Career Skills

by Karen Adamedes

We all have those times when we are super busy. A client deadline, the preparation of quarterly or monthly results, unexpected projects or even times when colleagues are absent or assigned to project work and it means more work for us.

The list of possible reasons can seem to be endless! And for all these reasons and more – not only are you super busy – these peaks are often associated with the quality of what you’re working on being really important.

So the question is how to manage the quadruple challenge – you’re super busy, the quality of what you are working on is important, you have all the usual day to day pressures that just don’t just go away and you don’t want to appear, or actually be, overwhelmed by what’s on your plate. Not to mention that you’re so much in the thick of things you probably don’t have any spare time to think about whether you need to be doing things differently.

When I get into these situations I usually try and work out how to be more efficient so that I can get everything done. But the reality is that we are all restricted by the 24 hour in a day, need to eat and sleep thing. And we’re not robots. Being more efficient is not the entire answer.

I’ve learnt that if priorities change and I am going through one of those super busy times I do have to reprioritize my time. This means doing things differently not just doing more faster.

So if you are going through a super busy time here’s 5 things to consider stop doing – to give you some time back for what you need to be focused on:

1.  Stop returning missed calls

I don’t know how or when but somehow it has become an expectation that if you miss someone’s call – you need to ring them back. Which apart from anything else is really time consuming. And possibly means that you are spending a lot of time returning calls that are not required – as the person who rang you found the information that they need in the meantime.

If someone does really need to speak with you they could leave a message, send a text or even try again later!

There is two parts to this – stop returning calls that you have missed and don’t expect people to ring you back without leaving a message or sending a text.

If you have been working on the missed call as a signal with the people you work with – you may need to put a little effort in up front to change expectations. Particularly if it’s with your boss! It’ll be a little effort but it will be well worth it.

Next time you’re talking with the people you work with or in a team meeting let them know you are going through a busy time (they probably already know that) and ask them that if they need to get in touch,  could they leave a message or send a text – so that you know it’s a priority for you to get back to them and that you’ll do the same for them.

Nobody is going to object to a way to have their call prioritized. And you won’t have to worry every time the phone rings and you can’t take a call – about when you will get the time to do your work and return all the missed calls. This truly is a stress-buster!

If you need to wean yourself off the habit, try sending a text like “I saw I missed your call…do you still need to speak to me? If so when would be a good time?” That way, at the very least you’ll cut down on the missed call roundabout. But if you can I’d recommend going cold turkey on this one.

2. Stop sending the auto reply on your phone to callers when you are already on a call

Still on the same bandwagon about calls you can’t answer. I’m an iPhone user and the first auto reply option is to let people know you’re on the phone and that you’ll call them back as soon as you . Oops – put’s the work load back on you.

Try a customized response – letting the caller know you are on the phone and asking if they need you to call back?

This should cut down on unnecessary return calls and the response to your reply may even give you an indication of how urgent the matter is. If you’re an iPhone user go to Settings > Phone > Respond with Text – and then you can enter your new auto responses. Easy! If you’re an Android user – I’ve got nothing but I’m sure you will figure it out 🙂

3. Stop having the last word on every email

We all want to be polite on email. It’s such a tricky communication medium to inject a personal touch.

But sometime the thank you’s back and forth on every email can be incredibly time consuming. If the topic has been dealt with, the outcome achieved and you’ve been polite – don’t keep a conversation going unnecessarily.

4. Stop desktop alerts from your inbox

Sometime the ‘ding’ of an arriving email or a pop up can be a welcome distraction. But not when you’re super busy. You see or hear the alert, it interrupts whatever you were thinking about and gives you something else to worry about – what new horror has arrived in your inbox?

Turn the alerts off and check your emails when you have allocated the time. If they are urgent, believe me, people will ring you to let you know if they don’t hear back!

If you’re using outlook the alerts are on by default. To turn them off File > Options > Mail > Message Arrival – clear the Display a Desktop Alert box.

In gmail Gear icon > Settings > Mail Notifications Off  in the Desktop Notifications section > Save changes.

Done!

5. Stop sending emails.

Yep…you read that right.

Not all emails. But ones that could be dealt with much faster with a quick phone call. We talk at about 110 – 160 words per minute and type at about 40. I can be much more efficient with a succinct call and I don’t have another email to respond to when I get an answer to the one I sent.

I know it sounds old fashioned to actually talk to people but you’ll be amazed by the relationships that it will help build and how it will help reduce the ambiguity that so often happens with email communications. This is a win-win tip!

Stop the busyness and focus on what you need to do.

Try these and I predict you won’t go back – even when things calm down!

 

Karen Adamedes is the CEO and founder of Career Tips To Go, has a day job and is the author of ‘Hot Tips for Career Chicks’. She gets busy and has tested all of these tips!

 

 

 

A short and sweet blog this week but I think this cartoon says it all. If you want to do something, get selected for a particular team or be seen in a certain way…think about what you can do to make yourself the obvious choice!

Have a good week! Karen

 

 

by Karen Adamedes

I can’t let this week go by without acknowledging International Women’s Day on Thursday March 8.

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres is quoted on the United Nations website saying “Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest human rights challenge in our world.” There is a fair bit of unfinished business going on across the world so this is a big call!

The theme of UN Women in Australia in 2018 is ‘Leave No Woman Behind’ and says ‘together we can empower women across the globe’. A sentiment also shared on the International Women’s Day site which declares “International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.” and that “Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organisation specific.​ Make IWD your day! – everyday!”

So I am making it my day and share with you what it means to me…

Possibilities. 

Because of those women who have come before me (and the men who supported them) and fought the good fight – I can vote, receive equal pay for equal work (as long as I negotiate well enough – but that is another story), have property rights and many other entitlements which are the norm in 2018 in many developed nations. Unfortunately the progress towards these in many parts of the world continues.

One of my beautiful goddaughters was born on International Women’s Day in 2000. The turn of the new century. I like to think that she has unlimited possibilities and opportunities in front of her. This week she turns 18 and many of the possibilities that are available to her are because of the work that has been done to level the playing field for women in the past. Let’s ensure that we continue to empower so we do leave ‘no woman behind’.

Choice.

Women now have choices about the lives they live. Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way but you don’t have to look very far back in history to see how much our choices have expanded.

In World War 2 (before my time, might I add!) it was a job in the factories or in the service to support the war effort, in the 1950’s (still before my time!) it was back to the housework so that the men could have the jobs.

Women’s Lib., Feminism, Education, Fairness – whatever you want to call it – the evolvement of our society means I, we, have many choices available.

Effort.

The changes in society towards the rights, education and opportunities for women have come about due to significant efforts of many – both women and men. Some of those that made the efforts did not necessarily personally reap all the rewards for their efforts. But we have.

A quick look back at the history of International Women’s Day shows the major achievements that have been achieved. The issues now and in the future for women are different than the past, but a look back at history tells me that if we work together – this effort also will be successful.

Unfortunately though not enough has been achieved globally and we are seeing with the #MeToo movement that there are many areas where progress is still to be made. Let’s leave no woman behind!

Pride.

That I am doing my little bit with practical career skills education. It might not be world changing but it can be transformational for an individual (I hope!).

Thanks.

That I have and have had many role models, mentors, colleagues, friends and family who guide and support me.

Acknowledgment.

That not all women have achieved basic rights and freedoms. And that not all of those who still have to fight for these and other opportunities are women. Indeed there are many people, who for many reasons need our support for change.

And International Women’s Day is for everyone. Equality is for everyone.

Celebration.

Of the achievements that have been made by women over the last 109 years (since the first IWD in 1909 – although the first International Women’s Day wasn’t held on March 8 until 1910 if you want to be technically correct) – the advancement of women is the advancement of all of society.

Speaking of celebration, Happy 18th to the aforementioned goddaughter! And Happy International Women’s Day to all!

 

Karen Adamedes is the CEO and founder of Career Tips To Go and author of ‘Hot Tips for Career Chicks’. She likes figuring out stuff that’s not working as well as it could or should. And then working out what to do about it.

 

Hi all

This time I’d like to ask you for your tips!

I am researching my forthcoming book ‘Professional in Pyjamas: 101 Tips for working from home’ – and I would love to hear your tips!

According to Survey Monkey (who know about these things) this questionnaire will only take 5 minutes to complete.

So if you would like to be (almost) famous and be included in the book, have a tip to share about working from home or just have 5 minutes to kill – it would be great if you could share your thoughts with me in this survey.

Thanks in advance!

Karen

You can access here – Complete survey now

or here….

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