Tag Archives: business

Multi-tasking – Does it work?

Are you a multi-tasker?  Does it really work for you?  Or do you end up working on various tasks but never completing any?

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Multi-tasking is when 2 or more tasks are attempted at the same time.  Many of us are tempted to multi-task to get more done.  After trying to handle phone calls, cooking, doing the dishes, and walking my treadmill I found I was burning more energy but never completing any task effectively.  Not to mention the background noises while fending phone calls.  That was not good for business.  As a Network Marketer I am frequently making and/or receiving phone calls.  And while it would seem I need to multi-task, it doesn’t work effectively.  Only on a short term, like setting an appointment I just received via phone on my iPhone calendar.  That’s a quickie.  But if you are trying to maximize your productivity by doing 2 or more things at one time, you will exhaust yourself and get nowhere.  In most cases, you will have start over if you’re on a project that demands much concentration.

According to a study at the University of Sussex, you are damaging your brain.  It may seem like you can split your attention but it’s really damaging the lower brain density in the region that is responsible for empathy, cognitive control and emotional control.

The good news is the damage can be fixed if you work on one thing at a time, in a place where you can really concentrate.  I tend to work at my kitchen table – right when and where I drink my coffee.  Working in a open, busy spot in my home made me notice other things that needed to be done and off I went, doing those other chores.  Only to return to my initial task to have to backtrack to catch up.  However, working in my home office, at my desk, is much more relaxing and effective.  No distractions.

Multitasking does not make you super-productive. It only means you backtrack a lot. Every time you switch tasks, you have to repeat a little more to see where you last left off.  It takes more time to switch tasks than sticking with them until completion.  Many studies have found multitasking reduces your productivity by 40%.

Timothy Ferris, researcher, recommends you focus on a maximum of two goals/tasks per day to ensure your productivity and accomplishments are in alignment.

And every once in a while, take a break – take a vacation!

Please leave your questions below.  We especially welcome your comments and/or suggestions on how you cope with multi-tasking.  Continue to follow JOMAINE, especially complete your email list for future POSTS.  And please follow us on twitter @jomainea.  Subscribe to our feeds.

 

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Skills or Common Sense – Do you show it or blow it?

 

  After working in the Federal sector for over 35 years I can honestly say it’s a thin line between ‘Who you know’ and ‘What you know’. Many articles emphasize that Who you Know gets you further and having been in many situations it was that But I perservered and realized that no matter who I know, I still needed to have the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to do the job. Fortunately I always had to apply, interview, and convince a panel that I would be their best choice. Without those KSAs I would not have made it through interviews with highly skilled Managers who could spot a fake.

So why am I making a big deal of this? I just read “The Billion Dollar Woman” by Janelle Harris.  She interviewed Janice Bryant Howroyd, the first black woman to build a billion-dollar business, Act-1 Group, a business solutions enterprise.  Janice elaborated on how she succeeded and made very interesting points.

     First, she attributes her faith in God and the love from a large family as what inspired her.  I can relate to that.  She launched her business in 1978 with only $1,500. That took a lot of faith, self-belief and KSAs.  Janice did not wait for someone to ‘hand it to her’.  I launched my business for less than $350 with no overhead. 

     Second, she marveled at how business owners, employees, contractors or even creative people miss out on investing in people, understanding what the people need; understanding what is behind the ‘ask’, and once that need is identified, one can deliver a service or a product that really grows. Learning from her I deliver a great product that sells itself. Everybody is either doing it or want it.

     Third, Janice stepped up, not back, when the ‘economy was staggering out of a recession’. She felt people wanted to ‘jump in’ when business was good and going well; however her thoughts was that people should put it all out there when there is adversity. It makes you work harder, stronger, and that’s the time businesses grow.

     Fourth, Janice, graduating from North Caroline A&T State University, said her greatest challenge is “unapologetic about the gifts that got her here”. Previously, she shrank from her power.  Now she embraces it and use it to help others.

     Fifth, Janice was uncomfortable with the idea she was smart.  She felt it was crucial to hide her knowledge.  I never thought I would actually read about someone who was uncomfortable with their brains.  It’s sad when people are ignorant enough to judge a person because they are smart. Don’t ever let anyone criticize you or judge you for that reason. Those are people who don’t have sense enough to look at your contribution to others. Take it in for what it really is, jealousy and a negative way to hold you back. After one of Janice’s business presentations, and as she was being escorted to the door someone said “’If more of your people were like you, your whole race would be a lot further ahead.’” Instead of allowing that negativity to affect her, Janice made a commitment that the first $1 million she earned, from that contract would go to scholarships for ‘people like her’. WOW. That’s how you show negative people, don’t get even, be successful. People are watching and waiting for you to either fail or be successful. Make a decision: to fail is easy; to succeed is hard but so rewarding and it helps so many other people. I recently attended a Women’s Conference in Teaneck, New Jersey, where one of the speakers, Lillie Ennis, made a very good point by saying “Ladies, when you crack that glass ceiling, send the elevator back down”. That was huge and an eye opener. There is enough for everyone but don’t forget to reach down and help another. That’s how your blessings multiply. This industry I have been so blessed to be a part of has no glass ceiling and I’m on that elevator.

     I’ve seen what people need, realized it’s already out there as an $8 Trillion dollar industry and simply provide the avenue for everyone to reach it. Simply put, I will be the door that opens for my family and friends. I will create that Generational Wealth. I will lead and develop leaders because now I know, after retiring, this trillion dollar industry has no ‘Glass Ceiling’. And I’m sharing this with everyone I know so you will understand that if I can do it, so can you. There are no education requirements, just a desire to help others.

 

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Still Working? Home or Office

Office worker eating at deskAs technology continues to evolve and the economy gets better, the trend toward telecommuting or running a home-based business will continue to grow.
Although working from home gives many significant perks, it also has challenges. While dealing with daily commuting and traffic, there are obstacles that are unique to the home office. Here are a few obstacles to working from home and suggestions to overcome them.

1. Staying Focused is a MUST
There are countless distractions from laundry, dishes, television programs, children, friends dropping in, and simple noises outside. It’s already hard to feel like you’re working, simply because you are in a home environment and not your work place.

Suggestion: While you may be a great multi-tasker and think you can alternate between work and household tasks and distractions throughout your day, there has to be some balance. Your productivity will eventually suffer. When I was ‘teleworking’ twice a week it became very difficult to work and not want to run to the store for quick grocery shopping; iron a few clothes in the morning before I got started; read just one more chapter in my favorite book and various other things I looked around and saw needed doing. I knew I shouldn’t, but who would know? Eventually my work slacked and I had to stay up later in the evening to catch up. Hence, what was the purpose of working at home?
I turned my loft into a dedicated area for my office. That allowed me a place to focus and avoid distractions. When I walked up to my loft, I became really serious about my work, totally focused and accomplished much more without interruptions.
For you, it may be using just a little corner of a room that has just the necessary essentials to do your work, preferably with your back to the window (lets avoid the gazing and day-dreaming) and even putting up a door if there are too many distractions. Whenever you need to take a break or regain your focus, get a coffee or relax in another room for a brief time and then get back to your work area.

2. Boundaries are Abused
In a traditional job at the office, everyone understands your work schedule. Personal calls are minimal and you don’t handle personal errands at the Office. However, boundaries tend to disappear when you’re working from home. I received unlimited personal calls and found myself making excuses that I could just take a minute that zapped my time and energy. I was called on to run errands just because I was home and free. Yes, my work suffered.    “A lot of people think, ‘Oh this is going to be great,” says Steward Friedman, director of the Work/Life Integration Project at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. As Friedman has pointed out, one of the hardest aspects is “creating boundaries at home that really keep you focused.”

Suggestion: While you can still take advantage of the flexibility of working from home, stay conscious of how easy it is to lose track of time in your workday. Always remember that your job is still just as real and important as your friends, family and office counterparts. NOTE: respect your own time and keep to your schedule because others will not unless you set and keep those boundaries.

3. Balance the Work
While one of the greatest perks of working at home is working in your pajamas, no invasion of your space, and starting when you want to work, there is a down side to it all. Working from home gives you no physical or mental barrier between work and home life and you will lose track of a stopping point. Without a natural stopping point, the day gets longer and it’s harder to put work aside, hence, becoming a Workaholic.

Suggestion: Set a reasonable work schedule and stick to it. Start at your scheduled time, take reasonable breaks and lunch, get back to the schedule and most importantly STOP when your scheduled work day is over. This takes great discipline but you can do it. If you are really serious about a home-based business or simply teleworking/telecommuting, you will have to be determined and disciplined.

4. Isolated and Invisible
Its great not having to deal with the drama of office politics and sometimes gossip. Some co-workers can be pests, but others may be uplifting and great partners on major projects. Without regular, visible contacts, Friedman says, you won’t have “the spontaneous exchange of ideas and information and enthusiasm.” You could easily feel isolated. Meetings can happen without anyone remembering to inform you. I didn’t realize how much I missed the daily social interaction until I started teleworking.

Suggestion: If you normally lunch with a co-worker, then schedule an occasional lunch. Set up some get-togethers for after work to catch up on all you may have missed. While using social networks as your virtual “water cooler” may reduce isolation, it can be a time-zapper also. Take advantage of phone calls, video calls, and instant messaging to communicate also. Continue reading →

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