If you were one of the many chronic procrastinators at university who swore you'd turn over a new leaf when you hit the workforce, psychologists have some bad news for you: studies suggest that the tendency to be a slacker actually bodes pretty badly for your career after graduation, and not in the ways you'd suspect.
How was this ominous titbit gleaned by researchers? The British Psychological Society Research Digest blog reports that a pair of psychologists completed standard tests of procrastination and expectations for success for nearly 300 college students. Then they tracked how these same students (now grown up and part of the workforce) were doing in their jobs.
The conclusion:Students who found reason to avoid work-related tasks at university, and who were pessimistic about their chances of success, were more likely, 10, 14 and 17 years later, to report feeling disengaged from their job, and were more likely to report experiencing work-related burnout.
What's the final thought on this? Primarily, that psychologists discover the strangest things, but the findings are also a stern warning that taking it easy and putting off tasks is not a recommended way to keep work easy-going. Ironically, a tendency to slack off seems to actually lead to burn out and boredom.
Friday 23 March 2012
Friday 16 March 2012
Signs you're burnt out -- and what to do about it
As we approach the end of the first quarter of the year a recent conversation about the “desperate need” for a holiday made us re-appraise how we view our work. There are a number of warning signs that you are burning out on your business or your job:
1. You see weekends and holidays as R & R. If you look forward to a holiday because you want to do nothing and just veg out... you're burned out. Time off should be fun, adventurous, stimulating -- we all have chores to do, but if all you can think about is sitting on the couch and escaping from the grind you need to make changes.
What to do: Plan something for this weekend. anything; just make sure it's active. Go for a ramble or go cycling. Go to the cinema or the theatre. Do something you normally don't do. Don't worry about the household stuff, because an uncluttered mind beats an uncluttered home any day. Then try to plan (yes, plan) at least one thing you'll do each day just for yourself. Every day is the same when you have nothing to look forward to. Sameness is the mother of burnout.
2. You leave work thinking, "That is all I can handle today." We all have to go home at some point (even if "home" means walking up a flight of stairs.) But how you leave work means everything: If you leave because you've reached your limit then you allow too many headaches, problems, and crises to occur on a regular basis.
What to do: Save one fun thing and do it just before you leave work. If you run a business, choose something gratifying: Checking daily receipts, reading online feedback (hopefully positive), chatting briefly with employees, planning your next move... always leave on a positive note. The same applies if you work for someone else. Never save the tough stuff for last; how you leave work sets up your next day.
3. When you're home you think about work -- but not in a good way. We all take work home with us, even if only in our minds. What do you think about? Do you worry about what might go wrong? Do you dwell on interpersonal conflicts or the lack of opportunity? Some aspects of work are fun; the key is to think about them.
What to do: Don't wait for someone else to help you find the fun in what you do. Think of something you want to do differently. Then whenever you think about work force yourself to think about what you want to do instead of what you have to do. The "have to" stuff will find you whether you think about it or not; you are the only person you can rely on to find and do the stuff you want to do.
4. You hire or promote just about anyone. Hiring or promoting an employee should be just as exciting for you as it is for them. Think about it: You get new skills, new attitudes, new points of view... you get to leverage the skills and experience of others. Pretty cool, right? Not if you're burned out; then you see every new employee as a warm body and every promotion as an open slot filled.
What to do: After you select the best candidate, take a few minutes to reflect on why you chose them. Pay particular attention to the specific skills that put them over the top -- that's what you should seize on first. If an employee is great with people, have them start by repairing damaged or neglected customer relationships. You hired or promoted them for a reason; turn them loose! Your business wins, and so does your attitude.
5. You've stopped thinking about winning. Face it. We all try to win. We all want to succeed, to get promoted, to build a bigger business... we're all competitive to some degree. If you've stopped thinking about the next level then mentally you're stuck in a rut -- and your career is stuck, too.
What to do: Take a step back and think about what you once wanted to accomplish. Are those goals still realistic? If not, create new goals and targets. If there truly is no way "up" for you in your current business or profession it's probably time to move on, painful as that may be. But be objective: The "ceiling" you perceive is rarely impenetrable, only seeming that way because you've given up. Don't.
6. You think everyone else has it easy. Perspective is the first casualty of burnout. Lose perspective and you think the people around you get all the opportunities or the businesses around you get all the breaks. Deep inside you know that's not true, but you let yourself dwell in "woe is me land" because to accept that others have it just as rough -- and yet somehow are succeeding -- means the problem is you.
What to do: Accept the problem is you -- not in a depressing way but in a liberating way. Accepting that you are the problem instantly gives you control to find a solution. (When everyone else is to blame, what can you do?) Everyone has it rough. Everyone struggles. Everyone is impacted by forces outside their control. No problem: What will you do about it? No one has it easy, but people who accept responsibility for their future have it a lot easier than those who don't. You're in charge -- and that's a good thing.
Hopefully these thoughts will help you over the next few months and give you fresh impetus.
1. You see weekends and holidays as R & R. If you look forward to a holiday because you want to do nothing and just veg out... you're burned out. Time off should be fun, adventurous, stimulating -- we all have chores to do, but if all you can think about is sitting on the couch and escaping from the grind you need to make changes.
What to do: Plan something for this weekend. anything; just make sure it's active. Go for a ramble or go cycling. Go to the cinema or the theatre. Do something you normally don't do. Don't worry about the household stuff, because an uncluttered mind beats an uncluttered home any day. Then try to plan (yes, plan) at least one thing you'll do each day just for yourself. Every day is the same when you have nothing to look forward to. Sameness is the mother of burnout.
2. You leave work thinking, "That is all I can handle today." We all have to go home at some point (even if "home" means walking up a flight of stairs.) But how you leave work means everything: If you leave because you've reached your limit then you allow too many headaches, problems, and crises to occur on a regular basis.
What to do: Save one fun thing and do it just before you leave work. If you run a business, choose something gratifying: Checking daily receipts, reading online feedback (hopefully positive), chatting briefly with employees, planning your next move... always leave on a positive note. The same applies if you work for someone else. Never save the tough stuff for last; how you leave work sets up your next day.
3. When you're home you think about work -- but not in a good way. We all take work home with us, even if only in our minds. What do you think about? Do you worry about what might go wrong? Do you dwell on interpersonal conflicts or the lack of opportunity? Some aspects of work are fun; the key is to think about them.
What to do: Don't wait for someone else to help you find the fun in what you do. Think of something you want to do differently. Then whenever you think about work force yourself to think about what you want to do instead of what you have to do. The "have to" stuff will find you whether you think about it or not; you are the only person you can rely on to find and do the stuff you want to do.
4. You hire or promote just about anyone. Hiring or promoting an employee should be just as exciting for you as it is for them. Think about it: You get new skills, new attitudes, new points of view... you get to leverage the skills and experience of others. Pretty cool, right? Not if you're burned out; then you see every new employee as a warm body and every promotion as an open slot filled.
What to do: After you select the best candidate, take a few minutes to reflect on why you chose them. Pay particular attention to the specific skills that put them over the top -- that's what you should seize on first. If an employee is great with people, have them start by repairing damaged or neglected customer relationships. You hired or promoted them for a reason; turn them loose! Your business wins, and so does your attitude.
5. You've stopped thinking about winning. Face it. We all try to win. We all want to succeed, to get promoted, to build a bigger business... we're all competitive to some degree. If you've stopped thinking about the next level then mentally you're stuck in a rut -- and your career is stuck, too.
What to do: Take a step back and think about what you once wanted to accomplish. Are those goals still realistic? If not, create new goals and targets. If there truly is no way "up" for you in your current business or profession it's probably time to move on, painful as that may be. But be objective: The "ceiling" you perceive is rarely impenetrable, only seeming that way because you've given up. Don't.
6. You think everyone else has it easy. Perspective is the first casualty of burnout. Lose perspective and you think the people around you get all the opportunities or the businesses around you get all the breaks. Deep inside you know that's not true, but you let yourself dwell in "woe is me land" because to accept that others have it just as rough -- and yet somehow are succeeding -- means the problem is you.
What to do: Accept the problem is you -- not in a depressing way but in a liberating way. Accepting that you are the problem instantly gives you control to find a solution. (When everyone else is to blame, what can you do?) Everyone has it rough. Everyone struggles. Everyone is impacted by forces outside their control. No problem: What will you do about it? No one has it easy, but people who accept responsibility for their future have it a lot easier than those who don't. You're in charge -- and that's a good thing.
Hopefully these thoughts will help you over the next few months and give you fresh impetus.
Friday 2 March 2012
Criticism and how to gain something positive from it.
We all want to feel like we're "good" at our jobs. More than ever, our identities are tied up in our professions. The first time that we meet someone new, the initial question is usually, "What do you do?" not, "What are your favourite hobbies?" or, "What kind of parent are you?" Nowadays work defines us in such a substantial way, even constructive criticism can feel like a blow.
Yet being able to accept and process criticism is crucial to success in the workplace. "You are not paid to be a diva, and if you act like one, you won't get promoted," said Roy Cohen, author of The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide. Eventually, resistance to criticism may even get you fired as Lord Sugar has pointed out on numerous occasions. If you get defensive and shut down when criticised, you won't be able to turn those negative remarks around so that they can now have a positive affect on your career.
We have compiled 5 tips to help you use criticism to your advantage:
Listen and ask questions
It's very important to listen carefully and to ask questions -- not only will it help you understand the issue, but it'll show that you want to solve it. Showing a degree of empathy for the person giving the criticism will also work in your favour. A positive response such as: 'I wasn't aware of that -- where do we go from here?' will help you move forward.
Think about the source
Some criticism needs to be taken with a grain of salt. For instance, is this critique coming from someone who you need to impress and/or respect (such as your boss or mentor) or someone who might want you to second-guess yourself (such as a competitive colleague)? If the person is an expert who understands you and your skills and background, the criticism may well be valid and useful. If the person is not an expert or doesn't know you then the information may be less helpful. By the same token, it's probably best to ignore unhelpful career advice from your hairdresser or mother-in-law.
Consider sleeping on it
Particularly if you a highly defensive individual, you might consider listening to criticism, then asking for a follow-up conversation the next day. It is extremely helpful to revisit [the issues] with your boss the next morning, and that action will make you appear as a thoughtful employee. Not only will you be less likely to blow up or get defensive, but you may begin to solve the problem so you can make the criticism an opportunity for future success.
Give thanks for the critique
It's important to give genuine thanks for constructive criticism, especially if you consider it at all helpful. Expressing your gratitude conveys your belief that: 1) the person giving the feedback is someone you respect and trust and 2) you are open to constructive feedback. Showing that you are open to receiving criticism demonstrates that you are a team player, not a prima donna.
See the silver lining
The world is split into the optimists and the pessemists and even if you’re one of the latter, try to see the glass as half full. It may not feel like it in the heat of the moment - but criticism is actually a learning opportunity. If it is received in a positive light, it can be used to advance personal growth and development and may ultimately further your career. If the powers that be didn't think you brought value to your team, they wouldn't offer criticism -- they would just wait for an opportunity to either make you redundant or simply fire you.
Which situation would you actually rather go through?
The five reasons that we’ve come up with probably only scratch the surface, if you have others that are better or simply different then we’d love to hear them.
As ever the team can be contacted as www.chestertongray.com
Yet being able to accept and process criticism is crucial to success in the workplace. "You are not paid to be a diva, and if you act like one, you won't get promoted," said Roy Cohen, author of The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide. Eventually, resistance to criticism may even get you fired as Lord Sugar has pointed out on numerous occasions. If you get defensive and shut down when criticised, you won't be able to turn those negative remarks around so that they can now have a positive affect on your career.
We have compiled 5 tips to help you use criticism to your advantage:
Listen and ask questions
It's very important to listen carefully and to ask questions -- not only will it help you understand the issue, but it'll show that you want to solve it. Showing a degree of empathy for the person giving the criticism will also work in your favour. A positive response such as: 'I wasn't aware of that -- where do we go from here?' will help you move forward.
Think about the source
Some criticism needs to be taken with a grain of salt. For instance, is this critique coming from someone who you need to impress and/or respect (such as your boss or mentor) or someone who might want you to second-guess yourself (such as a competitive colleague)? If the person is an expert who understands you and your skills and background, the criticism may well be valid and useful. If the person is not an expert or doesn't know you then the information may be less helpful. By the same token, it's probably best to ignore unhelpful career advice from your hairdresser or mother-in-law.
Consider sleeping on it
Particularly if you a highly defensive individual, you might consider listening to criticism, then asking for a follow-up conversation the next day. It is extremely helpful to revisit [the issues] with your boss the next morning, and that action will make you appear as a thoughtful employee. Not only will you be less likely to blow up or get defensive, but you may begin to solve the problem so you can make the criticism an opportunity for future success.
Give thanks for the critique
It's important to give genuine thanks for constructive criticism, especially if you consider it at all helpful. Expressing your gratitude conveys your belief that: 1) the person giving the feedback is someone you respect and trust and 2) you are open to constructive feedback. Showing that you are open to receiving criticism demonstrates that you are a team player, not a prima donna.
See the silver lining
The world is split into the optimists and the pessemists and even if you’re one of the latter, try to see the glass as half full. It may not feel like it in the heat of the moment - but criticism is actually a learning opportunity. If it is received in a positive light, it can be used to advance personal growth and development and may ultimately further your career. If the powers that be didn't think you brought value to your team, they wouldn't offer criticism -- they would just wait for an opportunity to either make you redundant or simply fire you.
Which situation would you actually rather go through?
The five reasons that we’ve come up with probably only scratch the surface, if you have others that are better or simply different then we’d love to hear them.
As ever the team can be contacted as www.chestertongray.com
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