How To Stay In A Groove

How good does it feel when you know you’re in a groove? In your professional career or in your personal life, there’s just something exhilarating about feeling that positive momentum like warm summer winds at your back.

But often that groove doesn’t last long. Instead of riding it for weeks, months, sometimes it only lasts a day or an hour.

One moment, everything’s going your way, like when you’re in the back of a cab and you look down 5th Ave and every single traffic light is turning green. The next moment, it stops abruptly, just as suddenly as your lead-footed cabby spares no room between your face and the backside of the passenger’s seat. Oof.

Tonight, I thought I’d share a few tips for how I stay in any groove for as long as I can.

1. Recognize It

The first tip in maintaining your momentum is recognizing its existence in the first place. Here are the signs that you’re in a groove:

You’re more efficient with any task. You can move from ideation to execution without obstacles.You’re in a better mood. Sometimes, our emotional state shifts without our knowledge. If you’re in a good mood, that positivity is an indicator that you’re on the cusp of a groove. Think Negative Nancy grooves very often? Don’t think so.You’re confident with conviction. If you have a sufficient amount of knowledge about the whats and whys of your current undertaking, chances are you’re grooving.

2. Avoid Distractions At All Costs

I was in a super groove today at work. The moment I felt it kick in, I grabbed a cup of coffee, tall glass of water, and found an empty conference room (we run an open floor plan office).

Distractions are the devil of the groove.

3. Set A Very Short, Very Specific List of To-Do’s

Just like distractions, one of the quickest ways to bump yourself out of a great groove is to overcomplicate your tasks. Set a very defined list of objectives, each with their own actionable next step, and oh, and write it out on paper.

Digital to-do lists do not work.

4. Know When It’s Coming To An End

Like all good things, even the best grooves come to an end. It may seem counter-intuitive to end a groove willingly, but if you’ve had a great run, ending a groove on your own terms, only increases your chances of having another groove soon.

So how do you stay in a groove?

Let me know and I’ll see you tomorrow.