The topic of efficiency in the workplace is an interesting one – many leaders, managers, and others feel that they are not working as efficiently as they should. For some of us, our brains work “against us” instead of “with us”, which hampers productivity. Sometimes bad habits creep in and stick with us.
Your phone is blowing up. Your boss is talking. Your biggest client isn’t happy. You have a proposal due today, a forecast presentation in the morning and three more meetings this afternoon…and, and, and.
Even the most productive people get overwhelmed. But what do you do about it when that happens? How you deal with it speaks volumes about you, your career and your quality of life.
Check out some ideas for organizing just about anything that I shared in the recently published December issue of the American Bar Association’s ‘Law Practice Today.’
Ding! You’ve got an email, better see if it’s important. Buzz! You reach for your phone like Pavlov’s dog, better look at that site. Ring! You’re not going to answer it, but who is calling? Now what were you doing? Which time?
“Bob” was a top dog in a very competitive industry and he was on the verge of a very big promotion. But his company was worried about the liability risk. His office was a black hole filled with piles on every surface that you would measure in feet. He reluctantly agreed to work with me on the advice of corporate officials, but given his successful career, he wasn’t happy about it in the beginning.
“I can’t concentrate when the music is on,” complained Gina’s co-worker. “But I feel motivated and enjoy my work more,” she countered. Sam stood by listening intently because she had just had this argument with her teenager about music and homework. Tensions can quickly rise when it comes to such personal preferences.
Joe had a problem. He had cashed in some investments and quit his job to create a new product. Only it didn’t work yet. The technology was ground breaking, but they needed a ridiculously simple communication tool to make it usable. So he went to the beach.
Mark had it all. He had an executive suite with a beautiful view in a Fortune 500 company. He was leading a first-class team on a product that was in the news and key to the success or the organization. So when he brought me in to help him be more productive, I was a bit confused. On the surface all appeared to be running smoothly.