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== Personal Accountability ==
== Personal Accountability ==
Just after graduating from college, the first full-time job I got was as an administrative assistant for a higher education institution. Although I was not passionate about the work itself, I gave it my best effort. It paid the bills during our first four years of marriage while my husband was in medical school.
Just after graduating from college, the first full-time job I got was as an administrative assistant for a higher education institution. Although I was not passionate about the work itself, I gave it my best effort. It paid the bills during our first four years of marriage while my husband was in medical school.
Instead of blaming, complaining and spending energy trying to deflect additional work, Carol had asked the QBQ: What can I do? Then she designed her own solutions and took action. She took personal accountability rather than becoming a victim. And Carol did what she did because she chose to, not because she had to. Remember to check your self-talk: I should…, I gotta…, and I have to… represent victim language; I choose to… is empowering and builds on personal accountability.
Instead of blaming, complaining and spending energy trying to deflect additional work, Carol had asked the QBQ: What can I do? Then she designed her own solutions and took action. She took personal accountability rather than becoming a victim. And Carol did what she did because she chose to, not because she had to. Remember to check your self-talk: I should…, I gotta…, and I have to… represent victim language; I choose to… is empowering and builds on personal accountability.
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* Keep only what you plan to focus on today on your desktop. Remove visual distractions from your workspace so your attention is not pulled away from what you’ve chosen to work on today! Everything else should be put away until it’s time for you to focus on it.
* Keep only what you plan to focus on today on your desktop. Remove visual distractions from your workspace so your attention is not pulled away from what you’ve chosen to work on today! Everything else should be put away until it’s time for you to focus on it.
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Over the past twenty years, technology and downsizing have joined forces to turn office space into a dumping ground for information. Computer manufacturers promised us paperless offices back in the 1980s, and yet a decade later paper production had doubled!
Over the past twenty years, technology and downsizing have joined forces to turn office space into a dumping ground for information. Computer manufacturers promised us paperless offices back in the 1980s, and yet a decade later paper production had doubled!
Information comes to us in four primary ways:
'''Information comes to us in four primary ways:'''
* Paper
* Electronic (e-mail, web links, etc.)
* Spoken (in person or recorded messages)
* Thoughts in your head
What typically happens when you sit down at your desk and are overwhelmed with where to begin?
What typically happens when you sit down at your desk and are overwhelmed with where to begin?
How can you possibly figure out what is most important to focus on right now? Having clarity about your priorities is critical as you wade through the maze of choices that compete for your time.
How can you possibly figure out what is most important to focus on right now? Having clarity about your priorities is critical as you wade through the maze of choices that compete for your time.
The Four D’s
'''The Four D’s'''
There are only 4 possible choices for what to do with information. I call it the Four D’s:
There are only 4 possible choices for what to do with information. I call it the Four D’s:
* Do it now.
* Defer it for later – file it for action or future reference.
* Delegate it to someone else.
* Dump / delete -- don’t do it.
Let's look at each option more closely:
Let's look at each option more closely:
DO IT NOW!
'''DO IT NOW!'''
Ask yourself: "Is this the BEST use of my time right now?" When you do weekly planning, you can plan ahead and block out time to tend to your most important activities. (Yes, that's right...you can make an appointment with yourself to focus on your most important activities or tasks!)
Ask yourself: "Is this the BEST use of my time right now?" When you do weekly planning, you can plan ahead and block out time to tend to your most important activities. (Yes, that's right...you can make an appointment with yourself to focus on your most important activities or tasks!)
DEFER IT FOR LATER.
'''DEFER IT FOR LATER.'''
If you have papers you need to take action on at some point in the future, use a tickler file to help you remember to follow up at the appropriate time. Visit http://www.orgcoach.net/products/ticklerpic.html to see a picture of a good customized tickler system. If the follow-up is an activity, such as a follow-up phone call a month from now, enter a reminder in your calendar so you don't forget.
If you have papers you need to take action on at some point in the future, use a tickler file to help you remember to follow up at the appropriate time. Visit http://www.orgcoach.net/products/ticklerpic.html to see a picture of a good customized tickler system. If the follow-up is an activity, such as a follow-up phone call a month from now, enter a reminder in your calendar so you don't forget.
DELEGATE IT.
'''DELEGATE IT.'''
If you are not delegating some of your work, I encourage you to revisit the possibilities. The most productive people in the world are those who spend 80% of their time doing what they do best and love most, while surrounding themselves with people whose talents are complimentary to theirs.
If you are not delegating some of your work, I encourage you to revisit the possibilities. The most productive people in the world are those who spend 80% of their time doing what they do best and love most, while surrounding themselves with people whose talents are complimentary to theirs.
Think outside the box. Identify what you would delegate if you could, and then figure out some creative ways to make it happen!
Think outside the box. Identify what you would delegate if you could, and then figure out some creative ways to make it happen!
DUMP IT. DON'T DO IT!
'''DUMP IT. DON'T DO IT!'''
There's productive power in asking yourself these questions:
There's productive power in asking yourself these questions:
* What's the worst possible thing that could happen if I don't have this or don't do this?
* If I toss this now and discover I need it later, can I get it elsewhere?
* Does it have tax or legal implications?
* Will this enhance my life to do or keep?
How often do you complete everything on your “to-do” list? (I call those “do-do” lists – we do this and do that.) I have been invited into many offices as a productivity consultant, and I can tell you that most busy people have multiple do-do lists stashed throughout their offices, cars, briefcases, and homes, in an attempt to try to remember everything.
How often do you complete everything on your “to-do” list? (I call those “do-do” lists – we do this and do that.) I have been invited into many offices as a productivity consultant, and I can tell you that most busy people have multiple do-do lists stashed throughout their offices, cars, briefcases, and homes, in an attempt to try to remember everything.