Creating On-the-Job Happiness
by Marci Shimoff
Do you feel there’s too much on your plate, everything seems urgent, and you don’t know where to start? I know the feeling well.
A few years ago, I had 15,000 (yes, really) unopened emails in my inbox and was constantly wishing I could just get rid of them all. Sure enough, my computer was stolen and my back-up didn’t work, so in one fell swoop, I did get rid of those emails! (Watch what you wish for.)
While I was upset about how much I had lost, I was also oddly relieved that my email overload had magically disappeared. But within a year the email monster was back, overwhelming me and weighing me down.
So, I went on a campaign to get control of my time and to lighten my email overload. I found some powerful and extremely helpful tools in the book I’ve been singing praises of lately: Master Your Workday Now!
www.MasterYourWorkday.com
Here are some tips from author Michael Linenberger’s system that have helped me. Try them and see how they help you lighten your load.
1. Segment your work into three “Urgency Zones.”
Critical Now–These are things absolutely due today. You should have a maximum of five things on this part of your list. Use this “going-home test”: Is this item so critical that you would work all night to make sure it was completed? If not, it doesn’t belong in this top priority zone.
Opportunity Now–These are things you would work on today if you had the right opportunity to do so, but they are not really “due” for up to a week or so.
Over-the-Horizon–These are things that can be put off for a week or much longer.
I’ve found that sorting my work into these three zones helps me relax and enjoy, because it shows me clearly what needs intense energy, what needs moderate energy, and what’s on the back-burner.
2. Convert your emails to tasks right away.
Don’t use email in your inbox as a way to track to-do’s. That just wastes time and leads to inbox churn, where you constantly rehash and reread email looking for messages that have actions for you to do. Instead, as soon as you get an email that has an action in it–one that you can’t do immediately–move that action into your to-do list system, and manage it from there.
3. Schedule “email time.”
Don’t read email as it comes into your inbox. That’s a huge productivity killer–it can take you up to 5 minutes to get reoriented to your work. Schedule your email periods once an hour or less, and leave blocks of uninterrupted work time in between. Turn off email notification so you’re not so tempted!
Getting your workday under control is one of the surest ways I know of experiencing greater happiness, freedom, and ease during your days. I know I’m smiling a lot more these days.
Marci Shimoff is a celebrated transformational leader
and #1 New York Timesbest-selling author. To learn
more of her powerful techniques for establishing deep
and authentic happiness and well-being, visit
www.HappyForNoReason.com/
Mindful Musings 