An article in Inc. recently talked about the ten reasons working too much and sleeping too little is just plain wrong. It doesn’t matter who you are and what you believe, sleep matters. So whether it is you skipping sleep or your employees’ workload making them cut back, the bottom line is this. Lack of sleep, leads to lack of productivity. The biggest challenge of it all is you don’t realize it. While the article I just read doesn’t speak to health impacts (other than death), science has, another topic for another day. If you’d like to read the Inc. article, visit http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/10-reasons-you-have-to-stop-working-so-hard.html?cid=sf01001.
Costs Control
Cost control breaks down to one singular element. Focus on the little things, as those are the things that can add up to large costs. This may be in the form of process and/or personnel. Let’s take a look at personnel. One daily hour of unproductive employee time across the company equals a huge loss. Sadly, one hour a day is below the norm (three is the norm) of what is being wasted. Of course productive hours range from personality type to job type but on average if you read an article Eric Barker wrote for his Wired Magazine column the following stands: People work an average of 45 hours a week; (U.S.: 45 hours a week; 16 hours are considered unproductive) People spend 5.6 hours each week in meetings (U.S.: 5.5 hours; 71% feel meetings aren’t productive) Women had a higher average productivity score U.S.: women, 70%; men, 68% Barker wrote in the U.S., workers attribute these unproductive hours to procrastination, 42%; lack of team communication, 39%; ineffective meetings, 34%. The good news is, the dynamic is correctable.
Working Smart
I came across this post and really enjoy its candor, http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/news/42931 . More than anything it is a brilliant reminder that it isn’t the number of hours you work, it is the productivity/output that counts. Be productive, not just busy.
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.
The Perfect Time…Big Myth!
We or people we know have used the phrase “I’m waiting for the perfect time.” Waiting for the “perfect time” is a big myth. I’ll go you one better, it is an excuse. Now I’m not advocating knee jerk behavior, however I am advocating forward movement. “The perfect time” is always in the now. Maybe that doesn’t mean start and completion but it does mean start and forward movement. Have you ever had an idea you did not act on, waiting for the perfect time, and then you see someone else has come up with it and move forward with it? They knew the perfect time was “now.” Acting now is always the perfect time. Does it guarantee success, no, but it does guarantee growth. How many people have ‘failed’ when they acted? Tons, big deal, the majority of those so-called ‘failures’ paved the way for someone’s eventual success. I believe Mark Victor Hansen nails it: “Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” ~ Mark Victor Hansen
There Is No Big Mystery
There is no big mystery…just ask. It always surprises me that gossip can take flight so easily in the workplace. Why is no one asking the question(s) that can clear gossip up? Why do we not ask direct questions when we have concerns or fears? Is it because it is easier to remain in the comfort of limbo rather than risk having to take action? Perhaps in some cases this applies. There seems to be a propensity to gravitate towards the realm of not asking especially when it comes to bosses. Here is a helpful tip, your boss is not the great and powerful Oz. He/She does not require you take a long journey down the yellow brick road, etc. Given that perhaps it might be easier to have a direct conversation and resolve any questions or issue you may have. Just walk down the hall and do it, or schedule some time to do it. Seriously, which do you think your boss would prefer…you engaging in killing time not knowing and worrying or gossiping, or having a conversation that will leave you more productive and save everyone time and trouble? Yep, you know the answer. Go do it.
“I Don’t Have Time”
“I don’t have time” is a favorite mantra of many of those I coach, and let’s face it people in general. Here is the thing though, you do have time. We all have the same amount of time each day. It isn’t whether or not you have time, it is whether or not you are using your time wisely and prioritizing. If you find yourself constantly feeling you have more ‘stuff’ than time you might want to do yourself the service of a self check. Ask yourself the following: Do I track everything I do all day? (This forces you to acknowledge your actual productivity.) Are there obvious time sucks going on in my life that are not productive? Am I carrying someone’s dead weight to avoid confrontation? Am I using organizational tools to help maximize efforts? Have I, or anyone, checked the workflow process? Are we making it harder than it has to be? How much time am I burning just frozen in stress? The question of getting things done comes down to one thing…priorities. If it is a priority you will get it done. If you find you are not getting it done, it is not a priority to you and you need to either restructure and/or change your environment.
What Time Is It?
How many times a day do you look at your watch or ask someone what time it is if you don’t have one? Does watching time make it go quickly or slowly? It depends on the task at hand or what is on the road ahead doesn’t it? What if you did away with the ‘time’ piece of the equation and just focused on tasks? First of all this is not a blanket permission slip to show up late to anything. (Being late does not make you important, it makes you disrespectful.) On the contrary it is an opportunity to be fully in the moment and completely immersed in the task/activity. Again, the pace of time frames, we think, how fast or slow something seems to be progressing. What does time have to do with progress anyway? Nothing. Paying attention to time just distracts you and fuels your dread or steals from your joy. Forget about watching the clock; however pay attention to your schedule. If that means setting a reminder or alarm of some type for 10 minutes before you need to wrap it up so be it. Get on with the business of your business and time will take care of itself.