Multitasking, Over-tasking and Productivity for the Organic O.S.

Multitasking is not for everybody and definitely not for all workplaces. In fact, multitasking is inversely proportional to detailing as the two just don't play well together. If you insist on pushing many tasks of high priority upon someone, you must accept a loss of details as they fall through the cracks in order to allow 'just one more thing' to be completed (and I use the term 'completed' lightly!).

The Problem - Verbal Records

During busy times, a 'go to' person may have numerous requests from a handful of different people, with only a fraction of said requests being of absolute priority status and if the person is interrupted with every request, details will surely be left out. 

Verbal interruptions are a major contributor to reduced productivity. Cutting corners to save time, by going directly to a busy person with a verbal request, is not only a cause of reduced productivity but also very frustrating to a person who is already involved in a series of tasks. This type of frustration can build within a person until they reach their boiling point and react accordingly. Every one of us has some sort of boiling point with the potential to boil over,  and depending on what 'life factors' are upon us, it can be mild or very explosive. When we learn to control our boiling point, we have taken a great first step to avoid catastrophic events. But what about the requests?

A key question to ask before interrupting a busy person with a request goes like this: "Is that person too busy to drop another request onto them and expect them to do an excellent job in record time?" Many co-workers sometimes hold out on their team with some tasks because they want it to be perfect before they are done with it (if they haven't plain forgotten about it). The problem lies in that person's own multitasking which forces that 'perfect' task into a cycle of procrastination. When they finally do present the task, time rapidly runs out and all of a sudden a crisis is created. Presenting a crisis to a busy co-worker puts undue stress on them as they now have to complete a more than one task at the same time.

We all know that an already busy person doing more than one thing at exactly the same time does not work very well, but we still somehow expect them to multitask. A follow up key question then would be: "If I do present this task, what am I willing to live without?"

Let's face it, we all want to please our clients in the end, but if a person is already very busy, consider another method of presenting 'yet another task' to them. Here are some solutions:

Solutions - Friendly Paper

Speak casually to or meet officially with all involved about ways to avoid over-tasking anybody in your workplace. Consider drafting a task schedule with both priority and casual tasks tables that can be filled in and agree that everybody on the team must follow it, bosses included. Also, even if you are able to casually speak about the task during slower periods, still take a moment to write it down. This will help the person in question keep track of what they must do (hey, did I just invent the 'to do list? I think not!). Set up a task box with two slots, one for casual and one for priority and be sure to use it during busy times.

Also note that emergency interruptions should be few and far between if tasks are to be done quickly and efficiently because, if emergencies are the norm, then there are no emergencies. Anybody running a company should be constantly aware that their organic OS is made up of people, not machines, and that people are better left doing one thing at a time for best results. The only time a task should be left incomplete is when it cannot be completed for whatever reason.

If you are the go-to person and are faced with three people requesting things at the same time during a peak period, simply ask them: "Which should be done first?" But, get them all together, if possible, and let them know that you are not ignoring their requests, you are simply completing a 'to do' list. If you cannot get them together during a peak period, implement the task schedule or task box system as described above.

The Organic O.S. - How to Properly Feed the Machine

Working with so many different operating systems and programs for computers for so long has forced me to ask the question: "Are new operating systems really the key to higher productivity in the modern workplace?"

The answer, as I see it, is: "No!". As far as I know, every computer I have ever had, had used an operating system in order for me to get any work done (like electronic music, SMPTE, Excel, word processing, video editing, audio production, website building, creating logos, electronic marketing, e-commerce, blogging and the list goes on). That being said, it is well known that the typical, modern workplace must rely on computer technology (and operating systems) to, doggonit, get things done!

It may be interesting to note that the first computers were human beings (women). Women were charged with the task of calculating 'bomb trajectories' of war planes during World War 2; in other words, to 'compute' said trajectories (source: Inventor's Digest - the magazine I was addicted to in the mid 1990's). ENIAC eventually replaced them in 1946.

We now still, as humans, tell computers what to do and they supposedly help us produce results in most cases, if they don't give us the dreaded BSOD or 'hang' on a command because of low resources (Mac users, I applaud you; you almost never get this, but twice I can tell you that a Mac almost stopped an event cold in two major North American cities! So, you ain't perfect, neither!). In short, computers, with their operating systems, are 'supposed' to help us increase our productivity, and so we sometimes look beyond the human touch and say: "Well, it should work! Why isn't it working?"

In fact, all the computer needs is some electricity and a gentle set of fingers to 'doggonit, get things done!' Hold on a sec! Fingers? Who's got the fingers? The computer doesn't have fingers! Oh, the humans have the fingers and they use them to make the computers do things for them quickly. The computer needs to eat electricity and it needs fingers to do their job properly. Feed them the juice, massage their keys and tap their mice/pads and they work wonders...when they don't freak out!

So, computers are great and they help get things done fast, and companies spend millions of dollars on software, upgrades, hardware and other stuff but...what about the fingers? What about the brains behind the fingers? Let's not forget that there are brains and fingers behind every workstation at every place of work. Humans are behind it all, right? So, what about the care and feeding of the humans who work the machines that make the money that make the world go 'round? Why should they have to come into places of work that stink of negativity day in and day out? What's that about?

I'll tell you what it's about. It's about leaders who forget what it's like to be part of something small that grows into something big. It's about leaders that are allowed to take advantage of the little people who actually run things from the front lines.

So, how do you feed the organic machine? You feed it with appreciation, incentives, potential for growth, a positive work environment and everything you can think of to keep things from falling apart because your front line, and every step in between, have the brains and the fingers to doggonit get things done! Just remember - on paper, things may look good, but until the paper gets dog-eared with fingerprints, coffee stains and drops of sweat, it's just a piece of paper.

Think like an Expert & Avoid 'The 'Rut'!

If you are not currently employed in a profession of your choosing, you may consider planning your way out and starting a career that you daydream about. You may be already taking steps such as reviewing courses you can take or activities you can get involved in on evenings or weekends (or during the day, if you do shift work). During those quiet moments at work, you might do some quick internet searches or even stare at those reminder pictures around your work area to help you visualize your escape to a more desirable work situation. After all, if you must work, why not enjoy what you do? Why stress out over it?

A problem arises when you get worn down by the grind, you are not giving your current position your 'all' and as a result, your productivity goes down and you get into a rut; not that you care, because you are on your way out, anyway. However, something magical happens when you make the decision in your mind that your days at your current position are indeed numbered after you've decided to pursue better things. Your posture will straighten up, your countenance will appear confident, yet pleasant and you will pay more attention to your wardrobe and be sure everything is symmetrical and professional looking. This happens because you are starting something new, even though you have not yet left your current workplace.

The truth is, you don't actually have to wait for the epiphany to happen before you undergo a noticeable change. In fact, you can preempt the epiphany by acting like an expert well before any sort of sudden, intuitive insight takes place. That way, you are better prepared for a major change in career and more doors of opportunity will open as a result.

Consider this: two people, working side by side, both dream of a better workplace or career. One of them sports a negative attitude every day they go to work and everybody notices it. The other is always in high spirits and acts like a professional, no matter what the situation. Both of them are wanting a change but only one of them is well prepared for it. 

In fact, it is doubtful that the first person actually has any sort of exit plan because if they did, they would probably be in better spirits. That person also runs the risk of being let go first if business slows down and if they aren't at all prepared, they may be in trouble, whereas the second person would already have some sort of plan in place, but it is unlikely they would be let go first because of their pleasant demeanor.

Acting like an expert day in and day out raises a kind of force-field in front of you that others cannot easily affect; they must treat a pro like a pro. Acting like a 'crabby crabberson' every day removes any safety shield and instead puts a target on you. Crabby people are no good for morale.

So, no matter what you do for a living, acting like an expert will help achieve an untouchable status and buy you time to figure out where you want your career to go, whether it is further up the company ladder, a well thought out lateral move or a completely different career. Positive-thinking experts are less likely to find themselves in any kind of rut, no matter how rough the waters get.

(Cartoon courtesy of Mike Moore at motivationalplus.com - thanks Mike!)

Anger, Reactions, Objectiveness and Detachment

Objective

: expressing or dealing with facts or conditions as perceived without distortion by personal feelings, prejudices, or interpretations (merriam-webster.com)
— ob·jec·tive·ness noun 

Detached / Detachment

: exhibiting an aloof objectivity usually free from prejudice or self-interest detached observer>  

: freedom from bias or prejudice 

(merriam-webster.com)

Take a good look at this video. Nicholas Cage is an office manager who thinks he's turning into a vampire and so he is getting meaner and uncontrolled as the days go on (very funny movie, but with very dark humor). The sad thing is that I have seen this kind of behavior many times without anybody thinking they were turning into a vampire. I have worked for, beside and over people who have acted in a similar fashion and, although I don't condone venting so loudly, I have learned to keep my reactions at a rational level and very difficult to do when someone is yelling like that.

His doctor is remaining as calm as possible given the amount of hostile energy he is hurling and that type of reaction can take a lot of practice to maintain.

Controlling Anger

When a person feels they are near their breaking point, it can often be controlled by taking a few deep breaths. I had read that doing so help restore a sense of well-being to the body and mind (something to do with oxygen and breathing patterns). It also allows for a bit of extra time before you suddenly burst. I can't explain the science, but I know it works wonders when feelings of anger begin to fuel your fire.

Controlling Reactions

If a car backfires or a truck honks loudly, most people react with a jump and a scare because they are not expecting it. But, we all know that these things happen every single day in a busy city, so we should expect them to happen and therefore react less. It is a given that any workplace is going to have an irate manager, staff member or customer at some point. If that is the case, expecting it to happen will allow a person to deal with it more rationally instead of being surprised by it. I personally walk around as if a gun will go off at any moment, then when I hear a sudden, loud sound, It's not so bad.

Objectiveness

In the face of anger hurled toward you, remaining rational and objective will help to solve the issue quicker and without further incident, if handled correctly. If someone bursts out at you, take a deep breath, ask for them to calm a bit so you can follow what they have to say, ask them to sit with you, take some notes and offer suitable solutions in an intelligent discussion.

Detachment

In offering suitable solutions, looking in from the outside is a great way to get the irate person to see the whole situation from another point of view. People know this works, but it's difficult to get someone to indulge you when they are a fireball of emotions. 

There are a certain amount of negotiation skills needed to find solutions to outbursts but they are easy to learn. The hard part is for a manager to implement all four of the above skills on a constant basis as some workplaces can be very challenging, indeed. The fact of the matter is that great managers and leaders must practice these skills to avoid prolonged animosity and potential workplace violence. The time is now; there is already too much hostility in the world, so we must reserve the workplace for mental challenges, camaraderie and feelings af great accomplishment, no matter what we do for a living.