7 Small, Easy Changes To Improve Your Productivity

Sunday 14^th May 2017 heralds the start of Work Wise Week 2017, the aim of which is to promote different ways of working and smarter working practices for employers, employees and the self-employed. 

Flexible, remote, mobile and agile are all terms you may have already seen used to describe changing the way we work but, essentially, it is about individuals figuring out what they need in order to do their best work and employers figuring out what they can do to make those things happen for as many of their employees as possible. 

When you own a business or you’re self-employed however, the principles you hear about flexible working and work-life balance can seem like a distant dream.  Many people start their own business with the draw of being their own boss, setting their own course and creating a working life that seamlessly allows times for all the fun stuff too.  However, managing multiple demanding clients and doing everything yourself usually means you’re working every available hour.

The idea of changing something just feels like another thing to add to the burgeoning to-do list.

If all that sounds familiar, you are not alone.  Here are my 7 small changes that could make a big difference to your working week.

1. What 5 things make your day a good day?
   It’s a simple question and everyone’s answer is likely to be slightly different. Some will have “a quick commute”, “getting outside on my lunch break”, “not being interrupted”.  Some will have “ticking off my to-do list”, “starting something new”, “going out after work.”  Some are in your control, some less so but knowing what they are can help you design your working day to include at least some of them!  For example even a short walk outside can make you more productive, improve your attention span and your mood!
    
2. STOP Multitasking!
   Doing more than one thing at a time might seem really useful but we actually reduce our productivity by up to 40%. By giving all your attention to one thing you will get through it more quickly and more effectively.  The same is true for people either face to face or over the phone.  We all know how frustrating it is when the person we’re talking to isn’t listening properly. So stop. Listen. Pay attention. No phones or laptops in meetings.
   You can set shorter meeting times and spend less time on tasks.  Try it. It works.
    
3. Say No….but.
   As an employee or a small business, it may feel like you can’t ever say no but you can.  The key is to offer an alternative.  “I can’t get it to you today but I can get it to you by 2pm tomorrow. How does that work for you?”
   You have the best sight of your priorities, workload and how you work best.  If you’re an early bird then working through the night to hit a last minute demand is likely to wipe you out and deliver a sub-standard product.  Better to propose a reasonable alternative that means the client gets what they want and it’s up to your high standards.
    
4. Get Help
   Sometime you can be so busy doing everything you can’t imagine taking the time to bring someone else in.  At times like that it can be helpful to think of what only you can do. I am able to everything in my business but every hour you spend on back office tasks is an hour you could be delivering for a client (and making money!).  Whether it’s using accountingsoftware like Quickbooks to make everything add up or employing a bookkeeper or accountant to do it all for you, help is there.  Make use of it.
    
5. Eat the frog!
   When things are busy, it is easy to put off the things we don’t want to do.  The problem is, they don’t go away, they just lurk there and cast a shadow over everything else.  The phrase “eat the frog” works on the principle that, if you have to eat a live frog, it doesn’t pay to sit and look at it for too long!
   Break it down.  What is the smallest thing you could on this task? Do it first thing in the morning and then the rest of the day will seem easy in comparison.
   And the best bit? The task is rarely as bad or as difficult as we fear it will be!
    
6. Prepare for tomorrow today
   Whenever you end your day, take 5 minutes to look ahead to tomorrow.  Just 5 minutes.  Think about it, run it through, think about how you’d like it to be.  How will you integrate some of your 5 things (question 1) in to the day?
   This mental preparation will mean that as soon as you get up, you’ll feel more prepared and ready to take things on.
    
7. Recognise daily successes – every day!
   It’s easy to be so busy we forget how much progress we are making every day.  Take 5  minutes at the end of every day (once you’ve finished step 6 above) and summarise your highlights.  Size doesn’t matter!  Whether it’s landing a huge deal or taking a walk outside, developing the habit of acknowledging successes every day will help you overcome those tough times and remind you why you do what you do!

Stephanie works with intelligent individuals and teams on leadership, personal impact, choice and change. Find out more at www.stephaniesmithcoaching.co.uk

Lessons from a Muddy Lettuce

Lettuce Laundrette

I had a chuckle when I received a veg box from Abel & Cole last week. Among the onions, carrots and cabbage was a white card, about the size of a business card. Sometimes they add a card to tell you they've added a free lemon or mince pie so I read it with interest. Here it is:

I wondered what could have prompted the note and concluded that someone had probably complained about their lettuce being a bit muddy in the past.

What kind of person would complain about a muddy lettuce? Lettuces grow in the ground, right? Surely is a bit of mud is only to be expected on real food that has pushed through real earth, been warmed by real sun and watered by real water?

Choose Option 4

It made me wonder what had happened in the Abel & Cole workplace as the complaint was received. Did they laugh? Shake their heads in disbelief? Feel outraged (as I did) about the unreasonableness of people? Whatever they did behind closed doors, they moved swiftly to action.
In my experience, there are four reactions to feedback:

1. Ignore and hope everyone else forgets about it
2. Deny, deflect, defend and then destroy all evidence of it
3. Ingest it, focus on the worst bits, worry about it. Then follow steps 1 & 2
4. Take it, own it, do something about it

Abel & Cole chose option 4. This, among other reasons, is why they are one of my role model businesses* (see more on this soon!)

So what?

It can feel uncomfortable or even insulting when someone criticises our business, our department or our service. We can take things personally and react with emotion (options 1, 2 and 3 above).

Perhaps you’ve found yourself turning it back on the complainant? This is just one person in 100 or 1000, who cares? They are being overly nit picky and unreasonable.

Once our emotional reaction has subsided, it's time to look for the nugget of truth that will improve your business (option 4).

One truth is that this customer, client or partner expected more from you. So ask yourself:

• Which personal values were being triggered in my emotional reaction to this feedback? 
• What did this person expect that was not satisfied? (ignoring whether that expectation was realistic) 
• What would my business look like if I delivered this expectation every time? 
• What immediate action honours my personal values? 
• What action will mititgate against this feedback in future? 

Nuggets of Truth (Or the Mud on Your Lettuce)

Those nuggets of truth could stop complaints in the future. They could even be what sets you apart from your competitors and brings you even greater happiness and success.

As Bill Gates said, "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."

I’d love to hear your customer feedback stories!

*and to make it even better, they sent me a copy of the note within 24 hours of my email request so I could use it here! Top banana!