MONOTASKING

Multitasking is a way of life for many of us.  Managing lots of things at once has become normal.  But the brain can only take in so much information and by overloading it, you're essentially 'jamming' your attention filter.

Slowing down and giving something your full attention is said to be the key to happiness, yet many of us still spend our lives rushing around, and even wearing the 'busy-ness' as a badge of honour.

Monotasking brings with it a whole host of benefits, including increased life satisfaction, lower blood pressure and even more creativity.  Monotasking is where tasks for the day are trimmed down and focus on one at a time (Martina Sheehen, Mindfulness expert and co-author of 'Do Less Be More')

BENEFITS OF MONOTASKING

greatest potential and creativity is unleashed

brain whirrs into action and reveals its flamboyant side

able to think on a deeper level

able to creating and finding solutions

making things much easier

more productive in long run

THE SCIENCE BEHIND YOUR BRAIN

Although monotasking is ultimately better for you, your brain quite likes to be busy for these reasons

1. a reward centre is triggered each time you tick something off your list
2. being busy and completing something makes you feel good
3. your brain will be used to staying busy to the point where it feels uncomfortable not to be busy
4. it sends a 'threat' response when you leave something unfinished, so you want to get it done

4 STEPS TO MONOTASKING

1. THE WORKING HOURS DIET

Research in Sweden has shown that when people cut back to a 6 hour working day, they're more productive, healthier and happier.

2. STAYING FOCUSED

Need to be prepared or you're likely to be distracted.

3. TO DO OR NOT TO DO

Write down the tasks you're not going to be devastated by.  It helps you focus on the things that matter.

4. CRUISE IN THE SLOW LANE

Adopt a more mindful mindset to concentrate on what you're doing.

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ONE THING AT A TIME

ROLE VS STRESS

Most employees have to cope with role expectation that are conflicting, incompatible and not clearly defined.  Either that or they have too many roles to perform or not challenging enough.  This role playing has direct impact on employees, and almost always resulted in stress.

Stress is a word that often being used but difficult to define.  It is usually best described through its symptoms.  Basically there are three categories of stress symptoms:

1. psychological - refers to emotional feelings like the dislike of coming to work, depression, anxiety, frustration and resentment
2. physical - includes headache and cardio-vascular disease
3. behavioural - refers to avoidance of work, over-reaction, under-reaction and aggression

Examples of work roles that causes stress:

• required to perform one or more roles that are in conflict with each other; e.g. the compliance of one expectations and demands of role A will make compliance of expectations and demands of role B more difficult
• receiving contradictory or incompatible demands from one or more superiors
• lack of clarity or predictability about the expectation associated with a given role
• performing a collection of roles that do not fit precisely
• the feeling that their skills are under-utilised

These stresses can be minimised or eliminated by:

• pay particular attention to the matching abilities, motivations and personalities
• allocating and restructuring work tasks and responsibilities
• communicate the core requirements of the job
• foster clear understanding of the job responsibility and duty
• convey clear specifications of the prescribed role expectations

SHARED FROM ARTICLE BY:

YIP WAH KONG

WORK ROLE AND STRESS

ACCOUNTANTS TODAY, MAY 2005

HANDLING JERKS AT WORK

Deliberate ongoing, aggressive behaviour that psychologically or physically torments its victim is the conner-stone of workplace bullying.  Both men and women are equally likely to be bullied.

There are no quick solutions to human relationship problems.  it takes time, patience and technique.  Corporate failures begin when managers mishandle human being at work.  When managing people, the first thing you must realise is that you do not 'own' anybody at work.  "Respect begets respect'

People change as time goes by; in habits and temperament.  It is also important to note that people with strong personalities often have strong weaknesses as well viz, temper and stubborness.  It is therefore necessary for managers to posses a strong dose of emotional intelligence with the combination of emotional maturity, empathy, tolerance, humour, and diplomacy.

Handled properly, some of the so called 'jerks' can be strategic allies.  Even the simple apology is like a good handshake; it is silent yet deeply meaningful.  Make the workplace a little more human....

SHARED FROM ARTICLE BY:

SHIV PRASAD

HANDLING JERKS AT WORK

ACCOUNTANTS TODAY, JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005

TIPS FOR MANAGERS

LEARN HOE TO HANDLE AUTHORITY

          One of the biggest challenges is the ability to transition from being one of the gang to someone who leads the gang.  Have frank conversation with peers and friends explaining how you will approach your new responsibilities.

BE CONSISTENT AND FAIR
           Don't try to be equal.
           Everyone needs something a little different.
           Inconsistency will lead to complaints of favouritism
           Strike a reasonable balance between serving the best interests of the employee with the business needs


GET TO KNOW EMPLOYMENT LAWS
           You don't have to be an expert, just be familiar enough with the overall philosophy.


THE WAY THE MESSAGE IS DELIVER
           The way you handle the situation.  Keep your language objective and your tone of voice moderate.


SET APPROPRIATE AND REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
           Communicate in a way that everyone understands.


DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK
           Get the issues out in the open.


USE COMMON SENSE AND GOOD JUDGEMENT
          The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were wt when we crested them - Albert Einstein


UNDERSTAND COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHIES
           So as to be able to make sound decisions and provide a fair and consistent environment.

THE MANAGEMENT JOURNEY

Management means different things to different people at different intervals of time.  The main function of any business manager is to create the right atmosphere for a supportive environment.

There is no specific limit to the acquisition of knowledge and experience.  Wisdom only follows thereafter.  Change in itself, is no guarantee of efficiency.  Thus, corporate changes should only be made in a sensible and timely manner.  Strategies without core competencies are like change without progress.

The ability to recognise 'holes' in your knowledge, and find ways to 'plug' them, will propel your business.  Otherwise, it's just as a jack-of-all-trades.  Making decisions when lacking understanding or familiarity with the issues can lead to disastrous results.

Self-confidence is a prerequisite for building a business.  But too much confidence may cause straying far.  It may also cause acceptance of limitations without attempting to patch up knowledge gaps.  Tapping on employees' expertise is one way of plugging the knowledge gaps.

Every company formulates its own management.  In certain bureaucracies, nothing is negotiable.  Create an open culture that facilitates the free exchange of ideas.  It's important that executives are not brain-dead after years of bureaucratic pressure and autocratic rules.

The ability to change for the better requires the right frame of mind and strong will-power.  Be the survivor who keeps his mouth shut, ears and eyes wide open, and develop a mind full of strategies.  Change and flexibility are vital attributes.  Significant change can only be implemented with commensurating corporate culture.

The key elements in management are decision-making, vision, strategy and time-management.  Learn how to formulate a Business Plan, devise vision and mission statements, and other strategies.  Understand the corporate culture, policies, objectives, management styles and apply more of common sense.

An idiot can make a simple task look complicated...., but it takes an expert to make a complex job look so simple.  Be positive, develop political savvy as a protection, do smart work and maintain a healthy measure of emotional intelligence.

Remember, the state of mind will have a ripple effect on the subordinates.  Put into practice the best techniques.

SHARED FROM ARTICLE BY P. GRIMSHAW

ACCOUNTANTS TODAY

BETTERLIFE, SEPTEMBER 2015

THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

The internet has brought networking to a whole new level.  There are also several other avenues to project yourself and make the right connections.  With jobs a scarce commodity positions and stiff competition for desirable positions, its best to polish those shoes, practice that handshake and start costing your net wider through networking.

            Indeed networking has become the order of the day at conferences and forums where organisers pencil in networking sessions.  But in reality, many of us are gregarious wallflowers at social functions, preferring instead to stick to people we know.  Fortunate for the tongue-tied, the internet has changed the rules of engagement.  Even though business events may still be a golden opportunity to press the flesh and meet the right contacts, there are now other ways to meet and connect on professional level.

10 TIPS ON SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT
1.	Socialise	·         Breakout of your shell ·         Get talking to people ·         Get to know the person next to you
2.	Start with friends and family	·         List down names of friends and family, acquaintance, neighbours and people around you. ·         Approach them and connect.
3.	Volunteer	·         Look outside your profession ·         Reach out to the community ·         Find a cause you are passionate about ·         Offer your expertise to help organisation reach its goal.
4.	Keep in touch	·         When meeting someone new, -       Write details on their business card to remind yourself of where and when you were introduced -       Drop them an email. ·         Keep in touch regularly
5.	Be a resource person for others.	·         Offer help and ideas or suggest leads to others ·         Be a key reference points for others
6.	Take up membership	·         You’ll get to know key people within the industry ·         Able to enhance skills through many professional event organised ·         Start by attending alumni gathering and start remaining contacts.
7.	Share information	·         Offer to write article or be a guest speaker or expert area.
8.	Go back to school	·         Take up course in your professional field ·         Classmate can be future referees.
9.	Get online	·         Join online forums ·         Participate actively ·         Caution: do not be overly enthusiastic
10.	Socialise online	·         Some of them can make excellent networking. ·         Use platforms to introduce yourself and your qualification. ·         Caution                - be mindful of projecting                              a Professional image -   Keep your personnel image information in a separate account

Shared from article in

Accountant Today

Management & Business

September 2009

TURN FLAWS INTO FORTES

The key to turning a disadvantage into an advantage is to recognize the opportunities, even if others see only challenges.  Have the courage to trust your instincts.  Seize the change that other people might miss.  Focus on simplicity.  If our offer couldn’t be summed up clearly and simply, don’t expect customer to buy it.  Be optimist because opportunity favours the bold.

The greatest strength as entrepreneurs should be the ability to have fun.  We should do what love and love what we do.

Instead of hiding your weaknesses you should look at them as opportunities for improvement and as a way of doing things differently because you would then approach a problem or challenge from a new perspective.  Every challenge in our lives in there for a reason.  So figure it out how to turn into strength

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                                                                                    C & A

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson

The Original Disruptor

SME BIZ

Monday, 28 December 2015