When I decided I wanted to get in better shape, I started following a piece of gym advice that has paid off immensely: Measure your workouts. Up until recently, my view on the gym was that if I went consistently and worked hard, my efforts would pay off. This is probably true, to a degree. However, when you are crunching numbers during your workout, you know when you make even the smallest of gains – adding a few pounds here, shaving a few seconds off your mile time there – which can be highly motivating. With my phone in hand, and using my notepad app instead of carrying around a bulky clipboard and pen, I began and have continued to measure my workouts religiously. The impact was immediate, and the motivation to make very small, concrete improvements each time I work out has been wholly more satisfying than vaguely wondering if all my hard work was paying off.

I retrospectively realized that my inner data-nerd was subconsciously speaking to me to take the principles we use at Corona Insights, and apply them to my physical activity. By keeping performance metrics, individuals in the weight room as well as organizations looking to work more efficiently can benefit from a “data boost.” Sure, the data is vastly different, but the after-work athlete and the in-office executive can both benefit from the advantages of having key data insights at their disposal, including:

  • Giving you clear markers of how you are performing so that you can strive for realistic and humble improvements
  • Keeping your goals in your frame of thought through regular updates and self-evaluation
  • Serving as a motivator for continuous improvement

Specifically, I would recommend focusing on the one key piece of data your business isn’t currently collecting that would make the biggest difference, and finding a way to track it. If the one key piece of data is too hard to measure, focus on a different, more tangible piece of data that is easier to collect and still serves as a gauge of overall performance. By focusing on one piece of data, you avoid the burden of beginning a huge data implementation process while simultaneously setting the framework and organizational “culture of data” to expand upon once you have the basics down. Start simple, focus on a high impact piece of the puzzle, and I promise that the data you gather will give you back clarity, focus and motivation.