Tips To Stay On Track When Not In Mood .... Part 2

4.    Just Open the Document - Our resistance to work is a funny thing … it can feel huge, but it starts to vanish as soon as we take the tiniest action towards getting something done. One really simple tip is to open the document which relates to the work you’re putting off. Just open up that report, or that email.

Once it’s on the screen in front of you, you’re already getting yourself into the mood to work on it. If you’re still struggling, tell yourself that you’ll spend five minutes working. Set a timer if you have to. As soon as you get going, it’ll get easier.

5.    Do the Very Best You Can - When you don’t feel like working, it’s easy to tackle everything half-heartedly, doing the bare minimum to scrape by. Unsurprisingly, this doesn’t do much for your motivation; you end up feeling vaguely dissatisfied with what you’ve done.

Instead, resolve to do the very best on the piece of work you’re tackling, however mundane or unimportant it seems. Even if no-one else ever notices, you will know that you gave it your best shot, and you’ll be proud of yourself for that.

6.    Promise Yourself a Reward - Finally, if nothing about your work itself can motivate you, then try a bribe! Promise yourself a treat if you get through those three tasks on your list, or if you finish this one piece of work which has been hanging over you.

You might decide to take the rest of the day off (which encourages you to work faster rather than procrastinate) . You might go to your favorite restaurant for lunch. You could treat yourself to a new CD or book which you’ve been meaning to buy. Rewards can be hugely motivating – give it a go.

Concluded

Tips To Stay On Track When Not In Mood .... Part 1

We all have times when we’re just not in the mood to get on with work. Perhaps we’re feeling tired or apathetic, or weeks of stress have finally caught up with us. Maybe we’re just having a hard time staying on task – Facebook, Twitter, web comics and other distractions seem, well, more distracting than usual.

So how can you stay on-task and on-track when you don’t feel like working?

1.    Do Something Else! - Okay, it’s not always possible – but how about doing something else instead? If you’re trying to force yourself to work on your small biz at the weekend and you’re feeling fed up, then the best solution may well be to simply take a break.

You can end up wasting a lot of energy by pushing yourself on by sheer willpower … when, in fact, it may be the case that your brain and body really need a break.

Of course, this isn’t an option in your average job (no boss wants to hear “sorry, I wasn’t in the mood to work today”) but if you have flexible hours or work for yourself, pay attention to early signs of fatigue or burnout.

2.    Make a (Short) List of Tasks - A sense of overwhelm is often at the root of our work problems. If you’re struggling to work because you don’t know where to begin, sit down and write a short list of things which you want to get done today. Try to keep it to just three or four items.

Once you have a list in front of you, you may well find your resistance to work melts away. It’s easy to knock off the tasks on a list; it’s hard to cope with that sense of having far too much work and nowhere near enough time.

3.    Focus on How You’ll Feel Later - Often, we end up procrastinating because it’s easier to play a flash game rather than get on with work. The problem is, procrastination inevitably leads to feelings of frustration, guilt or irritation – we know we’ve wasted time.

Instead of thinking about how you feel right at this moment (bored or fed-up with work) think about how you’ll feel in a few hours time if you get that work done. You’ll probably be relieved, satisfied, proud of yourself. Focus on getting through your work so that you can end the day on a high note.

To be Continued....

Manage the Boss - Part 3

3. Consistently look for ways to add value. This is a really simple rule. Bosses are more likely to listen if you speak in “can-do” language, and you are organised, and sound enthusiastic and eager to deliver results.

Look ahead when discussing a project, rather than dwelling on what’s already occurred. Follow through on promises. And adopt a “no-excuses” policy. Failing to produce results almost guarantees a boss will doubt your abilities. So, if you haven’t quite achieved what you set out to do – rather than saying what you’ve not been able to do, start with what you have achieved; be specific about what barriers there were, and summarise your plans to get back on track.

Your boss has pressures of his own. Don’t add to them.

To Be Continued ...

Manage the Boss - Part 2

2. Anticipate and address a boss’ concerns.  The trick here is a technique from what we call Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and is about being able to see the different “perceptual positions” around an issue. Put simply this means seeing something through someone else’s eyes, so you understand their thoughts, feelings, worries and perspectives.


An obvious way is to ask them! And we’d definitely encourage you to fnd the right opportunities to do just that. However, sometimes there’s neither time, nor is it appropriate. So what do you do then? You put yourself in their shoes. And when we say in their shoes – we mean wearing their shoes and looking through their eyes! This is not how you would feel in their shoes. You’re not them!


So, this is easier said than done. But here’s a few killer questions to ask yourself:


What will my  boss be anxious about?


What do his bosses expect of him?


How does what I do to help him/her look good?


If I/we do “x”, what might he/she be concerned about?


By answering these questions you’ll be much clearer about what you need to do to both pre-empt and address their concerns. It also significantly increases their perception you really understand where they are coming from, which in turn significantly  strengthens the trust and relationship between you.








To Be Continued ....

Handling Difficult Relationship With Boss - Part 2

Yesterday we learnt about what are the DON'T towards handling a difficult relationship with the Boss, today we take a look at the DO's....

DO's

• Get perspective. Try to understand why they are behaving like they are, suggests Walker. "Have they just moved, or are they coping with the strain of a big new mortgage or are they worried about their position? If you can tell yourself their behaviour isn't your fault, it's a basic first step to getting control back. Reeves agrees: "If you can't resolve the problem, get out. Even in this economy, you don't need to work for a psychopath."

• Try to talk directly to them. "Speak from your own perspective, using phrases like 'I feel', instead of accusatory 'you' expressions," says Reeves. Body language is important, says Walker. "Bad bosses find it harder to intimidate people who appear confident. Confidence is like a muscle, the more you exercise it the stronger it gets."

• Document everything – you never know when it may come in handy.

• Try to find an ally to confide in and guide you through. "It could be a supervisor or board member," says Reeves. "But you need to go higher up the food chain ; don't ask a colleague."

Concluded

Handling Difficult Relationship With Boss - Part 1

For most people, the logical first step towards dealing with a work problem is to approach your manager. But what if your manager actually is the problem? A recent survey from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) revealed that almost half of UK workers say they have left a job because of bad management.

"It's not surprising it is such an issue," says Ruth Spellman, the CMI's chief executive. "We invest less in our managers than our global competitors, and it shows. Most individuals never set out to manage people, and have not been trained to do so."

But walking out of a job is easier said than done, especially in the current economic climate. So what can you do to minimise the impact of a difficult relationship with your boss?

Don't

• Lose your temper in front of your boss or colleagues. Jill Walker, author of Is Your Boss Mad? says: "A trick I once used, at the moment of extreme mad boss's madness, was to gently approach them and ask if I could get them a cup of tea – if you teach them how they should be behaving, it can be utterly disarming."

• Let your work slide. Make sure things are getting done, even if your boss is a terrible manager. "Maintain a track record for efficiency and get others to pick up the slack if the boss is not doing their job," says Ellen Reeves, author of careers guide Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? But don't do things your boss tells you to do if you know they are unethical, illegal or unfair," warns Walker. "It's you that will end up in trouble – and it's you that will be unhappy,"

• Suffer in silence. "As far as I know we only have one life, so don't waste yours being abused by a nasty, incompetent boss," says Reeves.

To Be Continued ....