Three Words That Will Destroy Your Day

You are having a productive day and plowing through your to-do list.  You’ve blocked off time to start a special project and are on pace to finish well ahead of schedule.   Suddenly, you are confronted with those three little words that can destroy your day: “Got a minute?” 

Most offices have the person that I describe as ”Got a Minute Gary”.  This is the individual that is always approaching you when you’re in the middle of completing an important project and asking, “Hey Eric, you got a minute?” I’ve discovered that they never take only a minute. On a good day, they waste at least 20 minutes of your time. Gary’s sole mission in life is to make you late. 

As you keep reading, you will learn two strategies to effectively deal with “Got a Minute Gary”. If you happen to be the Gary of your office, I hope this message inspires you to change your ways!

Calculate
It’s important to know the value of your time. Knowing this will motivate you to protect it against unscheduled interruptions.   The calculation is simple.  Take your desired annual income and divide by the number of weeks you work factoring in scheduled vacations.   So if your desired income is $110,000 and you work 49 weeks (factoring in 3 vacation weeks), divide dollars weeks and you get $2,244.89.  Next, take the $2,244.89 and divide by the hours you work per week.  Be sure to subtract lunch time.  If you work 50 hours per week and take an hour for lunch each day, you would divide by 45 hours and get $50. In this calculation, your time is worth $50 per hour. 

For many of the people that I work with, their time is worth $100 per hour and up. If you fall into this category and Gary takes up a half an hour of your time, he is literally costing you $50 each time he interrupts you. Every time he shows up at your desk, picture yourself giving him a $50 dollar bill. 

Communicate
When working on a project, let everyone know up front the times of day that you will not be available. This can be accomplished by putting a sign out notification on your email that lets people know the specific blocks of time that you will be out of the loop. Whenever someone emails you they will see the message. 

My favorite approach is the direct one.   When Gary asks you if you have a minute, tell him what you are working on, and offer to schedule an appointment time with him to discuss what he wants to talk about.  Have your calendar ready BEFORE he approaches you. 

You tell him what times work best for you instead of asking him when he is available.  Make sure you communicate when the meeting will start AND when it will end.   Short time windows inspire people to get to the point. 

The appointment will send the message that your time is too valuable to be wasted and will make Gary think twice before interrupting you again.   By calculating the value of your time and communicating your availability, you can avoid those three deadly words for good! 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

To access additional time management strategies download my latest ebook, One Moment in Time.

How To Use Motivation To End Your Procrastination

Early in my career, I had a serious problem. I was the new manager of a local tire store and the most important factor for customers when purchasing tires was speed of service. Unfortunately, I had the slowest team of tire technicians in the market. 

I spent most of my days getting yelled at by customers because of the time it took to put tires on their cars. Then one day I noticed an interesting trend. Customers that brought their vehicles to the shop just before we closed got much faster service than everyone else. 

This was because the techs were motivated to get the cars finished so they could go home for the day. They knew that once they got the task done, there was a prize waiting for them. In other words, they used motivation to end their procrastination.  There are two strategies that will help you to break the procrastination habit as well:

1. Create a personal reward system
What is the prize that is waiting on you, once you complete that task you keep putting off? Implementing a personal reward system will give you an answer to this question. For example, treat yourself to a weekend getaway as a reward for completing that business plan that you've been putting off.

Give yourself a deadline and make sure you use a calendar to put both the date and reward in writing. A day at the spa, a trip to your favorite restaurant, and a date to listen to your favorite musical group are other examples of good rewards for taking action. 

At the tire store, I divided the technicians into teams and rewarded the group with the fastest service times with a gift card to their favorite hunting store. I knew that they were avid hunters and that this would motivate them on a personal level. 

2. Create a procrastination penalty system
Procrastination is a silent dream killer because you don’t feel an immediate consequence for your delay. Think about it, when you put off writing that book, there is no game show buzzer that goes off to signal that you are wrong. You get lulled into thinking that everything is fine. 

Therefore, you should create a penalty system that will hold you accountable for following through on your goals. One of the best penalties that I know of is public embarrassment. The key is to find a group of like minded individuals with similar aspirations with whom you can communicate about your goals.

The potential shame of having to tell your group members that you missed the mark will motivate you to take action. Joining a mastermind or networking group can help you accomplish this. Also, stickK gives you the opportunity to publicly post your goals and provides additional ideas for procrastination penalties. 

Back at the shop, I posted each team's productivity results on a dry erase board. The team that did not produce faced public embarrassment and peer pressure from the other techs. Both the goals and the results were on display for everyone to see. As a result, our service times dramatically improved and the store delivered some of the best customer satisfaction results in the market.

If you implement a personal reward and procrastination penalty system, you will notice a dramatic improvement in your results. Just like my technicians, you will produce and not procrastinate! 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

PS. If you would like additional procrastination prevention strategies, download my ebook, One Moment in Time. 

Two Questions That Will Move You From Procrastination to Prosperity

Years ago, I was recruited to participate in a multi-level marketing business that boasted unlimited income potential. I went to the initial meeting and noticed that several people who had less business experience than I  appeared to be doing very well. Unfortunately, I did not experience the same success. 

Looking back, I realize that procrastination played a major role in my failure to achieve my goals. The people that experienced success dedicated their evenings and weekends to growing the business. They passionately hit the road five nights a week, while I came up with reasons to be too busy. Why didn’t I have the same drive? 

My only motivation for getting into the business was to make more money. As a result, I was not willing to make the necessary sacrifices and put in the time required to be great. 

There are two questions that you should ask yourself before starting a career or business. Asking yourself these questions will move you from procrastination to prosperity.

1: Do you Have a Passion for the Product?
In his book The Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell introduced the “10,000-Hour Rule”. According to his research, it takes an individual 10,000 hours of deliberate practice at a specific skill or activity to become world class at it. If you lack the passion, you will be more likely to procrastinate, than to become world class. According to my math, if you work at your chosen craft for 50 hours a week for 4 years, you will have put in over 10,000 hours. Are you willing to invest that kind of time and effort into something that you don’t love? 

2: Does The Business Fit Your Personality?
Modern psychology tells us that everyone falls into one of the four basic personality types: Driver, Motivator, Analytical, and Supporter. Below is a brief description of each type:

1. Driver – This is also known as a “Type A” personality. A Driver likes to be in control, is results driven, a risk taker and makes quick decisions. Successful CEO’s and entrepreneurs fit this profile. This personality type is a good fit for leadership positions.
2. Motivator – The motivator is the social butterfly that is easy to like and a strong communicator. They are very persuasive and like to engage in conversation. Motivators do well in positions that involve public speaking, coaching or selling.
3. Analytical – The Analytic likes facts, statistics and data. When making decisions, they take time to analyze the facts and don’t jump to conclusions. Positions that involve research, accounting and analysis are a good fit for this personality type.
4. Supporter – Supporters are easy to like, people pleasers, and avoid confrontation at all costs. They prefer to focus on one task at a time and work at a slow pace. Positions that have high stability, low risk and repetitive tasks  work best for the supporter.

So, there you have it. If you have a passion for the product, and your personality is a fit for the business, you will move from procrastination to prosperity. 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

PS. If you found this to be helpful, please share it using the buttons at the bottom of the page. 

5 Secrets That Will Break Your Procrastination Habit

Several weeks ago, I spoke to an organization in my local area. At the end of my presentation, I offered the audience members a one time only special -- if they e-mailed me that day, I would send them a free copy of my ebook on procrastination prevention, One Moment in Time. I emphasized the fact that they had to e-mail me that day for the offer to be valid. 

Several people sent e-mails immediately. One lady approached me afterwards and said: “Eric, I have a serious problem with procrastination, so I will e-mail you sometime tomorrow to get your ebook!” 

This encounter inspired me to share with you my five secrets to overcoming procrastination. They are listed under the following acronym: “G.R.E.A.T” I chose this acronym because you will feel GREAT after implementing these techniques. 

1. (G) Gratitude -- Dedicate the first thirty minutes of your day to making a thank youlist and reflecting on everything in your life for which you are grateful. I have discovered that doing this makes you feel better. When you feel better, you tend to be more proactive and less likely to procrastinate.


2. (R) Recognize – By recognize I mean recognize your power times. We each have a genetic clock that allows our energy to peak at certain times of the day. For example, I am a morning person because early in the morning is the time of day when I have the most energy. 
   
   The key to success is to schedule your highest priority activities during the times of day that you have the most energy. If you attempt to complete a high priority task when you have low energy levels, you will be more likely to procrastinate.


3. (E) Exercise -- According to the National Institute of Health Statistics, the higher a person’s income, the more likely they are to have a regular exercise routine. Habitual exercise produces endorphins in the body that give you the feeling of a “natural high”. As previously stated, the better you feel, the more proactive you will be.


4. (A) Automation – This is the mentality of always looking for ways to free yourself from activities that take time away from your priorities. If you delegate those tasks that are necessary but of low priority, you have an automation mindset. Utilizing a virtual assistant to handle administrative tasks is a great example of this mind set.


5. (T) Task Lists – Get in the habit of making a list at the end of the day of your priorities for the following day. I have found that this helps me to sleep better at night because once I put the tasks on paper, my mind is clear. You will wake up with a game plan, instead of hitting the snooze button.

So there you have it. If you implement the five tips just mentioned, you will maximize your time, minimize your stress, and break the habit of procrastination. Have a G.R.E.A.T day! 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

PS. If you found this to be helpful, feel free to share it using the social share buttons at the bottom of the page. 

What Scares You?

“If you want something that you have never had, you must be willing to do something that you have never done.”

Thomas Jefferson

In 1998 actress Helen Hunt had reached the very top of the acting profession. She won the highly coveted Oscar for her role in the movie As Good As It Gets. She was asked by a reporter, what she planned to do for her next role. While her answer surprised me, it also helped me realize why she reached the top. She said, “I will choose the role that scares me the most." 

You Validate What You Fail to Confront
Fear is at the root of procrastination. I have discovered that people are most afraid of the unknown territory. The problem is that your goals and dreams reside at the end of the unknown path. You must go down the unfamiliar road to get there! 

For example, everyone would be a millionaire if the requirement was doing what you have always done. What separates the self-made millionaire from everyone else is her willingness to do the uncomfortable. She may be afraid but she faces her fears. Once a fear is confronted, it is no longer unknown. 

What scares you? Is it the thought of speaking in public? Is it the idea of making cold calls to generate sales? Could be the prospect of starting your own business? As you continue to read, I will teach you a technique that will help you face your fear. 

Practice Under Pressure
If you are able to practice in an environment that simulates the risk, you can confront the unknown. For example, back when I was studying karate, I always questioned if what I was learning would apply in a real self-defense situation. Initially, I participated in safe sparring sessions with my friends at the school, but the thought of sparring in an unknown environment scared me. 

To overcome this fear, I entered tournaments against competitors that I did not know at locations with which I was unfamiliar. To my surprise, I won more matches than I lost, and gained an understanding of how I would respond under real pressure. By facing my fear, it was no longer and unknown. 

Anytime I feel anxiety about delivering a big speech, I reflect on my karate experience with the knowledge that I can respond under pressure. What are some ways that you can practice? Below are some scenarios based on the most common fears that I mentioned earlier:

Starting a Business
Before launching out on your own, get a job in the industry that interests you. For example, if you want to open your own restaurant, get a job working at a restaurant so you can understand how they operate, the challenges of owning one, and practice interacting with customers. This would give you valuable experience, and make entrepreneurship less of an unknown. 

Public Speaking
Join an organization such as Toastmasters International where you can practice your speeches in a safe environment. The average club has about 20 members, so you can gain experience speaking in front of a group. You will have more confidence when making a presentation at work because you have already confronted your fears at Toastmasters. 

Cold Calling
Set a minimum goal of how many calls you will make each day and stick to it. Start with an achievable number like three per day in the beginning. If you stay with your plan, your ability will improve and you will find the calls easier to do. The key is to place more focus in completing the three calls each day than on the result of the calls. In 30 days you will have made at least 60 calls. You will be more proficient at call 60 than on the first call.

So there you have it. Doing the thing you fear is a key step to achieving your goals and dreams. If you commit to confrontation, you will be like Helen Hunt and look the part! 

Sincerely,
Eric M Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

PS. To get additional information on how to achieve your goals and dreams, download my ebook.