Whether you are a CEO, Principal, Loan Originator, Borrower, or Business Development Professional, intentionality is crucial for career success and life fulfillment. As I’ve practiced being more intentional with my day-to-day life, I’ve reduced stress, developed more self-respect, and established healthy relationships. This is something I am working on daily, but I’ve realized how essential it is to be intentional with everything that truly matters to you in life.
We only get one shot at the life we live, which means one chance with those relationships we nurture and love, the careers we work so hard to build, and the vacations we deserve to enjoy. “Being intentional is the fact of being deliberate or purposive with all that you do”.
In this article, I will share a few tips I’ve learned to live a more intentional, focused, and fulfilled life for both in and out of the workplace.
Intentionality in Work
Plan your day, and if you can, plan your week.
To-do lists are essential for this. When you walk into work, you should know what top three tasks you need to complete to make your day successful. That’s the thing with intentionality- you must show up every time, not just physically but mentally. For me personally, I’ve realized my focus is much more effective in the morning, specifically before 1:00 pm. I try to be intentional and get all the tasks that require more thought and focus completed before 1:00 pm hits.
Intentionality in Personal Health
Live a balanced life, and no, I don’t mean “work-life balance”.
Work hard, be kind, and do what you love. To understand this, it’s important to reflect on each life phase and transition point. Ask yourself “what is great about my life today?”, “what concerns me about my life right now?”, and “what is lacking in my current day-to-day?”. I try to live a balanced life by waking up early to accomplish personal fulfillments, such as working out, spending time with my dog, or even getting ahead on personal goal planning/reflecting. As I mentioned earlier, my prime focus time is in the morning and for some, your focus may be better spent in the evening.
Intentionality in Relationships
Listen and ask questions.
When at work with colleagues, at home with family, or out with friends, be sure to listen and ask questions. Relationships make our worlds go round. Be intentional with the relationships you value. Speaking from the perspective of a typical millennial, we have the world at our fingertips – which is amazing. However, if we don’t unplug and focus on what genuinely matters – the physical people in front of us – that technology won’t take us very far. Genuinely listen to those you are with, ask questions about their day, and see if there is anything you can do to help. Most likely they will say no, however the thought and acknowledgement of you taking time out of your day to provide comfort and care can go a long way. Be intentional about asking your loved ones about their day and what is going on in their lives.
Intentionality in Learning
Always stay “hungry”.
Hungry to learn and hungry for life. Subscribe to newsletters of companies you value, take up new hobbies that you enjoy, travel to new places, try new foods, and make new friends. Be in a career where you are always learning and are constantly challenged. Now, to be intentional, don’t do all of this in the next six months. Be intentional with learning new things and striving for personal excellence and fulfillment, and for each person, that will look different. For me personally, learning new hobbies that can tie into my personal health make me happy. Additionally, I’m a people person and love making new friends. When I’m intentional and focus on these two aspects of life, I naturally find myself more energized, happy, and fulfilled. What makes you happy? Challenge yourself to find value in the life you live and learn new things at the same time. Keep in mind that this will probably change throughout life as you grow and develop.
Intentionality in Life
Celebrate life and your accomplishments.
Maybe this is the millennial in me, but I believe a life without purpose and celebration is a life not worth living. Treat yourself to something you enjoy, whether that is watching back-to-back episodes of a show you love, reading a book, going to a concert, getting a massage, going out with friends, or having a romantic date night; you work hard, make sure to reward yourself with your individual pleasures and celebrate your purpose and accomplishments. For some, that may even be extra sleep!
Intentionality in being a Woman Don’t let the world define your future. Follow your heart and dreams, your career and family will follow. As a woman, we all think about the sacrifice we have made or will have to consider when having children. “How do I be physically present in my children’s lives, teach them important values, and still have a wonderful, passion-filled career?”. Today’s young women are showing their need for value and purpose in life. They’ve nearly closed the gender gap in the workplace with millennial men. Young women today say they feel a sense of purpose in life, they say things have worked out better for them than expected, and they place greater importance on marriage, children, and making the world a better a place through their careers and jobs. But what does this mean? Find your passion, whether that‘s as a businesswoman, successful mother, or loving mentor. Follow your passion and don’t give up until you accomplish just that, and don’t forget that it’s okay for your passion to change.
