Oh No, Not Another Interuption, How To Deal With Everyday Distractions
Every day I find junk mail waiting for me, whether it is snail mail or email. Unless I deal with it immediately, I will be faced with piles of unwanted paper, or a full inbox, which just distracts me. It can be very frustrating trying to find something which is buried in a drawer or hidden under a pile of papers. Not only is this distracting but it also takes time and can lead to added stress. Every time you look at a pile of untidy papers you may just notice yourself sighing and notice, too, how your energy is diverted into feeling guilty about one more task not yet done.
Clear away the clutter - anything that will distract you, anything that takes up space, either physically or mentally. Examples include:
an untidy desk or car
a pile of unpaid bills
a disorganised wardrobe
unwanted gifts
What takes away your time and energy? Examples include: chatting on the phone or round the coffee machine friends dropping round unannounced on a regular basis relationships not working searching for things that you can't remember where you left
Just as we put sunscreen on us to protect against the harmful rays of the sun, we sometimes need to protect ourselves from people, places and things. Prevention is better than cure! You can't stop other people from being negative or living their lives from one drama to another, but you can stop yourself from being sucked in by them.
Dawn had reached the point when all she wanted to do was hand her notice in at work. As she was so behind with her work, she logged on to her computer at home, after she had put her children to bed. So much for trying to combine motherhood with work - it just didn't seem to be working. During the day, her team continually interrupted her when she was about to start on her work, with questions she felt that they really ought to know the answer to. "Why can't they work it out for themselves?" she said.
She realised that she had fallen into the trap, as so many managers do, of sorting out the problems for her team without encouraging them to come up with their own answers first. She would ask them to leave it with her. And of course, that was a monkey off their backs and one more on to hers. No wonder she felt stressed most of the time at work.
So she did two things to combat the problem. She increased the number of one-to-ones with her staff, and used the time to talk through her team's workload and some of the issues they were facing. For the first time in a long time her team took responsibility for their own work. Second, instead of inviting them to leave problems with her, she either asked them to come back with their own ideas, e.g. a draft of a letter, or suggested that she would meet with them later in the day, by which time they had normally sorted things out for themselves.
Dawn recognised that her role as a team manager had not always been as clear as it might have been. She thought she was supporting them by doing their work for them. "I thought I was in control but nothing was further from the truth. I hadn't realised how much the regular interruptions and my poor time management contributed to stress." Her team, although shocked at first, started to thrive. They started to feel more confident in their own abilities to solve problems, and Dawn was always there when they needed support. She also seemed to be a lot less short tempered with them, which they appreciated.
In reducing interruptions from her team, Dawn was setting stronger personal boundaries.
You can choose how you react or respond to others. You may find yourself reacting in the moment then spending the next two days feeling awful that you snapped at someone. All that time you are occupied with these thoughts and you could be doing something about reducing the stress in your life. Think before you act even if it just for 30 seconds.
Emotions may get the better of you on occasion, if they do you can stop things from escalating and causing more stress.
Most of us find it is hard enough to change ourselves. It is even more difficult to change others. So if you find yourself stressed by the actions of others, change how you react, rather than expecting others to change.
As you change, watch others change around you!
Carolyn Matheson is a nationally recognized Coach, Speaker and Author of "Yes to Less Stress."
Carolyn is a Master Certified Coach, and works with executives and their teams across the world. She has pioneered an innovative approach to coaching, combining many years of high performance coaching with a holistic approach to work/life balance and has coached hundreds of leaders and their teams. Her experience as a presenter, both nationally and internationally, spans 20 years, with clients currently in Europe, Australia, the Middle and Far East, and the USA.
Her new book, Yes to Less Stress is available online at her website, http://www.areustressed.com
 Google News Updated : Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:34:03 GMT Hutchison takes step toward run for governor - USA Today
USA Today - WASHINGTON (AP) (AP) - US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison took the first formal step Thursday toward a run for Texas governor, setting up what was already becoming a bruising Republican primary battle in 2010 between her and Gov. Hutchinson files to form exploratory comm. Kay Bailey Hutchison edges toward governor's run Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:06:53 GMT Report critical of NY education - Bizjournals.com
Bizjournals.com - New York high schools lag behind several states when it comes to educating students who go on to college. The likelihood of a New York high school freshman enrolling in college by age 19 is 44 percent, according to a new report by the Natonal Center ... New College Cry: Affordability Colleges say they're struggling to make ends meet Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:55:34 GMT Rice satisfied with Pakistan's anti-terror stance - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan's leaders know what's at stake after the terror attack in Mumbai and have acknowledged their duty to evict terrorists and prevent future attacks, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday. Video: Rice in Pakistan to Push Terror Probe Protesters in Mumbai have chanted anti-Pakistan slogans Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:02:38 GMT Sports of The Times Giants Leave Door Open to a Burress Return - New York Times
New York Times - By WILLIAM C. RHODEN On Tuesday, a day after Plaxico Burress was hit with two counts of illegal weapons possession, Jerry Reese, the Giants’ general manager, broke the news to Burress: He was finished for the season, suspended without pay and fined. Report: Pierce will testify before grand jury Pierce Reportedly to Testify to Grand Jury Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:20:44 GMT Health Buzz: State Health Rankings and Other News - U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report - Vermont is the healthiest US state, while Louisiana is the least healthy, according to the 19th annual America's Health Rankings report, issued by the United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association, and the Partnership for Prevention ... Washington Ranked Tenth Healthiest State Florida slips in health survey Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:59:46 GMT Franken's campaign protests 133 mystery ballots from Minneapolis - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Minneapolis Star Tribune - only concerned with a fair vote count when it benefits his numbers. That so many voted for this ignorant fraud in my beloved home state is … read more a source of great concern to me. Coleman campaign withdraws 650 ballot challenges Franken Demands 'Immediate and Intensive' Search for 133 Lost Ballots Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:11:30 GMT Zimbabwe Declares Cholera Emergency - New York Times New York Times - By BARRY BEARAK JOHANNESBURG - The Zimbabwean health minister, David Parirenyatwa, has declared the nation’s cholera outbreak a national emergency and appealed for outside help, the state-controlled Herald newspaper reported on Thursday. WHO Says Zimbabwe Cholera Estimates May Be Too Low Zimbabwe declares cholera national emergency Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:56:36 GMT RSS Software |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Studies show that 80 percent of what we use comes... Read More Do you like storing your papers on top of your... Read More After a long winter, this is the time of year... Read More Clutter is a big problem for many people. At a... Read More What's in a Name?Everything.What do you do with all the... Read More We are in a society where people are applauded for... Read More The Productive Environment Scorecard?Read the statements below and rate your... Read More 1. The Law of the 1st StepA good first step... Read More How to do keep track of all you have to... Read More Home organization isn't just for neat-nicks or those drawn toward... Read More Many people have a huge challenge coping with the incoming... Read More For some reason, Americans think they have something to prove... Read More After more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a... Read More "Junkyard Wars," a TV series showed two teams of experts... Read More The word "compartmentalize" means to separate into distinct parts. I... Read More Life is really all about CHANGE. In order to make... Read More A lot of us grew up with Mom taking care... Read More We hear it every day."Buy this product, and simplify your... Read More In most homes, paper causes clutter. And it seems to... Read More The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper ? tattered... Read More Chances are, most of you have a lot you need... Read More I've noticed that in the two years since the major... Read More What do you do with those special items that have... Read More What does "quality of life" mean to you? If you... Read More Parenting is always a challenge, but particularly so if your... Read More
Adsense
websites
5 Tips to Banish Clutter From Your Life For Good
Your Organizing DNA
Spruce Your Environment, Spruce Your Spirit
Addiction to Clutter
Organization Tips - How to Set Up Your Database
Organize Yourself Otherwise Your Work Could Kill You
Just How Organized Are You? Take This Quiz For Individuals
Stress Management: 10 Universal Laws to Get and Stay Organized
Heres A Great Way To Organize Your Work From Home Office Virtually
5 Reasons to Organize Your Home Today
How To Organize Your Paperwork
Give Up Control to Get Control
Organizing Solutions for the Disorganized Entrepreneur
Can You Make a ?Torpedo? Out of Personal Junk? How to Optimize What You Have
Compartmentalize
To Make a Change -- Take a Chance
What Momma Never Told Me About Housekeeping
Simplify Your Life! No Really...Simplify Your Life!
How Long Do I Need to Keep This? - A Guide to Receipts, Statements and Financial Clutter at Home
Organizing Lessons from a Bookstore
Mental Clutter- Is It Taking Over Your Life?
After the Clutter: 5 Steps to a New Daily Routine
Memorabilia -- Use It or Lose It!
Improve Your Workplace to Make Your Life Better
10 Organizing Tips for Road Warrior Parents
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Family Management Tip #3: Getting Ready for the New School Year
Clothes. Check. School supplies. Check. No doubt you've got to... Read More
10 Simple Steps to a More Organized Household
1. Divide big jobs into smaller jobs. Make a list... Read More
10 Tips to Get Organized and Clutter-Free- Now!
1. THE LOVE IT OR LOSE IT PRINCIPLE: Every item... Read More
Digging out of Paper Clutter - part 1
Digging out from under stacks of paper might seem like... Read More
Common Clutter Culprits- How to Bust Through Clutter
Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing... Read More
The Top 10 Habits of Organized People
Have you ever wondered how some people seem to have... Read More
Life Lessons - Get What You Want; A Lesson from a Green Sea Turtle!
Sometimes major life lessons come from the most unlikely of... Read More
Making Life Easier, with NLP Chunking!
You know, in psychology there is a rule, especially within... Read More
Organizing - Time is of the Essence!
What does "time" have to do with getting organized? Everything!... Read More
Clear Your Clutter and Free Your Life
Whatever your clutter problem the answer is the same: make... Read More
Declutter Your Home in 11 Easy Steps
Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start... Read More
Give Up Control to Get Control
For some reason, Americans think they have something to prove... Read More
Organizing Your Day
One of the hardest things for most individuals working from... Read More
Time for a Clean Out
Time has flown. It's been six months since you came... Read More
10 Myths of Clutter Clearing
1) It's easy to have a good clear out: Not... Read More
Organized Living in a Disorganized World
We are bombarded with so many factors that perpetuate disorganization.... Read More
The 4-Keys to Clutter Free Living - Design a Space that Nurtures Your Soul
Decluttering is a simple-to-learn process, once you break it down... Read More
Its Time To Clear Out! Clutter Busting For Every Aspect Of Your Life
'A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view... Read More
Organize Your Desk ? Live Longer!
It may seem far-fetched, but by organizing your desk, your... Read More
Get Organized: 10 Universal Laws
The Law of the 1st StepA good first step in... Read More
Spring Cleaning
Spring is such a refreshing time- we are filled with... Read More
Heres A Great Way To Organize Your Work From Home Office Virtually
How to do keep track of all you have to... Read More
The Clutter Factor: From Packrativity to Productivity
? Are you embarrassed when you walk into your home... Read More
Do You Have Scatter-Brain-Itis?
In your quest to get 'up and running' so to... Read More
Creating The Perfect Closet
Your closet is often the first thing you see in... Read More
Get Organized - Organization |