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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. Is your boss refusing to give you a raise, no
matter how well you do your work. Maybe the job has no room for
creativity, and humor is ok in small doses, but not really
appreciated. Is it your own work ethic nagging at you to work
constantly? Maybe it's your spouse nagging you with money worries,
or feeling neglected.
In order for you to be a healthy, fulfilled human being, you need
these qualities in your life. Creatively bring your own suggestions
and solutions to the table. You need your sense of humor to maintain
a healthy perspective. Expressing yourself creatively is as important
as the supporting yourself financially; so brainstorm with others,
research, its up to you to find the innovative solutions. You need
the breaks, 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 it's time for YOU to change it. Consider a new job, being your own
boss, or a new affiliate program. Pride and excellence are up to YOU.
It's YOUR life.
Glenn Beach is a self-employed construction subcontractor and home
entrepreneur; see what else he's up to at:
http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com
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