The Productivity Pro(R) Blog - Time Management and Productivity Tips

ACCO Brands, Branded Office Products Leader, Kicks Off Everyday Heroes Contest

LauraStack — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:10:55 +0000

ACCO Brands, a leader in office products through industry- leading brands such as Swingline, GBC, Day-Timer, Quartet, Wilson Jones and Kensington among others is scouring the country in search of Everyday Heroes. What is an Everyday Hero? It’s a person who knows how to use his/her office tools to make things run smoothly; a person to whom everyone turns to pull it all together in a pinch; an individual who quietly gets the job done – often without being recognized. Everyday Heroes can enter the contest now at accoheroes.com. ACCO Brands will award a grand prize of $1,000 redeemable at office product dealers to one winner in each of three categories – business, home/home office and school.

Often, the hustle and bustle of everyday life overshadows difference-making contributions or small wins. Everyday Heroes might experience these obstacles from time to time:

Received a scattered pile of documents and asked to pull it all together for the big presentation. Oh, and it needs to be bound by the end of the day.
The school open house is just around the corner and the organizer has the flu. So the art teacher, who always lends a hand, helps the classes put the finishing touches on their display boards and handouts.
Closed a client deal while juggling the kids’ doctor’s appointment and grocery shopping.

If this all sounds familiar, people can visit accoheroes.com to submit a brief explanation or suggest an unrecognized hero enter the contest. Those who haven’t discovered their inner hero can visit accoheroes.com to read helpful topics and solutions to quickly become one, or take a fun quiz to find out what type of hero they are.

“ACCO Brands products and solutions help everyday heroes keep it all together. Yet, the people who are relied upon to get the job done right, often go unrecognized,” said Kellie Glueck, marketing director at ACCO Brands. “The contest will help shine a light on these valuable heroes and their achievements.”

How to Enter the Contest

Entering the ACCO Brands Everyday Heroes contest is easy. Submit a brief explanation of 150 words or less describing what makes them an Everyday Hero at the office, home/home office or school. Entrants can upload a photo as well to make their story more personal. Entries must be submitted before October 31, 2010 at 5 p.m. CDT.

Voting by the public will begin November 1, 2010 and will remain open through November 30, 2010 at 5 p.m. CDT to determine five finalists in each category. A panel of judges will select one grand prize winner in each category. The grand prize winners will receive $1,000 in office products redeemable at office products dealers nationwide, and the runners-up will receive an ACCO Brands gift basket valued at more than $400. ACCO Brands will announce the winners by December 15, 2010. People should vote often since the top 10 most frequent voters will receive the same ACCO Brands gift basket as the runners-up.

To join our community of Everyday Heroes, make sure to follow ACCO Brands at facebook.com/accoheroes and twitter.com/accoheroes. For more information on the Everyday Heroes contest, or for complete official rules, visit accoheroes.com. All submissions become the property of ACCO Brands Corporation.

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Business Productivity: Is Mind Mapping All It’s Cracked Up to Be?

LauraStack — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:56:08 +0000

Radiant Thinking reflects your internal structure and processes. The Mind Map is your external mirror of your own Radiant Thinking, and allows you access into this vast thinking powerhouse. — Tony and Barry Buzan, The Mind Map Book: How to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize Your Brain’s Untapped Potential

If you’re like me, every once in a while you get stuck on a problem and just can’t seem to go any farther with it—no matter how many ideas you bounce off the wall, or how many angles of approach you try. Call it writer’s block, creative dysfunction, or what you will, it can be like pulling teeth to tease those ideas out of the far wrinkles of your brain.

Sometimes all you need is a little rest or relaxation to shake things loose; then you can come back strong enough to smash through whatever’s holding you back. But if you still find yourself bouncing off that conceptual barrier like a Superball off a brick wall, then maybe what you need is a mind map.

Calling Buck Rogers!
Despite the mental images the term inspires, mind mapping doesn’t involve donning a wire-festooned helmet to delineate the geography of your brain. It’s much easier to fish out the information by using a pen or pencil. In productivity parlance, a mind map is a visual representation of a brainstorming session that allows you to generate and structure various concepts in a way that, ideally, helps you solve problems and make decisions.

It all starts with a drawing of a central idea, with associated ideas spun off in various directions and tertiary clusters of ideas spun off the secondary ideas, with lesser concept groups branching out in a fractal pattern for as far as space allows. You orient the various elements of a mind map according to your intuitive understanding of the concepts, forming groupings that radiate from a common center in a non-linear manner. You can harness a mind map for presenting information graphically, for summarizing information, for working through complex concepts or problems, or for pulling together information from a variety of sources.

So What’s the Dealio?
Some people dismiss mind mapping as a silly New Age business trend, and certainly some of the literature expounded by its biggest supporters is rich with the same concepts used by those who tout “the Secret,” universal abundance, and the Law of Attraction. And really, all that’s fine—but only if it’s coupled with a willingness to do the work necessary to achieve the abundance these approaches teach. As you probably know by now, sitting and wanting something very, very hard without putting in the effort to achieve it is about as effective as believing in the Tooth Fairy. So while it’s true that mind mapping can increase your productivity (up to 20%, according to some experts), it won’t unless you combine it with other productivity methods and implement them.

That said, mind mapping does have a substantial following, largely because it offers an effective way for brainstorming to be diagrammed, especially in a group setting. This is especially useful for those of us who are visually oriented, and in any case, it’s a relatively simple process.

Constructing a Mind Map
Here are the basic concepts by which you construct a mind map. Keep in mind that these are guidelines only, not stringent rules. The idea is to create something loose and freewheeling, not to try to fit your ideas into a straight-laced format.
• Begin with a central image, drawn in at least three colors.
• Brainstorm out from the center, starting with thick central lines that become thinner the farther you branch from the core.
• Label basic ideas with printed keywords. The more important concepts should be larger than lesser ones.
• Emphasize those important concepts with multiple colors and images, to engage the eye and mind.
• Every word or image should have its own line.
• Keep the mind map clear by using radial hierarchy, numerical order, or outlines to embrace your branches.
While mind maps are traditionally constructed using colored pencils and pens, there are several brands of mind mapping software available for computer use. The programs can make constructing appropriate images much easier, since clip art can be used, but they’re not strictly necessary.

That’s all there is to it, really. And since a picture is worth a thousand words,
click here to see a generalized mind map that creatively displays the basics.

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Work Life Balance: Video – Getting Ready for the Next Day at Night

LauraStack — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:58:37 +0000

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Increasing Productivity: If You Think It, Ink It!

LauraStack — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:39:29 +0000

Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen. — John Steinbeck

My father had a saying he used to repeat often. He always carried around one of those little Mead spiral notebooks, which he liked to call “his brain,” and whenever an idea would strike him he’d write it down and say, “If you think it, ink it!”

That used to just drive me crazy…but Dad was absolutely right. You can’t depend on your meat brain to remember everything, especially when you’re in the middle of another task. Nor is it a good idea to drop the task you’re working on and go haring off after the new idea. Oh, you can do that, but if make a habit of it you’ll never finish anything—and your productivity will be shot to heck.

So when you have a random thought that sounds good, get it down on paper (or electrons) down ASAP. You can use a little notebook like my father’s shirt-pocket “brain,” a handheld device like a Blackberry, a compact voice recorder, 3 x 5 index cards, or a standardized planner—whatever works for you. According to his autobiography, whenever science fiction writer Piers Anthony gets a new idea while writing one of his novels, he just sets off a new paragraph in brackets, types the new idea, then goes back to the project he’s working on. The idea will be lifted out and documented elsewhere during an editing draft, when he has time to deal with it.

Angling for Ideas
It’s been said that ideas are like slippery little fish that you have to capture with a pencil, or else they’ll get away. And as the saying goes, “the dullest pencil (pixel?) is keener than the sharpest mind.” So capture your great idea however you may, and get right back to your original task.

Another great thing about recording your ideas is that when you do so, your brain will think you’ve done something about it and stop bugging you, so you can focus. Even if your idea is of the non-bugging kind, if you write it down, you don’t have to waste any energy trying to remember it later. It’s recorded right there in black and white. By “inking” it, you’ve made it real.

And oddly enough, writing down your ideas often seems to make you have more of them. That may simply be a function of the fact that you’re just not remembering them all when you don’t record them; but on the other hand, some would argue that it’s some Higher Intelligence trying to tell you something.

By the time you review your notes, you may have forgotten the idea altogether, so you may just be pleasantly surprised by what you find. And what do you end up with when you’re done? Why, a little list of things to do…now, why does that sound familiar? Yep, you got it: your ideas (or at least the best of them) end up on your to-do list, so that you can focus your attention on them properly. And if you come up with another brilliant idea while you’re working on your new tasks, well…if you think it, ink it!

From Fish to Seeds
Now, I’ve compared ideas to slippery fish, which you have to capture; but once you’ve done that, they turn into something else. (And I’m not talking about fishsticks here). These ideas you’re struck with—whether while working on something else, during your daily commute, or in the middle of the night—become seeds once you gather them in. They may never germinate, of course; and even if they’re viable, you may never use them. You can’t do everything you imagine, because there’s just not enough time!

But if you carry those little idea seeds around with you like Johnny Appleseed, you may very well come across fertile soil in which they can sprout. That’s when you stick ‘em in the ground and stand back, so you can see what they’ll become.

Ideas are important, folks. Even the most audacious and ambitious of undertakings, from the Great Wall of China to the International Space Station, started as nothing more than an idea that someone eventually recorded. Once they did that, it went from meditation to action—and changed the world.

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Office Productivity: Making No Mean No

LauraStack — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:37:25 +0000

Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best. — John C. Maxwell (author, speaker, and pastor).

In Oklahoma!, the befuddled Ado Annie Carnes sings,

I’m just a girl who cain’t say no,
I’m in a terrible fix
I always say “come on, let’s go!”
Jist when I orta say nix…

Ever find yourself in Annie’s situation? Are you a people pleaser? Do you have trouble turning down new tasks, even when you’re drowning in work? Does everyone turn to helpful ol’ you when they need something done? Is your schedule packed until the turn of the century?

Sounds like you need to learn to say no graciously—and make it stick.

Many of us have been conditioned by society to say “yes” to any reasonable request. It’s as if the word “no” is a four-letter word, even when you’ve got all you can handle on your plate. Well, get over it. That kind of thinking leads to nothing but confusion, overwork, irritability, and breakdown.

What Part of No Don’t You Understand?
Think quickly: what’s your scarcest, most important resource?

Flog yourself with a wet noodle if you didn’t immediately answer Time. Office supplies, equipment, money, and even coffee can be restocked with relative ease. Not so with time. We all get the same 1,440 minutes in our day, and once it’s used up, there’s no going back to restock it.

So until we figure out a way to drastically lengthen our lives, we’d better get as much done as we can in the time we have. Which means that in order to actually enjoy life instead of simply enduring (and to maintain your sanity), you absolutely must learn to say “no” when necessary.

You don’t have to be rude about it; you just have to make it clear and make it stick. Depending on the personality of the person you’re dealing with, a gracious “no” accompanied with an explanation of what you’re already saying “yes” to may be fine.
Otherwise, just be simple and direct, and don’t feel obligated to explain if you don’t want to. Try one these statements:

• “Sorry, my schedule is full.”
• “Not right now.”
• “Let me see if I can find someone who can help you.”
• “I don’t like to take on anything I can’t fully commit to.”
• “I’m not comfortable with that.”
• “I’m not qualified.”
• “I’m sure you’ll do a wonderful job on your own!”

Unfortunately, in some cases, a more firm rejection may be necessary. If, for example, someone refuses to take no for an answer, you may very well need to be rude. I don’t recommend it if you can avoid it, though.

Meeting Others Halfway
I realize that it may not always be possible to say no, especially in the workplace. Fortunately, there are ways of saying turning someone down without actually saying “no.” Try a mix of these:

Negotiate. Don’t assume a deadline. When someone asks you to do something, ask them if they need it now, or if you can get it to them later.

Communicate. Instead of trying to juggle a dozen tasks all due immediately, ask your boss or coworkers to prioritize them so you’ll know which is of utmost importance.

Reduce Quality. Often, good enough is good enough. Whoever’s asking for the task may not expect an exceptional level of quality; they may just want it done. So find out exactly what they want.

Streamline. If they want something huge, ask if they really need it that big. They may be just as happy with a slimmed-down version.

Eliminate. Rebuild your personal and departmental boundaries so that certain tasks are no longer your ambit. Then look at every task remaining and ask yourself if anyone would notice it if you stopped doing it. If not, stop!

Get Creative. Take stock of your situation, look closely at your systems and processes, and redesign what you can to make yourself more productive.

Partial Delivery. If you just can’t do it all but have to turn in something, ask if you can turn it in piecemeal.

All these are effective ways of keeping yourself from being overwhelmed, even when the fat’s in the fire and you’ve got no choice but to accept work you don’t really need. Put them in play, see how they work for you, and refine them as you go.

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Work Life Balance: Back To School Goal Setting

LauraStack — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:58:29 +0000

Summer’s over and it’s time to get back to school! This gives you an opportunity to set some goals with your kids.

Many people think of January 1 as the New Year. However, I think the back-to-school season is a much better time to get some perspective on kids’ lives and what we’d like to change in the coming school year.

What are some of the objectives you have, both for yourself and your children? How can you as a parent help them learn to be more productive and help them achieve success? One of the best gifts that you can give your children is the opportunity to grow and to learn. You have to help coach them, counsel them, encourage them, and sometimes discipline them.

Before school begins, take the opportunity to sit down and have a family meeting. What are some things that your family wants to accomplish? What does each child want to accomplish? Maybe you’d like to spend more time together eating as a family. Perhaps you want to go on a vacation this year. Maybe your child wants to be more involved in more activities or try a different sport. Maybe the homework grades weren’t quite as good as they should be.

If you know, for example, that homework skills are sliding, decide to help you child get on top of that! To see a change in that area, what would need to happen? Do you need to get a child a tutor? Do she need to go in early to get extra help from the teacher?

As adults, looking back, what habits did you form that have impacted you as an adult? What formative behaviors will be critical to your children as adults? Did you procrastinate a lot on term papers, and now you find yourself doing that with work assignments?

Encourage your children when you see these behaviors that you know will impact them later. Tell them, “It’s the start of a brand new year. Let’s look at those long-term papers and projects together. Let’s break them down. Let’s create some milestones. How can you be proactive and plan those various deadlines so that when those items are due, you’re going to be stress-free?”

Use this as an opportunity to make a fresh start. Take a deep breath and figure out how you can be a good role model to your children and help them be as productive as they can be.

To find out more about The Productivity Pro®, Inc. or have Laura Stack speak at an upcoming meeting or event, please visit at www.theproductivitypro.com.

Make it a productive day! ™

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Critical Tips for Successful Team Execution

LauraStack — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:05:24 +0000

Over time, individual teams and whole organizations tend to establish a standard pace. This pace can easily become unnecessarily lethargic. The trick is to regulate the pace, keeping it as high as possible without provoking burn-out. Executing at a brisk pace keeps your team energetic and fresh. Here are ten acceleration strategies that can help you and your team pick up the pace.

1. Identify an “enemy.”
2. Break the decision gridlock.
3. Develop contingency plans and work-arounds.
4. Set the bar higher.
5. Establish momentum-building milestones.
…
To read the rest of the list and a description of each accelerator, click here: http://www.mylinkage.com/GILD/2010/ten-tips-for-accelerating-your-teams-execution to visit Linkage’s Leadership Blog.

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Your Days of Being Simply Competent Are Numbered! Learn to be SUPERCOMPETENT, Starting Today!

LauraStack — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:00:59 +0000

TODAY’S THE DAY!!! Laura Stack’s latest, extraordinary book, SuperCompetent: The Six Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best (John Wiley & Sons), was released in bookstores TODAY, AUGUST 9! After almost 20 years of studying the art and science of personal productivity, Laura Stack reveals the six behaviors high-achieving professionals demonstrate over their lower-performing peers.

Today is the day to purchase SUPERCOMPETENT and receive the valuable free bonus gifts listed at http://supercompetentbook.com/bonuses.php, as well as hundreds of dollars in valuable bonuses from her sponsors listed at http://supercompetentbook.com/sponsors.php.

What should you do?

1. Purchase your copy of SuperCompetent TODAY from any retail or online store:

• Amazon
• Borders
• Barnes & Noble
• Booksamillion
• CEORead

2. Forward your receipt to Book@TheProductivityPro.com.

What do you get for FREE? All the gifts at http://supercompetentbook.com/bonuses.php!

• Dianna Booher is providing a free eBook Write to the Point.
• Joe Calloway is providing the eBook Becoming a Category of One.
• Eric Chester is providing the eBook Employing Generation Why.
• Terri Sjodin is providing a free subscription to the Presenters post quarterly e-newsletter.
• Chris Widener is providing his “Totally Motivated” eBook.
• Mark Sanborn is providing you with access to his in-depth Encore Assessment, a regular $25.95 value.
• Ford Saeks is offering his “Keywords Secrets” Audio MP3, a $47 value.

“Laura Stack knows how to get things done and in short order! Her latest book offers a great work-life-mind balance, which is the key to going from good to great on a personal basis. Read this book and soar.”
Tim Sanders, author of Love Is The Killer App: How To Win Business & Influence Friends

In this competitive economy, just being able to do your job is no longer enough. Competence is expected; you’ve got to be Super Competent to get an edge.
Whether you’re an employee, an entrepreneur, a team leader, or all of the above, SuperCompetent will give you proven methods to reach your and your team’s maximum potential and achieve breakthrough results. You’ll get to your productive best by mastering six keys to peak performance:

1. Activity: the value and importance you place on your work
2. Availability: your ability to master your schedule
3. Attention: the capacity to focus intently and concentrate on tasks
4. Accessibility: the ability to organize the inputs and outputs in your life
5. Accountability: the extent to which you take personal responsibility for your actions and outcomes
6. Attitude: your motivation, drive, and proactiveness

Laura Stack is an international author, productivity expert and speaker, and founder of The Productivity Pro®, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in creating Maximum Results in Minimum Time®. She is the bestselling author of several other books: The Exhaustion Cure; Find More Time; and Leave the Office Earlier. Laura has been a spokesperson for Microsoft, 3M, Xerox, and Office Depot, and she is the creator of The Productivity Pro® planner by Day-Timer.

Laura commands fees of over $10,000 for one HOUR. You can discover the secrets she teaches to Fortune 500 audiences for less than $20!

To be successful in the business world and reach your full potential in life, it’s not enough to be simply competent. Our modern, super-competitive world is full of opportunities for the go-getter, but to take advantage of them, it’s essential to become “SuperCompetent.” The SUPERCOMPETENT person is one that companies fight to get, fight to keep, nurture as team players, and see as future leaders in their business growth.

“The Productivity Pro, Laura Stack should be known as the Productivity Doctor. This book is like a medical clinic for those seeking to become more productive. I know it has helped me but more importantly the remedies offered by Laura have benefited the people I coach in my professional life. These people keep asking, “Jeff, how do you know how to solve my productivity problems?” My secret weapon…this book.”
Jeff Bettinger, Director Talent Development
Fluor Corporation

SuperCompetence isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something that you can learn, no matter where your strengths lie or what industry you work in. In SUPERCOMPETENT, productivity expert Laura Stack identifies the behaviors that build leadership skills, boost organizational efficiency, and blast high potential producers to the top of their fields.

“This content-rich book is a must read for even those who thought they were productive. Laura Stack delivers specific strategies that will definitely boost your performance and productivity. Her relevant ideas will take you beyond good to SuperCompetent. This book will change how you think about yourself, your time, your use of technology, and your time with others.”
Lisa Ford, Author of #1 selling training series, “How to Give Exceptional Customer Service”

With Stack’s Six Keys, you’ll be able to consistently improve your performance, develop the confidence that will propel you forward, and achieve breakthrough results in your career.

1. Activity: The value and importance you place on your tasks and priorities
2. Availability: The ability to master your schedule and protect your time
3. Attention: The capacity to focus intently and concentrate on critical activities
4. Accessibility: The skill to organize your workflow and quickly find information
5. Accountability: The extent to which you assume personal responsibility for your actions and outcomes
6. Attitude: The intensity of your motivation, drive, and proactiveness

“Ask executives which employees are most valuable to the organization, and they will almost invariably respond, “The people to whom I can point at a problem or opportunity and know that they will get the job done every single time.” These are the super competent people—who are in control of their work—not the other way around. Laura Stack teaches us how to stress less, get much more done, and have more fun while doing it. Reading this book will make a positive impact in your work and your life. Fabulous!”
Joe Calloway, author, Becoming a Category of One

With worksheets and quizzes that help you evaluate your performance at every stage, and invaluable resources for further information, you’ll be able to integrate the Six Keys of SuperCompetence into your daily, weekly, and lifetime business practices. From the sales floor to the conference room, from board meetings to informal networking events, SuperCompetent enables you to build your focus, manage your resources, and maximize your ability to deliver at every level.

Few books are generating the level of advance publicity and acclaim as Laura Stack’s new book, SuperCompetent: The Six Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best (Wiley, 2010). Here’s what the experts are saying:

“Laura is a master at her craft and offers innovative ideas on how to squeeze the most out of our daily lives. Productivity is more than just staying busy; it’s about achieving success and significance in everything you do. She unlocks the secrets to how we can all do more, be more, and have more each and every day.”
Dr. Nido Qubein
President, High Point University
Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Co.

SuperCompetency is not about mantras but about mindsets. SuperCompetent will transform how you think. The Productivity Pro® gives you a clear and practical system for achieving Maximum Results in Minimum Time®.

“HEY YOU! That’s right, you, the person wondering if a book about being SuperCompetent is worth the investment or has any relevance to your life, career, or company. Haven’t you heard? Simply being competent is for Wanna-Be’s. The HEROES actively manage their performance and productivity to achieve the results they want and need. Isn’t that you … or at least the YOU that you want to be? SuperCompetent is that rare book that combines ideas you can implement immediately with thoughtful truths to keep you focused on what is really important. So what are you waiting for? Buy this book. Study and apply its lessons. And, give yourself an edge in your career and your life.”
Randy G. Pennington, Author, Results Rule! Build a Culture that Blows the Competition Away

Take the SUPERCOMPETENT assessment, download articles, watch a video, and join our Discussion Forum at www.SuperCompetentBook.com!

“Become more aerodynamic. That’s what Laura Stack helps her reader to do with her tremendously practical book, SuperCompetent. Consider the racing industry. In all of its various forms – cars, bikes, humans, horses – the principle of aerodynamics rules. Some of the smallest design changes can elevate performance monumentally. In my work with high-performing, high-potential leaders, I have found time and again that increasing effectiveness is almost singularly hinged upon decreasing interference. Simple? Perhaps. Easy? Not so much. Effective? Without a doubt. Using Laura’s Six Keys, a leader can identify, diagnose, and understand specific sources of interference. Using the numerous practical tips Laura provides with each of those Six Keys, that leader can then work ruthlessly to reduce each source to perform at his or her productive best.”
Catherine Stewart, SPHR
High-potential program developer and manager

With SUPERCOMPETENT, you will discover how to:
• Create systems to perform tasks more efficiently, so you can leave the office on time.
• Accomplish the day’s most profitable and valuable activities.
• Refuse requests when appropriate and learn to say no graciously.
• Push tasks down to the lowest level of responsibility, trusting others to do their jobs.
• Limit your multi-tasking in order to maximize your focus and productivity.
• Create the perfect time management system for your personality, environment, and work situation.
• Organize your email and regularly empty your inbox.
• Track your historical communications, phone calls, and meeting results.
• Work efficiently and get a lot accomplished while traveling.
• Increase team efficiency by improving unusually lengthy or inefficient processes.
• Make decisions quickly, once you have all the information you need.
• Remain open to change and always seek better solutions.

“Every CEO should make this required reading for every employee. After 20 years of turning around the results of companies, I only wish I had this on my recommended reading list for clients earlier. Uncommon sense that will turn any organization into a Thank God It’s Monday Results Rule Workplace!”
Roxanne Emmerich, CEO, The Emmerich Group, Inc.
Author, Thank God It’s Monday!

Purchase SUPERCOMPETENT today, August 9, and forward your receipt to Book@TheProductivityPro.com. You’ll receive free the bonus gifts listed at http://supercompetentbook.com/bonuses.php.

Thank you!

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Business Productivity: Stop Procrastination in Its Tracks!

LauraStack — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:20:32 +0000

Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried. — Anonymous

This week, I’d like to discuss a form of self sabotage that I see all too often: procrastination, the fine art of putting things off. And off, and off, and off….

We’ve all let things slide when we shouldn’t have. It’s not always about forgetfulness, or overwork, or even laziness. In fact, some of the worst procrastinators are busy professionals who are otherwise successful in the workplace.

Ultimately, all procrastination does is generate anxiety and negativity. So why do we hobble ourselves this way? The reasons are rarely clear-cut, but often they consist of some mix of the following:

• Lack of self confidence
• Uncertainty
• Excess perfectionism
• Distractions
• Fear (of the unknown or a negative outcome)
• A perception of the task as difficult and/or time consuming
• Time pressure (either too little or two much)
• Anger or hostility toward the task
• Low frustration tolerance

What it all boils down to is that the unpleasant (or potentially unpleasant) tasks are the ones we tend to put off—no matter how high their value.

But all that really matters is how you fight procrastination. What can you do, in the real workaday world, to stop procrastination in its tracks?

Visualize. There are two basic kinds of motivation, and you can use both in your visualization scheme. First of all, consider the positive: visualize having that lingering task completed and out the door. What kinds of wonderful things will result? At the very least, imagine how great it’ll feel to have it off your plate!

Personally, I prefer positive visualization; but negative visualization can work too. You know from personal experience that unpleasant things rarely go away if you ignore them. They just get worse. What will happen if you let the unfinished task fester on your to-do list? There might be financial and career impacts.

Some researchers suggest you think of an ignored task as a cancerous cell: if left untreated, it’ll end up gobbling your time and resources, to your detriment. I think that’s a little extreme (even scary), but if you think it’ll work for you, go for it.

Strategize. If you have trouble getting starting, try breaking the task into smaller chunks—which is one of the basics of getting your high-value, high-intensity work done anyway. Plan how you’re going to tackle each individual subtask; if you have to, sketch out on paper how you’re going to handle them.

Put those subtasks on your to do list; and if someone doesn’t do it for you, set deadlines for each, along with an overall timeline for when you have to have the whole task completed. Then set out to meet those deadlines.

Eliminate distractions. How are you going to get anything done if you’re always checking your email, answering your cell phone, or surfing the Internet? If you’re easily distracted, get rid of the distractions until you make some headway on the task. Unplug the landline, turn off your cell phone, disable the Internet, and forget you even have email!

Get Busy. Assuming you have all the information and resources you need to move forward, action always beats meditation. Once you’ve given the task enough thought, leap into action. Focus like a laser on your task. If you have to, grit your teeth and tell yourself, “I’m going to do this, like it or not!”

And in Conclusion…With some tasks, you simply have to put your head down and bull on through. No, it’s not likely to be fun; but then again, if it was, we wouldn’t necessarily call it work, now would we? While it’s great to love what you do (and of course that’s the ideal circumstance), as realists we know that we can’t love every single aspect of our jobs.

There will be certain tasks that you need to do, jobs that only you can do sometimes, that need your attention at least as much as the fun stuff. So do them. Even if you do it a little at a time, eventually you’ll get that monster task of your plate, so your boss will stop growling about it and you can stop angsting about it.

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Join the SuperCompetent Online Campaign

LauraStack — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:15:21 +0000

The book launch date is fast approaching, but it’s not too late to join the online campaign for my new book, SuperCompetent: The Six Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best. We will list you on the SuperCompetentBook.com site as a partner with a link to your site, and all you need to do is send a message to your subscribers on Monday, August 9 to share with them the information about my new book. It’s as easy as that!

To join the campaign, visit Hasmark at http://hasmarkservices.com/campaigns/stack.html and sign up.

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