Category: GO system

Categories
EpS Events Get Organized GO system More time in my day prioritize Productivity productivity in the workplace Time strategies

Did someone say “interruptions”?

early bird speaker
early bird speaker

Recently, I had the true pleasure of presenting one of my signature talks, “4 Ways to Produce More While Staying Sane” to a fine group of Human Resource Professionals at the Granite State HR conference in Manchester, New Hampshire.

 

Here’s a INTERRUPTION STOPPER snippet from a workshop I gave to the VT Recreation and Parks Department, click here.

 

One issue that everyone related to – loud and clear- was the apparent disconnect between “saying no” (i.e. not being interrupted) and providing excellent customer service.

 

When most people “want something”, they want it immediately. Few have the self-discipline to add it to a list or to a schedule, and then wait for the right time. Now, if a person has sliced his finger and blood is gushing uncontrollably, immediate action is the only choice.  Most questions are not blood gushing, hospital-rushing ER questions, but, they are treated this way.

 

The late Steve Covey called this living in Quadrant One, “Firefighting.” Our instant-messaging, texting, constant-scroll email culture has exacerbated this issue many-fold. This immediacy becomes our normal, and we no longer have the ability to discern immediate needs from everything else.

 

What’s the issue? Well, there is no issue if you are an ER technician or a firefighter. That’s your job! If, however, you are a MANAGER then this can pull you off track again and again until you find yourself (metaphorically) in Kansas, asking, ”how did this happen?” The answer is…inch by inch.

 

The good news is that you can take back your work life. This workshop is jam packed with tips and strategies, but here are some to get you started:

  1. Work on one thing at a time.
  2. Establish a daily default priority.
  3. Ask your interrupter, “can I get a headline?”

 

These all sound so simple. Ask yourself, are you doing all three? If not, why not? Well, because it’s Not Easy! Here’s a little more about each tip:

  1. One thing at a time: The power of focus is not to be underestimated. At this workshop, we did an exercise proving that working on more than one thing at a time reduced participants’ productivity by OVER HALF. Would you like to double your productivity? Try doing one thing at a time. I dare you.
  2. Daily Default Priority: I know you will do more than one thing in a day. You’ll do a lot more. But how often have you had “that project” that you’ve managed to…skirt around again and again? Keep it simple, keep it clear, write it down, do this exercise every morning and every night. Commit to doing that one thing. And you know what? It WILL get done!
  3. “Can I get a headline?”: This is a great response to all those people who ask the dreaded question….”Got a minute?” That minute turns into an hour- or more -when you then need to do the follow-up, right? And what happened to the project on which you were working? When you ask this question, it causes the interrupter to think before throwing information or questions at you. One s/he summarizes, you can then decide, do I ask him or her to return later, or, is this issue more pressing than my current work? There is POWER IN THE PAUSE.

 

The three tips will get you started back down the path to productivity, taking back control of your workday. Contact me today if you’d like to learn more about how she can infuse motivation, participation, and productivity back into YOU and/or YOUR TEAM. I’d be honored to help boost you to levels you never dreamed possible.

 

With warm regards,

Carol

Your Productivity Coach

 

book-carol-now

Categories
GO system

4 ways to overcome your summer work challenges: re-frame, reset, GO!

Hot? Tired? Different schedule or commitments this time of year? You are not alone. How do you stay productive in summer? Or DO YOU?

Sue West and I – the Design Your Days duo – have 4 tips for you to REFRAME your SUMMER in our Perspectives Podcast.

You can listen here: Summer in your Business

Or, read on, for the complete script, if you prefer to read our advice.

Sue: The summer heat has me wanting to play. I wish I could just take a whole month off. Or, the whole summer off.

Carol: It costs me more money in summer to keep working since the kids have to be put in summer camp. And it seems like my work slows down, so I too want to just “laze into those hazy days” but it I am feeling a push-pull…I need the income and I need to sustain momentum in my work, for income and business growth.

Sue: Listeners, How does summer change your game? How are you surviving?

Are you enjoying summer? If so, are you feeling guilty – as if there is more you “should” be doing?

Listen on for 4 summer tips to craft the rest of your summer and set yourself up for the fall on YOUR terms.

Carol: Hi, this is Carol Williams, productivity coach at EpS, Efficient Productivity Systems.

Sue: And this is Sue West, Life Transitions Coach and AD/HD specialist.

We have joined together as the Design Your Days Duo for this series of audio interviews to give you short, “use today” pieces of advice, in 5 to 8 minutes. If you like this podcast, please LIKE our Facebook page for tips on your newsfeed several times a week.

Carol: Last time we spoke about Clarity as it relates to Growing Your Business, or Starting up a New Business- as those topics relate to Designing Your Days. We talked about making a living while starting something new- very tricky. This podcast topic can be equally tricky, but is somewhat less concrete- as it addresses those emotions we may feel in summer and the push-pull of “shoulds in our psyches.

Sue: We have 4 tips for you today to reframe your summer days. “Reframe” means looking at things a little differently, allowing yourself to see different ways of approaching situation.

Tip #1: One of my clients is taking Laura Cornell’s mentoring program for yoga teachers. Her website is www.DivineFeminineYoga.com My client told me that Laura believes that summertime IS a time to relax. We all need an “inner reserve to get us through the tough times of growing our businesses.”  So she gave her clients permission to relax!

For some business owners, summertime, frankly, does get a bit slower. So this is a great time to:

  • Choose your most exciting project you never had time for during the year and get it rolling!
  • Sit back and think big picture – where do you want your business go next year?

Because think about it: we are about to roll into back-to-school time, then Halloween, then Thanksgiving in the U.S. and the December holidays. Suddenly it’s January and well …think about last year, did you have your business and your marketing plans ready to simply launch? If not, let’s use this summertime chapter to reflect on the big goals and get the ideas ready to implement.

Carol: Tip #2 is all about focusing on something very small and working your way out. Some might call this “flashlight focus.”

Flashlight focus reduces the overwhelming thought of “doing it all” by only doing what you can see in the center of your flashlight. So, for example, if you really want to spend quality, fun time with your kids this summer, but you cannot get away for a vacation, can you take one day with them and do something you all love? Try it and watch the guilt melt away.

Sue: Our tip #3 is to think about this summer as if it were already over. It’s Labor Day or sometime in September and you’re thinking about your summer. If I were to ask you, “How was your summer? What did you do? “

How will you answer the question and will you be happy with the answers, or will you think “I should have…could have …”

So now dial back time to the present day. Think about how well you’re doing at the things you said you got done when I asked you about your summer. This could be work-related work related. Think about summertime as a stage or chapter and figure out what you want to have done or experienced or created or felt, by the time the next chapter starts.

Carol: Our tip #4 is for when you want to try something new- in your business or in your life. BUT you feel SO OVERWHELMED that you can’t find time to become that expert. Think of Zoro. He did not begin his career as expert swordfighter. Zoro practiced swordfighting in a small circle before he became the skilled infamous masked man he was in the movies. Deliberate practice and focusing on a very small circle of influence could be your answer. For example, you want to become a better listener, to be More Present. If you are talking to a business associate and find yourself drifting somewhere else, try picturing a small frame around that person’s eyes. Now, pretend you must repeat what they are saying to you. When you feel yourself drifting, remind yourself, I am listening carefully to “bob” right now. Try this with only close friends and family first, and then expand.

As a reminder, you are listening to a podcast series. We’d love your feedback.  If you have a question you’d like answered, please email us at ProductiveLifeTransitions@gmail.com. If you’d like to add yourself to the successful professionals we help go from good to great, contact one of us to get started with personal coaching. We’ll help you focus in on what makes the difference for YOU, and kick off the transformational process of Designing Your Days.

As the co-creators of the Design Your Days framework, we want to remind you that our next workshop is Friday Oct 18th at the Center for Health Promotion in Concord, so mark your calendar. We are happy to offer this to YOUR group of business owners, so please contact one of us for more information and to get us on your schedule.

Again, you can find us on Facebook as Design Your Days or contact us individually through websites:

Sue’s is www.OrganizeForAFreshStart.com

Carol’s is http://www.efficientproductivity.com/

Categories
AD/HD Get Organized GO system More time in my day productivity in the workplace

Ask the GO Girl: An interview by Dan Evans, master business coach

Recently, Mr. Dan Evans (DE), marketing strategist extraordinaire, featured me in an interview for his blog. Read on to find the “inner workings” of the GO Girl!

DE: Your title is “Productivity Strategist”. Can you tell me a little about what that entails?

CW: I provide personalized strategies for my clients to help them become more focused, organized and productive. I do this through a course called the GO (Get Organized) System, through One To One Organizing, small group work sessions, and facilitation/coaching. The strategies I teach reflect the client’s unique goals and objectives.

DE: Do you work with corporate clients and groups of employees?

CW: I focus on assisting individuals and small groups. I can and have performed efficiency/productivity assessments at small companies and branch offices (about 5 people). To date, I have not worked with large companies. However, I am set up to do this as a certified GO System trainer.
DE: So, the GO system can be for one person or a large group? Is there a maximum number for a group to ensure maximum effectiveness?

CW: The ideal GO class consists of 10 to 30 people. I have taught classes of “one” person but it definitely works better with several students. My favorite part of teaching this class is the interpersonal sharing between members. In that way, 6 to 15 people make a nice group. To answer your question, there is no “maximum number” of attendees.
DE: What were some of your previous jobs and responsibilities?

CW: Prior to 2009 I spent my entire professional life as a landscape architect. From 1999 to 2009 I was project manager and second in command to the Principal-In-Charge of the company I worked for at that time. I worked with many related disciplines (architects, engineers, etc.) to achieve the desired goal of the client. I presented in front of public boards and sought future opportunities for the company. I’ve worked for local and national government agencies as well.
DE: How did this prepare you for what you do now?

CW: It prepared me for being flexible, keeping processes moving ahead, staying on time and on budget, motivating others, and public speaking/relations.
DE: What do you find most gratifying about your work?

CW: I love to touch a client in a deep and meaningful way; to give the gift of Peaceful Productivity; to watch the chaos that ensues us all begin to melt away. I love to be part of a transformative process where the person shines once again and rises to the very top.
DE: How can you tell when the transformation has taken place?

CW: “The transformation” takes place when the client releases what’s holding him or her back and replaces these old habits with new strategies that serve them better. Some examples are: getting that raise, applying for and being chosen for that new job, taking better care of themselves (physically and/or emotionally), or  having the courage to say NO to some prospects in order to say YES to those that fit the new vision.
DE: Are there one or two underlying things that hold most people back from being more productive, or does it vary widely per individual?

CW: It definitely varies, but a large part of the problem lies in our culture. We are Doers. In doing, we hardly let ourselves Be. In Being, the gold that lies deep in ourselves emerges. There is a reason why all the great philosophers hit the desert, the woods, the pond. We need time to think. And our CrazyBusy world frowns on that.
DE: I imagine that some clients respond very quickly to your interaction, and that some require more time to learn and practice good habits and new skills.

CW:  By the time a person decides he or she is ready to work with me, that person is committed. Sometimes it takes years to be ready. I met with a woman two weeks ago that I had been communicating with for about 18 months. Finally she wanted me to do an initial three hour session with her. We could not schedule it fast enough.
DE: Do most of your clients have common issues that lead them to you, or do they possess a wide variety of issues and characteristics that make them unique?

CW: My ideal client is a design professional labeled with Attention Deficit Disorder. My background in design is a natural fit for this profession, and those with ADD respond very well to the productivity strategies I teach. Common issues are: Too much email, too many calendars, too many hats/balls to juggle, hating paperwork, being late.
DE: Have you found that adults with ADD respond well to your training? Do they require alternate methodology?CW: Great question. My favorite clients have ADD or AD/HD. These are the movers and shakers of the world; the “out of the box” thinkers. Every person is unique, so I do not have “my training”. Rather, it’s a collaborative process whereby we create a vision together, then set up and/or tweak existing systems to achieve that vision. But it does not end there. Then, the “real work” starts: habit building. To better answer your question, many ADD’ers are “visual”. They respond well to color, like to “spread out” and have the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. We work together to set up files, for example, that can be easily found by both the client and others in the office who may want or need such a file. Also, it’s important that the space around a person with ADD is clear. Clutter distracts.
DE: Have you ever fired a client?

CW: Yes. When I first started my business, I gained a client who was an older woman who really just wanted a friend and a cleaning woman. When she asked me to drive her to the beach, I knew it was time to part ways.

Categories
email systems EpS Events file systems Get Organized GO system More time in my day prioritize productivity in the workplace project systems Time strategies

It’s GO time in Concord with “the GO girl”

If you’ve been waiting for “right time, right price” to Boost Your Productivity, you’ll want to register for the GO (Get Organized) class that runs on Friday 5/4 in Concord, NH.  Register through the EpS website here. LAST DAY TO REGISTER IS THIS WEDNESDAY MAY 2nd. Two slots are available at the time of this writing.
In 1/2 day, you’ll find ways to save 5 to 11 weeks of time per year!

Some comments from recent students:
“I can’t thank you enough for being the catalyst and causing the scales to drop from my eyes”
– from a banker in the Lake Sunapee Region

“I have become much more cognizant of starting many projects without completion. I am far more efficient now.”
– from a teacher in NH

“I loved your class yesterday. Felt I left your office with renewed energy, and a pocket full of ideas to easy those busy days in my life as a REALTOR.”
– from (you guessed it) a realtor in the Lake Sunapee Region

  • © 2024
  • Productivity Success Cake