Step one in meeting effectiveness is to seriously consider whether the meeting is actually necessary. Are there alternative, more effective methods for accomplishing your purpose? Can your objective be accomplished with a memo or an e-mail? Would one-on-one conversations be more effective? Since meetings have become a serious waste of time in many organizations, look for ways to avoid having a meeting, if possible. 

If you find that a meeting is absolutely the best way to communicate, try the following suggestions for making meetings more meaningful:

1. Clarify the purpose of the meeting. What do you want to accomplish by having the meeting, and why do you want to accomplish it?
2. Invite the appropriate people. Are the right people invited to this meeting? Is anyone coming to the meeting who doesn't need to be there?
3. Conduct adequate meeting planning. What needs to happen before the meeting begins? For example, can materials be sent to the attendees prior to the meeting to facilitate more effective and efficient interactions during the meeting?
4. Carefully control the time used during the meeting. As a meeting leader, develop a reputation for being ruthless about avoiding wasted time. Start on time, follow a timed agenda, and give attendees a specific ending time. Then stick to it!
5. Use headlining techniques. Communicate during the meetings by asking everyone to use headlining techniques to prevent or minimize rambling dialogue. Whenever possible, ask people to begin their comments or responses by headlining - stating clearly in no more than 10 words - the essence of what they plan to talk about.
6. Use the pause-and-debrief method to generate purposeful discussion. Headline the issue to be discussed, and ask everyone to pause for a minute or two to jot down their thoughts related to the issue. Then debrief the group in a manner that will facilitate the full participation of all members of the group. For example, call on the less vocal attendees first to protect them from premature criticism from the dominant, outspoken attendees. As meeting leader, if you plan to comment, save your comments for last.
7. Use the "Parking Lot" technique to prevent excessive rambling or off-topic discussions. Use a flip chart or separate pad of paper to record off-topic items. In effect, "park" these issues elsewhere until after the meeting, along with follow-up items or other items that would be better addressed outside the meeting.
8. Establish "After-Action Follow-up." Have a recorder present to take notes and distribute to the attendees. Establish a clear plan for what happens next, if anything. Assign ownership and set deadlines for an action items.
9. End on a note of clarity.At the end of a project management meeting, have each person read their responsibilities and due dates. This ensures that people were taking notes and helps clear up any confusion as to who is responsible for which action item.
10. Evaluate the success of your meeting and make any appropriate adjustments before you conduct another meeting.

*Adapted from the GO System, a workplace productivity program we offer.

Have you ever left the office at the end of the day feeling like you didn't accomplish a thing? Perhaps it's because you had too many interruptions pulling you away from what you intended to do. All day long we get interrupted by phone calls, emails, pagers, co-workers, etc. After an interruption it takes about 20 minutes to regroup and become fully re-engaged in what we were working on before being interrupted; no wonder we feel we can't get anything done! 

According to Dr. Donald E. Wetmore, time management expert, approximately 80 percent of interruptions are of "little value" or "no value," and those interruptions waste about three hours every day. That's a huge loss in productivity!

When figuring out how to eliminate these "productivity black holes," we need to ask ourselves if we actually welcome interruptions. Some of us look for interruptions as a way to procrastinate, and some of us fail to protect our priorities by simply allowing interruptions to occur.
 
Here are some ideas to help you protect your priorities and get the most out of your workday.

Block Your Time:
Schedule blocks of time during the day to make or return phone calls. Unless you're required to answer every time it rings, let your calls go to voicemail when you're working on a project. After all, that's what voicemail is for.

I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again...), email is wonderful, but it's also a HUGE source of self-imposed distraction. I highly recommend blocking a few times throughout the day to check email instead of checking it every couple minutes. If that feels too restricting, then at least disable your email notification tool (the pop-ups and dings). Again, unless your job requires that you jump every time an email arrives (i.e., help desk), schedule times to check it periodically (morning, lunch, 3 p.m., etc.)

Protect Your Priorities: 
When you receive an interruption, you generally have to make a choice; decide which is more important: what you're currently working on or this new thing requesting your attention. Align your decision with your priorities. Most people don't expect you to immediately reply to a text or to an email, or always answer the phone. And if someone interrupts you in person, ask if you can get back to them in 10 minutes or so. Unless it's an emergency, most people will be very accommodating. 

If you have an office, close the door. Put a note on the door indicating what time you'll be available. If you have a cubicle, try one of these cool "do not disturb" tools:

In-person interruptions generally last longer than phone interruptions, and social interruptions have the highest impact on our ability to return to our original task.* As a social person myself, I'm not suggesting you eliminate all socializing with co-workers. Just understand the cost it will have on your productivity. So choose your water cooler conversations carefully. 

Bottom Line:
Control what you can (it's probably a lot more than you think), and make well-examined decisions when an interruption comes your way.

Sources:
*SmartCube, Inc., Social Interruption and the Loss of Productivity

Happy Get Organized Month!

The beginning of a new year is a great time to evaluate relationships with friends, family, partners--and time. Most of us feel we never have enough time. In reality, everyone gets the same amount each day. How you manage your 24 hours is up to you. But, I'm going to challenge you not to think of it in terms of "time management," rather behavior management. In other words, learn to manage your life within the time you're given.

The cold hard truth is most of us don't spend our time wisely. "Work smarter, not harder" may sound trite, although it's actually good advice. According to the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule), 80 percent of what we do all day is wasted time. 80 percent! And wasted time doesn't move us toward our goals. If you buy into this theory (and I hope you do), think how much more time you'd have if you cut out just 25, or even 50, percent of your wasted time, not to mention 80 percent!

Now, don't get me wrong. I know just as well as you that "life happens" and things don't always go according to plan. So, here are some suggestions to minimize that wasted 80 percent.

Set a schedule every day in accordance with your priorities and stick to it as closely as possible. Try never to hard-schedule more than half your day. You want to leave room for the unforeseen--a.k.a. "life."

Don't mistake being busy for being productive. Ask yourself, "What can I do today that will cause me to leave the office feeling like I had a successful day?" Be specific (i.e., make eight cold calls, etc.).  

Delegate whenever possible. Ask yourself, "What things must I do, and what can be delegated?" Trust that others can do things to assist you. Do what you do best, and delegate the rest. Even solopreneurs can delegate tasks to virtual assistants, bookkeepers, web designers, etc.

Delegating includes saying "No." It's one of the best time savers. No one has time to say "yes" to all requests, and you're not respecting your time if you do. Practice right now--just say NO!

If you're overcommitted, ask yourself what you can give up. There's always something you can live without.

Track how you spend your time. It's tedious, but it can be a real eye-opener. For one week, write down how you spent your time each day. At the end of the week, evaluate your time diary. Chances are, if you're honest with yourself, you'll see plenty of areas where you didn't use your time as prudently as you could have, probably about 80 percent of the time. Identify your time wasters and commit to eliminate them. Think about this: If an employee earning $50,000 a year wastes one hour each day, it costs the company $6,500 per year in lost productivity. To calculate for you or your employees, go to our "Cost of Disorganization Calculator." 

When you're feeling overwhelmed, stop. Focus on your breathing, relax, and center yourself. As a result, you'll feel better and be more productive.

Be realistic about how long something takes to accomplish. If you're not good at estimating time, double or even triple the time you think a task will take. That way you'll err on the safe side.

Do your own thing. If you're more comfortable with paper-and-pencil scheduling, use a paper calendar system. If you love e-calendars and they work well for you, then geek-out to your heart's content. Don't do what you think you "should" do or what "everyone else is doing." You'll save both time and frustration by going with your own flow.

Allow yourself reflective time to consider what you can do to be more efficient and productive. What can you improve upon that you're currently doing? And if you need help, give us a call. We're here for you.

Ok, it's confession time. "My name is Linette, and I'm a procrastinator." Does it surprise you that someone who trains others how to be productive suffers from the dreaded "disease" of procrastination? It's true. Having confessed this, though, I must also tell you that I work hard at overcoming this limiting behavior; and I'll share some ideas that I hope will help my fellow sufferers out there.

Chances are, if you are a perfectionist, you also procrastinate. How do I know? Well, I suffer from that wonderful  trait as well. So, what can you do when plagued with these "diseases"? Plenty!

The first step to recovery is to figure out why you procrastinate. Is it a fear of failure or a fear of success? Are you unclear about what action you need to take? Does the task bore you? Are you an adrenaline junky who loves the rush of just beating a deadline?

Once you discover your motivation for putting things off, spend some time figuring out how you can change your perspective. Talk with people who don't procrastinate as much to learn how they view unpleasant or difficult tasks. Perhaps they can offer you some insight. Here are some additional suggestions:

• Don't seek perfection. Tell yourself "80 percent is good enough." It's certainly better than doing nothing at all; 100 percent perfect is an unrealistic expectation.
• Make a "one-day to-do list" with no more than 5 action items. Strive to achieve 80 percent of your list, and reward yourself for your efforts.
• Break an overwhelming task down into "bite size" portions and complete one bite at a time. For truly unpleasant tasks, just do 10-15 minutes at a time, give yourself a break, and then come back and work on it for another 10-15 minutes until it's done.
• Get an accountability partner to hold you to your commitments. I can't say enough about the value of my accountability partner, Donna. I had to get up extra early the morning of our last call so I could complete my task, but I wouldn't have done it without that added pressure of our weekly accountability call.
• Play classical music--or whatever helps you to focus and stay motivated. When I have to work on something unpleasant or challenging or if I'm feeling especially distractible, I listen to classical or dance music to help me focus and to motivate me--works every time.
• Don't put off what can be done quickly. If it takes two minutes or less, do it now, and then move on to the next task.
• Limit your "checking in" time to a minimum. As wonderful as modern technology can be, it has given us more excuses to do things other than what we need to be doing. Facebook, Twitter, texting, instant messaging, and emails give us plenty of reasons for distraction. Schedule "checking in" time in your day; for example, only check in every two hours or once in the morning, at lunchtime, and once in the afternoon, etc.
• Clear the clutter. A lot of time is wasted looking for misplaced items, which delays what you really need to be working on. Organize your desk space so you can focus on the task at hand and eliminate the excuse to procrastinate.
• Work on the most important task first--preferably first thing in the morning. If you're not a morning person, pick your most alert time of the day.

Procrastination is a learned behavior, which means it can be un-learned. So, stop making excuses and do something about it... NOW!

Working from home can be wonderful--no rush hour traffic, no co-worker's dirty dishes in the sink or splatters in the microwave, a private bathroom, and best of all, a micro-commute in your pj's and bunny slippers.

Although there are many advantages to a home-based office, there are also challenges. It’s not always easy to maintain your focus. It's important to set boundaries so the line between personal and business doesn't get blurred. Here are some ways you can successfully manage the pitfalls of a home-based office.

Family Boundaries
If you have a family, it's important to clarify with them when it's ok to interrupt and when it's not. My dad worked from home, and he made it very clear that we were not to "bother" him unless it was important. Having that understanding made it clear that what Dad was doing was more important than my ratting out my older brother.

Pets
If you have a dog like I do, you know what a challenge dogs can be. In, out, in, out, all day long. My little Sophie has the habit of putting her front paws on my desk and pushing my hands off the keyboard so I can pet her. As cute as that is, it can be very distracting. (What timing--she's doing it as I try to write this!) My solution? Doggie daycare whenever possible; it's fun for her and helps me focus on my work.

Schedule
Maintaining a regular 9-5 work schedule will help you stay in "work mode." Try your best to focus on work and not on all the distractions of your personal life (dirty dishes, laundry). Keep personal emails and phone calls at bay by dedicating time to them only during breaks or lunch.

Stay in Touch
Working alone can make you feel isolated. Stay connected by meeting colleagues or friends for coffee or lunch--just as you'd do if you were at the office. Be sure to set time limits; otherwise, your hour lunch could easily turn into a 3-hour lunch. (You know what I mean, ladies.)

Maintain a Clear Focus
Use a cueing device to help stay on task. When my mind begins to wander, I catch myself and glance over at my "Right Now" pebble. Then, I ask, "What am I supposed to be focused on right now?" That's generally all I need to pull myself back into focus and get back to work. Try a cueing device to see if it helps you maintain better focus, too.

Change Things Up
One of my favorite ways to create better focus is to change my work environment. Twice a week I head to the Morton Arboretum and set up shop. They have free Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, and a beautiful view--what could be better? I'm always amazed how productive I am when it's just me and my laptop. I strongly encourage you to find an alternate venue for a few hours a week if you can. Just be sure it's somewhere less distracting than home.

We'd love to hear from you. What are your best tips for maintaining focus while working from home?

I love taking vacations. It’s part of the reason I started my own business. The typical two weeks a year given by my former employers (with the exception of my time spent teaching) just wasn’t enough time off for me. So imagine my surprise (and horror) when my husband, who works in corporate America, told me some of his colleagues have to be forced to take their vacation time! That got me to think about how our culture views time off. The findings are sad, but true.

Did you know that by October 24 of every year, the average American will have spent as much time working as the average European spends in a year? That’s right. Europeans, on average, work 35 hours a week and receive 4-6 mandatory weeks off per year. In fact, when you add the shorter workweek, holidays, and the longer vacation time, Europeans get an average of nine weeks more free time per year.¹

Not only do we have less time off, we also work the most hours of any industrialized country. For many Americans it’s normal to work 50-60 hours a week. So we work more hours and take less time off and then feel guilty when we do escape from the office for a few days. This is crazy!

You work hard, so you deserve to get away for a while. Studies show you need to take time off from work for your health and sanity. Vacations have been found to reduce the risk of heart attack in men by 30 percent and in women by 50 percent.² Another study found that women who took two or more vacations a year were less likely to become tense, depressed or tired, and were more satisfied with their marriages, when compared with women who took fewer vacations.³

What does this have to do with workplace productivity? Plenty. When we are refreshed, we work better. We have more energy, greater focus and concentration. We tend to call in sick less and have better attitudes about our jobs. It’s not only good for us to use all our vacation time, it’s also beneficial for employers. When France reduced its official workweek to 35 hours a few years ago, studies showed that there was no loss in productivity.¹ So, happier workers, no loss to the company – now that’s a win-win!

So get out and enjoy some time off before the summer’s over. To maximize your time away:

• Unplug!  Leave the laptop at home and concentrate on getting away from it all. For those of you with the ever-present smart phone, give yourself permission to turn it off, or at least check in less frequently.
• Leave work at work; it will be there when you return.  Don’t let work anxiety interfere with your time away. Live in the moment where you are, and give it your full attention.
• Plan ahead and take time to organize your trip to avoid last-minute rushing around and sleep deprivation.
• Build in some downtime. Don’t over schedule yourself by planning constant activities. There is great value in just sitting and being quiet.

Now, get out there and play!

1 Joe Kissell-http://itotd.com
2 Brooks Gump/Karen Mathews; Framingham studies
3 “Mayo Clinic Health Solutions”

Studies have found that those most successful at following through can actually FEEL consequences. People with great follow through also tend to worry or feel anxious. These people seem to have a more intimate connection to the feelings associated with negative outcomes and therefore will be more likely to avoid them. I'm not suggesting you should believe the sky is falling, but I am suggesting you create a motivation that you can literally feel - good or bad.

For example, I previously shared that I have to shred a $20 bill if I don't complete the sometimes unpleasant "tasks" I commit to do weekly with my accountability partner. This works well for me because visualizing $20 being shred is something I can physically feel. I get a sense that an invisible force is pushing on my gut when I think about shredding $20--an uncomfortable feeling I want to avoid, so I always make my commitment.

If you apply this technique to the things you want to accomplish, these feelings can help propel you to take action. What will do it for you? Will $20 work or do you need $100 or more? Maybe it's something else such as having to scrub your brother's toilet or washing everyone's dishes in the office break room for a week.

Some people respond better to positive rewards. Would the promise of an hour-long massage entice you into action? Perhaps treating yourself to a great dinner would work. Whatever you choose, just remember you have to feel the consequence of following through or not in order for this to work. Then of course, you actually have to commit to paying the price (maybe literally) if you don't follow through on your intention.

Be creative and come up with something you can really feel -- positive or negative, and then inspire others by sharing your ideas with us on our blog.

Many thanks to Steve Levinson, Ph.D., and Pete Greider, M.Ed., authors of Following Through for writing an amazing book and allowing me to share this information.

Have you attended a great workshop or conference where you took copious notes knowing that what you were learning would revolutionize the way you currently do something? You just knew if you implemented this new technique your sales would soar. Or if you implemented the tickler file system you learned, your whole workday would be more productive and less stressful.

We have such high hopes of implementing new concepts; however, once we return to the reality of our daily lives, we seem to lose the enthusiasm that originally propelled us to think we could conquer the world. So, what happens?

Most likely, once you returned to the office, your focus got diverted to whatever was currently happening around you. You realized you had reports to file, meetings to attend, or calls to make. You put your brilliant new idea on a back burner where it lost all its "heat." This happens because the human brain is a very distractible organ, made even more distractible by our modern, over-stimulated lifestyles. 

However, this lack of focus can be overcome by a technique called Spotlighting, which draws our attention to our intentions. Spotlighting is achieved by means of a cueing device such as a "magic pebble," a kitchen timer, an image of your goal, etc. When you see or hear the "cue," your attention shifts to what it is you intend to do.

For example, to implement a new sales strategy that will double your income and help you afford the vacation of a lifetime, put pictures of your dream destination on your desk, office door, bathroom mirror--anywhere that would continually bring your intention to your attention. Because it is now at the forefront of your mind, you will be more likely to shift your behaviors in accordance with your intention.

Remember, developing a new habit requires undivided attention - that's more important than how long we do it (i.e., 21 days to a new habit). Practice the Spotlighting technique and see where it takes you - maybe Bora Bora?

(If you like gadgets, you'll love the ultimate cueing device - the MotivAider. It's like a personal accountability partner that automatically reminds you of your intention.  I know firsthand how well it works; it helped improve my slouchy computer posture!)

*From Following Through by Steve Levinson, Ph.D. and Pete Greider, M.Ed.

Are You Feelin’ the Pain?

Did you resolve to start, stop, or do something differently in the new year? Did you vow that 2010 would be the year you quit smoking, lost weight, spent more time with the kids, made more sales calls, left the office on time, took a vacation, etc.?

How’s that working out for you? If you’re like most people, you began the new year with the best of intentions, and then by early February (or for some, the second week of January) those good intentions vanished.  What happened to them?

Well, the good news, according to the book Following Through by Steve Levinson, Ph.D. and Pete Greider, M.Ed., is that it’s not your fault! They propose that the human species wasn’t designed for following through on intentions. Our brains are marvels at many things, but always doing what we know we should do is not one of them. In fact, squirrels are better at follow through than we humans are.

Here’s more good news -- you can do something about it! You just have to find ways to outsmart yourself.

One technique is to make the “pain” of not following through greater than the “pain” of taking action. For example, every couple weeks for the past two years, I have an hour phone conversation with my accountability partner, Donna. During the call we report in about the tasks we said we would complete from the last call. Because Donna and I are friends, it would often be easy for me to confess that I didn’t make my goals. Her response was, “That’s ok--just do it by the next call.” Because there wasn’t a great amount of “pain” attached to not following through, I didn’t have any hard core reason to always do what I said I would. However, last September that all changed.

I now have a $20 bill hanging on a wall by my desk. On the bill there’s a sticky note that reads “SHRED?”. On another sticky note are the tasks I promised Donna I would complete by our next call. Every time I look at my $20 bill, I’m reminded of two things. One, all the tasks I need to complete; and two, I will have to shred $20 while Donna listens, if I don’t complete those tasks by our next call.

Now, the thought of shredding money makes me cringe. So the idea of shredding the $20 bill causes me more “pain” than actually having to follow through on the tasks I promised Donna I would complete. I’ve been living by this model for six months, and I’m proud to report I’ve never had to shred my $20. I never intend to either.

So, where can you “bring on the pain”? What are some ways you can get yourself to follow through on those resolutions? Be creative – you know what works best for you. Come up with a plan, find someone to hold you accountable, and then run with it. You will be amazed at the changes you can achieve by learning simple tricks to help you follow through.

It’s that time again, time for New Year’s resolutions. This fresh start fills us with feelings of great optimism and inspires us to take on even the most daunting challenges. So, what are you inspired to accomplish in this New Year?

Getting better organized is always an excellent option. In fact the entire month of January is dedicated to doing just that - it’s Get Organized Month. Ok, so maybe an entire month dedicated to getting organized feels too ambitious for you, then how about just shooting for one day, January 11, to begin the process.  It’s National Clean off Your Desk Day.

Cleaning off your desk may not sound very “sexy” as resolutions go, but it can do amazing things for your life. It can lead to things like projecting a more professional image to clients and co-workers, feeling more confident and in control or your day, and leaving the office on time because you’re not wasting up to 30 percent of your day searching for misplaced items.*

If you’re ready to conquer your cluttered desk, here are five ideas to help you get started:

1)     Set aside time to do it. I mean actually schedule time in your planner with minimal interruptions (or none if you can swing it). Dedicate at least 30 minutes or up to a couple hours depending on your “accumulation.” Take small breaks if you find your mind wandering or feel overwhelmed, or put on your favorite music for inspiration and energy.

2)     Sort papers into categories; for example, take action, reference, delegate, recycle, etc. Then, sub-divide as needed (for example, reference legal, reference client, reference contracts, reference insurance, etc.).

3)     Establish homes for all items to be filed. Use a tickler file to track all your action items, and create reference files for items that don’t require action but you would like to hang onto “just in case.”

4)     Recycle any papers you don’t need. (Hint: If you can easily find the information on the Internet or another handy source, ask yourself if you really need to keep a printed copy.)

5)     Organize all your supplies (paperclips, pens, sticky notes, etc.) in drawers or containers on top of your desk for handy retrieval. If you have a supply closet to draw from, don’t keep more supplies than you can use in a couple weeks at your desk.

You’ll be amazed how much more productive you’ll be with a clutter-free desk!

*30 percent of all employees' time is spent trying to find lost documents.
Source: Von Bergen, Jane M.. So many reasons to neaten up, but it's too imposing. Boston Globe 03/12/2006 Statistic by/from Delphi Group