Oct4

What Is Timeboxing And Why Do You Need It? Part 1

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What Is Timeboxing And Why Do You Need It? Part 1

The first time I came across this term was a while back, during a meeting with a former CEO for Oracle APAC. There were a lot of ex-CIOs and CEOs invited who all needed to be somewhere else urgently after a meeting that had to fit in a 30minute time frame because that was the only possible time to get all of them together.

I wasn’t familiar with agile software development but I was able to quickly grasp the concept of timeboxing. Timeboxing is a concept first introduced by James Martin, the author of the book Rapid Application Development, as a part of agile software development. It is “a simple time management technique that involves allocating a fixed, maximum unit of time for an activity in advance, and then completing the activity within that time frame[1].” This time management technique can be used for both personal and work tasks.

Timeboxing encourages you to put a strict time limit on activities that you think would take away too much of your time. You can understand the need to put strict limits to a meeting with CIOs and CEOs present. At the end of a timebox, you close off the task no matter what and assess if you were able to complete your goals.

What are the steps to timeboxing:

  1. Find suitable tasks – timeboxing is most suitable for tasks that you don’t want to spend too much time on. As stated by Parkinson’s Law, “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” So if you block off 3 weeks of your time to finish a task, even if you can finish it faster, you’ll aim to subconsciously expand your work to fit 3 weeks. By limiting your time, you’re guaranteed to work on high-value projects and tasks right from the start.
  2. Define your goals – break down your objectives and assign timeframes. If you know you have 30mins to get all the points of a meeting across to all stakeholders, what would you do? You assign timeframes for each point in the agenda, right? The same goes for bigger projects. Because you already have a set time limit, you can assess your goals and assign targets for them. Need to write a 1,000-word research article in 3 days? Aim to write 500 words per day and alot 1 day for revisions and editing.
  3. Set the time – assign time frames for your tasks and have a way to track them.
  4. Work and assess your results – work your way through your set timeboxes and once your time is up, stop working on them. Assess if you were able to meet your goals, either completely or partially.
  5. Claim your reward – there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel, right? You will be hard pressed to become motivated to do a task you don’t want to do if there was no reward waiting for you at the end. So always remember to treat yourself. It can be something as simple as time off, a cup of designer coffee, or a Netflix binge.

Does timeboxing work for you? What are your favorite time management tips? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

[1] https://clockify.me/timeboxing

Sep27

How To Focus On Work

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How To Focus On Work

By now, the novelty of working from home has probably faded, and we’re all experiencing some sort of lockdown fatigue. For some of us, it could be more than just a state of tiredness. It could be something as serious as a full-on mental burnout. Aside from the isolation of working from home, we can also experience the blurring of lines between work responsibilities and personal responsibilities. Our homes, which have been our refuge from the pressures of the workplace for the longest time, have now been converted into workplaces and home offices. This causes career and family stress to merge as one, resulting in our inability to shift our focus on either one. This could affect our work productivity.

Despite trying to be constantly organized with to-do lists and project management tools, many of us have lost the ability to hunker down and get through deadlines. We know that we need to get things done but might feel like we’re being pulled in different directions. How do we get our focus back on work and improve our attention span?

The problem: Tiredness 

If you find yourself constantly tired and yawning at work, that might hinder your ability to concentrate. Sleep deprivation can majorly impair cognitive function – including working memory. This means that your lack of sleep can adversely affect your executive attention.

The solution: as you would have guessed – try to get more sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours of restful sleep. The operative word is restful.

The problem: Doom Scrolling

When you’re getting a steady diet of bad news, your performance at work will most likely be affected. Right now, it’s a struggle to want to stay informed but to stay away from bad news. Most news programming would highlight information pertaining to COVID-19 response or lack thereof. It’s difficult not to worry.

The solution: balance out the bad news with good news. Stop the doom scrolling.  Actively seek out news that is uplifting and positive.

The problem: Overwhelm

Having too much on your plate can cause burnout. Too many balls up in the air can cause you to lose your focus and drop some of them. If you’re working on too many work and personal projects, you will feel varying degrees of pressure to get things done. This constant shift from one task to another can eat away at your mental and physical resources. 

The solution: focus on one thing at a time – easy to say but very hard to do. We all think that by multitasking, we accomplish more. That could be true for some instances, but multitasking trains your brain to be unfocused. The constant shift in attention puts your body in a state of stress. Make a list of your top 3 priorities for the day and stick to that.

What are your tried and tested tips to stay focused on work? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Sep13

Virtual Icebreakers For Your Next Team Meeting

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Virtual Icebreakers For Your Next Team Meeting

Icebreakers don’t have to be confined to just kids on their first day of school. An icebreaker is called that for a reason – it helps break the ice and helps facilitate the smoother flow of a conversation. More importantly, it also helps people connect on a more personal level. This could be a challenge in today’s environment when a lot of our meetings are held online.

Icebreakers are simply social opportunities for people to get to know each other. It gives all meeting participants the opportunity to be heard, especially since it’s so hard to interject during a team meeting. A good icebreaker can help you get over awkward silences and loosen everyone up before you get down to business.

Here are five virtual icebreakers you could use for your next team video huddle:

1. Where are you joining from?

This is especially fun for distributed teams who work in different locations. Have everyone share a visual of “the view from their office” and share a titbit about the place where they work. For example, even if it’s just trees outside, they can explain that beyond that is a beautiful park where they can take their pets for a walk.

2. What song on your playlist is on repeat?

Have people share their music recommendations by sharing which song is on loop. This allows people to talk about common interests because everyone loves music.

3. What is your favorite item on your desk?

Have attendees pick their favorite work item and hold it up for everyone to see. Then they can explain its “superpowers”, why they picked it out and how it helps them with work. For example, my favorite is a portable mini desk vacuum that looks like a computer mouse. It helps pick up crumbs and dust and keeps my desk clean. I use it on my desk before and after I start work to signal that I’m starting work and that I’m done with work.

4. Highs and Lows

This works best for teams that know each other relatively well because it involves some vulnerability. Have each person simply share their wins (high) and their challenges (low). This allows the team to celebrate their small wins and congratulate each other when something good happens in their lives. It also allows them to be there for each other during the low times and be able to give each other encouragement.

5. Virtual water cooler

This is great for break time. Icebreakers don’t have to be done during meetings. They can be done on breaks, too. This could be a chance to catch up with the teams during a coffee break and then have each person share what they’re drinking. Aim to chat about something other than work during virtual water cooler breaks.

How does your team break the ice? We’d love to hear your team’s go-to virtual ice breakers. Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Sep7

How To Manage The Rest Of The Team When An Important Team Member Leaves

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How To Manage The Rest Of The Team When An Important Team Member Leaves

A manager recognizes who the top performers are in a team. Part of their job is, of course, to motivate others to perform just as well. Another important part is to make sure that their top performers stay on the team. However, the current climate is wont to disrupt a lot of career plans and corporate road maps. There will be some shuffling, reallocating, moving, and leaving. These movements are part of an organization’s life cycle and some managers may, at some point in time, find themselves having to say goodbye to a key team member.

Whether it is for temporary reasons such as an extended leave or a long sabbatical, or due to something more permanent like resigning from the job, the loss of a key team member can be difficult to manage. This is especially true in these times when small to medium businesses need all hands on deck. The departure can cause retention issues with remaining members. What can you do to ensure that the loss of a key player doesn’t have a negative impact on the rest of the team?

Open communication lines

If the departure is sudden, the rest of the team will speculate. Don’t let their imaginations run wild. Let the team know the reason why one of the team members is leaving. You don’t have to go into specific details. It is not a manager’s place to share the reason for quitting. But giving your team enough information will alleviate any fear or anxiety for the remaining teammates, since nowadays, a lot of people leave companies for health reasons or to move closer to loved ones. 

Let your team know how this will impact the workload

Set their expectations about how work will be distributed. If you’re running a tight ship and can’t afford to replace the team member, you will have to re-assign and distribute the workload. This could be the perfect opportunity for you and your team to create a game plan together. Let them know that their help will shape the direction of your company moving forward. This move will help improve employee engagement and could potentially boost productivity and motivation. It could also be an opportunity for other team members to step up. 

Check-in

Make sure that in the days following an employee’s departure, you are checking in with the rest of the team. How are they coping with the new workload? How can you help them navigate this transition? Regular check-in with the team will ensure that no issues creep up and catch you off guard. It will also ensure that the team operations stay cohesive. 

Plan to hire

The additional responsibilities may throw off a team’s balance and make the remaining members feel overwhelmed. In this case, let them know that you are looking at finding a competent replacement. Give a timeframe if possible.

What are your tips on navigating the loss of a team member? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Aug30

Things May Never Return To Normal…But That’s Ok

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Things May Never Return To Normal…But That’s Ok

The global Covid-19 pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns have critically changed our mobility and the way we approach regular outdoor activities. It seems that limited mobility and movement restrictions will now be part of the “new normal”, as with vigilance and standard health and safety measures. 

A lot of us may miss activities that have us going out of the house for fun or for more practical reasons. Outdoor activities such as concerts, movies, parties, and events will have to be put on hold as the world adapts to social distancing measures. We will also have to rethink practicalities such as going out for supplies, exercising, and going to school or to work. Here are some safer alternatives to outdoor activities that will make sure that we are safe as we work our way through this pandemic.

Supplies:

Online shopping has seen a boost during the time of Covid. A lot of shops now have mobile apps and web platforms to ensure that supplies are available for online ordering and logistics companies are there to make sure that these supplies can be delivered promptly and safely without the need to go out of our homes. You can even order food and shopping items from social media pages and have them delivered via in-house delivery services or through a courier of your choice. Not only is online ordering faster, but also more convenient. Ordering supplies like medicine, groceries, or food from the safety of our homes reduces the chance of exposure to the virus – an excellent safety measure in this time of more virulent virus strains. 

Entertainment:

Admittedly, this one is harder to find an alternative for. There simply can be no replacement for the experience of seeing a concert, play, show, or game live. However, we can always improvise. A lot of artists now hold shows via video conferencing platforms. For example, I have recently bought tickets to attend a stand-up comedy show hosted via Zoom. Some concerts are available online, too. As for movies, it is fairly easy to recreate with a bit of imagination or improvisation. Hold family movie nights or date nights by renting the latest release from these online movie rental services: 

  • Amazon Prime Video
  • Apple TV
  • Vudu Movie Rentals
  • Google TV / Google Play Movies & TV
  • YouTube Movies
  • Fandango

Exercise:

Very few of us have the money to invest in an indoor gym. At most, we buy equipment that is practical and easy to store. You can still get some exercise using bodyweight and whatever is available at home, like cans or bottles as dumbbell replacements. Some areas allow 1 to 2 hours of outdoor exercise as well. Lastly, you can buy affordable exercise equipment online, like resistance bands, yoga mats, and dumbbells, and then follow exercise routines from health gurus on social media. YouTube has a lot of FREE resources. 

What are your safe alternatives to outdoor activities? Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp