Most of us are aware that high-achievers typically have their own set of daily Morning Routines.

These are typically a range of activities and steps attended to prior to commencing your workday.

I have always been fascinated by Morning Routines.

Looking back, the first time I set up my Morning Routine, I had a range of themes and tactics offered by many.

Let’s call them Morning Routines 1.0

During Covid lockdowns, the workplace changed. For most employees, the traditional 9-5 Monday to Friday week was turned on its head as employees worked from home.

Post pandemic, the workplace remained changed forever. For most employees, the working week was a hybrid model of a combination of days working between the office and home. Some employees continue to work exclusively 5 days a week working from home (WFH).

Much commentary has been written on the various pros and cons of this ‘once in a century’ game-changer.

Many commentators suggested that this would be a huge win for employees with no reduction in productivity. In fact, it has even been suggested that productivity would increase.

Throughout all of this, I have remained sceptical.

In Part 2 of this 2-Part Blog, I outline the critical quantitative areas to review at the half-year mark.

You will recall In Part 1 we reviewed the ‘Qualitative’ areas.

So now let’s look at the quantitative areas in conducting your mid-year review.

We are half-way through the financial year.

How are you, your team and your business tracking against plan and budget?

It is critical that you check in now and conduct a mid-year review. Are you in front, on par or behind your expectations for the year so far?

In this 2-Part Blog, I outline the critical areas to review at the half-year mark. While monthly and quarterly progress must be monitored, the mid-year review is the key milestone before hitting the end of the financial year.

In Part 1 I will outline the ‘Qualitative’ areas to review, and next time in Part 2, I will pivot to the ‘Quantitative’ factors.

So let’s get started on considering the qualitative areas to consider in conducting a mid-year review.

I recently heard a way of thinking I hadn’t heard of before.

Explore versus Exploit.

In this blog, I will workshop scenarios around whether we ‘explore’ an activity or whether we ‘exploit’ an activity.

Prior to the pandemic, an ever-shrinking world was evolving behind the digital curtain. Phone conversations were replaced by texts, while texts were replaced by likes and emojis.

Post-pandemic we saw this accelerate through Zoom meetings and virtual relationships. Working from home created even greater separation within our traditional workplaces.

So many people from all walks of life have commented to me on the reduction, or even absence of human connection. Social catch ups, work meetings, business development meetings and general interaction in person have dramatically reduced.

It got me thinking on how we stay connected.

Us humans fundamentally are herd animals.

How do we stay connected in an ever-increasing virtual world?