In the IT world working under pressure is a daily event. Knowing the steps to take when faced with an issue can lessen the stress of working under pressure. Deadlines, project changes, unforeseen obstacles, critical outages are only a few of the stressful issues that can arise in the IT world. We face these circumstances often and can feel a great deal of pressure to get them taken care … [Read more...]
Management Tools – Time and Problem Management Simplified
If you are an active manager, always on the go or away from your desk I have an invaluable tool to help you with time and problem management. A pen and a pocket list. It is a very simplified “Getting Things Done” system, and very useful for active managers. The concept is simple. Take a standard sheet of paper, fold it once and then again into a nice neat square. You will end up with four easy … [Read more...]
10 Ways To Motivate Your Mind On Monday
It is Monday morning and for whatever reason you can not seem to get going. Here are 10 techniques to spark your mind at work and get your day off to a positive start. 1. Commit to a quick win. Think of a task you know you can get done quickly and do it. You will jump start your brain and get satisfaction from getting a task out of the way. 2. Take a break. You've been at work for less … [Read more...]
To-Do Lists – Getting Started
Do often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do? Do you sometimes forget to do something important? If so you are not alone. Most of us work in an environment of information overload. One of the most useful tools to tackle this problem are To-Do lists. To-Do lists are organized and prioritized lists of everything you have to do. You can have as many to-do lists as you need. It is … [Read more...]
Five Ways to Control Interruptions
Your day is starting good. You feel energetic and you are getting work done. Then an email comes in that you must deal with that involves researching months of paperwork. Your phone rings with a low priority call that ties you up for 10 minutes. On the way to a meeting six people stop you to chatter or ask you to do something. So much for your good day! Interruptions are a part of a normal work … [Read more...]
Tech Junkies Getting Things Done (GTD) On NPR
On February 19, 2008 technology writer Omar Gallaga participated in an episode of the National Public Radio (NPR) show "All Things Considered". The topic of the show was David Allen's Getting Things Done method to increase productivity at work and at home. For those not familiar with GTD, since being published in 2001 as a self-help book, it has grown into a near cult following of GTD'ers. Not … [Read more...]
IT Meetings Go Topless
A recent trend being discussed around the web is the concept of topless meetings. No, not what you are thinking. They are laptop(less) meetings where laptops, smart phones and other handheld distractions are prohibited. Living in the IT world they seem like a sacred right. We're busy people who need to stay in touch with what is going on. Maybe you are missing the point of having a meeting. Or … [Read more...]