Page 138 - The Prosperous Way _ (APRIL 2024 v3)

THE PROSPEROUS WAY

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TODAY'S WELL DONE:

I update my timesheet as I move through the day. This keeps me
focused. When the task is interesting, an hour or more may go by before
I update my timesheet. I update my timesheet more frequently when
the task is difficult or laborious (like reading through a dense, technical
document). At the end of a block of work, I give myself a mental high-
five to recognize the achievement of pushing through a challenging
task. At the end of each day, I celebrate by making a note of something
that was “well done!” that day.

I also use my timesheet to track my productivity and to tame time-
wasting. I give myself a mental “pat on the back” for a day well-spent. In
my line of work, overtime is common, but if the day is spent productively,
that serves to reduce time working outside of office hours. Therefore, I
am mindful of being distracted by personal calls, or time spent too long
on an errand, or folks ambling by for “watercooler” conversations. I find
it helpful to manage connections with colleagues by proactively
planning coffee or lunch breaks to catch up and chat.

I try to balance my time between focused work and being responsive to
clients and colleagues. Timely responses to email and chat messages are
important since, at the time of writing, these are the primary means of
communication at work. However, to have a successful day, it is also
important to block time for focused work. I usually block time at the
beginning of the day, during the traditional “lunch hour” and at the end
of the day, because in my organization those are the times that have less
email “traffic”.

Breaking up the workday between collaboration and blocks of focused
time also helps to manage mental fatigue. Movement breaks to sustain
energy and focus are also good. Although not in any way typical of my
workday (no two days are alike) here is an example of what a planned
workday might look like.

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