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Try these strategies
for boosting your productivity.
All
of us experience times when we are not working at our
best. It may be for no particular reason, but the zest
seems to be missing. If you are in a slump, try these
tips get you moving and motivated.
PRIME
THE PUMP
- Select three very small tasks that you need to get done.
Allot no more than 10-15 minutes for each task and tackle
them consecutively. It might be returning a phone call, filing,
scheduling an appointment, or adding a few names to your contact
list - you decide. In less than an hour, you will have created
a real sense of accomplishment and started some momentum that
will help you tackle more complex responsibilities.
SEIZE
THE DAY - If at all possible, select one day to
devote to one project/goal only. For many of us, our jobs
require a constant shifting of our attention, because we are
responsible for a multitude of tasks and functions. This feeling
of always being interrupted or distracted can rob us the joy
of working efficiently. If necessary, let others you work
with know you can't be disturbed. If you work alone, change
your voice message to indicate you are unavailable, because
you must complete a critical commitment. Either way let people
know you will return phone calls, check e-mails, very first
thing -- the next day. Enjoy the luxury of working with single
minded focus.
THE
HOURS - If you can't manage a whole day, try to
carve a block of uninterrupted time each day for important
tasks that require concentration. Studies show people generally
are most alert mid-morning and can work approximately 90 minutes
before needing a mental break. Use this time each day to address
your most urgent assignments.
TWO
FOR THE PRICE OF ONE - If you are swamped with
several clerical tasks or a project that requires a large
one-time effort ask a friend or work mate to share the load.
Then return the favor and help her complete a big assignment.
CLEAR
THE CLUTTER - Clear off your desk. Organize your
workspace. Discard old files, magazines, correspondence, and
the like. A disorganized disorderly work environment is a
sure-fire killer to clear thinking. Clutter inhibits our ability
to focus, to plan, to make decisions (or to just find the
information you need). The act of clearing out the physical
space works to clear out the mental cobwebs too!
SEEK
PEACE - Take
a few minutes at the start of each day and ask God for peace,
serenity, wisdom, and energy to complete the work before you
with grace, with a spirit of service, with joy and with honor
to him. If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed by a huge
project or a "To Do List" a mile long - don't fall
into the trap of procrastination. For a big project you know
it can't all be done at once anyway -- so, break it down into
day-by-day or week-by-week tasks. For an out-of-control "To
Do List", label each item as an A, B, or C priority then
start with the A-list items, delegate some tasks if you can
and re-examine the Cs to see if they are really worth doing.
REMEMBER
NOBODY IS PERFECT -Perfectionism generally leads to a negative result - nothing
gets done, because you feel you can't do it perfectly. When
God made the world He said that it was good - not perf ect.
Seek to do your best very best with each task and take satisfaction
in doing "good."
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