“Nobody is too busy, it's just a matter of priorities” – Source Unknown
There’s a good chance you’re busy. So busy there’s too much to do in too little time. Whether you’re motivated or overwhelmed by busy depends on mindset.
Read More“Don't mistake activity with achievement” ― John Wooden
How is performance defined in your organisation? Let’s assume it’s clearly articulated and measured. Are you performing to the expected levels or do you need to improve?
Read More“Track your small wins to motivate big accomplishments” – Teresa Amabile
A hero’s journey would see us achieving major accomplishments at work every day; completing strategic projects, realising key milestones, closing large deals, driving record results etc. Imagine that? Unfortunately, it’s pure fantasy for most of us as our day to day reality is quite different. While large breakthroughs happen, they’re typically not an everyday occurrence. That’s why it’s important to not lose sight of the small wins.
Read More“You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” – Michael Jordan
Despite understanding techniques in theory and having the necessary tools to get the job done, not all workers are thriving. Instead, there’s a largish percentage who just get by. They feel trapped as they work long hours but don’t achieve their targets or meet deadlines on a consistent basis. The surprising thing is the problem of the matter is often the very techniques and tools that are meant to support them.
Read More“You don’t get results by focusing on results. You get results by focusing on the actions that produce results.” - Mike Hawkins
It was named in the top 5 most sought-after soft skills employers look for in LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends 2019 report. Tim Ferriss (author of the 4-Hour Workweek) describes it as the key to his success. Why is time management having a resurgence of sorts?
Read More"You can't have a million-dollar dream with a minimum-wage work ethic" - Stephen C. Hogan
Nowadays a more with less mantra drives so much of what we do. To keep up we need to constantly work smarter and occasionally even cut corners where we can. While a self-serving approach can seem necessary, it doesn’t always provide the best outcome for those around us.
Read More“Raise expectations forever and even Superman is going to let us down”- Seth Godin
Our relationship with pressure isn’t always perfect. Studies indicate we perform better under moderate pressure; however, it’s open to interpretation what can be considered as low, moderate or high pressure. There’s a correlation here to our output and to how well we perform.
Read More“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves” - Ray Kroc
Great teams consist of a wide variety of personalities with different skill-sets who collectively strive to achieve a common goal. A challenge for leaders is to unlock everybody’s potential within the context of achieving team success. It’s a delicate balancing act that leaders don’t always get correct. This is especially true when leaders are misled into thinking people pleasers are high performers.
Read More“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton
The very word momentum has us conjure positive images of making progress and getting results. While that’s true, there’s also a form of momentum that has virtually the opposite effect. Is momentum your friend or foe?
Read More“Less is more. Progress is made through precise, persistent, and purposeful pushes.” ― Scott Perry
If you’re like most of us, then it’s likely you’ll have too much to do but not enough time. If left unchecked, then over time this can become demotivating and even overwhelming. That’s why a Not-To-Do list can help you become more effective.
Read More“If we didn't have deadlines, we'd stagnate” – Walt Disney
Recently an exasperated CEO bemoaned to me how his senior leadership team consistently missed 50% of their deadlines. I asked why he thought this was the case and he explained how they just always take on too much. To me this was a cliché, so I paraphrased with “hmm despite your team having the right intent, they’re just not doing what they say they’ll do for 50% of the time.” He responded with “um, yes!!!”
Read More“Successful people are simply those with successful habits” — Brian Tracy
Have you started the new year well or do you feel as though you’re not making as much progress as you need to? The reality is, the way we work determines how effectively we work.
Read More“If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got” - Albert Einstein
Whether you performed well or even poorly in 2018, the Christmas break makes January a great time to start afresh by developing better habits. Where do you need to focus to maximise your potential?
Read More"I never lose. I either win or learn" - Nelson Mandela
Regardless of the results you either achieved or didn’t achieve throughout the year, what were your key learnings from 2018 and what you’d like to do differently or better in 2019?
Read More“Knowing your weaknesses is as important as knowing what your strengths” – Anonymous
We all have our own specific strengths, weaknesses and preferences. There are things we find easy to do and things that we don’t. For instance, what’s a strength for you might be a weakness for someone else and what’s a preference for them might be a weakness for you. It’s what makes us unique. Those who work smarter in the work environment leverage their strengths, weaknesses and preferences.
Read More“I'm not perfect. Never have been. Never will be.” - Louis Tomlinson
Steve Jobs’s defining quality was perfectionism. The early days of Apple saw the development of the Macintosh take more than 3 years due to Jobs’s obsession with detail. In many ways, this mindset was Job’s legacy that set Apple apart from their competitors. However, trying to replicate a similar mindset may not be appropriate for you. Should you also always aim for perfection or are there times when near enough is just perfect?
Read More“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” - Phil Jackson
Have you ever been in a team or attended a party, a dinner, a function or a similar event that you just didn’t want to be part of? You know the place you didn’t enjoy and couldn’t wait to leave. Imagine if that was your workplace day in day out? It’d be awful, wouldn’t it?
Read More“Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.” - John Ruskin
What’s your definition when determining a perfect workday? Is it an easy day, an enjoyable day or something else? I think of perfect workdays occurring when my plan to make an impact is executed like clockwork. When I feel like I’m in control while I’m achieving or making progress on targeted outcomes. It’s rare that perfect workdays happen by accident.
Read More“The biggest challenge is to stay focused. It's to have the discipline when there are so many competing things.” – Alexa Hirschfeld
What projects, outcomes, targets or deadlines do you need to achieve before Xmas? Chances are there’s more on your To-Do List than the time available. Are you on track or do you need refocus in the lead up to Xmas?
Read More“What you allow is what will continue” – Source Unknown
One in three Australian workers feels stressed from having too much work to do. What percentage of this stress is caused by the volume of work versus ineffective work methods that see workers busy but ineffective?
Read MoreGlenn Tranter is a Time Management productivity expert who helps people and the organisations they work for be more effective at what they do by achieving better outcomes in less time.
Find out how to improve your productivity by 100 minutes a day.
