Multitasking is something so many of us are proud of being able to do. We live in a culture that creates environments that are not sustainable. So rather than demanding more realistic environments we are predisposed to believe it must be our failing that all is not possible. The following is a great article on a media multitasking study done at The Ohio State University. It aptly conveys that there is a difference in the emotional boost we get from multitasking and the actual productivity that comes from it. Spoiler alert…no productivity comes from it. http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/multitask.htm
The Uncomfortable Reality Of Knowing Someone Needs To Go
If on average 75% of employees are looking for a new job the reality is you are paying a lot of people who aren’t committed long-term to the company. It is an unfortunate reality that no one likes to talk about. People aren’t usually crazy about change so while they prefer to be elsewhere, there is an odd comfort of staying where they are and collecting a check, even if it isn’t what they want, or what the company would want if they knew. Increasing the challenge is as of 2010 there were 27.9 million small businesses, and 18,500 firms with 500 employees or more. This is to say we live in a nation where small business dominates and small business human resources departments face challenges large corporations don’t. There is a different dynamic in a business with less than 500 employees. It is a more personal environment, often located in less urban areas which often can create an additional layer of discomfort for those in human resources. HR doesn’t let someone go and never see them again, that isn’t the reality. The reality is they let someone go and then see them off site at the grocery, church, their children’s sports events or maybe just in passing. This small business dynamic leads down one of two paths when it comes to an employee who is no longer engaged. One, hope the employee leaves and accept the loss in money and productivity until he/she does. Or two, a more productive approach, engage the employee in an exit plan. Engaging an employee in actively thinking about their future will promote one of two things. One the employee will self identify that there are opportunities which merit re-engaging within the company. Or two the employee will self identify that it is time to move on. Using self-identification tools helps shift the burden from the employer and instead provides the employee an opportunity to take responsibility and initiative on a new path. Given the biggest fear of employees in leaving a company is monetary there is a win-win solution. The company transitions an employee out with an agreed upon exit plan/contract. In the short and long-term it saves the company money by eliminating unproductive activity and expedites training, saving on training costs if a new employee will be transitioning in, eliminating any loss in production. What does an exit plan/contract look like? More on that later this week.
Dead Weight Employee
You may either have or be a dead weight employee. How to know if one is dead weight? See the following checklist: If they had another offer they’d be out the door. If they had a magic wand they’d be out the door. If they had another source of income they’d be out the door. If they had enough time they’d be looking for a new job so they could be out the door. A past U.S. Job Recovery and Retention Survey noted 75% of employees are experiencing the desire to find a new job. So there is little chance there isn’t some dead weight around your workplace. What to do about it? It is surprisingly simple. Engage the dead weight in self-evaluation so they can self identify that they in fact do want to be somewhere else. The majority of problem employees will willingly and often happily leave if given an exit strategy that helps them do so. It is a win-win with the employer saving money in the long run, which in turn often boost morale and the employee engages in actively moving on in a positive manner!
Quit Messing Around
It is Monday. Are you happy with where you are going today? If you answered ‘no’ do you have an exit plan to get out of where you don’t want to be and onto where you do want to be? If you don’t perhaps it is time to quit messing around and get serious about enjoying your life and employment more fully. It isn’t the happiest of all thoughts, but the truth is, if you are unhappy, you are where you are because you don’t have a plan of action to move out of it. Note the word ‘action.’ I’ve seen people become extremely well known and it wasn’t based on any sort of talent at all, just pure will, directed intent and action. Trust me, if some of these folks can do it, I know for a fact you can too.
Toxic Workplaces
Someone emailed this to me the other day: “It’s amazing that we even allow ourselves to work in toxic situations. We’d never eat poison or swim in a superfund site, yet working in such environments does the same things to our bodies and souls.” Do you work in a toxic environment? Why do you stay? Do you have an exit plan?
What Are You Focused On?
“Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.” ~ Paulo Coelho So many of my clients, and myself at times, face the challenge of lending our precious time and focus on what we don’t want. We gravitate towards what annoys us, bugs us, makes us nuts, instead of what we want. What we give our time and attention to is what grows for us. So if we are focusing on crap we don’t enjoy or like even a little, that is what we will grow. So obviously the converse is when we focus on what we want, that is the path we’ll go down. This is not permission or a recommendation to go down a road of not doing things you don’t like. Especially if you are currently getting paid to do so. It is rather a recommendation to start, wherever you are, to do what you are being paid to do well without engaging in the negative response that may pop into your head about it. Example, you hate your job. Don’t stew on all the things you hate about it. Do your job as the professional you are, but also focus and develop, on your off time, what you do want. As you do so you are more likely to identify those same qualities, no matter how small in your current environment which makes it much more tolerable until you move up and/or out. I promise you your day will be much better if at lunch, on a break and/or after work you are focusing on what you want and planning to make it happen. Eventually the scales will tip from what you don’t want to having what you do want.
Why We Sometimes Eat Crap At Work
You are what you eat. So true, yet so hard to enforce some days. Especially if you are not thrilled with your job, or some other element in life. I’ll use a job one isn’t crazy about as an example in this case. I’ve seen a lot of clients who are not crazy about their job or maybe even loathe it. Tactics they use to cope usually include eating and drinking. I’m not going to get all preachy on what to eat here, but I do want to share this… If you find yourself eating a cookie the size of your head, visiting the vending machine or needing a lot of coffee or caffeine daily consider this. Sugar and caffeine are two of the easiest, most convenient and socially acceptable delay tactics we can get our hands on and utilize at work. Sugar and caffeine as delay tactics? That is right, delay tactics! How so? Because sugar and/or caffeine empower (and I use that term loosely) us to power through. They delay our need to address our unhappiness and/or uneasiness by making us feel better albeit temporarily. Thus the cycle starts. Again, I’m not hear to preach on what to eat or not eat. I am however suggesting you take a look at what and how you eat. See if there is a correlation with eating healthy (or not) at work.
Being Rational Doesn’t Serve Well
I find the follwing quote validating and liberating. Einstein once said, “I never came upon any of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking.” I came across the above quote while reading a blog post worth a read if you are so inclined, http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/08/30/11-sure-fire-ways-to-have-a-calm-and-peaceful-mind
Over Scheduled & Out Of Time
Over scheduled is bad enough. Add on top of it most of us don’t even realize we are and feel we can do even more. Well, you could do more, but it doesn’t end well. The good news is your body and mind are giving you signals when enough is enough. The bad news is you may be blowing them off. Again, it doesn’t end well if you do. I woke up in the middle of the night recently with the mother of all headaches. The plus was I was having a nightmare and was glad to be awake. Okay, right there we have two indicators. Indicators that have been repeated multiple times, and I blew them off. Yet I had the audacity to wonder why I’m feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Seriously? The reality is I know why. The further reality is I made a continuous choice to ignore it. I work full-time, about 50+ hours four days a week for my employer, also run my own business and am starting a third business. Oh yes, I’m also moving in about ten days. If you asked me yesterday ‘how is that working out?’ I would have told you it was all good. It is priceless how delusional we can all be trying to be all things to all people. The kicker for me isn’t the actual ‘work’ that I’m doing. I love it all. The kicker is the unknowns and the million thoughts that are combined with it all. The healthy habits that get shoved into the corner so the unhealthy over achieving madness can take over. I think it is the grown up version of showing off. Being an ‘overachiever’ isn’t special, it is stupid. Our egos trick us into thinking somehow we will be admired and a pinnacle. Here is a little tip from me to you my friend, you will not be a pinnacle, because it all comes at a cost. In addition you will sacrifice what is more important…relationships, health, etc. I love this quote from Lao Tzu, “Stop thinking, and end your problems.” I’m going to embrace it and instead of trying to be all things to all people today, I’ll be chucking work and going for a run instead. If you want to be happy, be balanced. If you aren’t comfortable with serving yourself in such a manner reframe it to this, if you want those you love and those who have to be around you to be happy, be balanced.