HOLDING YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE WASTED TIME AND HOW TO CHANGE IT
Lately I have been telling myself i need to do this task faster or better and just not kicking myself in the you know what to do it. due to double shifting and life at home i have been runned down.I have 5 kids and work I admit to having to manage my time different. I have started to open up myself to alternative ways of doing things. some work and some realy slow me down. its like a small child who says they dont like the food you made and never had that dish just try it you might like it. I have the will to do better at what i do and the drive to do it faster but at times i realy feel that my hands are tied behind my back because i have to wait for someone else to do their job in order to do mine and i have a hard time waiting for others to speed up what to do till then ?????
There is a difference between wasting time and having too much on the plate. The advice to make a 'to do list' is invaluable. Are there less urgent tasks that will wait? Using the list eliminates much stress and is a tool that motivates as items are crossed off.
Collin, I love the "work smarter, not harder" motto and I know a lot of other instructors do too. I think the biggest challenge is that that people are good at saying this catch phrase but not actually putting it to practice.
Dr. Melissa Read
We have been tossing around the phrase "work smarter, not harder" for a few months now but sometimes it seems like just a nice catch phrase but doesn't actually help get things done. I will say that I appreciate this course already for helping remind me that there are ways to do it!
Jarrod, I think you need to ask your co-workers for help. They can help you with some of your load and may be able to give you some ideas that may help you later. With your schedule it is very hard to do everything by yourself.
Casey, So true. The people we work with and depend on create a lot of dependencies. It's a challenge when they don't do their part, or when they are not on time. We can only move so fast when we are working in teams. My recommendation is to communicate expectations on timing to your team members clearly.
Dr. Melissa Read
Jarrod, So true. Time does not stop for us, yet if we are creative and put some thought into it, we can make it work for us.
Dr. Melissa Read
Trevor, Interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing. Yes, sometimes people will only be receptive to our help if we offer it. It's good to be proactive and ask who needs us.
Dr. Melissa Read
Ronald, Yes, part of driving change in how you manage time and stress is really getting to know you. Understanding your strengths and also your opportunities for improvement can help you get on track.
Dr. Melissa Read
I have learned that I have to know myself , and holding myself is something that i have to do.if not nothing gets done.
we all waste time somehow accepting the fact that time does not stop for you is how to get through the challenges of being on time with tasks and prioritizing what needs to happen first
I need to offer my assistance to colleagues more often. My nature assumes that asking someone if they need help is insulting to them. I need to break those chains and make sure colleagues know that I am available.
I'm on the same page. I come from a backround of hurry up and wait but do the job right in a timely manner. When you are in that mind set it is hard to slow down and when you do figure out a way to do it I feel like iI need to pick it up more but I can't because I either have to pick up where someone else left off or I am stuck in slow motion because someone else has a different pace than I do. That will leave me with to much of wasted time.
Gary, Sometimes it is better to have a little context on why people are asking you to perform certain tasks. When we understand the motivation behind the work coming into our queue, it can give us a framework for how to best get it done and help us understand the true priorities.
Dr. Melissa Read
Hello, I experience being slow and a bit behind on things others need from me from time to time. I find that when they remind me of how they use the work i do, why they need it when they do, etc, I am motivated to get things done on time. So when people communicae their needs to me, it makes me a better colleague. No one wants to be the reason someone else can't succeed at his/ her own work! -- Gary O. Ackerman
Jarrod, Sounds like you are experiencing stress from a lot of different sources. This - in part - relates to the fact that your schedule is so full that you have little margin for error. You also have so much going on. As for your challenges with waiting for others, I recommend setting expectations with people who are failing to deliver so they can better understand your needs. Give these people a clear sense of the timing you are looking for, but also why that timing is important to you.
Dr. Melissa Read
