Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Avoidance Tactics are Really just your own Distractions at Work

I have found that there are certain tasks I really do not enjoy doing. Most of these things are those items I am really not naturally very good at. For example, managing my bookkeeping is something I dread. I usually avoid the electronic files and just cannot seemed to get focused to do them. In my mind, I am just not good at it. So, I avoid it. I really hate doing it!

Avoidance is a distraction in itself. By avoiding doing these tasks we are actually procrastinating! In most cases, procrastination is letting the low-priority tasks get in the way of high-priority ones. For example, it is socializing with colleagues when you know that an important work project is due; watching television rather than doing your household chores; or talking about unimportant things with your partner rather than discussing your relationship concerns or other important issues. In my case, it is more simply ignoring the low priority activities with hopes that they will eventually just go away!

So, in the meantime, my standards have declined. I used to keep an absolutely clean home and well organized office. Instead, I let it slip because I was focusing on my higher level priorities. I also realized that my standards were set too high and were unrealistic. Unfortunately, though the result is that I zap a lot of my energy working in a cluttered space and being dissatisfied about how my house or office looks. One solution is to hire someone else to do it; this is called outsourcing. However, these are things I do not want to outsource because I like to handle them myself and have the family share in the responsibility.

On the other-hand, managing my books and database is something that can be outsourced. I have taken some classes, updated my programs, and had some 1-1 but still feel resistant to doing these tasks. These are the types of activities that are essential for me to do as a business owner.

Delegating and outsourcing are great solutions for those tasks you really don't want to do! Now it is time for me to follow my own advice and hire (or barter) for these services. Anyone know a good administrative assistant?

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Monday, October 20, 2008

Economic Worries are a Major Distraction

As the economy takes a roller coaster ride, concern about losing their job and the declining value of financial investments are distracting many employees. The current economic uncertainty has threatened workforce productivity. Not surprisingly, 81 percent of Americans indicated that they are worried about something related to their jobs, according to the 2008 Workplace Insights survey done by Adecco USA. The areas most highly rated in job-related worries include:
  • High gas prices (25 percent)
  • Stagnant pay checks (13 percent)
  • Work-life balance (12 percent)
  • Rising health care costs (9 percent)
  • Job market instability (7 percent)
  • Opportunities for advancement (6 percent)
  • Outsourcing of jobs (4 percent)
  • Other worries (5 percent)

These worries affect you potentially at every level of your being. Do not panic and withdraw your funds from your 401K. Do not worry about things that are totally out of your control. Worry, stress and anxieties take a huge toll on your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being and can exacerbate your situation. Unfortunately, when employees are worried and feel anxious, they tend to put in less effort, perform less efficiently and lose focus more often, resulting in more fear and anxiety. These employees may seem distracted, disengaged or distant.

Be aware of your thoughts and worries. Realize that 87 percent of what people worry about never actually occurs. Worrying it and of itself only produces more worry and fear. Instead, spend your energy taking deliberate focused action toward your goals. Surround yourself with positive people. Denying that the fears and worries exist will not remove them. You actually need to allow the fear and worry to engage your brain, body and heart simultaneously and move through it using efficiency, confidence, clarity, and ease.

Realize that worrying and being fearful is actually a choice, as is choosing to release them. You do have control over your worries, fears and anxieties. You can replace the behaviors, habits and patterns that are not serving you with ones that are more productive.

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Sunday, October 19, 2008

Lazy or bored??

I wonder how many lazy people are in fact bored and might benefit from more work rather than less?

Too often, people are labeled as lazy when they're caught searching the Internet or gazing out the window. Problem is that without being mentally challenged, they are distracted and bored. This leads to lower productivity and decreased job satisfaction.

There may be extensive consequences to your behavior and it may easily be misconstrued. Many of the reasons people get fired are related to the perception that they are lazy. If you
can’t stay motivated about your job and focused on your work, you’re in trouble! Being passionate about your work will bring the greatest levels of success.

Be a big picture thinker and connect the work you are doing to the bottom-line. Rather than getting bogged down in the details of a boring task that feels meaningless connect it to the bigger picture. Keep abreast of your overall goals and realize that your current task is just a small step along the way to accomplishing your bigger goals, whatever they may be. If you're not busy enough, or the majority of your work feels meaningless, volunteer for other projects and opportunities. Align with the company's goals and get noticed for doing quality work rather than goofing off.

Limit your time on social networking sites, surfing the Internet, socializing, visiting message boards, and personal phone calls. When you're bored (or possibly avoiding work you don't want to do---we'll talk about this in another BLOG post soon!), you are much more likely to peruse these sites and get absorbed into their content.

Lastly, if you're still feeling a little bored or even lazy either take a walk to help you re-focus or do a quick breathing exercise. A breathing exercise I use and teach during some of my seminars is to:

  1. Close your eyes if you can.
  2. Take a slow deep breath in (at least 5-count) and let if fill your abdomen as much as you can. (You’ll know you’re doing it right when you see your belly rise; your chest should not inflate.)
  3. Hold for a count of 3-5.
  4. Exhale to a 5-count through your mouth. (You should feel the breathe blowing out of your mouth)

Be aware of how you spend your time throughout the day. Be careful of the perception you might be giving out to others. Is this what you really want to be communicating?

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