Most of us spread ourselves thin at the best of times. This is only heightened with year-end deadlines and all of the holiday busyness. It’s enough to turn a calm, cool & collected professional into something akin to dried out turkey dinner … dry, burned out and downright nasty.

The challenge is that we only have control over so much of our time. There are the non-negotiable deadlines, the meetings the emails, and additional holiday gatherings that leave little time to get “our” work done.

And while I love the thought of cloning myself, we really do have to work with what we’ve got.

Here are some key strategies to keep us calm and cheerful right through into the New Year:

1)      Pick your top goal or project
Sure – you want to get through 18 projects.

So do I. But we both know that ain’t gonna happen this year.

Pick your number one goal. Focus on that. If you get it done, pat yourself on the back. And then move on to your next goal. Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek calls this ‘selective ignorance’ (which incidentally was the Webster’s 2010 Word of the Year). Essentially, Ferris recommends that we turn off and tune out the distractions so we can focus on what we really care about. I couldn’t agree more!

Related article: Why can’t we get this prioritizing thing right?

2)      Set short-term deadlines
It is much easier to stay productive in the short-term. Deadlines that are far off in the future are easy to ignore. Break a big goal down into small chunks and set short-term deadlines. Small, consistent wins do a great job of motivating us and add up to big changes rather quickly.

Related article: Does Procrastination Boil Down to Temptation?

3)      Tell someone
We can let ourselves off the hook too easily at times. So it can be pretty powerful to tell someone else. Pick someone who will do a good job of holding you accountable.

4)      Get rid of other jobs
What can you get rid of to lighten your load? The Pareto Principle states that 20% of what we do brings 80% of the impact. What low-value tasks are sucking up a lot of your time?

Once we know what our top priorities are, we need to seriously consider off-loading the other stuff.

There are lots of great approaches for identifying the lower-value activities. Mike Cloutier uses the 3 Balls approach to manage an overwhelming workload. In this article, he talks about glass balls (for the things that must be done), rubber balls (the things that should be done) and lead balls (the things that could be done). Stever Robbins uses the “prune, prune, prune” approach as a means of “coping with too much to do”.

5)      Leave a buffer
If you abide by the above tips, this one should be a breeze. Things come up – they always do. So build in some free time. And get to sleep early. It is amazing how much more productive we are after a good night’s sleep.

Related article: Is it time for a break yet?

Hopefully these five tips will help you from spreading yourself too thin. What are your sanity saving plans? I would love to hear your suggestions and tips.

“An apology is the superglue of life.  It can repair just about anything.”
Lynn Johnston, Canadian cartoonist: For Better or For Worse

Never easy to do, but a heart-felt apology does the world of good so why not end the year with one?  2010 seemed like the Year of the Apology with plenty of good and bad examples being offered up almost weekly.  Whether it was Pope Benedict XVI finally apologizing to the Church’s victims of child abuse, Tony Haywood for the environmental chaos created by BP in the Gulf of Mexico or Tiger Woods apologizing to his fans and corporate sponsors, the art of the apology was evident at every turn (or in the case of Tiger, the excruciating need for practise before it looks anything even remotely like art).

Conventional wisdom (especially from lawyers) counselled strongly against apologizing since it could be construed as an admission of guilt.  Now we have proof for what we’ve instinctively known all along: that an apology isn’t just good for the soul but can actually help, not hurt, in resolving legal disputes.  As reported by Science Daily, according to University of Illinois professor of law and psychology Jennifer Robbennolt, her research showed that apologies can actually play a positive role in settling legal cases ranging from injury cases to wrongful firings.  Robbennolt looked at the impact of apologies offered during settlement negotiations and concluded that offering an apology generally reduced financial demands and increased the prospects a reaching a settlement. 

When Stephen Harper offered his eloquent apology on behalf of the Canadian government to the victims of the ill-conceived Indian Residential Schools, he said: “The government recognizes that the absence of an apology has been an impediment to healing and reconciliation.”  Again conventional wisdom would have us believe that the victim solely benefits from receiving an apology.  But done right, the person offering the apology will also be healed by the apology.

The Art of the Apology

Whether you’re wrapping up the year by making a personal apology or apologizing as a spokesperson on behalf of a company, it pays to follow a few simple guidelines:

The sooner the better:  As soon as you’re able, get down to the important business of offering an apology.  It will be valued more and be more likely to have a positive impact (again for you as much as for them) if you don’t let too much time pass.  Having said that, it is truly never ever too late to apologize;

Make it true and from the heart:  Stay well away from half apologies such as “I want to apologize (only children don’t know the difference between wanting something to happen and making it happen)” or “I’m sorry it made you feel that way” (does anyone really think that still works?).  A good apology is clear and accurate and comes straight from the heart.  You know exactly what you did, you regret doing it because you know how it hurt them.  Simple.

Make it about Them and Not You: Give them their due and make them feel you understand the situation from their point of view.  And then just stop before you start making excuses or explaining why your behaviour was justified under the circumstances.  Seriously, just stop.

Say it and Then Don’t Keep Saying it:  If you do it right, one good apology should be enough.  Then don’t keep bringing it up and don’t keep saying you’re sorry.  Going on and on about it will only cheapen the value of the apology.  Don’t make sorry a handy reflex. 

Actions Speak Louder than Words:  As difficult as you might think it is to apologize, the real work starts after the apology is over.  The proof of how sorry you truly are will be whether you ever make the same mistake again.  So don’t.  Learn from your mistakes and move forward.

The best part of wrapping up the year with an apology?  It means you can be proud of yourself for doing the right thing.  It means you get to start the New Year with a clean slate.  A resolution to do better.  To be a better person that isn’t afraid to admit when they’ve messed up.  To learn and grow and what’s better than that?

Franca provides media interview training for spokespeople and storytelling, presentation and creativity training for individuals or groups.  With over 25 years of experience, Franca has worked with hundreds of executives, Olympic athletes, recording artists and television personalities helping them to hone their communication skills. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Franca’s professional development training programs please contact us at info@clearconceptinc.ca.

While there may be a temptation to coast through to the finish line, there are some things that we can do to wrap up 2010 strong.  Read on for three unique tips – the kind of tips that you probably would not expect a productivity consultant to share.

1)      Put things off until 2011

Yes – you read that correctly.  What can you put off until 2011?

December is an unusually busy month when we consider the urgency to wrap up projects, the extra holiday events and the reduced number of workdays. 

Focus is more important than ever at this time.  Identify your top goals and focus your efforts there. Go with the ‘less is more’ mentality, knowing that you make the biggest impact with your top tasks. 

2)      Sort – don’t do

Productivity is all about getting things done.  Paper-shuffling, updating lists and general organizing does not get things done.

However, investing some time in organizing now can set us up for a very productive 2011.  We save time when we can immediately put our fingers on critical information.  We stay more focused when there are fewer piles.  And we reduce our stress when we have a good system to track all of our outstanding tasks.  (There’s nothing worse than the nagging feeling that I am forgetting something.)

If you are able to block off some time for organizing, you will achieve your biggest impact by:

• Getting your email inbox under one screen
• Establishing one central To Do list
• Organizing your office

Click to view We’re Due for a Simple Productivity Tip  for more tips.

3)      Just say no

You know how the saying goes: “too much of a good thing is a bad thing”.  The holiday season is no exception.  This applies to business (see tip #1 above) and pleasure.

Protect your downtime and you’ll end up enjoying the holidays even more.  You don’t need to go to every holiday gathering.  You don’t have to take advantage of every holiday sale.  And you don’t need to bake everything. 

Take a break and recharge your batteries.  Going for a walk and catching up on your reading is (counter-intuitively) a really productive use of time.  It means that you will be rested and rearing to go for a strong 2011.

All the best over the holiday season!

Ann

Christmas, Hanukkah, Muharram or Kwanza … while they are all joyful observances, they can be associated with their share of stress.  Not to mention the mounting pressure to get a lot of things done. 

Here are our TOP THREE productivity tips to get you through the holiday season with that ho-ho-ho spirit:

1.        Less is more.

Don’t over commit yourself. 

• Work: Be selective about the meeting invitations you accept.  We often have more choice than we believe we do.  Also, acknowledging that this is a very busy time of year, being tightly focused on your absolute top priorities is now more important than ever.  (Focusing on your top priorities also means limiting the time you dedicate to other, less critical, tasks.)
• Socially: Be selective about the social functions you attend – you don’t need to be at everything.  
• Gift exchanges: Despite the fact that gifts are part of the holiday process – less is still more.  You don’t need to ‘shop till you drop’.  Organize your shopping list, limit your trips to the mall and set a shopping deadline (well ahead of the actual gift exchange date). 

2.       Get Organized and Stay Organized

Operating with a To Do List throughout the year is absolutely critical and the holidays are no exception.  Make sure your To Do list captures 100% of your action items. 

Schedule times to get things done (project wrap-up, holiday cards, etc.).  Don’t assume that you’ll ‘find time’ or ‘squeeze things in’ at this time of year.  Based on personal experience, I can guarantee that this is a sure-fire way to add stress to what is supposed to be a festive months.

3.       Take Time to Truly Enjoy the Holidays

This suggestion is the most critical one.  Embrace your time off.  Spend a good amount of quality time with your family.  Let bygones be bygones (even with those family members who know just how to strike your last holiday nerve.)  Focus on some good ol’ rest & relaxation so you can start 2010 more refreshed, focused and productive. 

With all of these tips, you’ll be sure to turn ‘Bah Humbug’ into ‘Happy Holidays’ in no time.

H-Healthy Focus:
Preparing for the holidays is like preparing for a big competition – we need to be at our peak to make it through in fine form. Maintain critical aspects of your routine: fitness, healthy eating and getting enough sleep. All of these support your ability to function at peak productivity.

O-Overestimating:
Stress at this time of year is often associated with overestimating what we can reasonably accomplish.
How can you avoid this?
a) Make a list of everything that you want to accomplish by the end of the year. Determine what you can cut or postpone from that list.
b) Estimate how much time is required for each goal. Double that time.
c) Block off time to achieve those key goals; the remaining time is what you have available for meetings, business lunches, etc. The other stuff will wait until 2008.

L-Lists:
Keep your ‘Action Item’ or ‘To Do’ list on you at all times. Make use of short breaks to review a report or sign holiday cards.

I-In Moderation:
A ‘less is more approach’ truly resonates at this time of year. Review your list and think of creative ways to reduce your load and alleviate the pressure. Can you outsource meal prep or house cleaning? Can you take advantage of online shopping? Can you modify your full dinner party to a pot-luck?

D-Don’t be Afraid to Say No:
It’s much better to do a few things really well than to struggle with multiple things. Sometimes, saying ‘no’ requires practice. Repeat after me: “No, I won’t be able to do that in 2007.”

A-Allow for Free Time:
Work places often become ghost towns during holidays for good reason. Use this down time to update your files, catch up on reading and bring back some order to your desk. And then leave – switching off from work is important; the holidays are designed to be a time of rest and peace.

Y-Year End Celebration:
We know that our productivity improves when we take time to review (and learn from) past performance. There are likely many things that went well, and likely some things that you would like to see improved. Celebrate your many accomplishments and give yourself time to rejuvenate with time off. Grab your eggnog and kick up your feet. I can assure you that this productivity consultant will be doing that this holiday season!