[To comment: larry at larry litwin dot com]
This week’s blog comes from:
Dale Carnegie Training Newsletter
By Anita Zinsmeister, President — anita.zinsmeister@dalecarnegie.com
Dale Carnegie® Training of Central & Southern New Jersey
- Word count for this issue: 454
- Approximate time to read: 1.8 minutes @ 250 words per minute
In the demanding and competitive business world, you need an edge that sets you apart from other workers. You must constantly develop new techniques to maintain your work performance. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by setbacks you may encounter – just stay in control of your level of performance by focusing on self-improvement.5 Tips For Improving Workplace Performance:
1. Organize Your Workspace (And Your Files): It’s easy to let your desk space become cluttered with papers, files, and knickknacks. Anything that won’t help your productivity should be put away or discarded. Keep your family photos, of course, and clear out the rest. This goes for your files, too! Whether you use a filing cabinet or keep everything on your hard drive, there’s a good chance your files need to be decluttered and reorganized. Your workspace reflects your mental state; if your desk is in chaos, your work might be, too.
2. Set Your Daily Priorities In Order: The first thing you should do to stay focused is to create a prioritized list of tasks you need to accomplish throughout the day. Many people forget this incredibly simple and helpful practice.
3. Resolve Problems Promptly: When you encounter a minor problem, don’t put it off until later. Unresolved problems can build up and become a big distraction from more important work, and this will affect your performance.
4. Update Your Calendar: One of the best ways to stay organized is to pick a time and date for this type of maintenance, then stick to that schedule. Set aside time to keep your workspace organized, clear out your inbox, and keep your files in order. Use your office calendar as a resource not only for meetings and projects but also for daily and weekly routines that will keep you productive.
5. Know How To Cooperate With Coworkers: To be an effective member of a workplace community, you must be able to accept tasks that are given to you, and also know how and when to delegate work out to others. Many leaders fail to utilize the capabilities of their team members when there is a lot of work to be done, and this negatively affects workplace performance.
Executive Summary: Take charge of your priorities in the workplace. Get organized, know how many tasks you can take on at any one time, and be prepared to delegate. Studies show that it takes 30 days to develop a habit. Spend a few minutes every day on these tips — print them out, add them to your calendar, or set a reminder — and soon they will become second nature.
[To comment: larry at larry litwin dot com]