by our devices, so make
a point of hiding your phone
in a desk drawer or turning off
notifi cations. Switch off Microsoft
Teams, make your inbox
disappear and close your browser.
10. Change the scenery. Use a
conference room instead of your
desk or fi nd a quiet spot in a
neighboring department. Changing
your environment can trigger
productivity.
11. Take a productivity challenge.
If you know a colleague has a
deadline as well, set a friendly
challenge to get past your
respective roadblocks. You can
even schedule lunch at the end of it
to make it more appetizing.
12. Don't forget to sleep. While
it may be tempting, this isn't an
excuse to nap at work! Instead,
invest in healthy slumber habits.
A well-rested mind will help you
dig in and get that work done.
Lindsay LaNore (lindsay.lanore@
icba.org) is ICBA's group executive
vice president and chief learning
and experience off icer
32 // ICBA Independent Banker // February 2023
Photo by Nina Lawrenson/peopleimages.com/Adobe
Independent Banker - February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - February 2023
