Wow! We can’t get around it the holidays are staring us smack-dab in the face. We’ve entered that frenetic season we all look forward to and simultaneously dread. It is the time of year where we face non-stop juggling as our business “to-do” list and our personal “all that I must get done to have a Merry Christmas” agendas crash into one another. What’s a body to do?
I offer you these three tips…
Multi-Tasking The Good and the Bad: Certainly there’s a place for juggling in today’s increasingly frenzied environment; however, don’t deceive yourself that this is a winning formula or you’ll find yourself becoming overstressed and further behind the eight-ball.
Multi-tasking is a terrific idea when you’re on a phone call holding and reading an email. Or at home, while your family catches up as you share dinner preparations.
But in most cases, research shows multitasking is a myth, and it increases the amount of time you employ finishing your original task by an average of 25 percent.
I am not suggesting you should doggedly work through every pursuit until complete. I am saying some activities would benefit from consistent, uninterrupted concentration. When you’re entirely present in each moment, you’ll be producing better outcomes with less time, effort and stress.
Take a Break: Now, you probably think I’ve seriously gone off the rails: “Take a break in the midst of all I have on my plate? You’ve got to be crazy.” It may seem counterintuitive; however, start taking breaks every 90 minutes, because they will produce:
- 30 percent higher level of focus;
- 50 percent greater capacity to think creatively;
- 46 percent higher level of health.
Tony Schwartz explains it best: “The core problem with working longer hours is that time is a finite resource. Energy is a different story.” This mindset shift will boost your energy while fueling heightened production.
The Power of “No”: Are you finding yourself overwhelmed with too much to do and too little time to accomplish it all? I know how busy your schedule is, but some of these feelings may unconsciously originate from you. How good are you at saying “no?”
If “no” isn’t your strong suit, the first step in “no” training is to stop yourself from automatically saying “yes.” Then, take a deep breath to halt your instinctive “yes” response, as you’re charged with carrying out tasks, or you load-on yet another activity to your “to-do” list; and in that pause, ask a couple of questions.
- Am I the only one who can do this?
- Is this project more important than what I’m currently slated to work on?
If the answer to these two questions is “yes” go for it, but if the answer is “no,” you know what to do. Enjoy the extra time.
I hope you’ve received at least one new concept that will have you savoring the season. But please don’t take this new commitment on like 58 percent of people do, who say there is a gap between what they say is essential in their life and how they live. If you do, you’ll miss the gift of boosting your energy, increasing your productivity with less stress and a sense of a job well-done whether professionally or personally.
