do you know Dragging happens in your workday.
Do you feel more rushed and chaotic during your workday, or more calm and planned?
Do you spend your whole day generally “on fire” and “squeaky wheels?” Or find quiet, closed time to work on your most important tasks and projects?
Do you feel happy and fulfilled or frustrated and left behind?
These are the two sides of the rope in this tug of war: reactive and active. Reactivity is not the function you want.
Which side of your work day wins?
I know you’re trying to keep up with incoming emails, phones that won’t stop ringing (or dinging), and visitors asking questions.
You want to be helpful and responsive, but you may be stuck in a cycle of reactivity and fear.
😳 Fear of not being able to deliver.
😳 Fear of not being available or showing up as a team player.
😳 Fear that if you don’t jump on every little thing that comes up, you’ll lose more control and things will pile up.
Saying ‘yes’ and being with others are nice gestures, but when you sacrifice too much of your time to do these things, you create too much reactivity.
The definition of “reaction” is “acting in the opposite direction or manner, especially returning to a previous state.”
At work, when you act, it means you’re not moving forward or making noticeable, tangible progress on your projects and daily priorities, instead you’re stuck spinning your wheels.
Choose change to improve your current circumstances.
Choose a new direction ==> performance over reactivity
Choose how you use your time ==> Effectively Vs
Choose what to work on = = > What is important and what is easy
But how?
If you want to make those improvements but aren’t sure how, first think about what you’re doing today. Increase awareness of how you work, based on the long-term habits that have driven you over the years and the choices and decisions you make every day.
Stop for a minute to consider…
❓ What are your current results? Are you happy with them?
❓ What are your current processes? What works? What didn’t work? Why?
❓ What are you willing to say or do to protect your time and attention?
Are you afraid to set boundaries and negotiate your time? Answer the following questions to find out.
1️⃣⃣ Are you “available” or “as a team player?” Afraid of not showing up?
Feeling guilty about closing your door? Or do you disappear at any time to focus on your work without interruption?
If you’re available 100% of the time, your all-day open-door policy is an invitation to constant interruptions, which can erode your productivity.
Close your door for a little while each day. Ideally, it would be 1-1 ½ hours early in the morning and early in the afternoon.
Then set expectations. Make it clear to co-workers what a closed door means and how long your door is usually closed so you don’t leave yourself guessing or worried that they won’t talk to you.
Make your presence known by placing a post-it note, mini traffic light or spinnable do not disturb sign on your door or doorframe. Below is an example you can get from Amazon.
🔑 The key to success with this strategy is: Removing the trash that says this can’t be done.
2️⃣ Afraid that you won’t seem “responsive” to email?
Without an easy-to-follow email process, you fall into two useless camps.
For one thing, when you start your day in the inbox, you never seem to get out. Or two, you can leave the inbox and do something else, but when you see a pop-up notification or get a ding, you brush it off.
Both of these moves may seem “responsive” because you’re constantly connected to email, but they’re actually more “reactive” and can better spend your time and focus on getting your most important tasks done.
Instead, use short periods of time to shift your focus throughout the day between tasks and email.
This is what customers do when they learn Taskology. When they focus on their to-do list, they get things done. As they switch to their email process, they review the set of recent emails and go through them one by one, returning to zero because they’ve already gotten through it.
If you’re not constantly swimming in your inbox, it doesn’t mean you’re “not responding.” If you don’t respond to emails for 30-60 minutes or more—when you’re in a meeting—it means you’re using your time wisely elsewhere.
🔑 The key to success with this strategy is: Keeping a to-do list filled with real tasks that are easy and achievable, including those in email.
3️⃣ Are you afraid to keep someone waiting?
If you’re interrupted, you can automatically put your work aside to avoid making someone else wait.
Instead, ask if you can get back to the other person in 30 or 60 minutes or later if you’re doing something more important. Negotiate your time. Stand firm and listen.
An example would sound like this:
“Thanks for stopping by. I’d like to discuss it with you. But I’m in the middle of finishing something very important (or I’m on a deadline.) Can I stop by your office in 30 minutes when I’m done?”
While others are likely to accommodate and respect their request, you will feel good about having accomplished something. But you never know unless you ask.
🔑 The key to success with this strategy is: Know the importance of what you are working on now and next and compare it to the distraction.
4️⃣ Are you afraid to delegate?
Where is your time best spent? Where is your time wasted?
If you have one or more team members, look for opportunities to delegate. Teach others how to handle certain tasks so you have time to do things that only you can do.
Make sure your team members get enough training and time for Q&A. Make sure they know how to perform a task and can work autonomously. Let them know what they are empowered to do without you. It’s an opportunity to free up some time to reach your potential, while empowering others to reach their potential.
🔑 The key to success with this strategy is: Understanding that investing time in teaching is worth the results you get in the long run.
5️⃣ Are you afraid you’ll forget a new task if you don’t do it right away?
If you tackle new tasks as they show up, you think all tasks have the same level of priority, but they don’t.
What you need is a task management approach that allows you to document, prioritize and schedule all your tasks in one central, digital task system.
This means…
…Scheduling tasks on different days in the future. It makes you pick and choose what you will or will not do today—otherwise known as prioritizing.
…Getting a bird’s eye view of your responsibilities You take action no matter where the tasks come from or how far in the future they are.
…a strong plan and place to start Every day without losing, losing or forgetting anything.
…Being responsive to new tasks without losing track of everything What you planned to do today, next week or next month
Does your current task management approach allow you to do all of this?
🔑 The key to success with this strategy is: Choose a digital platform to start building your list.
(And if you need help with this strategy, be sure to get it A fast-action formula for tasks. (It’s a mini-crash course in Taskology® task management for only $149.)
What changes can you make today (and throw away the head trash) so you save more time and use it to make more powerful progress every day?
Be comfortable setting boundaries and negotiating your time.
You are responsible. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you need. You’ve got it