Staying Organized at Work – 7 Tips

Staying Organized at Work – 7  Tips and Strategies for Increased Productivity

Staying organized at work by highly productive workers

Introduction

In the present hectic business environment, staying organized at work is essential for your success. With multiple projects, deadlines, tasks  and maybe even people to manage, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and fall behind. However, with the right strategies and tools, you can stay on top of your workload and increase your productivity.

7 Tips and Strategies for Staying Organized at Work

staying organized at work for focus and productivity

In this article, we will explore tips and strategies for staying organized at work.

  1. Prioritize Tasks
  2. Use a Calendar
  3. Create a Filing System
  4. Use To-Do Lists
  5. Take Regular Breaks
  6. Limit Distractions
  7. Delegate Tasks

Let us explore each of these 7 strategies in detail…

staying organizied at work often starts with clean workspace

1.Prioritize Your Tasks

One of the most effective ways to stay organized is to prioritize tasks. Start each day by making a list of tasks that need to be completed and prioritize them based on their importance and urgency. This will help ensure that important tasks are completed on time and prevent less critical tasks from distracting you.

2. Make Good Use of a Calendar

Using a calendar is another great way to stay organized. A calendar can help you keep track of important dates, deadlines, and appointments. It can also help you schedule your time more efficiently and avoid conflicts. There are many different calendar apps available, such as Google Calendar or Outlook, which can sync with your phone and computer for easy access.

3. Create a Filing System

Creating a filing system can help you stay organized and easily access important documents. Whether it’s physical or digital, having a system in place can save you time and prevent the frustration of searching for lost documents. Labeling folders and files clearly and consistently will also help you quickly locate specific documents.

4. Use To-Do Lists

To-do lists are a classic but effective tool for staying organized. They can help you keep track of what needs to be done and provide a sense of accomplishment as you check off completed tasks. To-do lists can be created on paper or digitally, such as on a task management app like Trello or Asana.

5. Take Regular Breaks

take breaks - one of daily routines for staying organized at work

Taking regular breaks throughout the day is essential for staying focused and productive. This may seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks can actually increase your overall productivity by preventing burnout and helping you maintain your focus. Short breaks can include taking a walk, getting a snack, or simply stepping away from your desk for a few minutes.

6. Limit Distractions

staying organized at work by avoiding distractions

Distractions can be a major roadblock to staying organized and productive. Set yourself up for success by limiting distractions as much as possible. This can include closing unnecessary tabs on your computer, turning off notifications on your phone, and finding a quiet workspace.

7. Delegate Tasks

Delegating tasks can be a great way to stay organized and increase productivity. If you have a team, consider delegating tasks to team members who are better suited for certain projects or who have more time available. This will help prevent burnout and ensure that all tasks are completed on time.

Summing Up

Become more productive by staying organized at work

In conclusion, staying organized at work is essential for success. Prioritizing tasks, using a calendar, creating a filing system, using to-do lists, taking regular breaks, limiting distractions, and delegating tasks are all effective strategies for staying organized and increasing productivity. Find the strategies and tools that work best for you and start implementing them into your daily routine for maximum success.

Flexicrew Support

Flexicrew, founded in 2008, focuses on fast and flexible staffing solutions.

HR Management AI uses Flexicrew as a staffing partner for planning and recruiting talent for the coming year

Our firm  takes pride in the role we have played supporting our associates (and certainly our clients} for 15 years. We are particularly proud of our combined accomplishments in recent years. Our professional staff has positively supported our clients with quality workers, both permanent and contract employees, and strategic insights. We offer creative and customized talent services, valuable expertise, experience, and market knowledge in finding and hiring qualified candidates.

Contact one of our professional recruiters Today to gain support in your next recruiting project.

Ready to Find an Accountability Partner?

Introduction

Find an Accountability partner for focus and productivity

Why should you find an accountability partner?  Or for that matter, what is an accountability partner?  An accountability partner could be a co-worker who supports you in keeping your business commitments or in maintaining progress on your work project goals.  An accountability partner is an effective way to motivate yourself and makes it more likely that you will achieve your business goals. But an accountability partner is not a magic bullet. It won’t solve all your problems or make achieving your goals painless.

If you understand that, then you should know that having an accountability partner can make the journey toward your goals gratifying and more seamless.

4 Signs You Are Willing to Find an Accountability Partner

Here are 4 signs that you’re ready for an accountability partner:

  1. You’re Willing to Motivate Yourself
  2. You’re Willing to Take Responsibility
  3. You’re Willing to Be Open and Honest
  4. You’re Willing to Accept Feedback

Let’s explore each one…

1.You’re Willing to Motivate Yourself

If you don’t know how to motivate yourself already, then it won’t matter how many partners you have – you’ll still struggle. The best way to learn how to motivate yourself is to study projects and tasks you’ve completed previously. For example, when you created your first product, was it the pressure of a deadline that you kept you going? The daily rewards you created for yourself after you finished each task? Study what you’ve done previously. This will give you plenty of ideas on what motivates you.

2. You’re Willing to Take Responsibility

Find an accountability partner to keep you focused on your goals

You’re not ready for an accountability partner until you can take responsibility for both your successes and your failures. It’s easy to dismiss your failures as being someone else’s fault or saying that “stuff just got in the way”. But this kind of approach means that you lack the discipline necessary to achieve your goals.

Remember it’s not an accountability partner’s job to change your career trajectory. It’s their responsibility to keep you on task and hold you accountable.

3. You’re Willing to Be Open and Honest

Are you willing to share your bad habits, your deepest dreams and your biggest fears with someone else? Your accountability partner can’t help you unless you’re willing to be transparent.

You can’t hide out from your partner.  If you fail to meet a big goal or if you encounter roadblocks that is that is their role to listen, analyze and give you the hard truth. You must be open and honest with your partner if you really want your partnership to succeed.  It may sting or make you feel miserable to disclose your faults, but if you cannot, the partnership will not work.  It will not benefit either you or your accountability partner.

4. You’re Willing to Accept Feedback

Accepting feedback about your projects and goals from someone else is never easy. It can leave you feeling uncomfortable and challenged. But that’s a good thing! If you’re too uncomfortable to share what you’re working on or won’t talk about your goals, get over it.  Otherwise, don’t try to find an accountability partner. An important element of finding an accountability partner is being confident enough to accept feedback. Even if you don’t always agree with what your partner says.

Summary

Find an accountability partner to make things happen in your career

If you find an accountability partner, it can be a beneficial relationship for both you and the other businessperson. But it’s important to remember that you’re making a big commitment when you agree to take on a partnership. That’s why you must be willing and ready to help each other succeed.  That is why you need to find an accountability partner.

Flexicrew Support

Flexicrew has advised many HR recruiters and functional hiring managers on successful recruiting methods for finding the right candidates. That reduced the chance of their making the most common recruiting mistakes.

If you would like support in recruiting your next new hire, please contact one of our professional recruiters who have many years’ experience in staffing.

 

Accountability Partners Help Co-Workers

Introduction

Accountability partners help co-workers in a different way than mentors

Accountability partners help co-workers and vice-versa. They are a terrific way to challenge yourself and let go of excuses. With an accountability partner collaborating with you it is more difficult to ignore your goals because you do not feel like completing a task or taking the next step. When you have an accountability partner you must ‘report to’ weekly or some other consistent basis, you work harder to stay on-track since you do not want to let your accountability partner down.

On the other hand, a mentor is someone who has experience and is a trusted advisor who should advise, guide, and support you in achieving your planned actions to attain your business goals. An accountability partner is someone with a focus on helping you rather than teaching you. An accountability partner should hold you accountable to your own goals.

Accountability Partners Help Co-Workers in Various Ways

Accountability partners help co-workers celebrate success

But keeping track of each other’s goals and applauding successes is not the only way. It is not the only thing that you and your accountability partners help co-workers working together. There are many ways that work associates or small business owners can help each other besides accountability and we mention 4 ways below:

  1. Brainstorming
  2. Evaluate Your Approach
  3. Creating ‘Joint Ventures’
  4. Promote Their Products
1. Accountability Partners Help Co-Workers with Brainstorming

Accountability partners help co-workers with brainstorming

Have you ever had an idea for a great project, but you just could not find a name that captured it perfectly? With an accountability partner, you can try brainstorming to produce a title that you love. Of course, your accountability partner can help you brainstorm many things besides a project name. Together, you can brainstorm ideas, strategies, etc. But remember, primarily, an accountability partner is a business peer who helps you grow by offering guidance and holding you to your commitments. While it is like a mentor relationship, both partners work to improve themselves or their business with the feedback and support of each other.

 2 Accountability Partners Help Co-Workers Evaluate Your Approach

Nothing is quite as scary as design and development of a new product, and no one understands that uncertainty and discomfort like another program manager or small businessperson. One of the ways that accountability partners can help each other is by evaluating your approach before you officially begin a project. For example, if you set up a new website, you will want someone to assess it for you.

Your accountability partner can help by evaluating your ideas and timeline and sharing their honest feedback. Your partner might tell you that your plan is faulty or point out an area where you are missing critical skills. By testing project plans and schedules for each other, you and your partner are making your outcome even better for your team and your management.

3. Accountability Partners Help Co-Workers by Creating ‘Joint Ventures’

If you have an accountability partner that you have clicked with, then it might be time to take the next step together forming an informal ‘joint venture.’ This approach works well when you have two partners that are bringing different skillsets to the table. For example, if you are experienced and proficient at HR processes and systems and your accountability partner offers IT and software complementary experience, then you could team up to initiate a new HR productivity routine that tracks and speeds up your organization’s candidate screening and recruiting activity.

4. Accountability Partners Help Co-Workers Promote Their Products

Small business accountability partners can promote each other’s products. This allows you to introduce your customers to your partner’s products or services and vice versa. Be sure to let your customers know that since you have already been accountability partners, you can vouch for their ethics and excellent customer service.

Wrap-up

If you have been accountability partners with another worker or small business owner and you have found you enjoy working together, consider other ways you could support each other. Start by having an honest conversation with your partner and telling them how you would like to further your working relationship seeing how you as accountability partners help co-workers successfully in the past.

Flexicrew Support

Flexicrew has advised many HR recruiters and functional hiring managers on successful recruiting methods for finding the right candidates. That reduced the chance of their making the most common recruiting mistakes.

If you would like support in recruiting your next new hire, please contact one of our professional recruiters who have many years’ experience in staffing.

Nighttime Work Focus Actually Better than Days

Is your nighttime work focus actually better than daytime?  Biorhythms?  Habit?

Nighttime Work Focus

Introduction

We often face tasks while at work that we cannot complete during the day. If you have low level anxiety or suffer from perfectionism you may procrastinate your work through the day. But, this is not always a problem. Then when the deadline of night comes along, your body shoots out a little cortisol and you feel alive, clear-minded and focused. Then you may start to feel a little wired as the night goes on.

Some recent research has shown that you can get more work done at night.  However, you must still get enough sleep afterwards. For night owls, this is even more true.

There are two reasons why some people are more focused and can work more productively in the evening  They are: 1. because you are more relaxed and 2. there are less distractions.

This is true not just for night owls, but for most workers in general.

Nighttime work focus means more productivity

More Relaxed at Night

At the end of the day, most workers breathe an audible sigh of relief—the major tasks are done, and your mind is free until tomorrow. For some this means that their minds shut off for the evening, but for vampires it can provide a burst of motivation.

Greater relaxation at night yields focus and productivity for work

This is because we are more relaxed if there is less expected of us at that particular time. Chances are, your boss or coworkers won’t be calling you at midnight or 3 am.

Sense of Relaxation

There is also the sense of relaxation that comes with:

  • Lack of expectation for news or communication.
    • New laws, policies, or major updates are not likely to be released at night.
  • You don’t expect to make or receive phone calls from associates or your boss.
  • There will likely not be new work assignments designated in the late evening hours.

This lack of expectations allows your mind to relax and makes you better prepared to complete work tasks efficiently.

Fewer Distractions

There is much less going on in the evening than during the day, including:

  • Minimized contact with others
  • Less outside noises
  • Fewer tasks to complete

Nightowls work focus and productivity

When you are faced with limited external stimuli, your ability to focus improves drastically. People associate the day with activities such as commuting, fitness routines, school, and work, but our nights are generally considered open. The song “Night Time, My Time” comes to mind.

The truth is that during the day, there is stuff going on all around employees at work—its inevitable to get sucked in from time to time, which diminishes your ability to focus. At night, this is a non-issue.

Conclusion

The bottom line in all of this is that nighttime work focus begins mainly for night owls, as there are some diehard morning people who are most productive in the very early hours of the morning. However, for those night-dwellers, nighttime work focus is greatly improved because of being in a more relaxed state.  They face fewer distractions that could hinder concentration.  Yet, graveyard and night shifts are a rarity.  Approximately three-fourths of U.S. workers work day jobs.  They start their workday in the four-hour span between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Yet. as remote work remains a “thing” in the future of work, employees can set their own schedule to parallel the times to work that match their most productive period.

Flexicrew Support

Does your organization need more 2nd or 3rd shift workers?  Flexicrew has willing, hard working shift candidates  available Right Now!  Contact Flexicrew Staffing today and we will quickly deliver those night owls with nighttime work focus your organization needs.

3 Reasons to Say Goodbye to Multitasking

Ban workforce multitasking   
Introduction

Why do some thoughtful companies and productive employees say goodbye to multitasking? It seems like multitasking should be a productive tool at work, right? Although multitasking may appear to be beneficial but in reality it has a serious impact on performance and productivity.  Research shows it can reduce your productivity level by almost 40%.  It also increases workers’ stress levels. This goes for everyone, including managers with busy schedules, supervisors, and ordinary personnel in the workforce. 

That’s why leading companies, big and small are training their workers to reduce or avoid multitasking.

Reasons to say goodbye to multitasking

Across the board, multitasking comes highly unrecommended. Though there are plentiful reasons why, three of the most important reasons to say goodbye to multitasking are:

  1. our brains can’t handle it, 2. it compromises work quality, and 3. it decreases efficiency. 
1.Our Brains are Incapable of Multitasking 

At the foundation of it all, our brains do not have the capacity to accurately focus on more than one task at a time. Because multitasking requires your mind to alternate between different things, it can cause your brain to malfunction.  

This means that your cognitive processes will not be as attentive or susceptible to new information. Though you may feel confident that you’re getting a lot done, in reality you are losing touch with your priorities: 

  • You may finish multiple tasks at once, but you cannot rank their importance 
  • The brain cannot give balanced values when multitasking 
  • This means that you can overlook top priorities and lose sight of objectives  
2. Compromised Work Quality 

When you are multitasking, you often become overwhelmed with your workload, and this leads to taking shortcuts. Though you may be the first to complete a task, it will severely reduce its quality. Even worse is that the more we cheat by taking these shortcuts, the more likely we are to make a habit of it.  

Another consequence of multitasking is that it kills creativity. Your mind needs a certain amount of free space in order to think in the abstract, and if you’re multitasking you won’t have any room left over. If this happens, there likely won’t be producing any innovate ideas, which is essential in worklife. 

3. Decreased Efficiency 

Finally, multitasking can have a negative impact on efficiency. Research shows that the more tasks you try to tackle at once, the less efficiently they will be completed. Because the goal of multitasking is to improve efficiency, this is very counterproductive. 

Multitasking and Stress

Consistent multitasking can really wipe out a worker, which further hinders your progress. The added stress can lead to: 

  • Inability for critical thinking 
  • Burnout (being exhausted from the constant heavy workload) 
  • Inability to problem-solve 
  • Inhibition of abstract thinking 

It is impossible to fully apply yourself to your job if you attempt to multitask, as it can wear down on your mind and body. In this state, you will become far less efficient that you would be if you tackled one at a time. 

Work smarter not harder
Conclusion  

The bottom line is that multitasking is not sustainable for several reasons. Some of these are subsequent brain impairments, decreased work quality, and reduced efficiency. Though it may be good in theory, multitasking will cause more harm than good. 

Don't be a multitasking clown

Boost Remote Work Efficiency – 4 Tips

Favorite Tips to Boost Remote Work Efficiency

This article will identify tips to boost remote work efficiency if your employer allows it or a hybrid approach during the pandemic.

While working from home, you have enough flexibility to complete your job in your own way. But this luxury sometimes kills both productivity and work-life.

A lot of people think work from home is a litmus test to your productivity.  And it requires significant amounts of motivation to perform tasks and complete them within your deadline while working at home.

Well, this is not true. You can only lose track and productivity if you do not form your basics right.

While you are working from home, you are less likely to step out of your home and follow a proper adult routine. Furthermore, you may face a lot of distractions.

This article presents some simple, but very effective tips to follow a well-organized remote work routine to boost remote work efficiency.

Boost remote work efficiency

1. What’s your favorite outfit when you are work remotely?

Pajamas, is it?

People always like to be in the comfort zone and you are probably not an exception to it.

However, you need to change that habit. You should be in proper work attire, even if you are working from home.

You need to get out of your sleep wear because it gives you the comfort and sense of freedom.

It’s not necessary to wear something formal but the act of changing clothes will give a signal to wake up and effectively get into the work mood.

2. Set up a proper home workstation:

What’s the best thing that you like about work from home? Comfort, right?

But the comfort can come at the cost of lost productivity, focus and work motivation.

Boosting remote work efficiency so you don't lose motivation

Dedicate a specific space in your home as your work station.  When you have workplace-like surroundings, your attention is bound to be in-sync with your productivity. Choose a corner of your room with natural light. Place a chair and desk there and make it comfortable enough where you can sit for long hours to do your work jobs.

3. Set Up quality technology:

Can technology boost remote work efficiency?

Maybe.

But poor internet connection or outdated systems can make your work from home experience frustrating. What happens if you are attending an important meeting via Zoom call and suddenly your internet goes off. You feel embarrassed and potentially miss out on a major discussion.

This is the reason why you should install a good internet connection and have a laptop or desktop with decent configuration. Make sure you have the latest version of the processor or operating system.

4. Maintain consistent working hours:

How often do you lose track of time while working remote? Almost everyday, right?

When your mind is completely into work, it’s quite natural for you to be unaware of how much time that has passed.

It’s not a right practice. Being a workaholic is good but make sure that you are a hard worker within your work time.  But overdoing it is not right.

You should always make a routine for your work days and working hours. You should build a routine that you can always follow.  This will generally boost your remote work efficiency regardless of the functions you perform.

To all, who are working remotely, we believe these tips would really help to boost your remote work efficiency and productivity.

Boost remote work efficiency

Flexicrew Support

Talk with the experts who have experience hiring efficient remote workers.

If your firm’s workforce  is experiencing an efficiency deficit  among remote workers, you need to change what you have been doing to attract candidates. Rewriting your job postings, implementing programmatic advertising, and contacting former applicants are effective ways to find the candidates you need to fill your remote job orders.

 

How Negativity Impacts Your Job

Have you considered how negativity impacts your job? When you have a negative mindset, it’s going to affect every aspect of your life. Your energy impacts those around you. So, if you bring a negative energy into the workplace, it’s going to have several repercussions.

Negativity Impacts Your Job

In this article, you’ll discover how negativity impacts your job. You will also see how you can start to eliminate your own negativity in the workplace.

How negativity impacts your job?

Ways Negativity Impacts Your Job

There are a lot of ways negativity can impact your job. When you have a negative mindset, it can affect your performance, work relationships, and overall wellbeing.

The trouble with negativity, is that it attracts more negativity. Therefore, if you go into work with a negative attitude, it is going to rub off on your colleagues too. This will lead to a toxic workplace where nobody is satisfied, and stress levels are increased.

Workplace negativity impacts your job

As well as impacting the work environment, a negative outlook can also cause performance issues. You may not apply for new opportunities or promotions as they arise, forcing you to miss out on a potentially better job. You will also notice your energy levels aren’t great, and the quality of your work will suffer.

These are just some of the ways negativity impacts your job. So, how can you fix it?

Ways to Become Less Negative at Work

There are ways you can reduce how negativity impacts your job and actually become a more positive co-worker. However, it might take quite a lot of effort to overcome your negative thinking.

The best ways to combat negativity at work include:

  • Identify the cause
  • Think of something you are thankful for
  • Talk to your boss
  • Distance yourself from negative colleagues
Identifying Causes of Your Negativity at Work

Identifying the cause of your negativity is crucial. There could be numerous reasons why you have a more negative attitude at work. Maybe you keep getting passed over for a raise or a promotion, or you are bored with your current role? Maybe even burned out.  Identifying the cause enables you to figure out the best ways to combat it.

Whenever you feel yourself slumping into a negative mood, think of something you are thankful for.  After all, it’s difficult to remain negative when you are thinking of something positive.

You may also find it useful to talk to your supervisor if you haven’t already. If you are dissatisfied with something on the job or a team member’s habits, let your supervisor know. Ask them for a promotion, rather than waiting for one. You could also ask them for further training opportunities and more responsibility.

If you have colleagues who are negative, make sure you distance yourself from them. It could be that others are putting you in a negative mood, so distancing yourself from them will protect your energy and your positivity. If they see you with a more positive outlook, it will also help to rub off on them too.

Workplace Negativity Root Causes

As you can see, there are several ways you can address your negativity in the workplace. Identifying the root cause is the key to finding the right solution. If you are just naturally negative, working on developing a more positive mindset will help. However, this will take time so don’t expect results overnight.

Flexicrew Support

If you think it’s just that you work for a toxic employer.  Or, if you think you alone have negative associates, maybe it’s time to quietly begin a job search.  Talk to one of Flexicrew’s professional recruiters and take advantage of their broad experience.  Or just get some feedback on your current work situation.  Call us Today.

 

Maintain Your Energy the Whole Workday – 4 Easy Ways

How can you best maintain your energy the whole workday?

You started the day ready to take on the world. From the moment you got out of bed, you’ve been thinking about all the things you’re going to accomplish on the job today. You can’t wait to get started!

Then it all falls apart. And you can’t maintain your energy the whole workday.  Something sapped your reserve of energy and your motivation to perform.

By the end of the workday, you’re grumpy and out of sorts. The day somehow derailed, and here you are, feeling like you didn’t accomplish half the things you wanted to today.

What happened?

Well, sometimes events outside work really do get in the way. The car won’t start, or the dog gets out, and you spend half the morning chasing him around the neighborhood. Unexpected events occur and get in the way. More often than not, though, you likely did what most people do: you crashed and burned. Somewhere…you just ran out of energy.

So, how do you get your energy level back?  What to do to maintain your  energy the whole workday – even on the toughest of days?

Under stress at work can't maintain your energy the whole workday

4 Easy Ways to Maintain Your Energy the Whole Workday
1. Check-in With Yourself

First of all, you need to be paying attention to your body and mind a little bit more. However, if you can catch yourself just when your energy begins to falter, you might be able to stave off a massive crash later on. Frequently when we’re dragging, it’s because we need something small, like a drink of water, a little activity, or even a small snack. These are quick and easy fixes that only take a minute. Ignore them, though, and you’re liable to lose hours out of your workday before you know it.

2. Engage in Several Daily Routines

Because we’re scrambling to sort out our workday or find the things we need, we tend to burn out energy . But, if you used a morning routine, for example, you’ll have everything near at hand right when you need it. Getting out of the door would then only takes half the energy you normally expend.  That alone will give you reserves for where you need it most. Ask yourself what parts of your day you can streamline by creating a routine and make sure to follow through with those routines as often as possible.

3. Become More Intentional to Maintain Your Energy the Whole Workday

On the other hand, too often, our workday becomes filled with little nonsense tasks which take up energy and time. Really, what is it you need to do to maintain your energy the whole workday? What actions will leave the biggest impact on the day? Put your energy where it counts most.  Be more intentional in what you’re doing. Remember, you don’t have to be the one to do everything. Delegate the non-essential tasks to keep yourself focused on what matters.

4. Get to Bed!

While a bedtime routine is a great start, pay more attention to your sleep. Create a sleep environment that is free from noise and distraction. Make sure your room is at an optimal temperature. And yes, if need be, invest in a better mattress or new pillows.  You will maintain your energy the whole workday by getting a good night’s sleep.

Maintain your energy the whole workday

Wrapping Up

To boost your energy starting today doesn’t have to take a lot of time or even forced attention. Use this list and you’ll find that your energy will improve dramatically in just a short time.  All without having to resort to great big crazy changes in your life. How easy is that?

How to Become a Better Listener to Advance at Work

Rather than become a better listener, do you tend to zone out while co-workers or even your supervisor are speaking? That makes you human. It’s something that we all do. It makes sense.  The New York Times reported that the average person’s attention span is eight seconds. Now multiple electronic distractions vie for your time and drag your attention away from the worker in front of you. It makes being a good listener pretty challenging, but it isn’t impossible.

become a better listener and advance your career

These days, employees often enter meetings or 1:1 conversations with an agenda.  And everyone’s face reflects this. So, rather than having a dialogue, it descends into two or more workers talking at each other without stopping to hear what the other person is trying to say. It will only get worse, as life grows more hectic.

You have to stop approaching discussions on the job with your agenda in mind. The goal should not be to guide, manipulate, or maneuver the exchange to your benefit. It’s about learning!  You will be a more productive team member.

Here’s 5 steps to become a better listener:

The Balance

The hint that a conversation is more about listening than speaking is the fact that you possess just one mouth, but two ears. When you talk too much, steer the topics too often, it can result in people seeing you as controlling (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03637758909390246?needAccess=true&instName=King%27s+College+London). Everyone should be able to contribute to the conversation equally. So, listen to what others have to say and consider their perspective!

Keep An Open Mind

When you try to make new information and knowledge fit with your existing beliefs of representations you become a poor listener. This can result in you jumping to conclusions and being close-minded. A study from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, demonstrated how often this occurs (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0010028581900086). Students were directed to an office they believed was serving as a sort of waiting room for the experiment they were due to take part in. However, this was part of the experiment. Once they left the office, they were directed to recall any items they’d seen while waiting in the office. They recalled many items associated with offices but were prone to falsely recall items not present simply because they were typical office items.

Focus On the Message

It is really easy to get caught up with the person delivering the message rather than focusing on the message itself. Once you view someone as a friend or foe, you tend to accept their message based on that designation. That doesn’t mean your rival doesn’t have a valid point to make or important information to share. Likewise, it doesn’t mean your friends are always right!

Eye Contact

Eye contact is an important aspect of clear communication, but how does that help you become a better listener? It’s a signal to the other person that they have your attention. You are dialed into the conversation and fully present. If your eyes are on theirs, then your eyes are not wandering and distracted by everything around you. You’ll also take more information in that way.

Ask Questions

When you ask questions relevant to the topic at hand it shows that you are listening to what the person said. It also highlights that you are considering what they have to say. The added benefit of asking questions is that it prevents miscommunication. Asking questions is a great way to check-in and ensure you are understanding the points others are making.

It’s always a good idea to pause before you respond. Take time to consider their comment before you choose to ask a question or form a response.

Summary

There are a wide variety of productivity techniques that improve your listening skills. You can learn far more from listening than you can from speaking over others or wrestling control of the conversation.  And you will gain the support of your supervisor and associates.

 

 

 

 

4 Powerful Benefits of Mini-Habits Bring Potent Change

Mini-habits too Small to Fail

If you haven’t heard of mini-habits, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Imagine making only small adjustments, and still managing to create impactful and meaningful change.

The mini-habit is just what it sounds like – it’s taking the idea that doing a whole lot of small things will eventually add up to something superb. Think, for example, of what would happen if you only read a couple of news articles every day? Before you know it, you’d have accomplished the goal of becoming more informed, and would be better able to handle discussions with co-workers about the state of your industry given the current environment.

Small habits - Big results

Change and Success

Mini-habits don’t stop there though. Not only can your mini-habit change how you get your work done, but they impact your mind and body as well.

Read on to discover 4 powerful benefits of Mini-habits.

Mini-Habits Lead to Big Results

1.You create an atmosphere of success

By setting small goals, you’re much more likely to meet them. So instead of telling yourself that you’re going to return all your phone calls promptly, you instead focus on returning the next phone call on time. That takes off the huge expectations that always felt so overwhelming in the past and left you with a feeling of failure when you couldn’t quite make it. What’s even better is that meeting these small goals means you get to where you start expecting success, which leads to the mindset that will generate that success you’re expecting.

2. You change how you view your capabilities

By accomplishing mini-goals, you start to realize that you do have the ability and power to accomplish work results. Your confidence grows, and you gain a better, more positive sense of your abilities.

3. You rediscover motivation

Motivation is sometimes hard to come by and gets used up quickly. That’s why mini-habits are important. Rather they don’t rely on motivation to accomplish projects, they grow from your willpower instead. Then as you reach those goals, you start to feel the energy of that success, which in turn creates motivation to keep going.

4. You create a series of changes that you will carry with you through your career and life

Mini-habits done daily will build up those larger habits that you’ve been trying to build all along. Like making it to work on time every day and creating almost as a by-product that habit of daily productivity that had seemed so difficult not all that long ago.

Final Thought

Mini-Habits not only change how you do work assignments but change how you think and act. By making a practice of following mini-habits, you will affect some pretty major change.