People always tell me how lucky I am to have the opportunity to be on television. "Wow, it must be nice to be such a celebrity!" they say. Right. So I'm supposed to appear on the CBS Early Show on June 26, live, to be interviewed about my newest book, Find More Time. I give up a weekend day with my family and make the long trek from Denver to NYC on Sunday. I arrive, fight NYC traffic for 90 minutes, check into my hotel, get something to eat alone (by the way, Sarabeth's Kitchen www.sarabeth.com has the best tomato soup I've ever had; their preserves are fabulous too), and sit down to think about the interview. Phone rings. It's the PR rep for my publisher. "Your segment's been bumped," she says. "Huh?" I … [Read more...]
Is Socializing a Waste of Time?
Posted on 06/21/2006 by ·
I read with a mixture of interest and amusement an article referencing a study done by OfficeTeam/ Robert Half International about whether socializing at work around the water cooler is a waste of time. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=2278 Predictably, workers said no. Predictably, managers said yes. The answer, of course, is YES...and NO. This is a silly study. As with any study, it's easy to skew the numbers. The answers vary, depending upon the context in which it's discussed and your point of reference. Certainly, socializing can be a waste of time. Thirty minutes spent chatting about your aunt Sally's surgery could qualify as a non-value producing activity. However, not all socializing is a waste of … [Read more...]
Today’s software and mobile devices enable new breed of ‘Road Warriors’
Posted on 06/13/2006 by ·
Work Essentials: Today’s software and mobile devices enable new breed of ‘Road Warriors’ By Nina Bondarook Gini Courter only worked out of her company’s office in Grand Traverse County, Michigan twice during the first half of the year. The balance of her time was spent traveling to provide software training and business solutions to clients of Triad Consulting, the firm she co-founded there 10 years ago. “I spend 99.9 percent of my work time at client sites, in hotels or at remote locations,” says Courter, Triad’s managing partner. “I’m still adapting. Every time I see a laptop case with a couple of new features, I start to drool.” She’s among a growing breed of Road Warriors who use today’s technologies to work from ‘any location at any time.’ In fact, Massachusetts-based IDC, a … [Read more...]
When are IT pros going to stop sabotaging worker productivity?
Posted on 05/26/2006 by ·
For years, I've heard employees in my productivity seminars complaining about their IT departments. Some of these complaints I believe have valid justifications, and I stick up for IT: COMPLAINT: IT won't let them load personal software. JUSTIFIED! Doing so would create a staffing nightmare as workers seek help on non-supported applications. Could also create security concerns and open the door to system viruses. COMPLAINT: IT restricts access to certain Internet sites JUSTIFIED! I can't think of a good reason why employees would need to watch X-rated videos at work. COMPLAINT: IT doesn't upgrade their operating systems and software to the newest version for years after the release. JUSTIFIED! You don't need new technology for the sake of new technology. There must … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Find More Time for Your Life
Posted on 05/20/2006 by ·
You have a sink full of dishes, three loads of laundry, 17 bills to pay, you’re not sure how many e-mails to answer, a big stack of novels you’d love to read, and zero — count them — ZERO minutes of free time. “Where does the time go?” you lament. Here are some ideas to get you started on your quest to have a life: 1. Reduce waiting time. If your doctor or meetings always run late, plan ahead. Make good use of this time and carry note cards, bills and magazines in your tote. 2. Limit your television watching. Sensible limits may relieve guilt from overindulging, while freeing up time for more worthwhile pursuits. TIVO or tape your favorite shows and skip the commercials. 3. Say no to … [Read more...]
Gauging the productivity of your staff
Posted on 05/19/2006 by ·
A reporter asked me, "What's the best way to gauge employee productivity in a small business?" A: 1) Focus on results. Give people specific goals and projects, and evaluate whether they achieve the objective on time and within budget. 2) As you grow, don't oversee everyone yourself. Put other management levels in between you and workers. 3) Have employees submit a weekly activity report, so you can assess whether they have completed a reasonable amount of work that week. 4) Monitor their work. I had an employee who was supposedly working a 40-hour week, when I checked the phone company logs, it turned out he was working for another company on the side and only working 20 hours a week. Don't be blind and assume even your "star" employee is giving you his/her best. … [Read more...]
Research confirms IM is bad for productivity
Posted on 05/18/2006 by ·
http://interruptions.net/literature/Speier-ICIS97-p21-speier.pdf This is an academic paper, so you probably won't want to read the entire thing, but the results of the research have interesting implications for "organizational electronic mail systems that have been implemented to enhance productivity." I've always said that workers should disable the global alerts in Outlook that notify them every time a new message is received. Now this study confirms how bad desktop alerts are on concentration and productivity! The findings from this research suggest that instant notification features be disabled in order to avoid exacerbating the number of interruptions knowledge workers receive. Go to Tools, Options, Preferences tab, Email options, advanced email options, … [Read more...]
Can Daydreaming be Productive?
Posted on 05/06/2006 by ·
You’re staring out your office window…lost in thought about your upcoming dinner party…when you jerk back to reality: “Oops, where was I?” you think, as you look down once again at the report on your desk. You’ve been daydreaming. Daydreaming can be a real productivity bandit, especially when you’re supposed to be focusing on a higher-priority project. Excessive daydreaming can waste precious time that could be better spent on other things. But daydreaming isn’t always bad. There’s a difference between true daydreaming as the brain’s response to overload or boredom and thinking time that may lead to promising ideas. How do you ensure daydreaming time is productive time? Don’t use daydreaming to procrastinate. Daydreaming can be a good tool for transitioning to a … [Read more...]
What Saps Your Energy?
Posted on 05/04/2006 by ·
I’m doing some primary research on productive energy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that fatigue and lack of energy affect more than 14 million people between the ages of 17-69. Nothing sounds more attractive to you than putting your heads down for a quick nap, and you sleepwalk through the day, fuzzyheaded and lethargic. People who lack energy can’t work on big projects at work or home without the drive or desire—the oomph—to be productive. Just think of all the wonderful business and personal goals people could accomplish if they just had the energy to get up and go! If this sounds like you, I’d like to hear from you! What saps YOUR energy? Fill in the blank..."I could be more productive if __________." … [Read more...]
Finish What You Start—Even a Bottle of Wine
Posted on 05/01/2006 by ·
I received this from a friend who knows how much I preach about finishing what you start: "During these crazy days when we're going one hundred miles per hour and stress levels are soaring, I had to stop and tell myself that I need some inner peace. I discovered that the way to achieve inner peace is to finish all of the things I have started. I looked around my house to see things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Baileys, a bottle of Jack Daniels, a package of Oreos, the remainder of both my Prozac and Valium prescriptions, the rest of the cheesecake, some saltine crackers and a half box of chocolates. You have no idea how good I feel. I am passing … [Read more...]
