Why it DOES NOT Work - [website] Published: 24th of Nov 2011 by: (c) Staff Training Reporter
As the curtain falls on 2011 and we take a step back to reflect on how far we have come this year, we are presented with the opportunity to assess why certain tasks were successful where others failed.
There are several barriers you may encounter when doing tasks (ten to be exact) that if not checked can have a deciding affect on the results you produce (if you produce any at all), which means that if we aren’t able to identify these barriers and overcome them our work is sure to suffer.
The barriers we set ourselves include:
Blame – We often spend so much time trying to find someone to blame for the problem that the problem itself goes unresolved.
Depression / Stress – When you feel overworked and under huge amounts of pressure your ability to think and perform is affected. Staying organised, planning ahead, good delegation and clear priorities can all help you overcome this specific barrier.
Anxiety / Fear – We sometimes put off doing tasks because we’re afraid of what the results will be (I mean let’s face it, nobody wants to fail), but by learning where your weaknesses lie you are able to improve on yourself, increase your confidence and tackle most problems head-on.
Indifference – Sometimes we simply just don’t care. Unfortunately sometimes you HAVE to care, so to overcome this start setting yourself goals and reward yourself as you complete them.
Indecision – If you have difficulty making decisions rather focus on what the purpose of your decision will be. What exactly is the problem to be solved? Set yourself a deadline to make a decision and list all the criteria for making it.
Procrastination – We procrastinate out of habit. Identify the cause of your procrastination and develop strategies to fix it. Tackle unpleasant tasks first and you’ll find they often aren’t as bad as you first thought.
Perfectionism – Sometimes you need to remember that it’s not just about doing the best you can do, it’s about doing the best you can do in the time given to you.
Resentment / Hostility – If we don’t like the person who gave us the task, or the way in which it was given to us, we’re likely to delay actually doing the task.
Self-Pity / Guilt – Spend less time blaming the world because you can’t do a task and more time finding new ways to do it.
Confusion / Distraction / Lack of Focus – Losing concentration can cause delays in your completion of tasks. To avoid this create a to-do list with priorities and systematically work through it. If you become distracted make a rule that you won’t make a call, surf the net or move out of your chair until it’s completed.
Going into 2012 with the mindset that we will not drag our feet, and with the knowledge of how to identify and fix when we are, could make it the most successful and productive year for us all.
