Archive | April, 2010

Why Emotional Parasites are a Threat to Happiness and Well-being

By on April 30, 2010 in Energy, Health, Life Balance, Personal Growth

We all have them; you know who they are; those people that we encounter that just leave us feeling drained and empty. They may be family, neighbors or co-workers (worse even if it’s a supervisor.) You may cringe when they come into view or let their calls go to voicemail. They are always complaining, whining or gossiping. Nothing is ever their fault; it seems they are always the victim and never the cause. The worst are the ones that are malicious and say bad things behind people’s backs.

You must distance yourself from these emotional parasites and energy vampires as often as you can. We tend to absorb the energy and emotions around us and if we are surrounded by negativity, then it is all the more difficult to remain positive and upbeat. Remember, no one has the power to decide your mental state or happiness, but you. However, the wise person avoids people and situations that are bound to drain us. Kick the parasites to the curb, or at least don’t answer the phone!

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Tame Your Voicemail

By on April 28, 2010 in Technology, Work

Do you suffer from voicemail dread? I know, voicemail is an integral part of your communication system, but it can often be very frustrating. Phone tag, cut-off messages, long-winded messages and my personal favorite – the guy who talks like an auctioneer and even after listening to his message 5 times, you can’t decipher his phone number!

Here are some tips to make using voicemail easier:

  • Use integrated voicemail  – your voicemail is sent to your email account as an audio file, so you don’t have to dial in every  time.
  • Check your voicemail at scheduled times – just like you should be doing with your email. It can be anything from once per day to once an hour – whatever works for you.
  • Make sure you listen to all of the messages before responding because often there is a follow-up message.
  • Have your calendar and your action or task list available so that you can write down names, numbers and actions to be taken immediately – or at least a piece of paper to write them on if you are going to transfer them to your phone or computer.
  • Consider responding via email rather than a call back to avoid phone tag or getting stuck on the phone.
  • If the conversation is not going to be a quick one, try writing down the topics you want to cover or questions to be asked.
  • Delete all the old voicemails after you have listened to them so that your mailbox does not get full.

You can save so much time to use for more productive activities if you can trim some voicemail time from your busy schedule!

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Do You Have Personal and Professional Reserves?

By on April 23, 2010 in Personal Growth, Work

The concept of assessing your reserves is valuable in the workplace and in your home life as well, no matter what your, business, level, position or role. When faced with an unexpected problem or obstacle, it is always helpful to have a collection of reserves in place to deal with it. That simply means having cash reserves, spare time, friends, employees and resources, etc. Without a reserve, a problem can very quickly morph into a crisis that can have disastrous implications.  This is a great time to remind yourself to keep a healthy reserve in all areas and if you don’t have one, start creating your own reserves now. That may mean taking some actions now to save aggravation and distress later on. Take a close look at your level of reserves, especially in the areas of finances, time, support, health and able-bodied workers.

  • Do you have cash reserves, savings account or a line of credit?
  • Do you have employees or co-workers who can step in to cover for you if necessary?
  • Do you have friends or family you can turn to in a personal emergency?
  • Do you get enough rest, exercise and nutrition to help you weather a health setback?
  • Do you leave enough time in your day to deal with unexpected developments?

If you do not have adequate reserves in any of these area, then you need to make it a priority to figure out how to build it. When the problem arises it is far too late to plan ahead. The time to assemble your safety net is now, when you don’t need it. Rest assured that someday you most definitely will!

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Questions to Ask When Prioritizing

By on April 22, 2010 in Personal Growth

Prioritizing is an essential function of being productive in business – your own or your employer’s – and in life. It is an ongoing process that should never be static, but evolving and adapting to your situation, current goals and resources at hand. The mind process and outcomes will vary from person to person, but there are some fundamental questions that need to be answered.

Questions to ask when prioritizing:

How important is this task/project to my business, my employer or my life?

Is this task urgent or important?

Will completing this save me time in the long run?

Does this task have a deadline? And what are the consequences if I fail to meet that deadline?

Does this task affect others? Is someone else waiting on my response or action?

Will completing this task move me closer to business or personal goals?

Do I have readily available the resources necessary for completion?

Will completing this task save me money? Or cost me money if I wait?

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How to be a Productive Communicator

By on April 21, 2010 in Uncategorized

Communication is an integral part of any work or life situation. Learning to be an effective communicator is a valuable productivity tool. It is one that is unfortunately commonly overlooked. The consequences of poor communication can be disastrous; wasted time, hurt feelings, misunderstandings, unproductive meetings, ineffective teamwork and lack of progress towards goals. In order to be successful communicators we need to keep in mind some basic guidelines that are applicable in most instances of work, social or home environments.

Thank you up front:

  • Express appreciation for the persons time
  • Offer thanks for the work or contribution the person is making

Engage the other person

  • Find some common ground  – weather, sports, news or whatever is appropriate(avoid controversial topics)
  • Inquire about children or projects the person is involved in

Stay positive:

  • Find something positive to praise
  • Only offer constructive criticism or ideas

Monitor your tone:

  • Be assertive, not aggressive
  • Stay calm and cooperative

Be clear about your objectives:

  • What is your desired outcome?
  • Look for win-win solution

Be an active listener:

  • Seek to understand the other person’s perspective
  • Make eye contact
  • Don’t interrupt
  • Keep an open mind

Watch non-verbal cues:

  • Pay attention to body language
  • Notice yawns or sighs

Request feedback:

  • Make sure the other person understands what you are saying
  • Ask for the other person’s input or thoughts

Determine follow-up:

  • Summarize the agreements in oral or written form
  • Clarify any actions that will be taken
  • Confirm commitments and time-frame if any

Perhaps most importantly, always end with another thank you and a positive note!

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Lack of Sleep Has a Serious Effect on Productivity

By on April 16, 2010 in Energy, Health

There are only so many hours in the day and so much to do. The loser ends up being sleep. But sleep is a crucial factor in your ability to function. You can sacrifice sleep to gain extra time, but ultimately you are sacrificing your ability to use your time with purpose and efficiency.

Sleep statistics from the Better Sleep Council estimate that sleep deprivation currently costs U.S. businesses nearly $150 billion annually in absenteeism and lost productivity. And Better Sleep Month survey respondents reported sleep deprivation impaired their quality and accuracy of work (31 percent), clear thinking or judgment (31 percent) and memory of important details (30 percent)

Even worse, health implications can be disastrous according to WebMD.

In the short term:

  • Decreased Performance and Alertness: Sleep deprivation induces significant reductions in performance and alertness. Reducing your nighttime sleep by as little as one and a half hours for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32%.
  • Memory and Cognitive Impairment: Decreased alertness and excessive daytime sleepiness impair your memory and your cognitive ability — your ability to think and process information.
  • Stress Relationships: Disruption of a bed partner’s sleep due to a sleep disorder may cause significant problems for the relationship (for example, separate bedrooms, conflicts, moodiness, etc.).
  • Poor Quality of Life: You might, for example, be unable to participate in certain activities that require sustained attention, like going to the movies, seeing your child in a school play, or watching a favorite TV show.
  • Occupational Injury: Excessive sleepiness also contributes to a greater than twofold higher risk of sustaining an occupational injury.
  • Automobile Injury: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities.

In the long term, the clinical consequences include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Stroke
  • Obesity
  • Psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders
  • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
  • Mental impairment
  • Fetal and childhood growth retardation
  • Injury from accidents
  • Disruption of bed partner’s sleep quality
  • Poor quality of life

This weekend try to give your body some extra rest. Fore-go a party or TV show and go to bed early or live on the wild side and take a nap! Your body will thank you and your productivity will improve!

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Windows of Creativity Can Boost Productivity

By on April 15, 2010 in Creativity, Energy, Time

If you are like most people, you hit the ground running. You dive right into email and returning voicemails and then your day seems to be overtaken by information overload. You spend all day in reactionary mode – responding to what’s thrown at you. That does not leave time for inspiration, planning, goal setting or creativity. The most prolific creators and productive influencers have a practice of blocking out time each day for “thinking.” Such a simple idea, but so often overlooked. We need to allow time to; envision goals, create new ideas, do research, digest trends, news and information and other types of free flowing contemplation.

Although this is geared towards professionals, it can apply to anyone. Even if you are a SAHM – do you take time to think about what you want, your dreams and what happens “after?” Proactively blocking out time for creating and absorbing – rather than just responding – is a key tactic of productive professionals.

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Are Your Goals SMART?

By on April 14, 2010 in Goals

Specific: Goals must be very clear, not sort of vague ideas. We often set goals that are so generic, it’s nearly impossible to measure progress or successful achievement. You need to know what has to be done or what specifically the desired end result will be.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to lose weight – Well who doesn’t? What does that mean?

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to lose 20 pounds by September 1st. I will perform a half hour of cardio and half hour of strength training per day, 5 times a week.

Measurable: Goals need to be measurable. They should be well-defined, concrete goals and must be in qualitative or quantitative terms. If your goals are not measurable, you will never know whether you are making progress toward their successful completion. Choose some unit of measurement that will allow you to see exactly how far you have come and how far away from the completion of the goal you are.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to be rich.
  • I want to be successful.

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to gross 1 million dollars and have a team of 5 within 3 years.

Attainable: Goals need to be realistic and achievable. Time and again, success or failure depends on setting practical goals. The best goals require you to stretch a bit to achieve, but they aren’t out of reach. Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting goals that are too high. You should consider your skills and resources available to help you achieve your goal. Creating goals that are not attainable is very disheartening and will only serve to discourage you in life.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to become a millionaire in 3 months (don’t we all!)

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to make an extra $500 per month.
  • I want to increase my savings account by $10,000 in 3 years.

Relevant: Goals must be relevant to your purpose (or your company’s.)  Relevant goals ensure that you are directing your effort towards goals that are focused on your mission statement, business objective or overall strategic long-term plan in life. The goal also has to be relevant or consistent with your responsibilities, knowledge, skill set, and access.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to network more – Why? What does that get you? How?

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to build a charitable foundation that helps feed the homeless.

Time Sensitive: Goals need to have a time frame, milestones and a deadline. Having a set amount of time will give your goals structure. It also helps you monitor your progress. Not having time constraints attached to your goal triggers procrastination. Without an end date there is no sense of urgency, no impetus to take any action today. Without this component we are tempted to put the goal off for a later time and never get around to it; or it simply gets overshadowed by the day to day grind.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to write a book.
  • I want to start my own business.

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to write a book on financial planning and submit it to publishers 1 year from today.
  • I want to have a retirement account with at least $500,000 within 5 years from this date.

By spending some time towards making sure that your goals fit the SMART criteria, you will make your success much more likely.

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Have You Discovered Your Gifts?

By on April 13, 2010 in Personal Growth

We may not be aware of it yet, but each of us has a unique set of gifts and talents that enable us to fulfill our special purpose and contribution to the world.  Some of us discover our talents early in life in the more obvious ways as an athlete, artist, storyteller or natural teacher.  Others tend to bloom later and their gifts are less obvious; they may be great in supporting people through excellent listening skills and empathy, they may be terrific organizers and project managers, they might be great fund-raisers,  or patient with the elderly or disabled.

Innate gifts come in a wide variety of forms. You may realize that you are a gifted mother, wife and household manager; or you may be a natural visionary for a charity board; or possibly the creative idea person who develops new concepts.

Are our distinctive gifts those talents we are innately good at or are they the things we naturally love to do?  Most likely it is a little of both, but the gifts that come from our passion, our creativity or inspiration are the ones are ultimately the most powerful. Giving a gift that we all have readily available –the gift of love –is perhaps the most wonderful of all.

So, how can you identify what your gifts are?  Ask your friends and family to help you discover them.  What stands out about you may be blatantly clear to others, but may not always be as apparent to you.  Follow your heart.  Whatever your gifts are, don’t discount them, each one is valuable: all are equally important to each of us in fulfilling our individual purpose, as well as learning our own life’s lessons.  There are so many gifts people share that may seem invisible or inconsequential, but that have a lasting influence on those around them.

Once you uncover your special gift, share it with the world! In addition, mentor others, either directly or by example. That is a magnificent gift to give.  Share what you’ve learned and help others along the way, so they can turn around and do the same thing. It’s a kind of “pay it forward,” circle of support that  contributes something valuable to the world and at the same time provides satisfaction, growth and joy to the giver.

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Improve Performance by Joining a Group

By on April 8, 2010 in Energy, Life Balance, Work

For the next two days I will be away from my office, first attending the WISE Symposium and then in an all-day team meeting with two groups of very inspiring peers. Though the settings and formats, even some topics are different, the result is the same. Every time I come out of one of these sessions, I am completely energized; overflowing with ideas and information, ready to try out new strategies and different concepts. This started me thinking about the value of learning from and building relationships with other members in your industry, mentors and newbies as well as complementary products and services. Especially if you are a small business owner, an entrepreneur, work at home or even stay at home with children(that’s work too) you may not take advantage of these types of opportunities. You really are cheating yourself out of an entire set of valuable resources!

Research what groups, events or organizations exist that you can network with and gain information and support from. Places to look:

  • An industry or trade organization(local or national)
  • A career specific support group(i.e. writer’s forum)
  • A mentoring group (like SCORE)
  • Sign up for a class to further or refresh your skills
  • Find a non-career networking group(book club, play group for SAHMs)

Any forum or setting where you can exchange ideas and get honest feedback is definitely a good investment of your time. I might just come back with some new productivity strategies to share! Stay tuned….

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