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Let's face it: it's HARD to always
be "on" when you're at work. No
matter how much you try, even the best-laid plans and
schedules break
down; sometimes it seems like all the forces are against
you. You
can get discouraged, weary, frustrated and unfocused. You
can blame
your boss, your spouse, interruptions, computer crashes,
too much
work, too little time...the list goes on and on.
When it comes right down to it, though, we each have to
take
responsibility for our work environments. It's up to us to
create
pride and excellence in our workplaces. We need to take
responsibility for our own productivity, morale,
creativity,
motivation and sense of humor that we bring to our work.
You say "but stuff just happens that I have no
control over." That's
true. "Stuff" will happen, so it's your job to
come up with disaster
prevention and back-up plans. Interruptions and snafus
don't need to
become setbacks. Lists and schedules make the world go
round. Be
sure to prioritize, and take note of a few things that
could be
realistically postponed, if need be. Speaking of
realism...be
realistic in estimating how long it will take you to do
the tasks at
hand.
Computer maintenance can make a big difference in
minimizing
downtime. Regular virus scans, firewalls, defragmentation,
and file
back-ups are crucial to maintaining computer health and
well-being.
There are a few well-known organizational tips worth
repeating. My
personal favorite is not touching mail more than once. I
sit down
with the mail at my desk, waste basket on one side, file
cabinet at
the other, and sticky notes in front of me. If it's
junk, toss. If you can deal with it right now, do it, then
toss it or add a sticky note with the details and file it.
You aren't going to deal with it right away? Then sticky
note and file it. Do NOT just add it to a pile on your
desk. Can you tell piles
of papers are my personal Waterloo?
My other favorite is standing up when someone comes into
my
workplace. It doesn't matter who it is or what's the
reason. The
message to myself is: this is my workplace and I am here
to work. If
I'm not seated, chances are my guest won't sit down
either. It's a
bit more polite than just continuing to work without
looking up...and
if you do that, chances are the guest will still sit down.
Here is where a back-up plan is important. Have it already
in your
head what you will say if you are interrupted. "I'm
busy at the
moment, can you come back in____
minutes...hours"...whatever
works. "Would you like to make an appointment?"
"I'm taking a break
at_____, would you like to join me?" And so on.
This even works when I'm working at my computer at home
and the cat
comes in. She loves to sit on my hands on the keyboard! or
my lap,
or right in front of the monitor. I stand up (no lap) and
I even
make an appointment with her (in my own mind of
course!)...to play,
feed her, watch tv for a few minutes so she can sit on my
lap;
sometimes we play Catch the Cursor for a couple
minutes...something.
She quickly leaves or curls up somewhere else if I'm not
sitting down.
You may be thinking that productivity and organization are
a lot
easier to take responsibility for than motivation, morale,
creativity
and humor. Maybe your boss is stubbornly refusing to give
you a
raise, no matter how well you do your work. Maybe the job
is "straight and narrow" with no room for
creativity, and humor is ok
in small doses, but not really appreciated. Maybe it's
your own work
ethic nagging at you to work, work, work, no time for
play. Maybe
it's your spouse nagging you with money worries, or
feeling neglected.
You need to realize that in order for you to be a healthy,
balanced,
satisfied, and fulfilled human being, you need these
things in your
life. Rather than just going to your boss and complaining,
you need
to creatively bring your own suggestions and solutions to
the table.
You need your sense of humor to maintain a healthy
perspective. The
ability to express yourself creatively is as important as
the ability
to support yourself; so brainstorm with others, research,
its up to
you to find the innovative solutions. You need the breaks:
5
minutes; 15 minutes every hour or two;
weekends; or a REAL vacation, so take them. And if your
spouse
misses you, take the vacation together.
If no matter how hard you try, you can't get a grip on
your
lifestyle, then its time for YOU to change it. Consider a
new
workplace, or possibly being your own boss. Pride and
excellence are
up to YOU. It's YOUR life.
Glenn Beach is a self-employed construction subcontractor;
see what
else he's up to at:
http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com
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