Leadership Flagship

The best ways to stop multitasking

July 19, 2018

By Damon Brown | July 17, 2018

It’s not your imagination: It’s much more difficult to focus today than it has been for previous generations. Technology is, of course, part of the discussion: Social media, apps and mobile devices are engineered to keep your attention (and, depending on your perspective, keep you distracted). We also have more information available than ever before, which means every action makes us consider other alternative things we could be doing.

Unplugging your devices and removing external distractions aren’t always options, but there are a few excellent ways to keep your mind focused and sharp during even the most chaotic work moments.

First, choose one priority every day. It doesn’t mean you complete just one thing, but rather decide early on what you want to focus on for the next 24 hours. We actually do this all the time: If there’s a major project deadline tomorrow, then you already know your priority. Why not do the same with less urgent, yet equally important themes or ideas you want to focus on? Having a single, strong priority makes it easier to say “No” to distractions that won’t bring you closer to fulfilling that priority.

Second, write down your tasks for the day. The challenge of the to-do list is tough for solopreneurs and independent workers, but it’s even tougher for group and team environments since we aren’t always in control of our task list. The problem comes when we (or others) add on another task and we don’t actually expand the time or the focus necessary to handle it. Instead, we may have planned to do three tasks this morning, but unexpectedly that list turned into six tasks in the same amount of time. By writing down your task list, you’re forced to not only see the increasing length of things to do, but also to take a more realistic look at what you’re capable of within the time you have.

Third, determine your own big goal for the next day, week, month, quarter and year. This applies even if you have a supervisor or work system doing it for you. It creates a personal compass: a way to you to quickly decide what should be most important in your role and how to triage your duties in the most difficult moments. Work goal-setting tends to focus on broad sweeping or visionary tactics. Your personal goal should focus on how you’re going to execute these goals. In other words, the most efficient people have a personal system that allows them to prioritize and focus on the most efficient way to get their outcome.

Lastly, put buffers in between tasks. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to fully shift from one task to the next task, but you can help the process by purposely transitioning from one goal to another goal. The buffer can be simple: standing up and stretching for one minute, taking a brief walk or getting a cup of coffee. Consciously stopping and then starting again on a different task actually allows you to focus deeper when you return rather than being scattered focusing on multiple things at once.
5 easy ways to be a little kinder

July 19, 2018

By Peter Economy | June 12, 2018

Your kindness to others — your co-workers, your friends and family, your neighbors, those in your community and in the world at large — doesn’t just benefit them. In fact, recent studies show that you, too, benefit when you’re kind to others.

Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor at University of California, Riverside, found being kind has a profoundly positive effect on happiness. In her experiment, Dr. Lyubomirsky assigned her students to do 5 random acts of kindness each week for six weeks. The happiness levels of these students increased by 42%.

So, why not give kindness a try? Here are 5 ways to turn kindness into happiness — for you and for others.

1. Remember how easy being kind can be.
Think for a minute about all the different ways you can express kindness to others during the course of a day, and just how easy it would be to do it. Thank your coworker for helping you with an assignment, or show appreciation to your spouse or children for doing something special for you. Practice gratitude with friends and strangers alike. The benefits will be tremendous — and long lasting.

2. Show compassion every day.
Soon after you start your morning, think of one specific act of compassion you’ll accomplish that day, and then be sure to do it. It doesn’t have to be a big thing — start with small steps. As with developing any habit, working to increase our capacity for kindness requires daily practice.

3. Find reasons to smile.
Smiling is by far one of the most recognizable and most powerful acts of kindness, and it costs nothing to do. Making a conscious effort to smile loudly projects kindness to the world. And if someone smiles at you, don’t hesitate to return the gesture. Believe it or not, this simple act of kindness may instantly change someone’s life for the better.

4. Show gratitude often.
Expressing your gratitude toward someone — most often by saying a simple “thank you” — is an extremely powerful way to communicate kindness. It takes just seconds to accomplish, and the person who receives your gratitude will glow with happiness when they receive it. Chances are, they’ll pass on your gratitude to someone else too.

5. Be kind to yourself.
While we often aim the kindness spotlight at others, it’s important not to forget to be kind to ourselves. Unplug from your responsibilities and busy routine — even if for just 15 minutes — and take some time just for yourself. You’ll come back stronger than ever.
How to create lasting change

July 19, 2018

By Mitra Malek | June 19, 2018

Plenty of information on nutrition and exercise is at our fingertips. Sure, we might need some one-on-one guidance, but even with it we often stall. The real challenge is taking action, and then sticking to it.

The bridge between info and action usually comes down to resolve. Ugh, I know. Think of it this way instead: We usually choose to do (or not do) things because we’re looking for a certain feeling. It’s not really the “thing” we’re after — it’s the feeling we think the thing will give us.

Here’s a simple example. Let’s say you’re not happy with your job because your boss is a bear and you work long hours. You’re stressed and want to take it down a notch. I need a new job, you think. So you get another job, one with a relaxed environment and a short workday. But your clients turn out to be high-maintenance and you can barely concentrate given the open floor plan. Now you’re stressed again, just about different stuff. In other words, the job — a thing — wasn’t what you were after. You were after a feeling: being at ease.

This is the sixth installment of a WorkLife series, Healthy Living Basics for Everyone. The sanely paced plan helps you with nutrition, exercise and lifestyle and includes a mental component that helps clarify goals and identify what might hold you back.

If you can identify the feeling you’re seeking, it’s much easier to chart your course. Here’s your game plan:

Step 1. Dig deep.
If you don’t exercise or eat healthfully, consider why that is. Is it easier than being active and eating well? Because the food that’s bad for you tastes better than the healthy stuff (or so you think)? You’ve tried exercising in the past and didn’t like it? It’s hard to find the time to exercise (or so you think)? What are your patterns and justifications? Write them down.

Step 2. Get real.
Review your list and ask yourself how each reason makes you feel. Do this in two rounds. First, write down your initial reaction to each reason. Then look at each reason and sit with it for 5 minutes to see what feelings come up. Write them down. Be honest. No one but you is looking at the list. Flag any feelings you don’t want to have, and note the ones you do want to have.

Step 3. Indulge yourself.
Now think about how you’d like to feel. See yourself in environments that bring about the feelings you want — but focus on the feelings themselves. Again, don’t fantasize about a thing (a concept, object or status, such as “I’d like to have abs” or “I want to wear a size 6”) because you have no idea whether the concept/object/status will actually give you the feeling you want. Maybe you want abs or to wear a size 6 because you assume you’ll be more attractive, which means it’ll be easier for you to date whomever you want, which means you’ll finally find the partner you want, which means you’ll feel loved and secure. So really what you’re looking for is to feel loved and secure — the feelings you’re after are “love” and “security.” Write down the feelings you want to have.

You might notice that some of the feelings in step 2 are the same as in step 3. Interesting, right? In the next post or two, you’ll learn how to translate the feelings you desire into actions that are healthful. That will probably mean making some changes. But you get to decide what you’re willing to change — and what you’ll miss out on by not changing.
How to tell your boss you’re overwhelmed

July 19, 2018

By Sharlyn Lauby | November 6, 2017

Workplace stress is a real issue. According to a survey conducted by Everest College, eight in ten employees are stressed by at least one thing at work. When you start drilling down for specifics about what those individual stressors might be, workload is tops on the list. A survey from employee assistance program provider ComPsych says 46 percent of worker stress is related to the amount of work employees have on their plates.

So, how can employees deal with having too much work? Well, it’s not by suffering in silence. Employees should find a way to discuss the situation with their manager. That might not be as easy as it sounds. Here are a few things that might help the conversation:

Conduct a Work Assessment

Before speaking with your manager, try to conduct a personal work assessment. It’s important to be educated about your current workload. Your manager is going to have questions. You’ll want to be able to talk about your responsibilities in specific terms without coming across as defensive.

Take an inventory of your current responsibilities. Think about your job description. Have you been assigned additional responsibilities? And are those new duties permanent or temporary? Also think about the deadlines that have been established for your work. Are all your deadlines at the same time or are they staggered over a span of time? Finally, consider the processes you have to use and the people you have to work with to accomplish your projects. Do they help or hinder your ability to get things done?

Next, decide specifically what you’re trying to accomplish. Now that you have conducted an inventory of your work, it’s time to decide the purpose of your conversation. The inventory you just completed might help you decide if the goal in speaking with your manager is to 1) have a responsibility removed from your job, 2) have a deadline extended so you have time to complete the task, or 3) get support from the manager to change a process (or prod a co-worker) to help you deliver your work on time. When you’re overwhelmed, it might be tempting to say option #1 is the goal of the conversation, but maybe all that’s needed is a little extra time. So carefully consider your options.

Speaking to Your Manager Takes Preparation

When it’s time to talk with your manager, schedule a time to talk. This is not a conversation to have on the fly in the hallway. Send the message that you’ve done your homework.

Practice what you want to say. If your work assessment is in a format that you can share with your boss, consider showing them what you’ve put together. Find someone that you can practice having the conversation with. During your role play, instruct your partner to ask some tough questions. Chances are your boss is going to; this will help you prepare. Come ready with a proposed solution to offer. In fact, consider having more than one solution.

Be committed to the team and doing your best work. It might not be realistic to expect an immediate answer from your boss. They could ask for time to think about your proposal. The one thing you want to do is make sure your manager knows that you are committed to your job and the team. Your manager will want to work with you when your efforts are viewed as trying to create a win rather than delivering an ultimatum.

Work Options Do Exist

Each of us can be faced with situations where the amount of work we need to get done seems overwhelming. It doesn’t mean we don’t have any options. Sometimes the options are difficult to identify, but with some planning, we can talk with our manager about ways to take control of our workload.

We all want the same thing. Companies, managers, and employees want to deliver excellent products and services to customers. Being stressed out and overwhelmed doesn’t accomplish that. So, keep the conversation focused on what really matters for everyone.
5 steps to manage your money after graduation

July 19, 2018

By John Schmoll | July 13, 2018

College graduation season is upon us. Students across the country are walking into their next stage of life, full of promise. This is an exciting time for many newly minted graduates, but along with that excitement comes new responsibility — including managing their money.

You may be on your own for the first time. You likely also have your first professional job, along with new expenses and other obligations. This can be scary for those new to money management, but it’s completely possible to manage your money well.

Here are five steps to take to manage your money after graduation that will set you up for success in the next stage in life.

1. Watch the big expenses.
A key part of managing your money for the first time is watching your expenses. An expense is anything you must spend money on each month, such as utilities, groceries and gas for your car. It’s important to be prudent with all your expenses, but it’s the larger ones — your lodging and car — that can easily derail a budget.

It can be easy to justify spending on these items now that you make more money. Following that philosophy, however, will greatly impact what you have left at the end of each month.

“A good strategy is to stick to the ‘college student budget.’ Just because you have more money coming in doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to spend it all. Living on a budget similar to college allows new grads to maintain the standard of living they’re used to and set aside savings,” says Katie Ross, education and development manager with American Consumer Credit Counseling.

A great way to continue living on a college student budget is to get a roommate. The same goes for avoiding a large car loan. Both let you reduce expenses, so you have more money to work with each month. You want to spend no more than 25% to 30% of your gross monthly income on housing and no more than 10% on a car payment to ensure you’re not overextending yourself.

2. Make a plan for your student loans.
Student loans are the elephant in the room for many new graduates. The average student loan borrower graduating in 2017 had close to $40,000 in student loan debt. That amount continues to rise year over year.

In many cases, you have up to six months to start making payments. During that time, it’s important to set up a plan to attack your loans. If you have multiple loans, you might want to consider consolidating them to make repayment easier.

You may also want to automate payments as most lenders offer a .25% reduction in your interest rate. The sooner you pay off the loans you have, the better, as it’ll free up money to put toward other goals.

3. Start an emergency fund.
Life is full of unexpected events. The air conditioner at your house may need repair, or your car needs something replaced. In these instances, you’ll need to rely on savings to pay for the emergency expense.

A credit card may sound like a great way to handle such emergencies. But that typically results in debt that can take months to repay. The best way to plan for the unexpected is to start an emergency fund. This emergency fund is exactly what it sounds like: a fund to help you in the event of an emergency.

Ideally, you want to have three to six months of living expenses in this fund. It takes time to build this, so start out with a goal of saving $500, then $1,000. There are many online banks that let you start with no minimum balance, pay a decent interest rate, and let you automate your saving. Find one you like and start transferring money on a regular basis.

4. Work on your credit.
Using a credit card isn’t all bad, especially when you only use it for things you can afford. One key benefit of using a credit card is that it lets you build your credit, which is important for your long-term financial health.

Ross suggests getting a credit card if you haven’t had one before, using it sparingly for a few purchases, and paying the balance in full to establish positive credit from the start. While it can be tempting to use credit for everything, it’s important to maintain a good credit utilization ratio (the balance between how much credit you have available and how much you use).

The importance of maintaining good credit can’t be overstated. The health of your credit score can impact the rates you pay on the things you finance, so it’s important to protect it.

5. Start saving for retirement.
You just graduated so should you be concerned about saving for retirement?
Yes!

Retirement may be decades away, but time is the best gift you can give to yourself when it comes to your retirement plans. The easiest way to start saving as a new college graduate is through the 401(k) plan offered by your employer.

“New graduates can start living on a budget when they first graduate by ensuring they set up their retirement account contributions at a minimum up to their employers’ match,” says Levi Sanchez, CFP®, co-founder and financial planner at Millennial Wealth.

In many cases, your employer will offer to match a certain percentage of your retirement savings. This is free money that doubles the work of your money and sets you on a path of effective retirement planning.

Life after college is an exciting and harried time. With some wise planning, you can set yourself up for success now — and for the long run.