10 Daily office struggles - and how to overcome them

DAILY OFFICE STRUGGLES

and how to overcome them

10

To conquer your day, you need to proactively turn your daily struggles

into opportunities.

1

TASKLISTAPHOBIAWhen you have a mini panic attack just

before you open your task list.

1

TASKLISTAPHOBIAWhen you have a mini panic attack just

before you open your task list.

Task lists have a way of growing rapidly if you leave them alone for too long. Which

is why you must give them your full attention - right now!

USE DAVID ALLEN’S MIND SWEEP TECHNIQUE

FIX IT

1

1. Write down every single thing that’s occupying your thoughts.


FIX IT

1


2. Remove everything you can’t action.


FIX IT

1


2. Remove everything you can’t action.3. Anything you can action in 2 minutes,

do it now.


FIX IT

1



do it now.4. Everything else? Either delegate it or

put it on your task list.


FIX IT

1



do it now.4. Everything else? Either delegate it or

put it on your task list.


Now your mind is free to do what matters.

FIX IT

1

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.

- William James

2

STEVE NOJOBS SYNDROMEWhen you have no work to do.

2

STEVE NOJOBS SYNDROMEWhen you have no work to do.

Having nothing to do at work can be just as frightening as Tasklistaphobia, but it’s also

the perfect opportunity to take initiative, and impress your boss.

FIX IT

Identify what needs to be done, but isn’t being taken on by

anybody. Then do it.

2

FIX IT

Find a poor process and improve it.



2

FIX IT

Find a poor process and improve it.

Handwrite notes to your team and

thank them for being exceptional.



2

Genius isinitiative on fire.

- Holbrook Jackson

3

JUST...ONE...MORE...LIKE SYNDROME

When you get stuck in the time sink that is social media.

3

JUST...ONE...MORE...LIKE SYNDROME

When you get stuck in the time sink that is social media.

Social media addiction is a serious affliction for many - especially when it conflicts with

your productivity. You like one cat picture and suddenly three hours have passed.

3FIX IT

Log out of every social media site you use, and disable auto-log-in.

3FIX IT


This will force you to enter your username and password every time you want to log in, and give you

that moment to ask yourself:

3FIX IT




“Do I really need to check my Facebook right now?”

3FIX IT




“Do I really need to check my Facebook right now?”

Odds are, you don’t.

If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting

off doing it.

- Olin Miller

When your days at work are spent walking from one meeting to the next.

4

MEETING FATIGUE

When your days at work are spent walking from one meeting to the next.

It’s estimated that 25-50% of meeting time is wasted.

Partaking in marathon meetings has not only been proven to contribute to exhaustion, but

is also one of the reasons you start to feel overwhelmed by your workload.

4

MEETING FATIGUE

USE JEFF BEZO’S TWO PIZZA RULE

FIX IT

4

Never have a meeting where two pizzas aren’t enough to feed the entire group.


FIX IT

4


The more people you have in a meeting, the less productive it will be.


FIX IT

4


The more people you have in a meeting, the less productive it will be.

Why? Because if there’s a large group, you’re more likely to agree with each

other, rather than voice your own ideas.


FIX IT

4

Less meetings. More doing.

- Jason Goldberg

5

When you’re constantly recovering from distractions and don’t get to do any real work.

DISTRACTION SICKNESS

5

When you’re constantly recovering from distractions and don’t get to do any real work.

Did you know?

DISTRACTION SICKNESS

The average worker spends at least 2 hours of their day recovering from distractions. That’s a lot of time you could be doing something productive.

FIX IT

5

Wear headphones - preferably ones that are noise-cancelling.

FIX IT

5


COMMUNICATE TO YOUR COLLEAGUES THAT HEADPHONES = FOCUS TIME

FIX IT

5



Try the 40/20 rule where you spend 40 minutes doing work, and 20 minutes indulging in distractions.

FIX IT

5



Try the 40/20 rule where you spend 40 minutes doing work, and 20 minutes indulging in distractions.

Knowing that you have specified “distraction time” will actually help you focus.

Distractions destroy action. If it’s not moving

you towards your purpose, leave it alone.

- Jermaine Riley

When you realise it’s Monday again and you have to give yourself a pep talk to get up.

6

MONDAY MORNING MONOLOGUE SYNDROME

When you realise it’s Monday again and you have to give yourself a pep talk to get up.

Shifting from weekend mode to work mode is a struggle for many, but it doesn’t have to be.

6

MONDAY MORNING MONOLOGUE SYNDROME

6FIX IT

MAKE AN IRRESISTIBLE DEAL WITH YOURSELF

6FIX IT


“If I get up right now, I can treat myself to an ice cream after work.”

6FIX IT


ASK YOURSELF AN UPLIFTING QUESTION


6FIX IT


“What am I happy about in my life right now?” “What am I excited about right now?”



6FIX IT


“What am I happy about in my life right now?” “What am I excited about right now?”



Asking yourself these questions will make you feel it, and turn your Monday blues into a positive experience.

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do

what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing

the impossible.

- Francis of Assissi

7

PROBLEM BLINDNESSWhen a problem isn’t solvable - not because you can’t see the solution, but because you

can’t see the actual problem.

7

PROBLEM BLINDNESSWhen a problem isn’t solvable - not because you can’t see the solution, but because you

can’t see the actual problem.

Identifying the root cause of a problem is an essential ingredient to a long-term solution. But

often, people opt to treat just the symptoms, as the short-term effects are more visible.

USE THE 5 WHYS PROBLEM-SOLVING METHOD

FIX IT

7

When a problem occurs, discover why by simply asking “why” no fewer than

five times.


FIX IT

7

When a problem occurs, discover why by simply asking “why” no fewer than

five times.

More often than not, it will lead you to the source of the problem.


FIX IT

7

Temporary solutions often become

permanent problems.

- Craig Bruce

When you’re hesitant to voice an opinion that differs from your team.

8

ROCKTHEBOATAPHOBIA

When you’re hesitant to voice an opinion that differs from your team.

8

ROCKTHEBOATAPHOBIA

This condition has the potential to destroy a business if left unchecked.

As Walter Lippman said,

“Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.”

8

BE THE FIRST ONE TO SPEAK

FIX IT

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By voicing an opinion early on, you eliminate any self-doubt that may pop up later.

FIX IT

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FIX IT

PRACTICE ANTI SELF-CENSORSHIP

8



FIX IT

PRACTICE ANTI SELF-CENSORSHIP

Make a pact with yourself that you will express at least one opinion in every meeting you go to.

Honesty is the first chapter in the book

of wisdom.

- Thomas Jefferson

When you don’t share your expertise out of fear that you’ll become redundant.

9

KNOWLEDGE HOARDING

When you don’t share your expertise out of fear that you’ll become redundant.

Secrets are no longer business currency - sharing is. Sharing what you know deepens your knowledge; it stimulates conversation and ideas, and makes you a valued asset to the team. If you don’t share, you’ll

struggle to innovate.

9

KNOWLEDGE HOARDING

9

FIX IT

Make a deal with yourself to share something interesting you’ve discovered every day.

9

FIX IT

Make a deal with yourself to share something interesting you’ve discovered every day.

Be a volunteer. If a task comes up and you know you have the expertise to steer it to

greatness, don’t keep your mouth shut. Put your hand up and lead the way.

We do not fear the unknown. We fear what we think we know about

the unknown.

- Teal Swan

When a colleague or boss is praising your work in front of the team and you

don’t know what to do with yourself.

10

PRAISE AVERSION

When a colleague or boss is praising your work in front of the team and you

don’t know what to do with yourself.

It’s easy to get anxious in front of a sea of eyes, but Praise Aversion often results in a missed

opportunity to connect with your team.

Don’t like the spotlight?

10

PRAISE AVERSION

10

Accept the compliment and say “Thank you”. It will make you look more humble than if you reject it, and

you’ll be more liked by others.

FIX IT

10

Accept the compliment and say “Thank you”. It will make you look more humble than if you reject it, and

you’ll be more liked by others.

FIX IT

Share the praise with any other people that helped you achieve it. It will spread the attention and strengthen the team.

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10 Daily office struggles - and how to overcome them

Career

Transcript of 10 Daily office struggles - and how to overcome them