5 tips for being less hectic
Does your work sometimes resemble a madhouse? Your company needs to grow, processes need to improve and we have high expectations of each other. But in the meantime working through all kinds of physical and virtual distractions is quite difficult. We get stressed, the work doesn't get done in the expected time and before you know it you open your laptop in the evening or at the weekend. Unintentionally, your stress seeps through to colleagues, the client, your family and friends....
Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson describe in the book "It doesn't have to be so hectic at work" how it can be done differently. Because chaos doesn't have to be and shouldn't be the natural state of affairs. The tips below come from this book:
Tip 1: Stop comparing
We are driven by comparisons. This applies both to companies (who are our competitors? And what do they do?) and individuals (what do others do? What does this say about me?). A quote from Mark Twain reads, "Comparison kills your pleasure. The authors of the book 'It doesn't have to be so hectic at work' couldn't agree more. They run the software company Basecamp and state: what others do bears no relation to what we can do, want to do or choose to do. There is no chase or hare to run after. Only deep satisfaction that we are doing our very best work. And that is reflected in the happiness of employees and customers.
So, what would you rather do? Win an imaginary race with anyone or anything? Or not think about your competitors and simply do your very best work?
Tip 2: Stop chasing goals all the time.
It's controversial, but at Basecamp they don't do goal setting. Yes, of course they are interested in increasing profits and sales, being more effective and making their products easier, faster and more useful. But chasing goals non-stop is not the right way to do it, according to them.
Because, they say, made-up numbers cause unnecessary stress. Just until they are either realized or released. And when that happens, you are supposed to choose new targets and start stressing from scratch. The pursuit of goals can also cause norms and values, honesty and integrity to be compromised, because one wants to achieve the fake figures at all costs.
The alternative to setting goals is, according to the authors, simply doing your very best every day.
Tip 3: You don't have to change the world
In business, "just making a good product" sometimes doesn't seem good enough anymore. Services and products must be totally innovative, turn the industry upside down and change the world. But is that really necessary? Who says so? Isn't it enough if you can make your customer's life easier and work well together?
If you stop thinking you have to change the world, you'll remove a huge burden from your shoulders and those of the people around you. Not everything is about work and tomorrow you have another chance to do a good day's work. So how do you justify meetings until 9 p.m. or work sprints on the weekends? It gives a lot more peace of mind to just do good work and interact with clients and colleagues in such a way that you leave a good impression.
Tip 4: Listen to your uncomfortable feelings
The saying that you need to get out of your comfort zone every now and then in order to grow is probably not unfamiliar to you. But discomfort is really not necessary to make progress; it's the exception rather than the rule. If you are uncomfortable with what you are doing, it is usually because something is not right. Discomfort is a human response to a questionable or bad situation. If you suppress feelings of discomfort, you risk losing yourself, your good manners, and your values. Instead, listen to where your discomfort is coming from, turn away from it, and find the right path for you.
Tip 5: Protect each other's time and attention
To protect people's time and attention, at Basecamp they have a policy of not sharing the state of affairs during meetings. If you have eight people together during a one-hour meeting, that's eight expensive hours wasted. Instead, they ask people to write daily or weekly updates that others can read if they have time. This gives everyone larger blocks of time in which to work uninterrupted. A great tip to share with your team!
Source
ICM