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email systems Get Organized More time in my day prioritize productivity in the workplace Time strategies

How do I fit in another task?

More than a To-Do List: Finding the Truly Important

Recently I had the pleasure of finding more time for a busy manager in a local city. His issues were:

  • Too much email;
  • Task Management- desire to wear his “many hats” better;
  • Consistent follow-though;
  • Desire for strategies to make better use of his assistant.

Together, we talked about his specific situation. Where were pieces of his life falling through the cracks? Since he works in sales and marketing, it is critical that he follow up in a timely and consistent manner with his customers and potential customers. Sometimes this would happen, and sometimes it would not. Although his company seemed to be doing well, I was wondering how much better it might be doing if he were able to bridge this gap.

We worked together for a few sessions, over Skype and in person. Right away- in the first session- we addressed email overload and developed strategies that would specifically work for him to overcome his specific needs. Then, we dug a little deeper. Asking questions that cause a person to really step back begins to bring “holistic productivity” into view.

Sometimes, it’s not about fitting another task between the cracks. It’s not about crossing another item off the to-do list. It’s about creating your life in such a way that the most important things are not only done, but done well. My client commented that it’s been some time since he’d “really” focused on doing something exceptionally. With his many commitments, he had become more focused on crossing things off the list.

Great leaders and great thinkers move far beyond a to-do list. Productivity for the sake of getting more done is okay, but does it make your heart sing? When you encounter the place where your true desires meet the everyday, you have found your sweet spot.

Productivity can be your portal to life change, if you dare to walk through.

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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.

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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

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email systems Get Organized More time in my day prioritize productivity in the workplace Time strategies

A primary offender: interruption by email

Email OOOH-Verload: The 3 P’s to a not-so-Pretty Situation

There is no shortage of information available “out there” about email overload and processing.  As a consultant who routinely helps professionals to overcome Overwhelm, I was somewhat overwhelmed with the amount of information I found before writing this article!

That said, this paper boils down the Gems- the critical tidbits- to keep in mind when trying to tame the email beast.  They can be called “The Three P’s”

  1. Process it, regularly;
  2. Prioritize it;
  3. Be Pointed when using it.

If you receive 100 emails a day, and spend 3 minutes for each email, you are spending 300 minutes per day on email. That’s 5 hours of your 8 hour workday.  And you are wondering why you are not “getting anything done?” So let’s move right into the first P, Process.

Process it

You have heard this one before…and it’s so good that it is tip number one.  Check your emails at defined times of the day only. Why, you may ask?  You may be saying, ”there might be something of critical importance coming!” If something is that critical and time sensitive, ask the sender to pick up the phone and alert you. The benefit for you will be uninterrupted, productive, focused time spent on your projects at hand before ”The Emergency” comes flying into your computer. The most effective, efficient people work in “Quadrant Two” – important but not urgent tasks – during a large portion of their day. For more on the Quadrants, see Steve Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People book. Some companies establish certain blocks in the day when employees are expected to process email. Email culture then, should be an integral part of overall office culture, and expectations must be clear.

When you decide that it is time to Process your email, don’t forget the Two Minute Rule. If it takes less than two minutes to respond, just respond. Otherwise, make a decision about how you will handle it. These days, many people are using google mail. GTDinbox (http://gtdgmail.com) is free and adds on to gmail if you are using the firefox browser.  With this tool, as new email arrives, you are prompted to “do something” with your email so it does not pile up in your inbox. This is based on David Allen’s highly popular book, Getting Things Done.

Prioritize It

It can be said that you cannot Manage your Time, but you can Manage Decisions around how you are going to Spend Your Time. Use this philosophy with email. If email number 201 helps you move forward on a project, ignore the other 200. Of course, at some point you’ll need to process those other 200+ messages (so they do not sit precariously in your inbox, hiding the important mail). See previous paragraph for advice in that category.

But wait – didn’t you just say to ignore an email? My client expects immediate response!  In business, we must manage our client’s expectations. Many times, an urgent question can be fielded by an associate or an assistant.  One idea is to use your “signature file” to expressly convey when and how emails will be answered. Most customers simply want to know what to expect.

Be Pointed

Pointed is the 3rd and final P of this article. By pointed, I mean short and sweet. If you have a lot to say, pick up the phone. Try limiting your email messages to five sentences or less. Try communicating very explicitly in the subject line.

That said, it is wise to avoid the urge to reply to an email with “thanks” or “ok” unless the recipient specifically asked you to confirm. This will eliminate many unnecessary messages in the inbox.

Don’t forget a golden rule: Agreements are written, disagreements spoken. That is, never try to solve a disagreement by email. If you have ever tried doing this, you will understand why it is NOT a good idea. This will avoid many longer emails also.

If you want to find a time that works for multiple people in a group, try http://doodle.com.  It’s free, and will eliminate many annoying “back and forth” emails when trying to arrive at a mutually convenient date and time.

In Closing

The solution to email OHHH! Verload is simple. The practice can be difficult. Email is a habit, and we humans live by our habits. For help changing these habits, try http://habitchange.com, or seek the services of a productivity consultant!

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Get Organized More time in my day productivity in the workplace Time strategies

Productivity Perspectives: Use your downtime- in 3 easy steps

What downtime?

If, when you read this title, you are thinking, “what downtime?” this article is ready-made for you. When most people think about productivity, they think about getting more and more done in less time. What they often fail to recognize is that getting more done frequently starts with slowing down.

There is a reason that a “day of rest” is built (at least traditionally) into the weeks of most cultures. We are, after all, human. Too many of us forget this too frequently.

I have several clients who wear many hats. In New Hampshire, the tendency is to not do only one “job” but many. You may own your own business, but have one or two part time endeavors to keep a steady stream of money flowing in. Several of my clients are involved in the community and/or with their children’s activities. Just having young children ups the ante of busyness. Time for you is a joke, or perhaps an annual sojourn at best. Quiet time never makes it into the picture unless we are “dead asleep”.

My approach

When a new client approaches me and tells me he or she has too much to do and not enough days, we run through three easy steps to get them started. I hope it helps you.

  1. What is your day/week looking like now? Do a “time diary” for one day, one week, one month. Can you categorize the activities? Can you begin to see patterns?
  2. How much Value would you place on each activity? Could you eliminate some of the low-value activities?
  3. How much whitespace or downtime have you allowed?

Just try it- adding downtime in 3 easy steps

This third question often shocks some clients. Downtime? Whitespace? I am already overloaded. I hired you to help me FIT MORE IN!

To this I reply, yes, you are right. You hired me to help you become more focused, organized, and productive. I am asking you to try a strategy with me and then we can check in and see how it works. At this point, we add whitespace for a “trial period” of three weeks. If you don’t know where to start, try this:

  1. Look at your current week. Is everything filled in, or is there some “open” space? Put a box around any open space during the week and write “scheduled whitespace”. Do NOT add anything into this white space unless you REMOVE another activity.
  2. Look at the weekend. Is it all packed up? If it is, can you back out of anything? If it is not, take a big marker around one afternoon (preferably Sunday) and write, “scheduled downtime”.
  3. Honor those commitments to “nothing”. Do NOT allow a neighbor to bring you out for a Fun Activity during your Scheduled Downtime. Make an excuse. Tell them the truth. Whatever. Just do NOT give in to this. I promise you will love yourself on Monday by allowing downtime over the weekend.

Once you have employed this strategy for three weeks, check in with yourself. How are you feeling.  Do you feel more “caught up”? Do you feel more relaxed, or more energetic? Do you feel like you are finally making progress on items that are important to you?

Sounds good- but I am too busy for that

If you find yourself saying, but I don’t have time to plan! I don’t have time to slow down! I can’t stop, or “the train” will run me over! Then please, remove yourself from your surroundings, slow down, and breathe. Most of your problems will disappear and clarity will be restored to your head. With this clarity, you will start focusing on the items that matter most in your life, and you will give those matters your attention.

If, after trying the strategy above, you are still feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and confused, I invite you to call me for a no-obligation, complimentary strategy session. As you await my reply, I invite you to read this article about boosting your productivity through rest:

http://www.kripalu.org/article/837/

Have a restful , productive, and peaceful Spring!