A Zen-Like Approach To Working
Will Help You Increase Productivity
Zen-like: calm, focused and unstressed
In fact, it's about as far from being calm, focused and unstressed as it is possible to be.
Globally we are facing the most serious economic crisis in more than half a century.
Locally, we face more competition for clients...and experience more stress from more sources than ever before.
Instead of allowing yourself to become overwhelmed by these and similar issues, why not create some calm your work?
By adopting a Zen-like approach to your work, you will be less stressed, more focused...and best of all more productive.
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The Distractions of Knowledge Workers
If, like most of us, you rely on the computer to perform a large portion of your work, you can can be considered to be a 'knowledge worker'.
As a knowledge worker, every time you are distracted, you experience a loss of energy and and productivity...and frequently more stress.
Each unexpected personal interaction or incoming message...whether by iphone, email notification or wireless transmission...diverts time and energy from the work you were doing.
These distractions actually represent a double-energy drain.
One is diverting attention from the work you are are doing to the distraction.
The other is returning your attention from the distraction to the the work that you were doing.
The end result is that in draining as much energy and attention as they do, distractions require you to work harder than is necessary to complete your work.
One of the best...and surprisingly easiest...ways to increase your productivity is to create your own Zen-like approach to your work.
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Creating Your Zen-Like Work Environment
Random pieces of paper whether in piles or not...cluttered notice boards...and miscellaneous odds and ends that inevitably gather in our workspace distract our attention and drain energy.Here is how to create your Zen-like work environment.
1. Clear Your Space
Many of us tend to
'personalize our workspace by adding stuff...or simply allowing it to
collect. As a result, we create our personal museums and archives...but without the organization typically found in such facilities.
By all means save as much museum and archival material as you like...but not in your work space.
2. Develop & Use A Filing System That Works
The right filing
system for you is the one that will best help you efficiently
store...AND retrieve the paper that is necessary for your work.
There is virtually no limit to the online help available for creating your filing system.
Simply search 'filing system' on Google or some other search engine and you will find more than enough information about developing your own system.
There is virtually no limit to the online help available for creating your filing system.
Simply search 'filing system' on Google or some other search engine and you will find more than enough information about developing your own system.
3. Purge, Purge, Purge
Once you’ve
de-cluttered, there is probably more that you can still clear away.
Decide if every item that remains in the open really needs to be where it is...in view.
If it does not need to be where it is...and realistically very few things need to be stored in the open...remove it
When you’ve completed this purge, do it again...and again... until the only things remaining in your developing Zen-like workspace are those things that must be there.
Decide if every item that remains in the open really needs to be where it is...in view.
If it does not need to be where it is...and realistically very few things need to be stored in the open...remove it
When you’ve completed this purge, do it again...and again... until the only things remaining in your developing Zen-like workspace are those things that must be there.
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Currently part way through creating my own clutter-free work environment, I am delighted with the results.
For me the process started with my vision board. The transformation out of clutter has been truly amazing.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is that my de-cluttering has served as an unintended example for my wife. She has always had trouble managing the stuff that collects in her life.
Happily she has felt the positive energy of a less cluttered environment...and is now working on creating her own clutter-reduced workspace.
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Creating Your
Zen-like Approach To Work
Away from the controlled peace of our Zen-like
workspaces we are
constantly bombarded by people, information and situations that
constantly compete for our attention. It is often difficult...if not impossible to experience a sense of peace in our over-stimulated society.
There are however some things that can be done to reduce external stimulation and help find the sense of inner peace that we find in our own workspaces
1. Single-task Whenever Possible
From computers, we have learned to
multi-task.
When we multi-task, I'm not sure we are working on several tasks simultaneously..or quickly switching from one task to another...and then back again.
Regardless of whether we are multi-tasking or rapidly switching tasks, the result is invariably the same.
We seldom perform the tasks as efficiently as we would if we were concentrating all of out attention on one task at a time.
Instead of working on several tasks simultaneous, try focusing on each task one at a time...and continuing to work on the task until it is totally completed...or at the very least...a specific phase or portion of the task is completed.
Try following the Zen proverb:
When we multi-task, I'm not sure we are working on several tasks simultaneously..or quickly switching from one task to another...and then back again.
Regardless of whether we are multi-tasking or rapidly switching tasks, the result is invariably the same.
We seldom perform the tasks as efficiently as we would if we were concentrating all of out attention on one task at a time.
Instead of working on several tasks simultaneous, try focusing on each task one at a time...and continuing to work on the task until it is totally completed...or at the very least...a specific phase or portion of the task is completed.
Try following the Zen proverb:
“When walking, walk.
When eating,
eat.”
This approach will not only increase your
productivity...it will also help reduce stress.
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2. Monitor
Your Computer Use
Computers are as
helpful as they are distracting.
Whether working on-line or off-line there there is a fine line between working and playing or doing fun stuff.
There is no problem doing both...provided you are not playing while you should be working or vice versa.
Set your own criteria and priorities for work and play. Once set these criteria and priorities are your guidelines for using the computer.
Constantly monitor how effectively you are following your own guidelines.
Whether working on-line or off-line there there is a fine line between working and playing or doing fun stuff.
There is no problem doing both...provided you are not playing while you should be working or vice versa.
Set your own criteria and priorities for work and play. Once set these criteria and priorities are your guidelines for using the computer.
Constantly monitor how effectively you are following your own guidelines.
3. Leave Openings In Your Schedule
Probably
by a misguided sense of efficiency, many people schedule their
activities in such a way that scheduled events inevitably overlap.
If for example a specific event usually takes 20 minutes, many people only schedule 15 minutes for the activity.
This results in rushing the 20-minute activity...or running late for the next scheduled activity.
Both scenarios generate stress.
Instead of scheduling things close together try leaving more space between them.
If for example a specific event usually takes 20 minutes, many people only schedule 15 minutes for the activity.
This results in rushing the 20-minute activity...or running late for the next scheduled activity.
Both scenarios generate stress.
Instead of scheduling things close together try leaving more space between them.
Undoubtedly you will
find that at the end of the day you will have completed the same
amount of work done..but with much less stress.
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4. Schedule Your Down Time
This
could vary from scheduling a quiet
time...or a walk around the block...to booking days off and vacations
well in advance.
All of these things are important... important enough to designate the time for doing them.
When down time is not regularly scheduled and taken, it is usually squeezed out by more work.
All of these things are important... important enough to designate the time for doing them.
When down time is not regularly scheduled and taken, it is usually squeezed out by more work.
5. Let Go Of Whatever Is Unnecessary
Much of what we
crowd into our physical
and emotional spaces is unnecessary.
We become overloaded with stuff from the past that we lose track of who we are and what we want to achieve in our lives.
It is useful to think about what we really need...physically and emotionally...and let go of any of the stuff that we carry with us that just isn't necessary on life's journey.
We become overloaded with stuff from the past that we lose track of who we are and what we want to achieve in our lives.
It is useful to think about what we really need...physically and emotionally...and let go of any of the stuff that we carry with us that just isn't necessary on life's journey.
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When you adopt a Zen-like approach to implementing your plans and working to achieve your goals, the world around you will remain much the same.
You will however work in a calmer, more focused and less stressful manner...and increase the likelihood of achieving the results that you desire.
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