IMPROVING WORK HABITS-2:Developing the proper attitudes and values, Time-management techniques

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Human Relations MGMT611

Lesson 30

IMPROVING WORK HABITS-2

(Developing proper attitudes and values)

Developing good work habits

The previous lesson was about the reasons or causes of delaying the tasks. This lesson describes various

methods of improving work habits and managing time. As a result, you can learn how to increase personal

productivity. Good work habits and time management are extremely important because of the current

emphasis on enhancing productivity. Good work habits contribute to success in personal life. Work habits

refer to a person's characteristic approach to work, including such things as organization, priority setting,

and handling of paper work and e-mail.

Effective work habits are beneficial because they eliminate a major stressor feeling of having very little or

no control over your life. Time management and good work habits go hand in hand. If you are able to

manage your time properly, you can be more productive person. More productive persons are more flexible.

Developing the proper attitudes and values

Developing good work habits and time-management practices is often a matter of developing proper

attitudes toward work and time. Good work habits can be developed by following these certain

principles/rules.

Develop a Mission, Goals, and a Strong Work Ethic

A mission, or general purpose in life, propels you toward being productive. Goals support the mission

statement, but the effect is the same. Being committed to a goal propels you toward good use of time.

Steven Covey recommends that you develop your mission statement by first thinking about what people

who know you well would say at your funeral if you died three years from now. How you like to be

remembered after death gives you energy to develop good work habits. Developing strong work ethic is

closely related to establishing a mission and goals.

Value Good Attendance and Punctuality

Values help develop work habits. If you value punctuality, you would like to be in time. Good attendance

and punctuality are essential for developing a good reputation as a worker. Also, you cannot contribute to a

team effort unless you are present.

Value Your Time

People who place a high value on their time are propelled into making good use of time. Those who value

their time are more difficult to engage in idle conversation during working hours. Being committed to a

mission and goals is an automatic way of making good use of time.

D. Value Neatness, Orderliness, and Speed

Neatness, orderliness, and speed are important contributors to workplace productivity. Orderliness helps

most people become more productive because less time is wasted searching for documents and tools. Speed

is widely considered to be a competitive advantage. Avoid lengthy preparation trying to get things perfect

before you make a move. High quality must come quickly.

E. Work Smarter, Not Harder

Developing the attitude of seeking to work smarter rather than harder increases productivity and

satisfaction. An example of working smarter, not harder is to invest a few minutes of critical thinking before

launching an Internet search. Many people save time by searching information over the Internet, instead of

going to the libraries.

Human Relations MGMT611

Become Self-Employed Psychologically

The self-employed person is compelled to make good use of time, partially because time is money.

Developing the mental set of a self-employed person improves productivity.

G. Appreciate the Importance of Rest and Relaxation

Proper physical rest contributes to mental alertness and improved ability to cope with frustration.

Neglecting the normal need for rest and relaxation can lead to workaholism, an addiction to work in which

not working is an uncomfortable experience. Recognize, however, some people who work long and hard

are classified as achievement-oriented workaholics who thrive on hard work and are usually productive. To

help achieve rest and relaxation, some people take fifteen-minute power naps.

By removing inner obstacles such as self-criticism, you can dramatically improve your ability to focus, learn,

and perform.

Time-management techniques

The appropriate time-management techniques are also necessary to achieve high personal productivity. For

these techniques to enhance productivity, most of them need to be incorporated into and practiced regularly

in daily life. Habits need to be programmed into the brain through repetition.

Clean Up and Get Organized

An excellent starting point for improving work habits and time management is to clean up the work area,

and arrange things neatly. Eliminate clutter and simplify the work area so there are fewer distractions and

the brain can be more focused. Getting organized includes sorting out which tasks need doing. Cleaning up

is particularly important because so many people are pack rats.

Plan Your Activities

The primary principle of effective time management is planning; deciding what you want to accomplish

and the actions needed to make it happen. To-do lists are a basic planning tool.

1. Where Do You Put Your Lists?

To-do lists should be placed on a calendar or day planner, or in a notebook, computer or other fixed

location. Some planners are part of a system that enables one to link daily activities to a mission in life. For

many people these planners are invaluable; for others they are a burden that leads to an over-structuring of

life. Make a realistic list of the tasks.

2. How Do You Set Priorities?

Priorities should be established for items on the list with a system such as tagging each one as an A, B, or C

item. However, taking care of small (C) items can be therapeutic.

3. How Do You Schedule and Follow Through?

To convert your list into action, you should schedule when you are going to do each of the items on the

list.

Get off to a Good Start

Get off to a good beginning and you are more likely to have a successful, productive day. Start poorly and

you will be behind most of the day.

D. Make Good Use of Office Technology

Proper usage of most high-tech devices in the office can improve productivity and quality. For example, a

laptop computer helps make one productive during potential periods of downtime. A major consideration is

that the time saved using office technology must be invested in productive activity to attain a true

productivity advantage.

E. Concentrate on One Key Task at a Time

Effective people resist distractions that prevent giving full attention to the task at hand. Achieving the flow

experience is the ideal level of concentration. Conscious effort and self-discipline can strengthen

concentration skills. Set aside ten minutes per day and focus on something repetitive. Concentrating on a

key task is important, but sometimes doing two or three minor tasks at the same time can help save time.

Human Relations MGMT611

Work at a Steady Pace

Working at a steady clip generally pays dividends in efficiency. A steady-pace approach accomplishes much

more than someone who puts out extra effort just once in a while. Despite the advantages of maintaining a

steady pace, some peaks and valleys in your work may be inevitable, such as in tax accounting. Napping may

be helpful to replenish your energy supply in order to work at a steady pace.

G. Create Some Quiet, Uninterrupted Time

One hour of quiet time might yield as much productive work as four hours of interrupted time. Creating

quiet time could mean turning off the telephone, not accessing e-mail, and blocking drop-in visitors during

certain times of the workday. Many people do some work at home to avoid interruptions.

H. Streamline Your Work and Emphasize Important Tasks

Getting rid of unproductive work is part of reengineering in which work processes are radically redesigned and

simplified. Reengineering contributes to work streamlining that eliminates unproductive work including

activity that does not contribute value for customers. An example of unproductive work is sending paper or

e-mail messages that almost nobody reads. To streamline work, look for duplication of effort and waste.

Important (value-contributing) tasks are those in which superior performance could have a large payoff.

Make Use of Bits of Time

A truly productive person makes use of miscellaneous bits of time, both on and off the job. A variation of

this technique is grazing; eating meals on the run to make good use of time ordinarily spend on sitting

down for meals.

Stay in Control of Paperwork, the In-Basket, and e-Mail

Unless paperwork and e-mail messages are handled efficiently, the person may lose control of the job and

home life, leading to stress. The in-basket is the center of paperwork. For many overwhelmed workers, their

entire desktop becomes the in-basket. To stay in control, the in-basket should receive attention each

workday. Sort in-basket items into an action file and a reading file.

Use Multitasking for Routine Tasks

Doing two or more routine chores simultaneously can sometimes enhance personal productivity. However,

it is important to avoid rude or dangerous tasks, or a combination of the two. A rude practice is doing

paperwork while on the telephone or in class. A dangerous practice is engaging in an intense conversation

over the cell phone while driving.

Overcoming time wasters

Another basic thrust to improve productivity is to minimize wasting time. The strategies and tactics

described next are directly aimed at overcoming the problem of wasting time.

Minimize Day Dreaming

Allowing the mind to drift while on the job is a major productivity drain. Day dreaming is triggered when

the individual perceives the task as boring or overwhelming. Brain research suggests that young people

daydream the most. Unresolved personal problems contribute to daydreaming.

Prepare a Time Log to Evaluate Your Use of Time

A time log can uncover time leaks, anything you are doing or not doing that allows time to get away. A

major time leak for many workers is schmoozing, or informal socializing on the job. Nevertheless,

schmoozing can help relieve tension and build workplace relationships.

C. Avoid Being a Computer Goof-Off or Cyber loafer

An unproductive use of computers, however, is to tinker with them to the exclusion of useful work. Some

managers spend so much time with computers that they neglect the leadership aspect of their jobs. Internet

surfing for purposes not strictly related to the job has become a major productivity drain.

Human Relations MGMT611

D. Keep Track of Important Names, Places, and Things

Have a parking place for everything, and make visual associations about where you put objects. By

remembering the names of important places and things you can also save time.

Set a Time Limit for Certain Tasks and Projects

Spending too much time on a task or project wastes time. Invest a reasonable amount of time in a project,

but no more.

Schedule Similar Tasks Together (Clustering)

An efficient method of accomplishing small tasks is to group them together and perform them in one block

of time. Using a block of time to make telephone calls is a useful example of similar-task scheduling.

Bounce Quickly from Task to Task

Much time is lost in taking a break between tasks. After a brief pause, dive into your next important task.

H. Be Decisive and Finish Things

A subtle way of improving your personal productivity is to be decisive. Decide quickly, but not impulsively,

and remember that uncompleted projects lower productivity. So finish tasks you have begun.

References:

Dubrin, A.J. (2005). Human Relations: Career and Personal Success. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey,

07458.

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