The CELEBRATION news"E"letter
Number 23, April 2001
by Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional)
Published by Celebration Presentations
…your Personal and Professional Development Resource
The CELEBRATION news”E”letter is a monthly electronic newsletter distributed to our clients, human resource personnel, and colleagues. Laura Stack helps people leave the office earlier, with less stress, and more to show for it! Our programs provide the personal productivity, communication, and professional development skills needed to improve performance on the job and create organizational growth.
NEWS:
Only two months to go until baby James is due…and I’ve got TWENTY programs to present between now and then. This begs the question: what made me accept these engagements six months ago, knowing I was going to have a baby soon? Hmmm, this must be a new story for my balance speech! Do I know how to give myself a break and not be so driven? Do I know my own personal limits, or do I just encourage others to know theirs? I’m so sleep deprived right now, especially with the other two kids and the business, I’ll give new meaning to the phrase “talking in my sleep.” Good thing my husband John is one of the new “enlightened” daddies AND works for our company. I know not every woman is so lucky to have the help I do. So keep your fingers crossed for me that I don’t deliver a speech and a baby at the same time!!!
IN THIS ISSUE:
· Article: “Productivity and The Victim Mentality”
· Time Tips and Traps
· Words of Wisdom
· Featured Program: NEW! “Moving at the Speed of Life…How Fast are YOU? Mastering Personal Productivity”
ARTICLE: “Productivity and The Victim Mentality”
Pairs of dogs were placed one at a time in a room with a shock-grid floor. One dog from the pair could do something to turn off the shock; the other could do nothing. When first shocked, both dogs jumped, yelped, and ran around frantically. In an effort to escape, the dog in the “controllable” situation knocked a level, turning off the shock. This dog learned quickly. Every time the dog was put in the room, it quickly ran to the level to turn off the shock.
In the “uncontrollable” situation, there was nothing the second dog could do to turn off the shock. Just like the first dog, it tried to figure out how to turn off the shock, until the dog learned it was helpless. Then the dog gave up, lay down on the floor and took it. The dog no longer even tried to escape.
Later, the dog that had learned it was helpless was put into the room with the level for turning off the shock. But the dog still just lay on the floor and took the shock. Even when the door was left wide open, the dog did not attempt to escape—it just lay there. Even though the situation had changed, the dog had learned that it was helpless and continued to act as a victim. It stopped trying and its motivation to escape was gone.
That is such a sad story, and a similar thing happens to humans. When things happen to us often enough, they take on a life of their own and become excuses. We convince ourselves that this is the existing condition; this is just the way it is; I am a victim of the situation; there is nothing I can do about it.
I often hear people bemoan something like the following:
· I can’t take lunch, because I don’t have time to eat
· I can’t go to sleep just yet, because I need to catch up on the house
· I need to work late each night, because that’s the only time people don’t interrupt me
· I can’t plan tomorrow, because I don’t have time today
· I can’t keep up with my email, so I’m going to stop figuring out how to do it
We blame our companies, the world, and other people for our condition and lack of productivity. But in the end, I’ve discovered there is nothing else to blame for your condition but yourself.
I’ve gone into companies to do training and discovered that it’s the norm to work until 7:00 p.m. or so. After digging deeper, I soon discovered that there wasn’t a lot of work going on until about 10:00 a.m. People would think, “Oh well, I’m going to be here until 7:00 anyway,” so they were unproductive most of the morning. The corporate culture at these companies were actually encouraging people to be unproductive, instead of getting to business first thing and leaving at 5:00 p.m. So you buy into it, “accept” it, and train yourself to be unproductive. Or you complain about the people interrupting you, but do nothing to try and prevent it. You just sit there, steam, seethe inside, and take it on the pretense that “I don’t want to be rude.”
How about the “lack of time”? Is that really a problem? I hear that so often that I’ve given it some serious thought. Let’s say that I could magically give you more time and create a 30-hour day? Would that solve the productivity problem? No, because soon your 30-hour day would become just as full. You would still have a pile of projects to start or finish, books to read, places to go, and things to do. By definition, there will always be more things to do than there is time to do it. YOU WILL NEVER GET IT ALL DONE! And acknowledging that fact, for many people, is a relief. It forces us to concentrate on the critical few, less urgent things on the proverbial “to-do” list and figure out how to simplify, streamline, delegate, eliminate, or reduce our standards on the trivial, less important activities.
You don’t have to accept your situation, your craziness, and your lack of productivity. You can change it! Commit to changing your mindset, setting limits and taking personal responsibility for your own productivity. If you need coaching or training, get it!
TIME TIPS AND TRAPS
· Instead of watching television, why not read a good fiction or non-fiction book; write a letter; engage in a hobby or craft; call a friend or someone in need of encouragement on the phone; network on your computer; go out to an ethnic restaurant, a home show, an entrepreneurial show, a musical recital, a play, a fitness class, a cultural event, to the park with your kids. Take an art or photography class or something you’ve always wanted to know more about.
· Life is full of delays! Instead of steaming when the doctor is an hour late, put this time to work for you. Create a folder of reading material and correspondence and keep it with you. Grab it before you leave the office or house. When you’re in stuck a traffic jam, waiting for a lunch date, or sitting in the car before soccer practice ends, you can get something done. It’s a great way to keep your stress level low and your productivity high.
· Sometimes a change of scenery can be a real productivity booster. The next time you need a block of uninterrupted time to finish a report or research a project, move into an empty office or book a conference room. If your schedule permits, you may choose to work at home or at a local library for a couple of days. A change of scenery not only curbs interruptions, it also gives you a fresh perspective.
WORDS OF WISDOM
“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” --- Albert Einstein
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” --- William James
“Each yesterday, and all of them together, are beyond our control. Literally all the money in the world can’t undo or redo a single act you performed. You cannot erase a single word you said; can’t add an “I love you,” “I’m sorry,” or “I forgive you,” not even a “thank you” you forgot to say.” ---Denis Waitley
FEATURED PROGRAM: “Moving at the Speed of Life…How Fast are YOU? Mastering Personal Productivity”
Does the speed of the new economy leave you feeling tested, bested, toasted, and roasted? Are you looking for something to pick you up, slow you down, and put a smile on your face? We are competing in a race where there’s no “speed limit.” So you must move quickly, then know when and how to slow down. This uplifting, content-rich program offers tips and ideas from “The Productivity PRO” on performing at your matchless best!
Course Objectives:
· Discuss the Causes of Overload in the Workplace
· Determine if You Are a Workaholic
· Learn How Humor Makes You Healthy
· Discover Your Energy Prime Times
· Work with Your Brain Works to Increase Output
· Reduce “Desk Rage” and Small Irritations that Sap Productivity
· End Multi-Tasking and Concentrate on Your Work
· Understand the Importance of Planning to Productivity
· Prioritize and Schedule Your Day Despite Chaos
· Address Timewasters in Your External Environment
· Establish Appropriate Boundaries Necessary to Gain Control
· Discover the Importance of Diet, Exercise, Quiet, Leisure, and Sleep
· Stop Procrastination (We’ll Discuss This Last)
CONTACT US
Visit Celebration Presentations on-line!
http://www.LauraStack.com
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