In today’s ever-connected world, there are times when you simply need to step away and plan for quiet time. How can you turn off distractions? Step away from the office? Maybe even take time away from the family for a few hours? Can you turn off the television, radio, not play any audio books for a few hours? If possible, you need to do so. Your mind needs down time in order to function at its optimal levels.
If you find you have your best ideas when you’re doing a mindless task such as cooking dinner, showering, or even sitting in a traffic jam, it’s because your mind has had the opportunity to tune out.
Here are some steps to create your own downtime:
Put it in your calendar. Yes, you need to schedule quiet time just as you schedule appointments you need to schedule down time. Find a time during the day when you’re not at your peak and then make it a ritual for your down time. Take a walk. Sit in a quiet, darkened room and simply unwind.
Take advantage of your commute. If you travel to and from work and find yourself stuck in traffic, use that time to turn off the radio and take advantage of that as quiet time.
Schedule your downtime around your colleague’s schedules if necessary. Can you only grab small amounts of downtime at work without interruptions? Take advantage of the lunch schedules of co-workers and plan to eat at a different time. Use the time your co-workers are at lunch for your down time.
Carve out a space at home where you can have your quiet time. Let the kids and significant other know that when the door is closed for X amount of minutes, it’s your downtime and you’d appreciate not being interrupted. If possible sit in a room that doesn’t make you feel you need to get up and clean it. Make your quiet space a place of relaxation.
How can you take steps to have quiet time? Is it something to which you can commit?
We all know that no one gets more than 24 hours in a day. How you spend those 24 hours, and the number of hours you work, will determine how successful and accomplished you feel when you walk out of the office at the end of the day. If you find yourself faced with a never-ending to-do list and deal with interruptions all day long whether it’s from colleagues walking into your office, social media updates, phone calls or emails, sometimes it seems impossible to get to your tasks.
There are days when time may seem endless, but it’s not. Time is a limited quantity and how you spend it will shape your productivity and satisfaction in both work and life. What steps can you take to use your time to its best advantage? Here are some steps I take on a daily basis:
Block out interruptions. If you work in an office, it may be difficult to tell colleagues to not stop by, but you may be able to set “office hours” and let them know that in order to be productive you need to limit interruptions. They may appreciate your dedication to your duties!
Don’t respond to emails as soon as they arrive. Set aside time several times throughout the day to answer emails and respond to social media updates.
Commit to your own personal time. If possible differentiate your office time and your personal time. Those who work from home may have a more difficult time separating the two, but it is necessary to have a work-life balance. Set office hours and stick to them, once your office hours are over, don’t answer business phone calls or personal emails.
Before you leave the office – whether a work office or a home office – prepare your to-do list for the following day. Being organized before you even set foot in the office the next day will make you more productive. Don’t forget to check off what you’ve accomplished today.
Managing time effectively may not be a skill you learn over night but it is a skill that will serve you well for a lifetime. How do you manage your time?
Do your goals sometimes get in the way of your completing a project? If your goals are too lofty, they can paralyze you and cause you to procrastinate. Take your large goal and break it into smaller, more easily attainable goals and you’re more likely to complete it and feel a sense of accomplishment.
Take your large project and work on it in 15 minute increments. The progress you make will spur you toward completing other goals. Chances are, when you set a goal to work on your project for 15 minutes you’ll get more done because you’ll be more focused on it. If you wait until you have a block of time that’s five or six hours long, it will be more difficult to find and you’ll just keep pushing the project back and it will remain on your to-do list longer than necessary.
Taking time to make affirmations is a great way to keep you on the path toward your goal and may also have the benefit of bringing good things your way. It’s been shown that whatever individuals focus on will come to them. Do you have an affirmation for your 2013 business goals? You could affirm that, “I’ll bring in two new clients a month,” or “This year I will network three times a week,” or
“I will mentor others to help them achieve their goals.” Be specific in your affirmations.
Make certain your affirmations are specific. Write them/it down and post it in a spot where you’ll see it every day.
It’s been said, and you probably believe it, but words matter. Using the incorrect words can close down a business deal. Words used improperly can convey messages you never meant to send. Consider the words: Anxious and Eager.
When you’re sitting with a colleague or potential client do you find yourself saying, “I’m anxious to get started.” Do they mean they’re nervous about it? Worried about how they will complete the project? If you say “anxious” you could be sending the wrong message — even if it’s subliminally. What you probably mean to say is, “I’m eager to get started on your project.” You’re eager to perform the service they’re meeting with you for. You’re eager to show how your expertise will benefit them.
Consider the language you use when you’re meeting with potential clients to make certain you’re conveying the correct message.
Working as a team is something that all business people need to learn how to do, even if you work as a solopreneur (chances are you will work with outside service providers). There are a few steps managers can take to foster a team atmosphere and propel the team toward excellence.
Working in a corporate environment means you need to have a team that actually works well together, or one that at least can cooperate toward the completion of a project. As a leader, there are a few steps you can take to foster an environment that is conducive to productive team members, they are:
Communication. If you can’t or don’t communicate with your team how will they know whether they’re performing at the level you’re expecting? Share information and foster open lines of communication between yourself and the team.
Coordination. Chances are, your team is comprised of individuals of varying talents, coordinate with them so they can work at their peak of efficiency. Use action plans to coordinate the outcomes of a project.
Cooperate. Disagreements between team members can be healthy and lead toward a more indepth project. Don’t allow team members to blame one another — make certain they understand it is a team effort and everyone will succeed, or fail, as a team.
Collaborate. Foster an environment where your team feels free to toss ideas around, brainstorm and choose the part of the project in which they will excel, they will take more ownership in the outcomes.
Confidence. Show your team you have confidence in their ability to complete the task at hand.
Are you fostering an environment of cooperation and teamwork?
