Category Archives: Stress

Procrastinating? 4 Steps to Stop!

07 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Stress, Time

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Procrastination - Thief of Time

We ALL procrastinate now and then, and it’s nothing more than the time gap between when we decide to do something and when we actually take action.  A big part of procrastination is not knowing where to start or how to organize what you need to do.

Here are some common procrastination problems and solutions:

  # 1 – You Just Don’t Want To  (Let’s face it, some things just aren’t fun.)

Solution:  Establish a reward for yourself.    Schedule a beginning and ending time for what needs to be done,  and then take yourself out for an ice cream or another other treat.    Call a friend and schedule to have coffee or do something fun with them.  Let them know that THEY are your motivation to make sure that YOU are successful!

# 2 – You Don’t Know Where to Start (Example:  Preparing to move a student or yourself home at the end of a year at college)

Solution:  Google It!   Almost any problem you meet, someone else has already faced!  Save time and Google your way to solutions.  There are pages of websites about students moving back home.

# 3 – You’re Overwhelmed (Example:  Moving, again)

Solution:  Break down the problem into “do-able” tasks and make a list:

1.   A date to pick up boxes and newspapers or other items needed for packing.
2.   A list of items that be packed away first (winter clothes, etc.)
3.   A list of items which should be packed last.
4.   Which utilities must be notified?

# 4 – Lack of Motivation (Example:  Cleaning Closets)

Solution:  Find a friend who is also struggling to get motivated.

If you have work to do at home, plan a time to phone and catch up while you’re both sorting drawers, closets and doing general cleaning.

If you live nearby, maybe you can share the burden by helping each other. Windows will go a lot faster if you have a friend with you!

Listen to music, podcasts or an audio books while you clean or sort belongings

If you’re interested in making more out of your time, check out this earlier post on “Time Robbers”.

Off the Office Hamster Wheel in 5 Easy Steps

29 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Planning, Stress, Time, Work Space

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Hamster in Orange Wheel

The definition of a hamster wheel is when someone just keeps running in circles (and making the same mistakes) instead of progressing.

A bit of planning can get you off that wheel and help you to feel better about your mornings.  Review again at the end of the day and organizing is just as important.

Here are 5 easy steps to get control and off the wheel: . . .

Emails – Instead of phone calls (unless it’s an immediate need), send an email.  This will help you AND others to save time.  In addition, I color-code emails to clearly see the status.  After sending an email with a request, I move it back into my “Inbox” and tag it with GREEN.  When receiving an email with a request, I tag it in RED and it shows as an outstanding item.

Voicemail – Unless you’re in customer service, you probably don’t have to answer every call. If possible, block out time to let calls go to voicemail so that you can concentrate on specific projects or tasks.  Even better, close your office door and cut other distractions.

Reducing Paper – A multi-page scanner is a great investment.  Scan correspondence, invoices, receipts, contracts, etc.  You will save filing space and it’s a faster way of sharing information with others.   Make sure you have a logical filing system on your computer or server to find what you need later and don’t forget to back up the files!

Task Lists – These are necessities.  If you don’t have a structured system, develop it now.  If you have one, ask yourself “How effective is this?”   “Can I clearly see the priorities?” “Do I have due dates and times associated with each task?”

End of Day – set an alert to sound 1 hour before the end of your work day.  This will give you time for the following:

  1. Find a good “stopping place” for what you’re currently working on.
  2. Review unchecked voice mails and emails and add them to your task list by priority
  3. Tidy up your desk and physical surroundings for the next morning.

The hamster called, he wants his wheel back and you don’t need it anymore.

Hamster Wheel for Sale

The Instant Stress Reducer

09 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Stress, Time

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ZZ - Blog - Stress & Lists - STRESS GAUGE

We’re all overwhelmed with this fast-paced “Do-It-All and Do-It-Now Lifestyle”.  Call it “stress”, “anxiety” or “pressure”, most of us are feeling it.  We struggle to fall asleep and then to wake up.  We wrestle and worry about what has to be done tomorrow and what we may have forgotten to do yesterday.  As a result, we suffer from tension headaches, high blood pressure and poor diets.

The real problem is that we haven’t identified the necessary from the optional. When when we pinpoint the critical needs and responsibilities, we’re able to focus on problem-solving.  Once the critical has been identified, it needs to be written down! Because when we identify and list our priorities we permit ourselves to push the “non-essentials” to another time.  In turn, we may find ourselves feeling less overwhelmed and more in control.

When we make a list, we are able to comprehend the priorities, everything becomes more manageable. 

People who want to appear clever rely on memory.  People who want to get things done make lists.

 

7 REASONS WHY LISTS WORK & HOW THEY BENEFIT YOU:      

  1.  Stress – Lists reduce stress levels as they help us to feel in control.  We organize what is otherwise overwhelming and bring order to chaos.

2)  Our Brains – They’re good for the brain as it gives us clarity.  We’re now able to focus our minds and process the information we are receiving.

3)  Accomplishment – We get a feeling of accomplishment and this positive feeling of completion encourages us to start another task.

4)  Reminders – Lists tell us what we have done and what we have left to do.

5)  Options – They give us opportunities to ask ourselves: “Are there things on my list I can “outsource” to others?”  “Do I have to do all of this myself?”

6)  Moods – If we write down what needs to be done we’re able to tackle different tasks at different times based upon how tired we are physically, mentally and/or emotionally.

7)  Problem Solving – When we create lists, we automatically consider how we can tackle big tasks by breaking them down into manageable parts.

ZZ - Blog - Stress & Lists - Keep Calm & Make a List