Manage self not Time
For years I’ve been hearing about Time Management. However, time is elusive and really can’t be managed. Instead, manage yourself. The real key is that effective self managers define their priorities and schedule activities, they don’t manage the clock as there are only 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week. If you manage it, it will not grow or accumulate, so you really must manage how you use time, manage your work, and control your actions.
The trap that most super busy people fall into is believing that he/she can do it all. You might be able to do it all, but perhaps not at the same time or not with the same focus, tenacity or results. Everything doesn’t deserve equal time or attention. Therefore, you really must make conscious decisions about what’s really most important. Multi-tasking has been proven ineffective in numerous studies, so make choices and focus on the most important tasks first.
Time is a precious commodity. However, many people waste valuable time getting stuck in one or more of the following habits:
Being a Perfectionist: Believing that work or output that is anything less than perfect is unacceptable. This belief is often marked by low productivity as individuals lose time and energy on small irrelevant details of larger projects or mundane daily activities.
Procrastinating: Putting off, avoiding or deferring actions or tasks to a later time.
Crises Management: Reacting to threats, elements of surprise and urgencies but having no time for the routine matters that might be more important.
Being Unfocused: Lack of concentration on a particular task or activity which is evident usually by switching, floundering or multi-tasking.
Allowing Interruptions: Distractions and interruptions are costly to individual performance and the bottom-line. In fact, unnecessary interruptions consume about 28 percent of the knowledge worker’s day, which translates to 28 billion lost hours to companies in the United States alone (“The Cost of Not Paying Attention: How Interruptions Impact Knowledge Worker Productivity,” Jonathan B. Spira and Joshua B. Feintuch, Basex, 2005). At an average cost per hour of $21 (U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics June 2005), that costs U.S. companies $588 billion per annum.
Emotional Blocks: Boredom, daydreaming, stress, guilt, anger and frustration all reduce concentration.
Increasing Productivity
I conducted a presentation at Realogy Corporation for CIGNA Behavioral Healthcare yesterday. I’ve presented there in the past numerous times. Their work environment is not unlike many corporate environments today. Employees are under lots of pressure to complete increasing workloads with decreasing staff. Many employees who would benefit the most from participating in these lunch-and-learn programs, never have the time to even get there. Often, those who would gain the most benefit from a lesson are too busy working to engage in the learing opportunity. Instead they stay glued to their desk. They rarely take time out to chat, eat, exercise, or even to go to the bathroom. Is this what drives productivity at the work place??
I’d say NO! In order for employees to best at their best, they really need to take care of themselves. Worker harder and harder is not the answer. Instead, find ways to work smarter. Working 24/7 does not lead to higher productivity instead it leads to poorer quality, resentment, frustration, and anger.
What ways can you work smarter rather than harder? What boundaries do you need to set in place to honor your own personal needs?
Seize the Day!
In last week’s e-newsletter, Coach Natalie encourages readers to “stop waiting for someday to come to start enjoying your life to the fullest”.
Too often people think the they’ll be happy when “they win the lottery”, “find Mr. Right” “lose 30 pounds”, or “get a promotion”. Unfortunately, this thinking doesn’t allow you to truly enjoy the here and now. Waiting until someday (that may never come) to be happy blocks much of the happiness and joy you could be experiencing in the present. For example, paying off a credit card bill or enjoying time with your girlfriends let’s you more fully enjoy the reality of where you are. Limit spending and enjoy shopping wisely. Enjoy the freedom of not being strapped down.
Shifting your perspective helps you look at your current situation in new ways. Having a positive attitude about what is allows the possibility for more joy. Cherish everything in your day that contributes to your happiness, whether it’s your child’s smile; completing an assignment at work on time; getting to work without traffic; having friends and family who love you.
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Secrets of the Happiest and Most Successful
Did you know…a new survey by American Express and Best Life Magazine reported that men increasingly are defining success by their family’s health and happiness, work/life balance, and time they spend having fun. Overall, the survey, conducted by the Harrison Group, found that:
* Only 10 percent of affluent men in America consider themselves both happy and very successful.
* The other 90 percent feel they have reached some levels of success and happiness but are still striving to make gains in their personal lives and careers to reach the same top level of life satisfaction.
* Nearly all of the men (95 percent) believe that to be successful, a man must achieve work/life balance.
* Only one out of four men will take a sick day to enjoy their personal interests.
Best Life Magazine (the fastest-growing men’s magazine in the country and the very first men’s magazine to provide topical and compelling editorial that addresses family, marriage and fatherhood)also outlines the secrets of the 10 percent of men who are extremely happy and super successful. Some characteristics that set them apart: The ability to have fun, having clearly defined goals and navigating change well.
I’m curious…what do you think of these results? Do they ring true for you?
Work? Life? Must we Choose?
Business Week ran an article on June 28, 2007 titled, “WORK? LIFE? MUST WE CHOOSE?”
In essence, this article was about a speech Mike Bloomberg made as he spoke to graduates of City University of the NY College of Staten Island. Mike told these graduates and their familes that…”If you’re the first one in in the morning and the last one to leave at night and you take fewer vacation days and never take a sick day, you will do better than the people who don’t do that. It is very simple.” And he joshingly admitted that the parenting thing wasn’t his bag. He said “I’ve managed to raise two daughters who have turned out very well, thanks to their mother, no thanks to me. …”
In my opinion, this success is geared toward financial gain and more about workaholism than work-life balance. Of course, I’m not earning anywhere near Bloomberg’s earnings, yet I can proudly say that both my husband and I are actively involved in raising our children and doing meaningful work that we mostly enjoy. We live a comfortable life and have a pretty solid marriage.
So, for people like Michael Bloomberg, their strong work ethics combined with innate abilities and passion, are really their idea of success. Even when many of them don’t have to work that hard anymore because they have more money than they and their great- great-grandchildren can spend, they continue working long hours because work gives them an incredible sense of balance and joy.
Bottom line, it’s all about using what you’ve got to leverage the success you define you want. Make choices based on what’s most important to you both today and in your future! Realize that many of the financially successful pay a big price of divorce and lonliness because they lack true meaningful relationships.
That’s my 2 cents worth….do I get change?
Sincerely yours,
Coach Natalie Gahrmann
natalie@nrgcoaching.com
Meal Planning for Super Busy Parents
Improving your eating habits needn’t take more time from your super busy schedule. Fact is, most of you are eating anyway (I hope!). So, why not make healthier choices about what you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat.
In a follow-up article I found related to the exclusive interview President Bush had with Hannah Storm on CBS last week, our President commented about how young he feels because he commits to rigorous exercise. Bush says that people who claim they’re too busy to exercise regularly really just haven’t chosen exercise as one of their priorities. He said, “I don’t buy that. I think you set priorities in life, and if exercise is one of your priorities, then you do it.”
Bush points out that a fitness culture “starts with families” and said “I exercise a lot because it’s good for my mind and it’s good for my soul.”
Plan your meals in advance so that you make smart choices for yourself and your family. Prepare fresh fruits and vegetables, when possible, but when a quick trip to the produce aisle is just too much in your already too busy schedule, have frozen varieties on hand for a quick delicious and nutritious meal. Avoid the trap of fast food for convenience and save it for just the special treats. But, when it’s the last remaining option (which sometimes happens in super busy lives!!), choose the healthiest options on the menu and avoid extra sauces and condiments that tend to add hollow calories.
Here’s to healthy eating!
Best regards,
Coach Natalie Gahrmann
Priorities even a President makes time for!!
I caught the tail-end of an interview on CBS Early Morning show the other day with Hannah Storm interviewing President Bush. Bush, being a super busy person as the President of the United States, had emphatically managed to incorporate fitness and nutrition into his life. So, I wonder what will it take for everyone else to stop making excuses?
President Bush said, “I think that you set priorities in life. And if exercise is one of your priorities, you’ll figure out time to do it.” We all have different priorities…our family, our work, our education, our spiritual growth, etc. Knowing your priorities will help you fully commit to living them.
I wonder why self-care wouldn’t be a priority to everyone. Without this, we really can’t be our best in any role in our life. We compromise our health and our well-being when we don’t make it a top priority.
Read the full story about President Bush’s interview and his commitment to fitness here.
Be the example for your family that exercise is not only good for them, but essential to their overall performance and well-being. Stop making excuses but make priorities instead!
Sincerely,
Coach Natalie Gahrmann
What’s on Your Plate?
I’ve taken 3 months off from Blogging because I had too much on my plate. Now that things are winding down with the extra commitments I’ve taken on due to my daughter getting a role in a play, my son starting baseball season, and the regular routine of work and life commitments, I’ve re-committed to regular weekly or bi-weekly blogging to support super busy people and delivery of my e-newsletter twice monthly.
Ironically, during March, a colleague had advised me to use my expertise to develop a timely program specifically for Administrative Professionals during Administrative Professionals week the end of April. I came up with a program called “There’s Too Much on My Plate” that helps super busy professionals clearly acknowledge everything on their plate and begin taking ownership and control for everything there is to manage at work and home.
I had the pleasure of visiting American Standard and delivering a keynote to inspire better control of the balancing act. And, now, I’m working with teams at several key corporations to deliver customized programs to meet the needs of their super busy administrative professionals.
One thing I learned first-hand from the last few months is the absolute importance of staying very focused on the most important things and declining other requests and opportunities. Even when there was time to attend another meeting or networking event in the evening, I found that by pushing and having too much on my plate, I was exhausted and wasn’t able to apply the focus and energy to those things that mattered most.
When deciding what’s most important, realize that it may not be forever, but it’s for now. My daughter’s had rehearsal for her play usually 3 days a week for 2-4 hours at a time almost an hour from home. I often brought work with me to do while I waited, dialed into a conference call for my own professional development, or shopped in the local area. It was a great experience for her but the lesson for me, put more boundaries around my time, seek more help, and accept the help that’s offered. And, importantly, negotiate expectations, communicate fully, and be fully present where ever I am.
As my program for “There’s Too much on My Plate” continues to evolve, I will have many experiences to share from participants and from my own experiences. Stay tuned!!
Sincerely yours,
Coach Natalie Gahrmann
natalie@nrgcoaching.com
Women in Leadership
I read an article in the Star Ledger last week (Thursday, Feb. 22) titled “Ms.-Fortune for women in leadership: Slip from long-term trend; state’s top ranks suffer loss”.
The trend I read about in the article regarding the decreasing number of women at top leadership positions is disappointing. Although this wasn’t something that I ever wanted, I know many powerful and bright corporate women who could fill corporate officer and board director positions. Fact is, we even have our first women (a mother!!) running for the Presidency and a somewhat slow growing number of women in government leadership positions at the local, state, and national levels.
However, in the Fortune 500 companies the numbers of women in officer positions shrank from 16.4 % in 2005 to 15.6 % in 2006. And, where I live (NJ), we can no longer claim a single one of the 23 women CEOs in the Fortune 1000 since Lucent’s Patricia Russo transferred to Paris to retain her job with France’s Alcatel when the companies merged.
My experience working with women in the highest leadership positions reveals the ambivalence these women sometimes face between wanting to climb the corporate ladder and wanting to be with their kids more. The demands of higher level positions are usually heavy and difficult for those with a family. Many of the women in the highest leadership positions have partners who stay home with the kids and/or full-time live-in nannies who handle much of the childcare and household responsibilities.
Women are the ones who have the kids and are genetically set to do most of the nurturing. Women leaders tend to make many sacrifices. “Work/life balance is a big challenge; we are the ones who have the kids, and that’s not going to change. Corporate careers are complex and women have a lot of choices, and that’s a good thing; if we want more women to stay
More and more women are opting out of corporate America and starting their own business where they can set their own path and achieve more of what they want when they want it!
I’m curious, what are your thoughts about the decline in top leadership positions by women? Would this be something you’d want? Email me to share your views.
Yours,
Coach Natalie Gahrmann
natalie@nrgcoaching.com
Re-aligning your Priorities in your Super Busy Life
If you find there’s little time left at the end of the day, you’re not alone! Here’s a remedy I found on the internet (Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Indra_Books) for those who want to maximize their time:
1. First evaluate the amount of time you actually spend working, commuting, sleeping, eating, spending time with your family, attending children’s activities (i.e. baseball, dance lessons) , running errands, visiting friends/relatives, making purchases, etc.
2. Make a list of all of the things you do that take up the non-work related remaining hours
3. Sort the tasks by type of activity. Feel free to make up your own categories.
o Family
o Home Repairs/Maintenance
o Errands/Shopping
o Social Activities
o School Activities
o Other
4. Asterick the ones you would rather not do.
5. Estimate how much time it takes you to do each task (per week).
6. Make a list of all of the things that are on the perpetual “to do” list that never seem to get done. Sort this list, as well. (Having things that are constantly waiting to be done, does nothing but add stress to your life.)
7. Now here comes the difficult part. Giving up control to get control. You are really going to have to put on your positive change attitude to make this work. Ready???? If so, circle the items that can be hired out. The possibilities are endless. If you are serious about change, then you will not be making excuses at this point as to why someone else cannot do the job. Do NOT, use money as an excuse at this point. You can’t afford to do that. This is your life you are talking about. Here are some suggestions:
o Lawn Care
o Home Repair Specialists (painters, handyman etc)
o Errand Service
o Personal Shopper/Concierge
o Nanny/Babysitter
o Car Specialists
o Financial Specialists
8. Make another list of things you would like to do but never have time to do.
9. If you successfully completed Step 7, you should now be able to make a new list of things to do each week that include your “wants.” Can you replace the “have to” items with the “want to” items? If you answered yes, you did a great job and are well on your way to taking back control of your life. If you answered no, then we still have some work to do.
Now some of you are probably saying, this is easy for her to say. Well, no it isn’t. I have helped many clients do this so that they can have time for the items at the top of their priority list. I, myself, had to hire out some things in my business that I don’t have the skills or expertise to handle and I really don’t enjoy doing.
Stop now and take stock of your life and priorities. You may find that when you reprioritize you only need some reorganization or you might have bigger problems that would benefit from the regular commitment with a professional coach, organizer, or life management consultant.
If we at N-R-G Coaching Associates can be of assistance, please contact us to discuss your needs.
Best regards,
Coach Natalie
