Tag Archives: schedule

Three reasons NOT to have a meeting

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I saw a post today about how to drastically cut meeting time by sending out relevant materials in advance and proceeding right to discussion. Margaret Heffeman writes in her blog at cbsnews.com that assuming people do their homework and proceeding right to discussion will save about 90% of your meeting time.

I have an even better idea. Cancel the meeting! Here are three reasons people often meet when they should not:

To discuss an issue. If you don’t need to decide what to do right away and the issue isn’t sensitive or complicated, people can find other ways to share ideas. Use a chat board or other social media, ask people to respond to a targeted survey or simply use natural opportunities (like hallway conversations) to ask people what they think.

To build relationships. People who work together do need to create a connection that allows for open communication and mutual trust. Opportunities to build relationships can and should be built into a meeting agenda. However, if you’re having a weekly meeting with no other defined and necessary outcomes, you’re probably wasting everyone’s time. Try a monthly lunch instead, and keep meetings focused largely on achieving business results.

Because it’s on the calendar. This is the most frequent type of meeting that should not happen – meetings that are on a regular basis without regard to the need/focus. Schedule the fewest number of recurring meetings possible and feel free to cancel them if you don’t have an output-based agenda.

What are the worthwhile reasons to meet? Hold a meeting if you need to make a decision, engage the group creativity, get aligned on direction or improve a specific aspect of team functioning.

Meeting when it isn’t absolutely necessary wastes everyone’s time, and may actually create more issues. “Our meetings are held to discuss many problems which would never arise if we held fewer meetings” (Ashleigh Brilliant). 

 

Need to make your (fewer) meetings count? Contact Humanergy.

Photo from iStockphoto.

 


Yes, you can manage interruptions

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“Don’t be defeated by a self-fulfilling prophecy that your interruptions can’t be controlled.”

Jack D. Ferner

Interruptions can drain your available time to address vital priorities. So, not taking control of your time and managing interruptions is tantamount to giving up on getting your most important work done.

Recovery time, that is, the time it takes an individual to return to a task after being interrupted, can be as much as 10 to 20 times the length of the original interruption. This means a 30 second interruption can result in an average of five minutes of recovery time, and that is optimistically assuming that one returns to the original task and does not abandon it.

Tips for managing interruptions, from 175 Ways to Get More Done in Less Time (2000) by David Cottrell and Mark Layton:

  • Schedule “open” time to compensate for important interruptions
  • When people arrive unscheduled, meet them at the door and talk outside your office
  • Stand and remain standing
  • Have the conversation in the other person’s office. It’s often easier to leave than it is to get someone else to go!
  • Don’t check emails constantly (turn off alerts)
  • Stand while talking on the phone for shorter calls

MindTools recommends keeping a log of interruptions for at least a week. You then analyze which are valid and which you must create strategies to block in the future. Be assertive and calmly address interruptions which are not necessary. Ask people to accumulate items needing your attention and handle them during scheduled time blocks, rather than one-by-one.

You can’t blame others for all of your interruptions. “The average American worker has fifty interruptions a day, of which seventy percent have nothing to do with work” (W. Edward Deming). Many times we are our own worst enemies, disrupting our work flow by checking email, updating Facebook or other time-absorbers.

Yes, you need to take a break. Schedule small chunks of guilt-free time when you need it. Enjoy these pauses, knowing that you have taken control of the rest of your day.

 

 

Need help managing your time? Contact Humanergy.

Photo from microsoft.com.

 


Don’t worry, be happy

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I used to be a prolific worrier. Until my mid-thirties, my worries ranged from anxiety about my unreliable car to whether the world was going to implode. As with many people, middle-of-the-night worrying interrupted my sleep, when a cornucopia of real or perceived threats kept me tossing and turning.

Worrying is a tough habit to break, and it’s worth the effort. Why?

Chronic worrying is bad for your health. According to WebMD: Chronic worrying affects your daily life so much that it interferes with your appetite, lifestyle habits, relationships, sleep, and job performance.

It is easy to confuse worrying with problem solving. Worrying doesn’t actually solve anything, and the more time you spend worrying, the more problems (real or imagined) you’ll find. No solutions, just a host of problems that will probably never come to pass.

There is no easy solution for us worry warts, however, there are strategies that can help create a more carefree existence:

Figure out what you worry about. You might need to dig to find the source of “free-floating anxiety.” If you worry most about relationships, for example, you can take steps to improve them. If you worry about everything, you might need some help for generalized anxiety disorder.

Schedule worrying. The Mayo Clinic suggests setting aside a time for worrying. (They suggest this to caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients, but I think it applies to anyone.) Mayo Clinic blogger Angela Lunde suggests, “When worry or other draining emotion begins to consume your thoughts, acknowledge it and then commit that you will give it your full attention during “worry time”. Until then, give yourself permission to put it out of your mind.”

Create a memory jogger. If you really want to break the worrying habit, do something that reminds you that you’re taking a new approach to your troubles. Wear your watch on the other arm, or set your mobile phone alarm to remind yourself periodically to check and reset your thinking.

Replace your worries with new thinking. How did I break the worrying habit? I decided to stop worrying about things outside of my control, and replace those negative internal messages with positive ones. Whenever I found myself worrying about layoffs at work, I would change my thought to, “I will continue to do my best, and ultimately this will all work out.”

Talk and write. Putting your worries into words in and of itself can make you feel better. This can also help you figure out if your problems are real or inflated. Talk with a trusted friend or confidant, and let this person know how they can help (like listen, ask questions or give advice). Writing about your worries allows you to clarify your thoughts and feelings, and gives you a great record of what’s bugging you when and why.

Use worrying to your advantage. A mild amount of disquiet can be motivational. If you’re feeling a little anxious about something at work, use that energy to fuel disciplined action and boost execution.

Sometimes we are dealt a hand that is extremely hard to handle. When this happens, worrying is natural. A brief period of anxiety should be immediately followed by creating a plan and making it happen. “Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere” (author unknown).

 


Sure, we want you to have work/life balance!

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There is nothing wrong with devoting yourself to work, reveling in the satisfaction that achievement brings. A disturbing trend, however, seems to be organizations saying they value work/life balance and then reinforcing just the opposite behavior. The company line may be one thing, but the culture demands something else. For example, are your people expected to be attentive to their smartphones 24/7, responding to emails that are not urgent? If someone is out of contact for a day, is that considered a lack of commitment to the job?

Organizations needs people performing at their peak, or as close to it as humanly possible. What are the best practices around balancing work and other aspects of life that help both organizations and their people?

If you say it’s important, model it. It doesn’t take long to see through a “do as I say, not as I do” approach to balance. Don’t expect your employees to find harmony between work and other life aspects if you’re a workaholic. You  may choose to work long hours. Just make it clear that you’re also prioritizing yourself and people who matter most to you. Then expect others to do the same.

Focus on results and impact, not hours. It’s not about how much time you spend doing it. What counts is what you’re able to accomplish. Don’t make work a “I work more than you” contest.

Understand that it’s not a day-to-day balance. Martin B. Coppenhaver of the United Church of Christ wrote about his dislike for the term balance, because it implied hopping from one thing to another. He prefers “rhythm,” which he said was more about moving in step with life. Whether you call it balance, rhythm or something else, understand that there are times when work may be all-consuming. Ideally, you will take advantage of an ebb in demands to nourish your body and mind. Overall, the goal is a life that has meaning and purpose and makes a difference in the world.

There’s no magic formula. Each person must find her own equilibrium. Some find it easier to get home for dinner with the family, then respond to emails after the kids are in bed. Others rise early to get a jump on the day. The tradeoff may be less sleep, but for them, family connections make it worthwhile. Some people work like crazy during the week in order to protect their weekends. Find what works for you, and don’t feel that you have to conform to someone else’s definition of balance.

Use athletes as an example. Competitive athletes know that sleep and rest are just as important as rigorous training to their ultimate success. Why would excellent leaders do any different? Bringing your best physical, emotional and intellectual self to work requires that you take care of yourself. Start with getting enough sleep, then make sure you’re eating right and spending periods of time engaged in something meaningful other than work. You’ll get back to work refreshed and energized, allowing you to be more productive.

Part of a leader’s role is helping people craft a well-rounded and satisfying life in the midst of intense work pressure. Start today by thinking about what is important to you. Then take a step toward a life in harmony with your highest priorities. Then you will be well-positioned to help others do the same.

 


Want to talk to a Humanergist about your “rhythm” or anything else? Contact us 24/7. (We’ll get back to you as soon as we can, AND we won’t skip our workout to do it!)

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