Apr 16
0

Managing Stress, part 2

By | Managing Strengths, Productivity | No Comments
stress-ball

I have talked before about pressure at work, some of the triggers of stress and the tell-tale signs of too much stress. But what about if you work all the time? Are you a workaholic?

The definition of a workaholic is someone who has an obsession with work. They are now referred to as “work dependents” and are described as such when work has become a crutch that is shoring up other less successful parts of their lives. Raj Persaud in his book, “The Motivated Mind”, recommends the following tactics:

  • Plan two fun things a week to look forward to and give yourself a break
  • Delegate tasks and manage your own control needs
  • Set boundaries about what is achievable at work in a typical 8 hour day
  • Remember you don’t have to catch every ball
Personality, stress and work: who do you know who is a Type A Personality?

Does the following description bring anyone to mind?

  • Goal directed or pushy, competitive, with an excessive drive and an enhanced sense of urgency.
  • Naturally suffers from irritation, hostility and an increased potential for anger.
  • Huge frustration with others who are not as fast as them and so get in the way.

Problems arise when an A type Personality works in a high stress environment. A very common occurrence and society rewards them! To assist them lessen their chances of heart attack gentle to moderate exercise is recommended!

Tips for managing stress levels at work:
  • List what you can & cannot control. Recognise that the “cannot control list” is not worthy of your worry and energy!
  • Prioritise what you can control. Take small steps each day to progress the list and getfeedback early on if you are not sure about your skill level.
  • Take time out to get some perspective because when you are in the thick of it you cannot really appreciate what impact it’s having.
  • Stop beating yourself up, accept that you cannot change the past but that you canchoose how to act in the future. Record regularly what you have been successful in and review this to keep positive.
  • Be realistic about what you can achieve on your own. Asking for help is OK!
  • Build in time to relax and sleep.
  • Talk to someone at work that you respect or confide in someone outside of work.
  • Keep a diary to note down when you are stressed to increase your awareness about yourpersonal triggers.
  • Imagine someone else had this problem – what would they do? This gives youperspective.
  • Focus on the solution and what action can be taken.
  • Make a decision, having weighed up all the options – you usually feel better once it’s stopped whizzing round in your head.
  • Remember back to when you have successfully survived other stressful periods in your life and think about what strategies you used then.
  • Take time for exercise, sport, meditation, reading what ever is your thing. Singing is great for reducing blood pressure!
  • Think through the worst case scenario and put a plan in place to aim to avoid this and have a contingency plan if the worst did happen.
  • Adjust your standards if you are a perfectionist and go for 80% not 120%.
  • Attend any training & development on time management and stress management. Which of these ideas might work for you or people you work with? Only yesterday I was working with a client who was really suffering from stress and it’s not a good place to be. Managing your optimum stress levels is a skill worth learning.

Which of these ideas might work for you or people you work with? Only recently I was working with a client who was really suffering from stress and it’s not a good place to be. Managing your optimum stress levels is a skill worth learning.  If you would like help with developing that skill, get in touch.   

Apr 02
0

What are your personal triggers for Stress? – part 1

By | Managing Strengths, Motivation, Productivity | One Comment

stressed businessmanThe focus of this post is on stress & pressure.

Have you got the right amount of pressure in your professional life? What causes you stress at work? Why should we bother managing our stress levels?

Notice if there are any tips that could help you remove some of the stressors that sap your energy. Or could you look out for any warning signs in colleagues, team members etc and potentially help them? We probably all know people who have had too much stress and recovery takes a long time.

Common stress triggers

Pressure at work is a good thing and part of normal life, but too much causes stress. Alternatively, with no stress, pressure or demands, it would be hard to get going at all and our motivation might suffer. Too much stress is as bad as too little. So where does all this stress come from? The usual sources of stress include big events such as death, divorce, moving house and illness – but what about the more day-to-day work events that can stress us out? How many in this list apply to you and are you happy about it?

  • Public speaking
  • Perfectionist
  • Changing jobs
  • Networking meetings and conversations
  • Attending Interviews
  • Bad traffic
  • Sitting Exams
  • Uncertainty
  • Meeting deadlines
  • Someone shouting at you/telling you off
  • Forgetting something important Meeting sales targets/other targets
  • Work overload
  • Unable to make a decision/procrastination
  • Not enough work
  • Constant change & reorganisation
  • Constant availability through technology
  • A poor working relationship with your boss/colleague/team member

If you are suffering from too much stress as a result of some of the above the impact can gradually build up to some quite profound physical and mental results.

Just some of the likely physical effects you want to avoid:
  • Stomach ulcers
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Asthma
  • Raised stress hormone levels (these actually shrink the part of the brain where new memories are laid down, especially spatial memories like “where have I left my keys?”)
The mental effects you really don’t want:

Burnout at work can lead to the following problems:

  • Emotional exhaustion
  • A detached attitude towards others
  • A low sense of accomplishment
  • Depression
  • Insomnia
League table for stressful professions

So which professions suffer the most from stress? Some recent American research by Martin Seligman listed the following professions as the most stressful:

  • Lawyers
  • Teachers
  • Secretaries
  • Waiters

Occupational research has found that it’s not so much the workload that causes stress but the amount of control you have over the way you do your job. So even if you have a lot of work to do, having some say in it buffers you from the effects of stress. What is it about lawyers that make them vulnerable? The latest theory by Seligman is that lawyers tend to be pessimistic personality types. Pessimism is seen as a plus amongst lawyers because seeing situations from a prudent perspective, from every conceivable angle is beneficial. The key here then is not to take home the pessimism but instead expect things to work out and opt for flexible optimism! Do you British lawyers agree with this?

Managing your optimum stress levels is a skill worth learning.  If you would like help with developing that skill, get in touch.   

Mar 19
0

Tips to develop success traits

By | Managing Strengths, Motivation, Productivity | No Comments

success-aheadLast time, I wrote about the characteristics of successful people; but how can you develop your own success traits?

Read on!

Tips to develop success traits
  • Having an optimistic view on life and focusing on the positives is hugely helpful. Do you view everything as an opportunity?
  • High levels of confidence and self belief are essential. What situations do you feel confident in and how can you find more of these?
  • Keeping a diary of successes each day or success tracking is a helpful habit. By the end of a week and then a fortnight and after a month imagine how many small things you will have achieved that all contribute towards the end goal.
  • Persevere when it’s tough and remind yourself of the benefits.
  • Passion, use it to propel you forward. Would you do this even if you were not paid?
  • Play to your strengths: know what they are and use them. What talents are you known for?
  • Ask for help: be it financial, time, support, a pair of hands, or feedback – whatever it takes.
  • Take calculated risks and avoid rash emotional reactions. Make time to think logically, be creative about the options available to you and then listen to your gut instinct.
  • Learn from mistakes, don’t dwell on them as you cannot turn back the clock.
  • Find role models to speak to and learn from. Buy them a coffee and listen to their experience.
  • Go public on your goal and action plan if that will motivate you not to lose face.
  • Look after yourself. A workaholic, knackered and out of shape is no good to anyone.
  • Have a balance between enjoying the present and planning for the future.
  • Plan in breaks, treats and rewards at intervals to look forward to.

Is there anything else you could do to be more successful?  If you want help with reading the signs, get in touch!   

Mar 05
0

The traits and habits of successful people

By | Managing Strengths, Motivation, Productivity | One Comment

success/failure signpostThis time I  focus on the traits and habits of successful people. So how is that relevant to you? Well there may be some areas where you want to sharpen up your act and here are some ideas of what to do! The material for this comes from working with a number of clients over the years and seeing what really works. Books are useful to find out what the gurus say but what really works in practice is what is talked about here.

What is success?

“People do not wander about and find themselves at the top of Mount Everest.”  Zig Ziglar

Firstly, determine what it is you really want. What is your vision of success? Next list all the benefits. Leave your ideas and come back to them after some reflection. Use your intuition. Ask yourself “what is important to me at work and in life?” Other than materialistic goals research shows that most people want to be valued and have their efforts recognised. Really think hard about what the cost of this success will be for you. The effort, time, money, energy-are they worth it? What is the price of success or failure? Does the thought of failure even stop you dreaming of what you would like?

Does motivation matter?

Motivation is a key tool to achieve what you desire – so be in charge of your motivation and tap into it rather than letting it be in control of you. Motivation takes us to the pinnacle of success but can take us to a low point – the enemy within. Be realistic about what you can achieve in what time frame. Think about your key drivers or values as these are the core source of your fulfilment and satisfaction. Ask yourself what will happen if I don’t achieve this? Are the consequences serious if you don’t make this happen?

Success strategy into action

Having focused on what you want (your vision) and written it down, plan in detail how to achieve it. Think of this as the architect’s drawing and the builder’s plans. Be aware of goal conflict when you have two goals in direct competition. For example, “I want to go to the gym after work and get fit” versus “I have had a long and tiring day at work and want to comfort myself by going straight home, raiding the larder and watching junk TV.” Prepare for the easier temptation by taking a healthy snack and only watching targeted TV later! Each day start with your to do list and focus on the important not just the urgent. Consider what is time well spent? Prepare ahead for obstacles and things going wrong and build in a plan b. Concentrate on one task at a time and complete it, allowing for the fact that there are distractions and interruptions.

To sum up; success doesn’t just happen, it needs a plan and action but not at any cost.

If you need help with planning your success, get in touch.

Mar 01
0

How can Emotional Intelligence Help You?

By | Career, Leadership | No Comments

EQ and IQ as an icebergI have written before about identifying how Emotional Intelligence (EI) can help in your current role.

It also applies to other aspects of your professional life including career management, team work, working with customers/suppliers and leadership roles.

EI & leadership

“The fundamental task of leaders is to prime good feeling in those they lead” says Goleman. Great leadership works through emotions not just strategy, vision and powerful ideas. Success depends on ‘how’ they do it. In my experience this is certainly true for managing change.

EI and personal success

How does this EI approach apply outside of work? What relationships might you have outside of work where this could apply?

Family, parent, daughter, son, partner, friend, neighbour, community, schools, clubs, societies, church etc. Are these worth investing some thinking time and action to improve and develop?

The 4 minute rule story

I want to finish off by telling you a great story I heard on the radio.

Steve McDermott, a motivational speaker, asks how do people regard you? Do they want to see you or see the back of you? He suggests the following way of looking at yourself: 10 minutes before you are about to arrive at work or at home ask yourself:

  • How would the best Salesman/Manager/etc act when they arrive at the office?
  • How would the best Mum/Dad in the world act when s/he arrives home?

You only have to act this out for 4 minutes before the people you are mixing with will react to you positively, which fuels you to continue and so on without having to try. Tap into your emotion, use your energy, think of some things to say and do, and listen for just 4 minutes and make someone’s day.

I rather like this way of summing up what EI is all about: “All the knowledge and skills in the world are no use without the right attitudes and good habits.”

How can you use EI to be more successful?

 

Feb 20
0

Emotional Intelligence: do you need bucket loads of it?

By | Career, Leadership, Managing Strengths | 2 Comments

I’m focusing this time on the concept of emotional intelligence (EI). Is it mumbo jumbo or a secret weapon you can tap into? Read on to find out!

  • EI – what is it?
  • How can EI help you?
Emotional intelligence: What is it? How can it help you?

My definition is simple; EI is being intelligent about your emotions. It’s making the best of yourself using a high degree of self awareness. It is about getting the best out of others too. It works by combining the head i.e. thinking and logic on the left side of the brain (if you are right handed) and creativity on the right hand side and the heart: the emotions and feelings. This concept is based on the work of Daniel Goleman. He wrote 2 international best sellers:

  • “Emotional Intelligence”
  • “Working with Emotional intelligence”

His definition says that “EI is about being smart, how we handle ourselves and our relationships”. Essentially he talks about how this matters more than IQ and educational success.

How about we bring EI alive? Let’s think about this together. Imagine a very bright person, very intelligent, who has passed lots of exams. Now add in their interpersonal skills, how they get on with other people…say in this case poorly. In Goleman’s terms they are best suited to back room jobs where they can be great thinkers and analysts. However, most jobs require some people contact and relationship building. So imagine the combination of someone who is bright and good at relationships…they will find it much easier to find work, will be good in a team, able to lead a team etc. All round they are more likely to be successful in the organisation as they don’t need to work in isolation! Goleman says the EI competencies (which we will come onto in more depth) are not innate talents, but learned abilities.

So how does this apply to all of us? To be more successful we can all work on our EI; to get the best out of ourselves and others, to adapt to situations we are in and the people we are with.

As Charles Darwin wrote:  “It is not the strongest of the species who survive, nor the most intelligent, but those who are the most adaptive to change.”

So, if you need to make sure that you can adapt, please get in touch.

Feb 13
0

Gender difference, part 2

By | Leadership, Managing Strengths, Productivity | No Comments
gender differencesTips for the workplace:

In a previous post, I looked at gender differences you should know about. This time, it’s tips about how to deal with those differences in the workplace:

  • Take notice of those non-verbal signals by tapping into women’s intuition, i.e., the ability to notice small details and changes in the appearance or behaviour of others. By using this ability you can detect subtle mood and attitude changes in your team, colleagues and peers. At a meeting ask some of the females to summarise the feelings and emotions that are occurring, a very emotionally intelligent thing to do.
  • Female and attending an interview for a management position? Wear a more masculine style of outfit. You have a better chance of being selected than if you dress in a more feminine outfit. Even if the interviewer is female!
  • Male characteristics and values are largely responsible for driving people to the top of the organisation but feminine values are becoming the way to stay there, encouraging team work, interdependence and collaboration.
  • Men have logical, problem-solving minds and often feel that there is no need to share their own problems with others. So with small problems males are best left alone to work them through. With big problems this inability to effectively problem solve and talk at the same time can lead to stress. Encourage male colleagues to talk about what is going on and see that it is a real strength to ask for help and not battle on their own. Interestingly women are happy to share their problems but don’t necessarily want advice but just to be listened to. So give female colleagues a listening ear.
  • Closing business deals with direct, short, solution-focused sentences is where males thrive. Such direct speech can seem rude and abrupt in social settings. Using indirect speech or concentrating on building rapport is generally a natural female style. The ideal in business is maybe a duo of male and female, each complementing the other.
  • To encourage male listening, give him an agenda and advance notice. This appeals to his logical side and makes him feel appreciated in terms of why you are meeting and his contribution to the agenda and solving the issue.
  • If you are in the position of selecting a team or project group, a mix of males and females is best. This manages the competition amongst the men in terms of status and hierarchy, and maximises the harmony with the females. The blend of problem solvers and relationship builders can support and help each other to create a better end result.

Our genetics may determine our physiology but do remember that our up-bringing and any training and development will enable us to change, adapt and improve! Bear in mind too that our personality differences such as introversion and extraversion, can also emphasise and/or compensate gender differences. By acknowledging our differences we can embrace them!  

Feb 06
0

Gender difference: what do you need to know?

By | Leadership, Managing Strengths, Productivity | One Comment

Grab yourself a drink and take a minute or two to read this and see if any of it makes you smile! In this post I focus on the differences between male and female brains and next time I’ll look at how to make the most of this knowledge at work.

Do I really need to know about gender differences in the human brain?

So let’s get the biology lesson over with! Males and females are different; not better or worse, but different. Same species different worlds!  We evolved differently because men hunted and protected whilst women gathered and nurtured. Over millions of years brain structures continued to change. We think differently and process information differently. Our perceptions, priorities and behaviours are also different. How does this relate to you? Well if you live, work and play with the opposite sex here are some interesting facts!

9 differences you should know about:
  1. Eyes in the back of her head? Not quite but females do have better peripheral vision. Males have a type of longer tunnel vision to see well in a narrower field and so make better night time drivers!
  2. Women’s eyes display more white than men’s eyes because close range personal communication is an integral part of female bonding. Having more white on show, allows a greater range of eye signals to be sent and received.
  3. Females are more effective at lying to males face to face because male brains are less skilled at spotting incongruencies between verbal and non verbal signals.
  4. Reading between the lines is something women are said to do. This is due to their greater sensitivity in differentiating tone changes in voice volume and pitch enabling them to hear emotional changes in others. Men, however, have better directional hearing for hunting purposes.
  5. Male brains are not so well equipped to hear or see details. Females pick up the visual, vocal and body language signals such as who is talking to who and the subtleties behind this; whereas the male brain was evolved to see a zebra on the horizon and how fast it’s moving!
  6. Most males have a specific brain location for sensing direction and so find navigation and orientation easy. Men use their spatial skills here. I know I certainly prefer to drive and let my husband do the map reading!
  7. Females are attracted to therapy, counselling and teaching professions because of their strength in speech. Women have two speech centres in their brain, one on each side enabling them to be good conversationalists!  Males have one speech centre in the left part of the brain.
  8. A woman’s brain is configured for multi-tasking because of the larger number of connections between the right and left side of the brain. Males literally have a more compartmentalised brain and prefer to focus on one thing at a time.
  9. At the end of a day full of problems, a male brain can file and store them all away. This ability to store and separate information comes from the compartmentalised male brain. Females, however, have less function to store and so the problems go round and round in her head. Hence the need to talk about them and acknowledge them!

So with all these differences what can you do to maximise your natural strengths and those of the people you work with?

Get in touch with The Smart Coaching Company!

Jan 30
0

Procrastination: How our thinking stops us getting things done

By | Motivation, Productivity | One Comment

(and what we can do about it!)

In other words – “am I bothered?” Hello everyone.  This time I continue my look at understanding procrastination. I focus on just what does go on inside our heads and stop us from actioning things and what practical steps we can take to overcome this.

Procrastination may not be all our fault as there are plenty of people, places and things that hinder us from starting or stopping a task as discussed in my previous post. So that’s the good news because you can usually cope with those real obstacles. The bad news is, it is us and only us who are responsible for taking or not taking action. To beat procrastination, writes guru Michelle Tullier, you have to own up to the fact that what goes on in your head has something to do with the problem.

The Psychology of Action

All actions result from feelings and thoughts. If those thoughts and feelings are:

  • Negative
  • Irrational
  • Unrealistic

… then the behaviour they spark may be procrastinating behaviour. If on the other hand our thoughts are neutral or positive the behaviour that results is more likely to be productive and appropriate.

Thinking too much? Bad habits?

Have you ever thought “I am thinking too much about this”? Worrying about something you are going to do, what could go wrong, what’s wrong with your situation etc. You end up making the task much more difficult or overwhelming than it needs to be. This can lead to you feeling fed up at the same time as beating yourself up for not getting things done! These feelings lead to lower self esteem and more procrastination. Here, follow the advice of the Nike slogan: Just do it!

The next time you are about to put something off that you regularly procrastinate over, listen to the thoughts in your head “I’ll do it later” or “I don’t have to do this now” If so, think about those simple little statements, known as negative self talk, think of the power they have had over your behaviour. Listen to Nike! Just do it!

Eight causes of Procrastination:

What’s yours and what can you do?

  1. Fear of failure, success or how you’ll be judged. A handy defence mechanism writes Tullier. It keeps us from trying new things, taking risks or accepting new challenges. By not giving ourselves the chance to fail we can’t then be disappointed or rejected. Fear of success is about how our lives may change if we do succeed. What might be expected of you? Whereas fear of being judged is more about concern about your performance so you delay starting or not finishing a task. TIP Remember a time when you have actually failed at something and that you survived; that your boss or colleagues or people that care about you were supportive and didn’t think any less of you.
  2. Perfectionism. This is one of the most common causes of procrastination. Striving for excellence is a good thing. Striving to be perfect is not. What’s the difference asks Tullier? Perfectionists can be extreme and obsessive in their thinking; they procrastinate because of burnout, remembering how it felt last time when they worked on something similar. So to protect themselves they only get started when forced to, when they have the time or no choice. High standards allow behaviour to be realistic and flexible. TIP Perfectionism is an impossible task and that aiming for 80% is still acceptable.
  3. Being overwhelmed. Finding a task so difficult or big you don’t know where to start. If the size, scope or nature of the activity is overwhelming it is easier to put it off. TIP Break the project into steps, have a plan and review regularly to keep perspective and feel a sense of progress.
  4. Feeling frustrated. Do you have a low tolerance for ambiguity or delayed gratification that comes with some projects? This is similar to overwhelm if you are the sort of person who needs to see instant results and you are working on a long term goal like weight loss. TIP Work with some support. Team up with a buddy to motivate each other.
  5. Adrenaline rush addiction. Are you relying on the thrill that stems from completing a task at the last minute? Think about why you feel the excitement? Is it because life is dull? Or do you believe you work at your best in this way? Maybe you do do good work but what is it like for others around you? What are you like to be with or live with? What long term implications are there for your health and heart? Working late nights, all night, no breaks actually makes you tired, grumpy, unproductive and liable to make mistakes as there is no time for reflection or redrafts. TIP Give yourself the challenge of finishing the project early and treat yourself to a reward!
  6. Negativity towards the task. This refers to disliking or being uninterested in the activity itself. Have you got evidence of half finished jobs at work or home? These may seem trivial but may form a daily reminder of failure, unfinished business, clutter, if only I had the time thoughts which continue to drain you. TIP Pay someone to complete, or delegate, or ask for help with a reward at the end or simply dump it. Motivate yourself by viewing the big picture, how this fits in and how you will feel when you have done the task. Make it fun with friends, music, whatever it takes.
  7. Rebellion. You want me to do what? Procrastination is a powerful tool for rebellion. We can demonstrate our feelings about people and tasks by not doing what is requested. In this way we have control. TIP A little rebellion is necessary for our sanity and independence says Tullier. But if carried too far can put our jobs, businesses and relationships in jeopardy. Discuss your feelings and thoughts to come up with a compromise.
  8. Psychological issues. Conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety make it difficult to get things done. TIP ask for help and support from professional medical resources. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the helpful strategies to find out about!

If the idea of having to resolve the internal drivers of your procrastination makes you want to give up, be reassured generally the internal causes are no more difficult to overcome than external obstacles.  I talked about this in my last post.

Take some time to identify your top cause and be brave and do something about it.

Jan 23
0

Overcoming Procrastination at Work

By | Motivation, Productivity | One Comment

How can you harness your energy so that you perform more effectively at work?  In a nut shell we are talking about overcoming the dreaded procrastination!

What causes your procrastination?

Have you ever considered what it is that stops you, slows you down or frustrates you about getting work completed? What is it that saps your energy? What it is that you procrastinate over? Reasons might include:

  • Not wanting / knowing how to do the task
  • A messy desk or cluttered work space
  • A difficult relationship with a colleague
  • Too many emails
  • You cannot find things
  • Being pulled in too many directions
  • Temptations to do the easy, rather than the more difficult but important tasks
  • Fear

The list is endless! Michelle Tullier, a guru in this area, writes that you can broadly categorise these reasons under two headings. Firstly, environmental reasons e.g. the main trouble stems from situational factors like overload, distraction, disorganisation and secondly reasons to do with your mind which have a psychological root! So in this post I will examine the environmental reasons. Look out for another post when I will discuss perfectionism, fear of success or failure, overwhelm etc.

The 3 key Environmental Reasons for Procrastination

Getting started on tasks or completing projects you have begun, relies on a critical thought to action link, says Tullier. You have the thought, but action doesn’t always follow. Obstacles get in the way. “I won’t go to gym because the wardrobe where I keep my gym clothes stored is messy.” “I won’t finish that project because there is a disarray of papers and it’s difficult to keep track of where I am.”! There are 3 key reasons or hazards that Tullier describes: those of people, places or things.

People – these are your partners in crime, fellow procrastinators who convince you of a million other things you’d rather be doing or people who just nag or drag you down.

Places – here Michelle refers to your workspace and the excuses we find to avoid working. Namely, the desk, the lighting, the temperature and all the other ergonomic factors!

Things – Papers, files, folders, junk. Stuff that clutters and crowds us from clear thinking and action. One of the major causes of procrastination is too much paper and disorganised papers. In addition, too many commitments can clutter and overwhelm us causing a drain in energy.

Top tips to create action

People

  • list all the people who contribute to your procrastination and think of ways to stand up to them or avoid them.

Places

  • to overcome those excuses of “If only I had the right desk, chair etc” just do it, get started.

Things

  • Plan in regular admin time with a deadline as if you were doing this for someone else. Play some good music to enjoy at the same time. Remember daily, weekly and monthly admin tasks. Think of some treats or rewards to look forward to.
  • Create physical space to be creative and productive in your office, workspace, or at your desk.
  • Plan in some regular breaks as this does actually make you more productive!
  • List all your commitments and identify where any delegation, breaks from the commitment or support can be brought in. If saying “no” is a problem, look at ways to improve your assertiveness.
  • Don’t over schedule, leave room for the unexpected.
  • Distractions like chatting on the phone, watching TV, surfing the internet, playing PC games are all BIG enemies of action so plan in such activity when you have completed your important tasks. (It may help to log how long you currently spend on these activities so that you are in a better position to manage them).
  • Keep a success diary. Once you get started and begin to see results this will motivate you further.
A New Perspective

Cheryl Richardson recommends in her book to identify the things that drain your energy- the energy that allows you to get things done, connect with others and stay physically and emotionally fit. For most people who live stressful lives, this energy is limited and usually running low. Normally we think of our energy levels rising and falling based on what we “do”. However, it is much more than that says Richardson. Every action you take uses energy. What you may not have considered is that actions you don’t take use energy as well – mental energy, emotional energy, energy that could be used in a more positive way. The items on your mental to do list, the ones you have been procrastinating about, distract you or make you feel guilty. She suggests noticing what gets your attention and steals your energy!

The commitment to make difficult but necessary changes that will restore your energy can have an immediate positive impact. Energy is one of the critical ingredients for success. You decide who or what gets it. Choose wisely!

Next Steps

Create your top 10 procrastination list by recording all the areas that drain you at work or home. Prioritise the list and identify what you can do and by when. Focus on just changing one thing at time and only one and stick with it for a week.  Start in the next 48 hours if possible!  

If you need extra support with reducing procrastination, we have a great E-book that can help.