10 Ways to Overcome Procrastination

10 Ways to Overcome Procrastination: The Challenge for Tomorrow!
by: Lisa James

Did you realize that as much as 47% of the time we spend on-line has nothing whatsoever to do with our work? In 1978 15% of the population stated that they do procrastinate somewhat. Only 1% admitted to chronic procrastination. In 2002 the numbers quadrupled! 60% of people stated that they experience mild to moderate procrastination in their lives and 6% stated that procrastination ruled their lives! In this era of “distraction overdose”, make the decision to overcome procrastination by applying some or all of the following techniques.

1. Live by the Law of More Effort. As you accomplish an important task, you will feel a surge of energy and enthusiasm. Completing the task will trigger the release of endorphins in your brain, causing you to experience a natural high. You will actually become addicted to this feeling as you continue to complete challenging and important tasks. So, as you put forth more effort, you will want to continue to put forth more effort.

2. How’s your energy? There are many things you can do to increase your energy stores, including getting 8 hours of rest each night. I know you are saying, “I’m lucky if I get 6!” With better planning & organizing, you can not only get 8 hours of sleep, but you will also have time for #3.

3. Exercise & eat right! Yes, that’s right. If you take the time to exercise, you will actually have more energy and will procrastinate less. Also, avoid those simple sugars that “give you a boost”. It may give you an immediate rush, but you will “dump” just shortly there after. Eat complex carbohydrates which provide a slower, steadier release of energy throughout the day.

4. Improve your goal setting techniques. Do we eat the elephant all at once? No. We do it one bite at a time. Do the same with your goals. Take your larger goals and break them down into a series of smaller, more attainable goals. Write them down, be specific and put a date on them. A goal without a date is just a dream. Make sure they are challenging and schedule your repetitive goals (ex. workouts) at the same time each day to develop a routine.

5. Make lists and work from them. No one likes to work from lists. You feel like your mother is controlling your every move. But this keeps you organized. Have a daily, weekly and monthly list of things you need to do and add to them as necessary.

6. Make your own “top ten” list. Write down ten things you want to accomplish in the next year. Write these out as if they have already happened, in the present tense. Post them where you will see them daily and while you’re at it, read them out loud daily. Self-talk is very important. (That’s for another top 10.)

7. Select a favorite from your list. Which item on your list will push you forward 100% in your career, personal life, etc. when completed? Come up with an action plan for achieving that goal first and write it down.

8. Find a system that works for you. There is no cookie-cutter approach to overcoming procrastination. A system that may be very successful for one person, could fail miserably for another. Try different “programs” on and be patient. You will find a system that fits you perfectly.

9. Don’t give up! We can all develop the habits of focus & concentration if we commit to it by making the decision, developing the discipline and staying determined.

10. Just do it! I realize this phrase is completely over-used, but let’s face it, it applies. Sometimes we just need to buckle down and complete that unbelievably miserable task that we have been dreading for so long. I guarantee you that you will have more energy when you are done.
David Allen says, "Much of the stress that people feel doesn't come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they have started."

HANDLE PAPER

HANDLE PAPER


It’s easy to get buried today in the blizzard of paperwork around us.The average person receives around 150 communications each day viaemail, telephone, hard mail, memos, circulars, faxes, etc.A lot of time is wasted going through the same pile of paper day afterday and correcting mistakes when things slip through the cracks.Try to handle the paper once and be done with it. If it is somethingthat can be done in a minute or two, do it and be done. If it is not thebest use of your time, delegate it. If it is going to take some time tocomplete, schedule ahead in your day calendar on the day you think youmight get to it and then put it away.

TOP FOUR TIME MANAGEMENT ISSUES

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

Talk with most anyone and ask them what they think are the top issues intime management and you will get answers such as, “Having a wellprepared “to do” list”, “Managing multiple priorities”, “ManagingMeeting time”, “Handling the flood of paperwork and emails”. All aregood responses but overlook the top four time management issues that, incombination with one another, can do more to keep you from having, doingor being what you want and deserve.

They are: ineffective relationships, a poor attitude, being flat outtired, and the weather.

1. Ineffective relationships. Probably more than 50% of your personalproductivity success has to do with effective relationships with otherpeople. Friends and allies will open doors for you that would take aconsiderable amount of your effort. They can give you words ofencouragement that lift your spirits during down, unproductive times.They can teach you lessons that would take too much time otherwise tolearn.I’m not suggesting that one who does not have the good cooperation ofother people can not be productive. They can, but not as productive asthose who enjoy positive, effective relationships with others.

2. A poor attitude. It has been said that your attitude will determineyour altitude in life’s successes. With a poor attitude you becomediscouraged and demoralized and your performance goes down. Moreover, anegative person tends to repel positive people, whom you need to boostyou up, and they tend to attract other negative people who will bringyou down with their stories of misery and failure. “You got a flat tire?Well I got two flat tires! You think you have it bad? I have it worse!”Imagine. Two people having a debate about who has the worse life.

3. Being flat out tired. Three out of four people claim that they areflat out tired all throughout their days. Test this. Ask anyone, anytime of the day these questions: “Are you rested?” “Did you get a goodnight’s sleep?” “Are you at the top of your game today?” Most willreply, “Oh, I’m so tired!”Some do not get a sufficient quantity of sleep. They simply stay up toolate and get up to early, burning the candle at both ends. Some have medical issues that can be treated. And many may be getting a sufficient quantity of sleep but not the quality. Their days are filled with somuch stress and distress. Why? Because they do not have the tools orrefuse to the tools to take control over their days so as they try to sleep, that little voice in the back of their heads is reminding them ofall the unfinished items of the day and about a string of future uncontrolled events and they wind up tossing and turning, not gettingthe deep nutritious sleep that their bodies need every day to be asproductive as they might be.

4. The weather. The city in the United States that has they highest incidence of suicide is Seattle, Washington. I understand they have fewer sunny days and more cloudy and rainy days than most other places.If you take your own life, is that considered poor time management?That’s not meant to be a poor joke, but guess what? People all over theworld are committing “productivity suicide” each day fussing over theweather and using it as a reason to reduce their productivity. “It’s toocold!” “It’s too hot!” “It’s so rainy!” “It’s so dry!” When, all of thetime, the weather is just perfect, just the way it is.If you were a visitor from another planet listening to the media, youwould think we on earth just invented snow storms, cold and heavydownpours when they have been with us since the beginning of time.Being aware of the weather is important, of course. If locally it is tobe icy you may choose to stay indoors and a threatening hurricane maypersuade you to evacuate to a safer place. But to be obsessed with thenormal ranges of weather conditions is to only steal away from theopportunity to have a good and productive day.

How to leave gracefully

You've got the job of your dreams, and tempting as it may be to shoutit immediately that you're off, that might not be the best strategy.You need to plan your exit carefully, both physically and emotionally.Because in a small world, you'll never know whose path you'll cross,or who you'll bump into in the future.

Informing the boss
Obviously the first thing to do, they shouldn't be left to hear fromthe office grapevine. If you think they will try and offer youenhancements to stay, be ready. Of course, if you could be persuadedto stay (and it is flattering to be thought of as indispensable), thatis another option. But if you can't, be clear about:
* Why you're leaving (more responsibility & opportunities, better package)
* What you are going to divulge about the new role (how much detail are you going to go into about what the role is, organisation, structure. If you want to keep things confidential, you'll have to be tactful in fielding questions.)
* When would be ideal to leave. You may have a long notice period to work through, so check your contract. If you have, and three months is not uncommon, try trading with your boss to find a mutually convenient leave date. This could be a natural break between projects or a bank holiday. A date that suits both is preferable - no-one wants someone in post for three months going through the motions.
* Who needs to be told - especially communication to third parties, contractors or stakeholders as there may be contracts or other guidelines to follow. You might also plan for a successor, and if there is need for interimcover. But that might be later.

Communication
Any direct reports should be told next, along with other key contactsand colleagues. Face-to-face is the ideal, but this is not alwayspossible, so choose a method that suits your organisation.

Organisation for the handover
The temptation will be to retain everything, both hard-copy andonline, with annotated notes for your successor. But is thisnecessary? Rather than opt for pages of notes covering everyeventuality, why not talk through some keys issues with the personlikely to be picking things up until some-one new is appointed. And ifthey make their own notes, they are going to be more likely to usethem. You can be helpful and leave your new contact details with them,to offer guidance for the first couple of months if necessary. And finally ...

emotion
Not everyone will think this, but leaving a job where you've givenheart and soul especially over a number of years, can be like theending of a long term relationship - the 'shock' at seeing 'your' jobon the intranet or internal notice-board, brings home the fact you areleaving. So you'll need to detach yourself emotionally. Be ready for the compliments that come your way, and find time to fitin the social side of leaving too.

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - was taken from Jinfo Support - Linda Emmett has recently moved to a new role in project developmentfor the North Devon and Exmoor Regeneration Company after 12 yearswith the CIPD in Wimbledon <linda@ndexreg.co.uk>.

Our lives are built on several legs, the Seven Vital Areas: Health,Family, Financial, Intellectual, Social, Professional and Spiritual. Ifone is a little longer than the rest, like a table, it will affect thenentire table.

Life can be cruel. You can lose in any of those areas overnight. Yourhealth can go away. Your money can be lost. Your family can leave you,all on a moment’s notice. Not that we don’t do things to prevent thatfrom happening, but the point is, if one or two legs falters, you haveothers to hold you up.It takes three legs for a stool to stand. If you build your life aroundjust one or two legs or areas you first have a continual problemmaintaining your balance.

Worse, if you lose those one or two legs ofthose remaining legs, you collapse.Here’s my list of the seven best ways to get out of balance and becomeuni or duo dimensional.

1. Ignore your Health. Don’t get the quantity and quality of sleep yourequire. Don’t take time for exercise. Eat the wrong stuff. (90% ofthose who join Health and Fitness Clubs today will stop going within thenext 90 days.) Your resistance level will be reduced and you will besusceptible to all the latest sniffles and flues going around to ensurethat you take advantage of all the sick days you are allowed. 75% of alladult deaths are preventable. We are literally driving ourselves toearly grave in the “hurry-up, stressful” life of ours.It’s interesting when someone gets a new car, they bring it in for thescheduled maintenance, put the right grade of fuel in the tank, and keepit shiny and clean. Our pets visit the veterinarian on a scheduledbasis. In a recent study, 34% of the men surveyed said they would not goto doctor even if they were experiencing chest pains.

2. Postpone Family time. They will always be there for you anyway whenyou get the time for them. A student once asked me, “What is the bestway to take my four year old on vacation?” I replied, “You take her whenshe’s four years old.” Fifty percent of marriages wind up in divorcecourt. Imagine, getting married at age twenty-five and twenty yearslater, at age forty-five, you give up 50% of everything you have workedfor in your adult life in a property settlement in divorce court. It’slike the squirrel, gathering the nuts, hoarding away while someone isdrilling a hole in the side of the tree to let all the nuts escape. Thesquirrel is too busy to hear the impending threat. The average workingperson spends less than two minutes per day in meaningful communicationwith their spouse or “significant other” and less than thirty secondsper day in meaningful communication with their children.

3. Don’t plan your Financial life. Be assured that your employer, and ifnot, then the government, and if not, then maybe a kindly relative willtake care of your needs. Most people arrive at the end of lifefinancially deficient or dependant upon some type of assistance from thegovernment or relatives. Most people do not spend a little of theirtime, on a regular basis, to create financial freedom and live theirlives they way they “want to”, but rather do what do because they “haveto”. Eighty percent do not want to go to work on Monday morning.Ninety-seven percent say that if they did achieve financialindependence, they would not continue with their current employer or intheir current line of work.

4. Stay away from Intellectual development. You have the degree. Youread books at one time. Five percent of the population purchasesninety-five percent of all the books. The other ninety-five purchase theother five percent of the books. They don’t have time to read them. Theygive them away as gifts. You barely have enough time to keep your headabove water, what with work and other interests. Coast with theknowledge you have. It’s draining away from you daily but hopefully youfilled the reservoir enough early on that it will carry you through yourlife.

5. Let your Social contacts decide your future. Follow the advice ofyour friends about what you should be doing in your life even if theyare not in a place where you would want to be. Be ever conscious of“What would my friends say/think if I did…?”. Always seek out and actonly with the approval of your peers. Take comfort in the knowledge thatwhen there is a void in leadership your life on how you should bespending your time, someone else will fill that void and tell you whatto do.

6. Let your Professional life just happen. Do not establish a lifetimeplan of where you want to go. Take whatever opportunity and advancementlife gives you and be satisfied. Don’t rock the boat. Seek the familiarand avoid the strange. Play it safe. Make it comfortable. If you chose acareer path when you were eighteen or twenty years old, and now at ageforty you are unhappy, don’t consider a change. Hold on to that decisionyou made twenty years ago. It will be like going to a twenty year oldfor career counseling.

7. Avoid spending time in your Spiritual area. Not only in a formalreligious venue, but also in our relationships to others, our community,our environment, and the universe. Leave those questions to others toponder. “When man forgets his Creator, his own creations will be turnedupon him.”

Workforce Assessment Assessed

Human resources execs concerned they’re not effectively measuring employee performance might find the Human Capital Management 2005 Study from Columbia, Md.,-based competency management and learning solutions provider Avilar Technologies worth a read.

Administered to 96 random human resources professionals, almost half of the respondents were at the senior management level working at organizations that ranged in size from less than 100 employees to more than 10,000.

On the issue of employee self-assessments, the good news is that 91 percent thought this popular tool is at least “somewhat accurate”; the bad news is many could also cite reasons why the tool isn’t “extremely accurate.” Forty-six percent, for instance, say employees have a tendency to either over- or under report their abilities; 45 percent believe employees feel an honest self-assessment may be used against them; and 41 percent think the competencies employees are using to assess themselves do not accurately reflect their job.

Respondents believed that manager assessments are only slightly more accurate than self-assessments. They identified several reasons why these evaluations are not extremely accurate. Sixty-one percent said managers have not been trained on how to properly assess people; 40 percent say the competencies managers are using to assess their employees do not accurately reflect the job; and 28 percent report that managers play favorites.

Though performance appraisals may not be the best way to assess the impact of competency management, more than half of the respondents indicated those appraisals are still what they use for that purpose.

More than half of the companies that participated in the survey said they are not currently using 360-degree assessments. Many said they do not use this tool because it is time consuming and too expensive, while some indicated their company has never considered implementing it, but they don’t know why. Surprisingly, 19 percent of respondents who said their company use 360-degree assessments work at companies with less than 100 employees. One explanation for this finding, Avilar posits, is the management in these companies has decided this tool is helpful for improving employees’ performance, so they are willing to spend money on it. Overall, 64 percent of the respondents who said their company uses 360 assessments are from companies with 1,000 or more employees.

For more information, visit www.avilar.com.

Globally mobile employees receive fewer benefits

According to a survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, one in four
companies surveyed doesn't have a benefits policy for globally mobile
employees.

The survey covered 230 multinationals based in North America, Europe, Asia
Pacific, Latin America and Middle East/Africa, with more than 50,000
globally mobile employees in total. It found that over 60% of the companies
surveyed are increasing their use of short-term international assignments.

Almost all participants agreed that addressing benefit issues for globally
mobile employees is a medium or top priority. The survey also found that 30%
of companies have no formal governance procedures and one in ten (11%) has
never reviewed their policies. Almost 10% of globally mobile employees have
expressed dissatisfaction with their benefit package.

"Setting and managing benefit programs for expatriates and third country
nationals is an extremely complex undertaking. Keeping approaches fair and
consistent globally is very challenging, particularly as the
one-size-fits-all approach no longer satisfies employees," said Peter
Blake, a principal at Mercer.

Of the companies that plan to change their expatriate benefit programs for
such employees, 46% intend to outsource plan administration, 40% plan to
enhance benefits for certain employees, while 39% aim to globalize their
approach to benefits provision.

Source: Mercer's "The Expatriate and Third-Country Nationals Benefits"
survey. http://www.mercer.com