Simplifying Success Tips for the Job

I have read a few statistics that say the average worker in America is only productive for 4 hours out of the typical 8 hour day. At first I denied the validity of those figures; that is until I did some investigating myself. It seems that the other 4 hours is spent being on hold, in non-productive meetings, waiting for someone, daydreaming, in non-work related conversation, reading non-work related magazines, surfing the internet for non-work related information and sending and reading person email.

If you want to stop staying late or taking work home and put yourself in a position for advancement and/or a raise, you must make sure you are as productive as possible at work.

We generally don't lose hours during the day, they are easy to track; it's the minutes that sneak up on us. Check that 1 video on Youtube and before you know it, 1 leads to 2 which leads to 3 and before you know it 20 minutes pass by. It's the person that say's "Hey! Do you have a minute?" and 15 minutes they are still talking and still haven't said anything of value. It's the 1 hour meetings that have so many rabbit trails with no agenda that they always turn into 2. It's the innocent conversation that started out about the Balloon Boy and ended up being about then show Wife Swap.

If you want to Simplify your Success on the job remember this; it's not only about doing the right thing. It's about the right person, doing the right thing, the right way, at the right time.

This is where the rubber meets the road and serious people get moving while the dreamers and talkers wimp out.

1. When you are in a meeting that is going nowhere, either ask to facilitate it so it can get back on track or ask if you can be excused to get some work done. By tactfully helping the meeting stay on track you will not only benefit from it, so will everyone else.
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3. Make it a policy to do all personal internet related tasks on your lunch hour only. Make sure you have a personal email address outside of the one for work and do not mix the two. Send a notice to all of your personal contacts explaining that in order for you become as efficient as possible you will no longer be taking personal email at work. (I will cover email efficiency in a future post)
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5. Whenever you realize you are in a conversation that is going nowhere, politely excuse yourself. There are way too many people at work that love to waste time and want company. Don't fall for it.
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7. Become a Get-it-Done-List fanatic. Make a list of all the tasks that you must get done during the day. These are the ones you would have to stay late or take home if you don't get them done on time. Work on these first, making sure you don't do anything else while you still have one of these high priority tasks undone. Knocking these out first will also give you the freedom to get a jump on the next day's work, giving you comfortable room for unexpected tasks
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9. Look for and remove all distractions. TV's, a desk facing a window, the gossipers and story tellers. Understand that those items steal time and productivity from you. Make sure it is worth it.

Most people seem to get 5 times the work done the day before they go on vacation than any other time of the year. Hmmm. I wonder why?

"When you are at work, work. When you are at play, play. When you are at home, be home. If you are going to take the time to do something, give it your all. What you get out of anything is in direct proportion to what you put into it!"
Make it a fantastic productive day!

Bob.

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