Todo items into events.
If you find your self overwhelmed with number of meeting verses the amount of work you need to do, then you need to take back the control. Instead of the calendar dictating the day, you need to start defining your calendar and availability. One of the easiest way to ensure you have enough time to do whatever you need to do, is by converting your todo into events on your calendar. Having your tasks as calendar events can help you prioritize, stay focus and become productive.
Don’t waste time waiting.
From waiting in line to riding the elevator, and from office meetings to doctors appointments, it’s impossible to avoid waiting for someone or something or other variations of delays. But you don’t need to twiddle your thumbs while waiting.
Equip your self with a smart phone or a tablet, and use this time to be productive. Its important to remember that anything in moderation is healthy. YES, this too can become an addiction. So ONLY do this at the time when human interaction is imposable. To maintain a healthy balance, along side work related tasks mix up personal and family related tasks in these windows as well.
One minute rule for email.
Immediate response or an acknowledgement accompanied with a followup is one of the most powerful and influential arrow in managers quiver when used persistently. Everyone appreciates instant response, even if it’s just to know the delay to their request.
Filter what you write for public scrutiny
While this advice is beyond obvious, its most often over looked. When expressing or communicating through writing, we often forget, writing leaves a trail. While we would like to believe otherwise, written trails are publicly shared more often then their composers think.
Emails, instant messages, social statuses, comments and SMSs are not the place for confidential, serious or confrontational issues. Have the difficult, emotional and expressive conversations in-person rather then in writing.
Similar to spelling and grammar checks, review what you write from the perspective of others. Below are some generic perspectives to further illustrate this point:
- Current / past / future boss or employer: Be ready for your boss to forward your writing to rest of the organization to either promote you or to get you fired. Make sure, your writing is in compliance with your bosses expectation of your communication.
- Spouse, kids, and family: Be ethical and don’t go against your personal beliefs.
- Friends / future opponent: Do not trade confidential information. Be ready for your writing to be used against you.
- Opponent / future friends: Do not go beyond the point of no return. Give people the benefit of the doubt and a way out.
- Complete strangers: Have enough context to avoid dependencies in between conversations and to eliminate any misunderstanding in your point of view. While putting enough context, make sure to not over do it, and annoy people who were already aware of the context.
Improving your verbal communication, while capturing the moment of clarity.
Often as I am driving from or to work, I experience small burst of clarity for existing problems or perspectives. You probably get this too, when you are in the zone. Its your unconscious mind sputtering processed responses. These responses are often worth recording. In my case, its hard (and unlawful) to text and drive, thus I been using voice mails to leave my self messages with raw thoughts. With this trick, besides capturing the essential thoughts with their emotions and tone intact, you can accomplish more then just recording of your notes.
