Time Management

New Trends in the Post-Pandemic Workplace

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The COVID-19 pandemic is pushing people and businesses to develop new trends of operating. Herd immunity seems to be the new vocabulary that many organizations are struggling to understand. Regardless of the challenges being faced, companies still need to look for ways of surviving despite their uncertainties. Most organizations are re-writing their playbooks to develop solutions towards meeting their customers’ changing needs. Here are some of the new trends that companies can adopt to satisfy their current markets.

  • Creating a wellness-first working environment

The pandemic has pushed most individuals into living a healthier and fit life. Most people are exercising more and taking advantage of fitness apps and home-based exercising equipment. Organizations need to consider that most employees are more concerned with their health now than before the pandemic. Companies need to consider their employees’ wellness as they return to office life.

  • Develop purpose-driven brands

Brands have become more competitive and purpose-driven. Clients are looking for products and services to solve their societal and personal issues resulting in organizations stepping up by going beyond their usual marketing gimmicks. Companies are upping their game by demonstrating values that consumers easily relate to. They expect organizations to be authentic in their values by demonstrating their relevance in society.

  • Provide consumers with brand bonding experiences

Businesses need to put their consumers’ needs as a priority to stand out from the competition. They can accomplish this objective by providing reasonable pricing options, refunds, and discounts. In addition, companies have come to realize that customers’ loyalty is essential for their growth and sustainability. As a result, organizations are adopting trends to improve customer service by considering their customers’ feedback.

  • Hoarding vs upskilling

Consumer behavior has evolved during the pandemic, and most customers understand their value. Companies are providing value to their products and services by giving a deeper connection to their customers. They have realized upskilling is resulting in a higher conversion rate than hoarding.

  • Converting isolation into togetherness

The pandemic has made individuals appreciate social gatherings more since they have been limited in the activities they can perform. The feeling of isolation has created a thirst for togetherness. With the social distancing policies, brands are developing more profound ways of connecting with their customers. They are going beyond shallow online interactions to creating memorable experiences.

This article was originally published on RobUrbach.com

Leadership Traits Essential for Trust

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Each family, organization, and company needs a leader that can take the group from one level to the next. But, remember that leadership requires trust.

A successful relationship is always dependent upon trusting one another. It is commonly recognized that there is more resistance to change in the workplace when there is no trust between an employee and leadership. In such situations, corporate infighting tends to take the place of collaboration. Uncertainty is everywhere, and stagnation persists as opposed to innovation.

Leadership traits are essential to develop and maintain the level of trust in the workplace, and that helps motivate teams and works positively for almost everyone. The following are a few leadership traits that are essential for trust among team members working alongside one another.

Listen First, Then Conclude

The fundamental rule of communication is to listen to employees. A good leader must listen to his or her team members to know what they think and what they want to share. A successful leader should learn to listen to what employees are saying at all times. A leader must consider what issues are essential for the employees, address them, and provide a satisfactory response.

Leaders Trust Their Employees

To gain trust, one should trust others as well. Someone in a leadership position must show their employees that they trust each and every one of them. A leader who trusts can help their employees be creative and set challenges for themselves that can be helpful for both individuals and the company.

Encouraging Transparency

A good leader will share their ideas with other employees to encourage transparency. They will help their team understand what is needed in order to achieve company goals and individual goals.  Explaining the company’s aims, future vision, and creating a peaceful, engaging environment where everyone can share their views and ideas is essential.

Great leaders should show people that they value their time and ideas presented by them. This will allow trust to build between all team members, ultimately leading to success for everyone involved.

This article was originally published on RobUrbach.com

The Time Management Practice of ‘Time Batching’

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Modern workers are expected to juggle multiple projects and responsibilities every day. Switching between different types of work costs time, brainpower, productivity, and even happiness. Time batching is a method that promotes flexibility in completing a variety of tasks while capitalizing on the momentum by batching similar types of work together.

When people multitask and switch between disparate tasks, they have to shift their goals and activate new job rules. Moving plans is, simply put, deciding to make task A instead of study B. Regulation activating comes after the goal is set when the brain turns on the processes necessary to achieve the new goal. Each time a worker switches between tasks, they lose time and momentum.

The basic idea of time batching is simple—an individual looks at their tasks for the day or week, sorts them into buckets and blocks of time to complete tasks in a specific bucket—the buckets group similar goals together, minimizing the amount of effort spent on rule activating between functions. The time batcher then sets aside time to do each batch of tasks. There isn’t a magic formula for which buckets the time batcher should use or how long their working windows should be. It’s completely customizable from person to person.

Some time batchers find success in dividing their tasks into shallow and deep tasks. Superficial jobs are things like responding to emails or data entry work—things that require less brain power to complete. Deep duties might include creative work or strategic planning—heavier lifts that may require more mental resources.

Another option for batching time is to group tasks by the outcome, not level of effort. For example, one-time butcher’s buckets might look like this.

  • Administrative tasks like managing appointments and tracking time
  • Project communications, including project-related emails and meetings
  • Creative work where the individual comes up with new ideas
  • Strategic work like project planning and goal setting

Everyone’s time batching buckets will look different. The beauty of time batching is that it’s a customizable approach to time management that each individual can tailor to suit their needs. Batching time wisely allows workers to get more done in less time, increasing productivity, happiness, and job satisfaction.

Staying on Track with Larger Projects

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No matter the size or scope of a project, you’ll have to follow a similar blueprint. First, you need to assign yourself and the project some goals. Then, you need to create a plan for meeting your goals in a timely fashion. Once your list is in place, it’s time to get started. Along the way, you’ll have to monitor your progress to make sure you’re on the right track. Eventually, with the right attitude and ceaseless effort, you’ll manage to finish the project.

While this general plan works for small, single-day jobs and longer projects, the specific techniques you use might vary depending on the length of the task at hand. Longer projects, in particular, require different strategies that will help keep you on track. Here are three methods for long-term projects you can employ to keep from falling behind.

Plan and Schedule Specific Tasks

Whenever you’re engaging with any meaningful work, it’s essential to have the big picture in mind. With that being said, you should never forget about the details altogether. Many people get bogged down in their projects because they neglect the small, annoying jobs necessary to complete the more significant tasks. They recognize the need to reach out to suppliers, for example, but they forget about all the tiny requirements such an endeavor entails, from making contacts to creating a database of prices. By taking these details into account, you can create a more realistic plan and avoid unexpected delays.

Create a Ladder of Smaller, Manageable Tasks

While an overarching game plan is necessary to make sure you’re moving toward your overall goal, you should also employ small-scale to-do lists to keep you on track with smaller jobs. It’s best to recognize the vast number of steps you have to take to complete your project. Include these smaller tasks in your plan and plot a detailed course from your starting point to the point of competition.

Set Yourself Mini Deadlines Along the Way

Deadlines are your most valuable tool when it comes to holding yourself accountable. Achievable, measurable goals are essential for motivation and accountability. Make sure you set yourself daily goals for the smaller tasks and monthly or yearly objectives that relate to the big picture.