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This edition of OnTime is slightly different from past versions. This month OnTime is an Advice Column sharing common questions and issues that plague many in the working world. If you enjoy this format, I hope you will let me know by emailing or calling. Also, if you have questions or situations you are willing to share (in confidence), please send them along. Enjoy the spring! If you don't want to receive these emails, you can easily unsubscribe to be taken off the distribution list. Warmly, Mitzi
Dear Mitzi, One of my most difficult challenges is sticking with my plan for the day. I seem to start with something, walk by something else and get involved in a job (that will take five minutes) and do that job and then forget what I was doing before and then get pulled into something else. Any advice? Pat Dear Pat, It's easy to get distracted, even if you have your day planned. Stops and start while working on one thing are "time-costly". According to research done five years ago by psychologists at the University of Michigan, "The 'time cost' of refocusing your attention may be only a few seconds with each switch, but over time, it reduced people's total efficiency by 20% to 40%." Try working in small chunks of time and plan your activities accordingly. Step
1. Make a list of all your to do's for at least one week or as far
into the future as you can.
Step 2. Break your action items down into small, bite-size, next
steps. Meaning...look at each action item and ask yourself, "What is my
very next step?" That next step is what should go on your list.
The Value of Steps 1 and 2: Smaller tasks are easier to
accomplish. Smaller milestones don't seem as overwhelming and help reduce
procrastination. You will feel a real sense of accomplishment upon
completion. If you do stop, it will be easier to get back into your work
when working on "smaller tasks". It is also easier to estimate how long a
task will take.
Step 3. Put all your actions in some kind of planner -- paper,
software program, or PDA.
The Value of Step 3: All your information is kept in one place.
You have a clear, ongoing understanding of how you are committing your
time.
Step 4. Look around your office and make sure that any
"distractions" that require action are put into your planner as well.
The Value of Step 4: Even if you see a "distraction", once it's
scheduled, you don't have to think about stopping your current work to do
it. Try these simple actions and you will start to notice increased focus and accomplishing more of what you set out to do each day.
Dear Mitzi, I want to leave work to go home at a respectable time and have dinner with my family. As a Vice President my workload makes it difficult to leave work at a time to makes this possible. I end up staying later than I would like to 3-4 times a week. Do you have some tips on how to get out of the office earlier? Jane Dear Jane, As we
begin, you must come to terms with two realities: As a Vice President, you can set a good example for your staff. It's OK to leave at a respectable time and that life outside of work is important. Having said that, if you really do want to leave at an earlier time, the following action steps will help you be on your way...home. Step 1. Each day determine when you will leave. Not having a
specific goal as to when you will leave makes it easier to stay later.
Step 2. Identify the obstacles making it difficult to leave and
look for ways to overcome each.
Step 3. Communicate to co-workers what time you will be leaving
and if they need you, they should schedule time to meet with you at
least 30 minutes prior.
Step 4. Wrap up your work at least 15 minutes prior to the time
you want to leave. OTHER TIPS I had a client who had a 4:00 p.m. tee time every Wednesday. She confided that Wednesdays were her most productive day of the week. She worked smarter and more focused, staying on track, knowing that she had a commitment. She never missed her golf game.
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Some people grin and bear it; others smile and do it.
--- Anonymous
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