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Break Out of the Cube to Increase Employee Productivity

Posted on 08/06/2012 by ·

"Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about mission statements." -- Peter Gibbons in the movie Office Space, as portrayed by actor Ron Livingston. Most modern offices consist of open-format workspaces designed to encourage collaboration and sociability. This sounds reasonable enough...until you remember two inconvenient facts. First, external distractions tend to limit worker productivity, and second, open offices provide a constant stream of distractions. Nevertheless, businesses often put office-workers on display in cubicle mazes, overseen by a few managers in private offices. Walls (if they exist at all) rise just high enough to provide an illusion of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Performance · Tagged: ,

Strategic Alignment is Critical to High Performance

Posted on 08/05/2012 by ·
Strategic Alignment is Critical to High Performance

In business, we measure success by the bottom line; or as I've heard some people put it, "we keep score with dollars." When you get right down to it, profit represents the combination of drive, work, and efficiency we call high productivity. Staying busy isn't enough; we have to stay busy at what matters, in ways that move us toward well-defined goals and objectives. I've dedicated my 20-year career to helping my corporate clients improve employee performance and execute on strategy. I’ve stressed the value of time management skills, productivity training, to-do lists, task triage, and avoiding distractions. I've pointed out how individual empowerment, effective teamwork, and a positive workplace atmosphere all contribute to the kind of employee engagement that yields high levels of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Performance · Tagged: ,

The Effects of Multitasking and Digital Stress

Posted on 07/31/2012 by ·

Someone shared this with me and I wanted to pass it along to you. This is a fascinating study on the way our brains work and how multitasking not only affects our productivity but our health too. How do you feel about this? Comment below! Via: OnlineUniversities.com … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Time Management · Tagged: ,

Does Groupthink Hurt Your Productivity at Work?

Posted on 07/30/2012 by ·

"Groupthink: a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members' strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action." -- Irving Janis, American research psychologist. "The tribe often thinks the visionary has turned his back on them. When, in fact, the visionary has simply turned his face to the future." -- Ray Davis, American motivational speaker and writer. Can working in an open office, engaging in brainstorming sessions, and contributing to a business team actually hurt your personal productivity? Excellent question, because all of the above—and many other group-oriented activities—are integral business practices in today’s companies. We've all experienced team-building … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Performance · Tagged: , ,

ATUS 2012: America’s Personal Productivity Stats

Posted on 07/26/2012 by ·

"The American work ethic is something to be admired. Our workforce, regardless of position, works hard to produce the best product and serve customers to the best of their ability." -- Leonard Boswell, U.S. Representative for Iowa's Third District. "On days that they worked, employed persons spent an average of 7.6 hours working. More hours were worked, on average, on weekdays than on weekend days—8.0 hours compared with 5.7 hours." -- Citation from the 2011 American Time Use Study. Executive Summary: This year's ATUS data paints a picture of a nation working harder than ever, significantly exceeding the "traditional" 40-hour week and working nearly as hard on weekends as on weekdays. The workers among the survey population were clearly not slacking, any more than they were in 2010. In … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Time Management · Tagged: ,

The “Work Less, More Success” Guide to Time Management – Step Five

Posted on 07/23/2012 by ·

Continuing with our series on the Productivity Workflow Formula™ (PWF) Step 5: Close the Loop: REDUCE INEFFIENCIES Next, reduce your inefficiencies by determining what does and doesn't work for you. Constantly refine your workflow processes, reworking or replacing components if they break down or just don't seem as efficient as they might be. Other people may present your most difficult barriers to closing the loop. Since you can't control the actions of your co-workers, try to make your interactions with them easier. Start with precision communication that cuts down on unproductive "noise" like hedging and passive language. Get right to the point and ask for acknowledgement on everything. If you don't completely understand what someone asks of you, keep asking questions … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Time Management · Tagged: ,

The “Work Less, More Success” Guide to Time Management – Step Six

Posted on 07/18/2012 by ·

The final step in our series on the Productivity Workflow Formula™ (PWF) Step 6: Manage Your Capacity: REDUCE ENERGY EXPENDITURES The best-laid workflow plan will fall apart if you don't have the energy to sustain it. Therefore, Step 6 focuses on keeping yourself physically and mentally fit, through a combination of good sleep, diet, exercise, and preservation of personal happiness. Taken together, these form the hub that links and strengthens the other PWF steps. Begin by recognizing the limits of your personal "battery." You can only go so far before you run out of energy, so know when to slow down and recharge. Don't skip your scheduled breaks—stretch breaks, meals, personal time, weekends, and vacations—or fatigue may eventually overwhelm you. You can't stay productive if you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Life Balance · Tagged:

The “Work Less, More Success” Guide to Time Management – Step Four

Posted on 07/16/2012 by ·

Continuing with our series on the Productivity Workflow Formula™ (PWF) Step 4: Process New Information: REDUCE PROCESSING TIME Streamline your information flow, and you'll inevitably cut back on your time expenditures. Make setting up an efficient filing system one of your first tasks. Develop a simple, noun-based labeling scheme, and apply it rigorously to your electronic and paper files. No document should ever take you more than a minute or so to find. You'll also need a reliable personal time management system—some variety of organizer, whether paper, electronic, or hybrid, where you can keep track of all your schedules and contacts. Just make sure it meets the HUG criteria: it must be Handy, Usable, and Garbage-free. Involuntary data inflow, especially email and phone calls, will … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tools & Systems · Tagged: , ,

The “Work Less, More Success” Guide to Time Management – Step Three

Posted on 07/11/2012 by ·

Continuing with our series on the Productivity Workflow Formula™ (PWF) Step 3: Focus Your Attention: REDUCE YOUR DISTRACTIONS So as you embark on your voyage of self-improvement, don't get in a hurry. Accept that developing a new routine takes time. Leo Babauta, the author of the influential Zen Habits blog, recommends setting yourself a 30-day challenge for changing each habit. In this step, you reduce distractions so you can hone your focus to razor sharpness. Once you know exactly what you should be doing and have captured time to do it, you must focus on completing that important task. Distractions represent some of the worst productivity hurdles; even if they drag your attention away for just a few seconds at a time, they can cause you to lose your train of thought and fall out of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Performance · Tagged: , , ,

Too Many Ideas! How Overthinking Can Damage Personal Productivity

Posted on 07/11/2012 by ·
Too Many Ideas! How Overthinking Can Damage Personal Productivity

One of the chief advantages of the human brain is the ability to think of a multitude of ideas. We call the process "brainstorming," and for good reason: when done right, an actual flood of ideas results. We can then grab the likely looking ones and start throwing them at the problem until something sticks. But human intelligence also has its drawbacks, including a tendency to think too much. That may seem unlikely to those of us who have suffered from the occasional maverick's preference to operate purely on instinct, but believe me, overthinking can be nearly as deadly as a surprise tax audit. Overthinking actually comes in two forms. One is the inability to stem the tide of ideas before virtually drowning in it. In this scenario, every idea seems equally valid, and making a choice … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Personal Productivity · Tagged: ,