Jan. 13 “18 minutes to tame your busy hours”: I cut
out this Globe and Mail article “18 minutes to tame your busy hours” by
Harvey Schacter on Nov. 4, 2011. There’s some helpful advice about time
management here like prioritizing. Here’s
the whole article:
Peter Bregman loves buffets. And like many of us, when the
New York-based consultant gets there, he tastes everything in sight. He
inevitably leaves the buffet uncomfortable, exhausted, and regretting his
consumption.
Time management systems don’t really help with this problem, he notes, because they are focused on how to get it all done in less time. And as happens at the buffet, we end up overwhelmed.
“The secret to surviving a buffet is to eat fewer things. And the secret to thriving in your life is the same: Do fewer things,” Mr. Bregman writes in 18 Minutes.
He focuses on five things over a year, three work-related and two personal. They are large, important catch-all categories – not goals, but wide areas of focus, and of course they would vary from person to person.
The author’s three work categories are: Do great work with current clients; attract future clients; and write and speak about his ideas. On the personal side, his aim is to be present with family and friends; and to have fun and take care of himself.
These aren’t measurable notions, but Mr. Bregman makes sure that 95 per cent of his activities fit his slots. He’s going to the buffet table with a smaller plate, and selecting the nourishing and tasty offerings.
His daily to-do list is a series of six boxes, in which he slots the intended activities into his five categories. If they fall outside, they go into a box labelled “the other 5 per cent” (such as changing the oil in the car or buying a new printer).
He says this structure helps him to carve his overwhelming list of tasks “into manageable, digestible chunks. And it ensures I’m spending my time where I should. Because saying I want to focus on something is meaningless unless I actually spend my time there. And my to-do list is my plan for where I am going to spend my time.”
When in doubt between two alternative uses for his time, he seeks balance. He picks the one in the category he has been spending less time on recently.
He also keeps an “ignore” list – things to be avoided. He believes it has never been more important to learn to say no – no I won’t read that article, no I won’t sit through that meeting, no I won’t take that phone call. We keep thinking the next piece of information may be the key to our success.
But he argues our success hinges on the opposite: Our willingness to risk missing some information. Otherwise, we exhaust ourselves.
A to-do list isn’t enough, however. You need to decide when you will actually do those wondrous, important things on the list. To-do lists can capture a long list of items; calendars, by contrast, are finite, with only so many hours to fill in, as we realize when we try to cram too much in.
“Since your entire list will not fit into your calendar – and I can assure you that it won’t – you need to prioritize your list for the day. What is it that really needs to get done today?” he says.
The author also applies a three-day rule to items on his to-do list.
If something has lingered for that length of time, he either tackles it immediately (which to his surprise, often works, the item taking little time); schedules it; lets it go by deleting it; or puts it on his “some day/maybe list,” where it will usually die a slower death, since he only checks that list about once a month and, as the items age, rarely takes action.
Each day, Mr. Bregman spends 18 minutes making sure he is on the right course, a process that gives his book its name. Before he turns on his computer, he takes five minutes to schedule the items on his to-do list for the day. Every hour for his eight hours at work, his watch beeps and he takes a minute to refocus, asking himself if he is being the person he wants to be, in manner and action.
At the end of the day, he answers a series of questions: How did the day go? What successes did I experience? What challenges did I endure? What did I learn – about myself, and others? What do I plan to do – differently or the same – tomorrow? Whom did I interact with? Is there anyone I need to update, thank, ask a question of, or share feedback with?
The book is broken into short chapters (they were mostly blog postings), with charming anecdotal openings that lead seamlessly into useful messages about organizing our lives. It’s a tasty buffet, and you will want to feast on all of it, so pace yourself.
POSTSCRIPT
Instead of yammering away at his seatmate on a flight to Europe a few years ago, Neil McOstrich decided to use the eight hours at his disposal to put the lifetime of stories swimming in his head on paper, and share them with the rest of the world. Marketers are natural storytellers, and the result is a mélange of interconnected and unconnected anecdotes and observations about work and advertising campaigns. Once Upon A Plane (171 pages, $15.95) is independently published, and a reminder that sometimes such ventures are handsomely designed, with unique creative touches.
“How do I explain being let go without cause?”: This
was also in the Globe and Mail on Nov. 3, 2011. It’s
written by Cindy Gordon. There’s some
good career advice here to answer the question, but can be applicable to anyone
looking for a new career.
THE QUESTION
In the last few months of my employment, my boss and I disagreed on a number of issues. I was offered a different position at the bank, but she declined to approve me for the new post. Her advice was that I should leave the company voluntarily, or I would be terminated. I did not quit and she lived up to her word. I was offered a severance package, which I used to start my own business.
My fiancée and I are now looking to change cities, which means I would have to wrap up my business and more than likely go back to work at a bank. While I have been self-employed, I have been recruited heavily to return to the banking industry. Unfortunately, employers tend to shy away from hiring me based on my record of employment. Will I always be haunted for being terminated without cause?
THE ANSWER
Now to deal with your question: Your record of employment is a permanent document in your career file. Your résumé will show your seven years of experience at the bank, and recruiters and future employers may ask about your termination. The way you handle these questions will have a strong influence on the person interviewing you. According to a BlessingWhite Inc. study, the top reason employees give for leaving an organization is that there are no opportunities to grow or advance. A brief and concise response pointing to a lack of growth opportunities at the bank may be all you need to reply when asked about your termination.
If you move full-steam into the recruiting process, take time to reflect on these points:
Your take on what happened
Assess how you have answered questions about why you left the bank. Could you have been perceived as bitter or spiteful? Could the interviewer have seen you as someone who became hard to manage toward the end of your employment? Or do you come across with a positive, professional and ambitious outlook? Take an honest look at how you are presenting yourself and what you are communicating in the interview process, from the point of view of the potential employer.
Wear the old boss’s shoes
Think about the last few months of employment at the bank from your manager’s position. If you were her, how would the words and actions of your subordinate have made you feel? Would you have felt unsupported, threatened, challenged in any way? There may be some great learning and insight you can gain from this experience that will help you grow, and may also bring some humility into the recruiting conversation: “This is what I’ve learned from that experience and how it can help me to bring more to your business.”
Re-evaluate yourself
If you decide to look for a new job, spend some time before you start the job search evaluating who you are now. After three years of being an entrepreneur, you may have different needs and goals as an employee. Make a list of your strengths, skills and passions. Look at what is important to you and what brings you fulfilment. Use this information to help you assess your career path before you put yourself out there.
Take this opportunity to make the most out of the change you’re contemplating. Examine what you loved about working at a major bank. What is it about your own business that excites you? Learn as much as you can about the coming trends of the financial service industry. With this information, honestly assess your future career path. Is the financial service industry where you want to be? Are you best suited working for an organization or self-employed? What is important to achieve in your day-to-day work life?
Answers to these types of questions may quickly lead you to the right job.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Cindy Gordon is president of Culture Shock Coaching in Toronto.
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