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Working Smarter - Part 2
by John Kieffer
The solution in our battle against urgency is not a simple one. But there are 4 principles that we can operate from:
#1 - Eliminate
#2 - Simplify
#3 - Delegate
#4 - Do
These principles are to be taken in that order. Eliminate - can this task be eliminated? Can we say no to it without ticking off the person that made the request? Of course if we're saying no, we must have something better to say yes to. This means we must have a goals program. We have to know what the results are that we want to produce.
Often people put unrealistic demands on us. Many one those people are important to us. They may be our spouses, friends, or our customers. The point of saying no may be to negotiate this issue to a due date with a more appropriate time frame. We can under promise and over deliver (UPOD). There must be no OPOD. When we overpromise and under deliver we can look really bad when we don't come through on our commitments. If we can't do it in the allotted time frame, we need to target a time that will allow us to come through and accomplish what we committed so we don't look like the fool. Stretching the horizon out for getting a task done and then coming through in the allotted time frame makes us look good. I don't like looking like a fool. I'd rather look like the hero. Living our lives by realistic target dates is less stressful and doesn't disappoint. Under promising and over delivering is a must.
Simplify - we need to make the processes that we use simpler and more streamlined. Cut out those things that are not value added. Planning immediately streamlines the processes. We, continuously, need to look at the way things are done to improve our effectiveness. Looking at how I can improve my process is an important part in the key kernel of continuous improvement. I requires open-mindedness and creativity.
Delegate -find people that you can delegate to or gain assistance from. We need to grow people around us that have a capacity and delegate effectively to them so we can spend more time in our highest activities. They may not be able to do the entire function. They may need training and trust but someone trust you and trained you. Give others the same opportunity.
Do - do in a batch. That speaks of grouping like types of activities like calls, emails, coping, communication to an individual, trips to a part of town, etc.. We become more efficient when we are working on like types of activities.
However, not all efficiency from batching is effective. There are some things that have a flow to them. It's one things to batch voicemails. But the things that require connective thinking should be done in a flow. This means we should stay after them in a block of time until we complete them. Thinking through a project that requires depth of thinking yet breaking that up into small segments may require more time and effort to get back into the flow. This time that it takes to get back into the project may make it ineffective to do in smaller units. In this case I need to block a larger unit of time so that I can stay at it.
Interruptions can eat our lunch. The study done by the American Management Association the average manager/professional gets 8 interruptions per hour. This extrapolates to one interruption every 7 and ½ minutes. The study goes on to say that one hour of focused work that has 8 interruptions added to it will take 4 hours to complete. Proof: If I come in on Saturday morning and work in a focused manner with no interruptions for four hours, I can accomplish 16 hours of interrupted work or two days worth. Why not block one hour in the morning and afternoon and then go out to field all the interruptions that you want. Better yet block two in the morning and afternoon and get two days of results accomplished in one day and take the next day for higher pay off like sales calls, coaching your direct reports, golf or time with an important person in your life. There is a great net gain.
Where do those interruptions come from? They come from phone calls and voice mails and emails and people walking past, stopping in, drive by shooting our productivity to death. It comes from me bouncing from 1 project to another to another to another without maintaining focus. Those of us that have ADHD need no external interruptions. We can do all the interrupts that we want all by ourselves. The interesting thing is that our high tech, modern environment with all of its connectivity and stimulus input creates a conditioned ADHD in even the most focused of us. This interruption thing may be the biggest issue that we face and those who overcome have a significant advantage in producing results. I would encourage all of us to put together a time picture of the ideal week and then work hard at protecting against the time predators.
There you go. That's my list of working smarter and not harder. When you are faced with time issues and stress causing you to be on the brink of explosion, you've got to go back to the basics which are: eliminate, simplify, delegate and do. Yes, in that order.
Choose the courage to change,
John Kieffer
Copyright by John Kieffer and The Results Group
www.theresultsgroup.org
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