|
Seven
Ways to Improve Performance This Week
Everyone
talks about peak performance. We spend billions in pursuit
of it. All too often, however, we skip over the simple yet
effective things we can do to improve our performance. With
that in mind, let me offer a mini-course in performance
improvement that will cost no money, and take very little
time to complete.
Get
Rested
Ever heard the advice to purchase a car built on a Tuesday,
Wednesday or Thursday? That's because of the historic poor
quality of units built on the first and last days of the
week. Would it surprise you to know that it's the same in
other industries? Or that in developing countries, the situation
is worse because the work conditions are worse?
The
lack of proper rest is responsible for more lost productivity
and diminished quality of work than any other single factor.
Therefore it only makes sense to resolve this issue first.
Everyone needs adequate rest in order to perform at their
best. Make sure you're getting enough for your needs. If
you are having difficulty sleeping well through the night,
talk to your health care professional about relaxation techniques,
such as mediation, evening yoga or tai chi routines, perhaps
even a cup of warm milk. If you have any medical problems
interrupting or otherwise negatively affecting your sleep,
deal with them.
For
those who must work long hours on the job or in the home
(or both!), here's a trick I've learned: Time your sleep
to your sleep cycles. Each sleep cycles takes about ninety
minutes to complete. When you are at or near the end of
a cycle when you wake up, you automatically feel more alert
than if you woke up somewhere else in the timeline. Further,
there are certain spots in the timeline that are extremely
difficult to overcome at waking. That's why a person can
wake up from nine or more hours of sleep and still feel
unrested.
If
I know I can't get a full seven and a half hours, I'll set
my alarm to wake up in about six. I add fifteen to twenty
minutes as my time to go through my preparation to sleep
and drifting off. Then, if I have extra time in morning,
I can use it as I wish, either working or doing something
restorative to set the tone of the day.
Lose
the Stress
Stress kills. Stress also seriously affects your work, again
in terms of both quality and quantity. Get rid of it. I
don't care how, and I don't know exactly what's going to
work for you. It's up to you to figure out the techniques
that will do the most good in your life.
For
many people, this solution can be as simple as getting enough
exercise, or meditating for a half-hour at the end of the
work day. For others it may also include learning how to
leave work "at the office" instead of mentally
carrying it home.
Many
people suffer under stress due to money concerns or other
personal factors. If you're one of these, first identify
the areas of concern, then deal with them. Create a plan
to address your finances or other issue, then implement
it. Moving forward, if the same old stressors enter your
thinking, remind yourself, "I'm working my plan,"
and let it go.
Each
reader will require a different approach that directly addresses
their unique situation. Regardless, you can start today
doing something about it.
Clean
Your Room
Sounds silly, doesn't it? But the ancient Asian saying that
a messy desk reflects a messy mind is true! So clean it
up. And clean the rest of the room while you're at it. Take
everything on your desk and make one tall pile. Start at
the top and take each item in turn. If the item requires
an action, write it down on a pad of paper. Place the item
in the proper file - even if that's a Current Activities
folder - and go to the next.
If
no action is required, file the item or throw it out, depending
on whether or not you'll ever need it again. When you get
to the bottom of the file, you should have three things:
1.
A list of tasks to complete, which you can now prioritize
and work through till completion.
2. A cleared desk-top which you can now dust, then keep
clear moving forward.
3. A full trash can which can now be emptied, taking a lot
of mental clutter out with the rest of the garbage.
From
that point on, make a promise that you will spend a few
minutes at the end of each day doing a shortened version
of this process. If you do, you will instantly gain a measure
of productivity, and your desk will be as ready for work
as you are every morning.
Clean
Your Files
This goes for hard copy and computer files. Getting rid
of unnecessary files and properly organizing everything
that's misplaced will make it easier to find what you need.
(If you do a disk defragmentation afterwards, it may also
speed up your computer.) If you think you may need a "dead
file" somewhere down the road, put it in a cold storage
file drawer, or the electronic equivalent. But get it out
of your way!
Shorten
Your Meetings
If your meeting goes for more than an hour, everyone involved
begins to have the same problem: Brain Fatigue. Separate
the wheat from the chaff and deal with the grain only. Set
clear, concise agendas that are tightly focused on a single
issue. Prepare by trading documents and other information
before the meeting so everyone is ready to go.
For
many types of meetings, here's a way to keep it short: do
it standing up. Seriously. You'd be amazed how quickly a
bunch of meeting geeks will get through the agenda if they
have to stand the entire time. (For software types and certain
other people, taking away their Cheetos® and caffeine
helps immensely as well!)
Reduce
Your Meeting Schedule
Ever heard (or made) the comment that so-and-so can't ever
get anything done because they're always stuck in a meeting?
I'm fairly certain that certain corporations only exist
to hold meetings. So before you schedule or accept a meeting
on your calendar, ask yourself if you really have to carve
out time for an official face-to-face. Often, you can address
the issue without a meeting. Be tough in your assessment,
and stingy with your time.
Get
a (New) Job
I've saved the most controversial tip for last, but it may
well be the most important one, at least for some readers.
If you don't honestly enjoy what you do, you will not do
it well. The best way I know to bring all my talents to
bear, to invest my real passion, is to love what I do. If
you are genuinely interested in achieving peak performance,
find a position involving your best talents and skills,
one that engages your passion, in an environment that will
allow you to thrive. Find a job that you leave with this
thought in mind: That was fun! I can't wait to get back
to it tomorrow.
I've
walked away from large salaries because I couldn't stomach
the work and/or work environment. There have been other
times when I've worked for far less than I'm worth because
I believed in what I was doing. Doing so has never done
serious financial harm, but I'll admit there are times when
it can be difficult.
For
some, there will be intermediate steps required before they
can leave their current position for another one. It may
be necessary to reduce one's debt load and tighten the budget.
Additional training may be needed in order to pursue a path
of real passion. You can't execute the plan until you have
one, however. The first step, then - and the one you can
make in a week - is to give serious consideration to your
situation, and what (or how) you want to change. Then, it's
back to Baldwin's Prime Directive of Business: Plan the
Work. Work the Plan.
Conclusion
I told you in the beginning that these ideas were simple.
They are still effective, however, and are not beneath your
consideration. If you aren't achieving peak performance,
think long and hard about these simple suggestions. Then,
take each one in turn, deal with it, and get back to work!
Permission
to Reprint
Permission
is hereby granted to use this article for e-zines and web sites, as long as
the complete following statement is included at the beginning or end of the
article:
Lane Baldwin
is an authority on humanistic management and servant-leadership. During his
twenty-five year career, he has worked with businesses of all sizes - from mom-&-pop
shops to Fortune 500 companies - helping them increase profits, enhance customer
and employee retention, and enjoy greater fulfillment at work. If you're ready
to push your businesses into overdrive, learn more at LaneBaldwin.com.
|
