REFLECTION: More than one study has confirmed that backlogs are an everyday fact of life in today’s overcommitted workplaces – not to mention on the home and community fronts. Despite the fact that we have an inordinate number of irons in the fire at any one time, that doesn’t seem to prevent us from adding more.
Personally, I’ve got a tall stack of books waiting for my attention. That hasn’t stopped me from firing off orders to Amazon or Chapters for yet another interesting volume or two. I’ve got a number of articles partly written, and program ideas partially developed. That doesn’t stop me from grabbing another scrap of paper and scratching out a few thoughts about yet another fresh idea. Over the years, I’ve registered a number of web domain names that seemed like an inspired idea at the time, and then let them languish for lack of attention.
REFLECTION: Last week marked a significant change in my extended family, as my parents moved from their home on the farm into a brand new residence in Saskatoon. My Dad was born in that farmhouse 85 years ago. He lived and worked there for most of his life. My Mom joined him on the farm when they married 60 years ago.
Together they raised a family of six girls, who eventually brought home husbands, grandchildren and more recently great-grandchildren. This last December, 29 of us gathered in that small one-bathroom farm house – all very much aware of the significance of one more Christmas at the farm. The roots run deep and the memories run wide.
The relocation was in the works for a few months. That time was filled with plenty of planning, choosing and deciding. Recent weeks were especially rich in emotion – as years of memorabilia was sifted and sorted – and everyone faced the now near and new realities of a change of place.
We’re definitely not alone in facing change. Every single one of you is dealing with or has dealt with changes of one kind or another – jobs, relationships, living situations, and more. (more…)
PAUSE – 11.04 – Trust The Process
January 25, 2011
REFLECTION: This year, 2011, marks my 25th year in business. To celebrate the occasion, I’ve committed myself to writing and publishing my fifth book. ‘Press Pause…Think Again’ is scheduled for release early this fall. It’s going to be similar in style to its older sister, ‘Press Pause…Press On’ – both of them compilations of the most popular Pause messages.
It’s been nine months since I took my first tentative steps on this project. You’d think I might have given birth by now! However, pulling the material together has been an arduous, circuitous, on again, off again process – even though I’ve been down this path before.
Have you noticed that some projects are like that? Slippery? Tough to get a grip? Expanding in possibility one moment, and shifting direction the next? It wasn’t until last week that the organizing structure for the material finally came into focus. And it wasn’t for lack of effort on my part.
Let me recap, so you’ll know what I mean. Last spring, I reviewed the Pause messages from the last six years – some 300 in total. I earmarked those with potential for another book and ended up with 121 of them. Since I only needed 64 for another volume, my first thought was, “Heh – that’s enough for two books!” And so, overnight, the project doubled in size. (more…)
PAUSE -10.37- The Gift Of Trust
December 14, 2010
HAPPY NEWS:
Last week in Montreal, at the Annual Convention of CAPS (the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers), I was honored with an induction into the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame. For more details, video and pics see the blog posting at: http://www.pauseworks.com/wp/?p=1845
REFLECTION:
In case you’ve missed the memo – or the endless media messages bombarding us daily – December is the one month of the year where giving is clearly top of mind. It’s no surprise, then, that I was intrigued by this first item on a list of tips for reducing workplace stress.
Tip number one advises giving the gift of trust. What an interesting idea!
The point is that a lack of control over one’s own work is a serious workplace stressor. Leaders who micro-manage tasks or decree exactly how everything must be tackled build neither trust nor capacity. In fact, there’s nothing more irritating than having someone lurking over your shoulder second guessing everything you’re doing, interceding to make sure it’s done the ‘right’ way (read ‘their’ way).
When we give others the freedom to make decisions about how to approach the tasks in front of them we honor their capabilities and avoid unnecessary pressures. Trusting is not only a stress reliever, but a relationship and capacity builder.
Developing trust is a bit of a catch 22 situation. Do you grant it only after it is earned? Or do you assume it until proven otherwise? Maybe it’s possible to hold both possibilities in hand at once.
Stephen M.R. Covey sheds light on this issue in his book, The Speed of Trust. He notes that building trusting relationships with others hinges on two elements: character (positive intentions and a reputation for integrity) and competence (strong capabilities and a record of results).
ACTION:
What does this mean for the way we ease the load for others? For starters, we can stop meddling in situations where others have already proven their character and competence.
People grow and develop over time. The way we oversee and interact needs to adapt as trust is built. Backing off and letting go might just be the very best gift of all!
_________________________
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him.” – Booker T. Washington
_________________________
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK:
Here’s a link to an article on ‘Smart Trust” by Stephen Covey based on the ideas in his book: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/The_Speed_of_Trust.html
_________________________
READERS WRITE:
In response to the last message, ‘What Really Counts?’, Pause reader KE writes: I just finished teaching my course on the power of coaching and the science of positive psychology. We talked about different measures of success. Did you know that Bhutan measures Gross National Happiness? It’s a 30 year old policy and is soundly based on Buddhist philosophy. The British government recently announced that their office of national statistics will start measuring people’s psychological and environmental well-being, making it one of the first western countries to officially monitor happiness.
REFLECTION: In case you’ve missed the memo – or the endless media messages bombarding us daily – December is the one month of the year where giving is clearly top of mind. It’s no surprise, then, that I was intrigued by this first item on a list of tips for reducing workplace stress.
Tip number one advises giving the gift of trust. What an interesting idea!
The point is that a lack of control over one’s own work is a serious workplace stressor. Leaders who micro-manage tasks or decree exactly how everything must be tackled build neither trust nor capacity. In fact, there’s nothing more irritating than having someone lurking over your shoulder second guessing everything you’re doing, interceding to make sure it’s done the ‘right’ way (read ‘their’ way).
When we give others the freedom to make decisions about how to approach the tasks in front of them we honor their capabilities and avoid unnecessary pressures. Trusting is not only a stress reliever, but a relationship and capacity builder.
Developing trust is a bit of a catch 22 situation. (more…)
PAUSE -10.35- How’s your TAT Quo?
November 23, 2010
NOTE:
Final week to take advantage of the Big Box Bonus Bundle offer. Check the end of message for details.
REFLECTION:
This year, September and October were pretty active months in my life. It didn’t really hit me how active they had been until November rolled around and my schedule loosened up a bit. Quite the contrast!
S & O were filled with great things – no complaints there! Challenging work with interesting clients. An engaging conference on workplace wellness. A heartfelt farewell to a dear friend. A family wedding celebration. An exciting vacation get away. Mentoring and charity work. I wouldn’t have traded away any of those activities.
In retrospect, what I might have done differently is paid more attention to TAT – the Turn Around Time – between events. There’s a lot of performance pressure to reduce Turn Around Time in the world of work – faster responses to messages, quicker delivery of products, instant access to services. But there can be a personal cost to upping the ante.
When TAT shrinks, pressure grows. There is no longer time to savor what you’ve just experienced nor to fully anticipate what comes next. Minor glitches easily assume major proportions. The rhythm shifts to rush and roar – as we spend our days rushing in and roaring out.
Richard Swenson describes what’s missing in these situations as margin – those gaps in timing, the cushioning between engagements, a sense of openness to possibilities in our daily experience. Linda Popov describes what we might aspire to instead as a pace of grace.
ACTION:
If TAT is an issue for you, too, here are a handful of strategies to play with as you try to strike a more satisfying balance on Turn Around Time:
Build ‘mop up’ time into the scheduling of meetings and events. If a gathering ends at 4:00, it will probably be 4:30 before you’ve finished those last minute conversations, packed up, made a washroom stop, and disengaged enough to move on. Knowing that, don’t book your next engagement across town for 4:15.
To minimize overcommitment, make prep time visible on your calendar. If you’ve got two hours of work to get ready for an event, designate a block of time for prep. Whether it happens at that specific time or not, you’ll remember that those two hours are spoken for.
Build minor travel time into your appointment schedule. So far, instantaneous tele-transporting is not an option. It takes time to walk to the other end of the building or to drive across town. Book accordingly.
Choose flights to allow an extra cushion for delays and weather. Taking the second last flight out – rather than the last flight out gives you a little more wriggle room. Arriving early at the airport takes away some of the pressure of surprise line-ups at security.
Honor your down-time needs. If you are more introverted by nature, you’ll need more solo time and space between people engagements to replenish your energy. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just plan around it.
Pay attention as you move through your day and week. Note where you find yourself pinched by a lack of TAT. Adjust accordingly.
________________________
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“Determination alone is nothing without discernment.” – Linda Kavelin Popov.
_________________________
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK:
Ned offers a fun way to put this issue in perspective. Check out his four minute video: No Margin Ned at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuLza5wlJUI&feature=related . Ned’s strategies for doing away with margin will help you stress up your life, big time!
________________________
BIG BOX BONUS BUNDLE:
I can’t believe it! We’ve sold all the copies from the original print run of my latest book, Press Pause…Press On. And so, we fired up the presses and rolled off a second batch of books. There’s good news in this for you!
The books are boxed 48 to a carton with a little headroom to spare. I’m taking 10 of those boxes and stuffing that extra space with this collection of bonus goodies: 2 more books (to top it up to 50), 50 Pause decals, 10 copies of my Take A Break booklet, 5 Pause postcards, 1 set of 4 Pause Posters (8.5×11), 5 Pause postcards, and 1 Pause mousepad.
The retail value of the whole enchilada totals a shade over $1100. From now through the 30th of November, ten of these bundles are up for grabs for $550 each (plus taxes & shipping). Perfect timing for seasonal gifts for clients, colleagues and friends. (Too many for your needs? Partner up with a colleague to take advantage of the savings.)
The B4 reprint special is available only by phone and only for one more week. Call toll free at 877-728-5289 to order your Big Box Bonus Bundle now.
NOTE: Final week to take advantage of the Big Box Bonus Bundle offer. Check the end of message for details.
REFLECTION: This year, September and October were pretty active months in my life. It didn’t really hit me how active they had been until November rolled around and my schedule loosened up a bit. Quite the contrast!
S & O were filled – bumper to bumper – with lots of great things. No complaints there! Challenging work with interesting clients. An engaging conference on workplace wellness. A heartfelt farewell to a dear friend. A family wedding celebration. An exciting vacation get away. Mentoring and charity work. I wouldn’t have traded away any of those activities.
In retrospect, what I might have done differently is paid more attention to TAT – the Turn Around Time – between events. It was a bit too ‘next…next…next’ – too often at the expense of the here and now.
There’s a lot of performance pressure to reduce Turn Around Time in the world of work – faster responses to messages, speedier delivery of products, more instant access to services. But there can be a personal cost to upping the ante.
When TAT shrinks, pressure grows.There is no longer time to savor what you’ve just experienced nor to fully anticipate what comes next. Minor glitches easily assume major proportions. The rhythm shifts to rush and roar – as we spend our days rushing in and roaring out. (more…)
PAUSE – 10.34 – Purpose Packs Power
November 16, 2010
NOTE: A Big Box Bonus Bundle could have your name on it. Check the end of this message for details.
REFLECTION: Have you ever wondered if tapping into the ‘why’ of what we do makes a difference? Here’s a study that suggests it does.
Researcher Adam Grant, at the University of North Carolina put the thesis to the test. He divided employees at a university fund-raising call center (charged with raising funds for student scholarships) into three groups.
Group One read stories written by previous employees about the personal benefits of the call center job in advancing their own skills and knowledge. The stories also touched on how individuals had leveraged what they’d learned to their advantage in their own careers and grad school. (The Personal Benefit Group)
Group Two read stories written by scholarship recipients about how the funding they received as a result of the campaign had given these students better access to education. The stories described how the gift had connected them to fellow scholarship students, and helped them engage in important extracurricular activities. (The Task Significance Group)
Group Three simply continued doing their job as before – no stories at all. (The Control Group)
REFLECTION: Remember Goldilocks? I’m pretty sure you do. But just in case it’s been a while, here’s a ten second refresher. While strolling through the woods one day, GL waltzed into the the empty Three Bears abode and made herself at home. Chair? Too big. Too small. Just right. Porridge? Too hot. Too cold. Just right. Bed? Too hard. Too soft. Just right. The TB’s eventually returned to surprise GL, who leaped from Baby Bear’s bed and ran from the house.
Now, while I don’t condone Break & Enter or advise helping yourself to other people’s stuff, I think Goldilocks was on to something in her search for ‘Just Right’.
What, exactly, can we learn from GL about the challenges of stress in life and work? Don’t blindly accept what you stumble across first? Keep testing and experimenting till you find something that fits?
In my work with clients, I hear a lot about the problems of overloading – too much work, too many demands, too little time. For others, underloading triggers its own set of problems – pointless busywork, feelings of uselessness, time weighing heavy. Rightloading – that ‘just right’ solution – is a tricky place to find. (more…)
PAUSE -10.32- Make Renewing Pauses Your 90 Minute Habit
November 2, 2010
REFLECTION:
You’re working away – head down – afterburners aflame. You’ve been making great progress and, blessedly, the interruptions have been few. Still, after an hour and a half or so, you start feeling restless. Your attention begins to wander. And, you find yourself becoming a touch irritable and impatient.
Why are you having trouble with focus when the stars are aligned for work? It could be your internal body rhythms clamoring for your attention.
The human body isn’t built for nonstop high performance. We do a better job of maintaining energy over the long haul when periods of focused concentration are offset by time out for renewal.
There are parallels in other life situations. For example, a race car driver’s success depends on fast, high speed performance on the track. But an equally important part of that racer’s success is knowing when to pull off the track and into the pit for adjustments and repairs. Ignore, postpone or cancel the pit stops, and the race is lost.
Top performers in all kinds of fields tend to work in approximately 90 minute cycles – sprints if you will. They shift back and forth between periods of intense effort offset by periods of purposeful renewal.
A key word here is purposeful. The impact of automatically grabbing a caffeine or sugar hit, or giving yourself a ‘rev it up’ pep talk to drive your energy back up the ergometer, will be short lived. Many of these ‘short term quick fix’ energizers fizzle fast and end up harmful in the long term.
Plan for variety and be more intentional in choosing your renewing pauses. For instance, if you’re focused on developing a project plan or writing a report, you’ll be expending a lot of mental energy. During your break, you might engage in a contrasting way – move your body (walk or stretch) or connect socially with others (share a chat or a joke).
The length of a pause is not as critical as the regularity. Make sure you DO step away from the work, and that you choose the best recharging option for your needs and your situation.
ACTION:
With the fast pace and high expectations of today’s workplace, many people abandon the practice of taking breaks. If that’s the case for you and your colleagues, share these ideas with them, and build support for each other. Talk about the kinds of renewing breaks you can try solo or with others that might make sense in your world.
Set an alarm or reminder to interrupt you at 90 minute intervals – or at the very least mid morning and mid afternoon. It’s easy to get caught up in the press and flow of the work, so help each other to step away before exhaustion and inefficiency set in.
With regular bits of time away, you’ll return to the work at hand with fresh energy and be able to maintain a higher level of focus and concentration for the long haul.
_________________________
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“The higher the demand, the greater and more frequent the need for renewal.” – Tony Schwartz
_________________________
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK:
For more on the impact on productivity of time out for renewal, check out this article, The Productivity Myth, from the Harvard Business Review Blog at: http://blogs.hbr.org/schwartz/2010/05/the-productivity-myth.html
_________________________
READERS WRITE:
In response to last week’s message, Along For The Ride Or Deeply Engaged, Pause reader DB writes: “What an awesome opportunity! I’m so glad you took advantage of it and shared it with us, your readers. This reminded me of my own experience. One Sunday morning several years ago, when I asked an old farmer at church how harvest was going, he asked if I’d ever been on a combine. When I said no, he asked if I’d like to go for a ride with him. I did and absolutely loved it. He let me take the wheel and began patiently teaching me and answering my questions. What a thrill for this city bred girl! Would you believe that for the past 3 years, ever since I retired from teaching school, I’ve been operating his combine in the fall and his harrow/packer during spring seeding? Like your captain, he noticed my interest, extended an invitation and taught me bit by bit until I felt both comfortable and competent behind the wheel. My life has been so enriched because of it.”
REFLECTION: You’re working away – head down – afterburners aflame. You’ve been making great progress and, blessedly, the interruptions have been few. Still, after an hour and a half or so, you start feeling restless. Your attention begins to wander. And, you find yourself becoming a touch irritable and impatient.
Why are you having trouble with focus when the stars are aligned for work? It could be your internal body rhythms clamoring for your attention.
The human body isn’t built for nonstop high performance. We do a better job of maintaining energy over the long haul when periods of focused concentration are offset by time out for renewal.
There are parallels in other life situations. For example, a race car driver’s success depends on fast, high speed performance on the track. But an equally important part of that racer’s success is knowing when to pull off the track and into the pit for adjustments and repairs. Ignore, postpone or cancel the pit stops, and the race is lost.
Top performers in all kinds of fields tend to work in approximately 90 minute cycles – sprints if you will. They shift back and forth between periods of intense effort offset by periods of purposeful renewal. (more…)
REFLECTION: More than one study has confirmed that backlogs are an everyday fact of life in today’s overcommitted workplaces – not to mention on the home and community fronts. Despite the fact that we have an inordinate number of irons in the fire at any one time, that doesn’t seem to prevent us from adding more.
REFLECTION: Last week marked a significant change in my extended family, as my parents moved from their home on the farm into a brand new residence in Saskatoon. My Dad was born in that farmhouse 85 years ago. He lived and worked there for most of his life. My Mom joined him on the farm when they married 60 years ago.
REFLECTION: This year, 2011, marks my 25th year in business. To celebrate the occasion, I’ve committed myself to writing and publishing my fifth book. ‘Press Pause…Think Again’ is scheduled for release early this fall. It’s going to be similar in style to its older sister, ‘Press Pause…Press On’ – both of them compilations of the most popular Pause messages.
REFLECTION: In case you’ve missed the memo – or the endless media messages bombarding us daily – December is the one month of the year where giving is clearly top of mind. It’s no surprise, then, that I was intrigued by this first item on a list of tips for reducing workplace stress.
REFLECTION: This year, September and October were pretty active months in my life. It didn’t really hit me how active they had been until November rolled around and my schedule loosened up a bit. Quite the contrast!
REFLECTION: Have you ever wondered if tapping into the ‘why’ of what we do makes a difference? Here’s a study that suggests it does.
REFLECTION: Remember Goldilocks? I’m pretty sure you do. But just in case it’s been a while, here’s a ten second refresher. While strolling through the woods one day, GL waltzed into the the empty Three Bears abode and made herself at home. Chair? Too big. Too small. Just right. Porridge? Too hot. Too cold. Just right. Bed? Too hard. Too soft. Just right. The TB’s eventually returned to surprise GL, who leaped from Baby Bear’s bed and ran from the house.
REFLECTION: You’re working away – head down – afterburners aflame. You’ve been making great progress and, blessedly, the interruptions have been few. Still, after an hour and a half or so, you start feeling restless. Your attention begins to wander. And, you find yourself becoming a touch irritable and impatient.