4/28/2012

How could you be more productive at work with less stress?

Jaleel Polin 2012

What will we discuss about?

Who are you? What is stress? How to manage it? What is emotional intelligence & its relation to productivity? How to plan your life strategically How to break down your plan into achievable goals ? What factors hinders productivity ? What prevent you from achieving your goals? How to make all these work together & be more productive in both your life & work?

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The new world of work

High productivity is required more than ever before in the new world of work. We are all required to deliver more work in less time without sacrificing quality. Look around you, how are people working these days? If you have not change the way you work, it is TIME for CHANGE!
The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), used to call on Muslims to take the initiative to do good deeds before any obstacles arise. For instance, he said, "Lose no time to do good deeds before you are caught up by one of seven calamities awaiting you: a starvation which may impair your wisdom; a prosperity which may mislead you; an ailment which may damage your health; an old age which may harm your senses; a sudden death; the Dajjal (Antichrist); or Doomsday, which is indeed the hardest and most bitter." (at-Tirmidhi, al-Baihaqi)

Productive v/s Unproductive People

Productive people: Are always energetic Have clear plans and goals in their lives. More ambitious & creative at work Deliver more & Better in less time Most likely to achieve their goals and ambitions in life. Achieve more work life balance Suffer less from stress Enjoy better relation with their family and colleagues.

A recent study has shown that many people are mostly productive on Tuesdays only!

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Unproductive people

Often get Sunday blues Comes at work tired Less creative and feeling under pressure every time. Always procrastinate Dont have clear plans of their present and future goals. Just accept what they get in life Often get the feeling that they are lost and nothing is working in life. Feeling frustrated at times and may face difficulty in their family lives

Who you are & Where is your energy naturally directed?

Extroverts v/s Introverts

Extroverts & Introverts are as different as apples and oranges.

Extroverts Introvert

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Extroverts
Have high energy Are interested in what is happening around them Are open and often talkative Compare their own opinions with the opinions of others Like action and initiative Easily make new friends or adapt to a new group Say what they think Are interested in new people Easily break unwanted relations
Source: Jung's theory of Psychological Types & personalitytype.com

Introverts
Have quiet energy Listen more than talk Think quietly inside their heads Think, then act Feel comfortable being alone Prefer to work "behind-the-scenes" Have good powers of concentration Prefer to focus on one thing at a time Are self-contained and reserved Need to have own territory Usually do not have many friends
Source: Jung's theory of Psychological Types & personalitytype.com

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Stress & Productivity

Source:http://altered-states.net/barry/newsletter419/index.htm

A certain level of stress is important to be productive!!

Managing Stress
Have the right attitude to be able to manage stress Change your situation (How?)
Verily Allah does not change a people's condition unless they change their inner selves Surah Ar-Ra`d (13:11).

Discard stressful objects/things & people Avoid negative people Eliminate negative thoughts Think positively (How?)

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Your interpretation of reality & paradigms

Is the glass half empty or half full.
Dua of the prophet - O Allaah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men. Sahih al-Bukhari, 7/158

It is the right of every muslim to be free from anxiety, weakness, sorrow, debts and laziness But you have to change your own situation..
Verily Allah does not change a people's condition unless they change their inner selves Surah Ar-Ra`d (13:11).

How you can change your situation depends on how you view reality.

The example of a believer is like a fresh tender plant which resist the wind
Abu Hurairah (r) said: The Prophet, peace be upon him, remarked: The example of a believer is like a fresh tender plant; from whichever direction the wind blows, it bends the plant. But when the wind dies down, it straightens up again. (Similarly a believer is tested by afflictions to strengthen his faith and heart, and he remains patient and firm). And an evil person is like a pine tree which remains hard and stiff until Allah breaks it whenever He wills. Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4, #1

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Negativity that hinders performance.

There is too much to do and there is never time to do it. The school is placing too many demands/pressure on me. I have to accomplish new tasks everyday and I dont like it. There is change everyday and I dont like it. I dont like my job and it is a nightmare to work here. I am underpaid and other people are getting more. I dont have good colleagues or they dont like me. My senior colleague, head, rector, supervisor or manager are incompetent.

Think about it..

If you often come across negative thoughts think about the following saying from Umar ibn al-Khattab r.a:
"No amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of worrying can change the future. Go easy on yourself for the outcome of all affairs is determined by Allah's Decree. If something is meant to go elsewhere, it will never come on your way, but if it is yours by destiny, from you it cannot flee.
(Umar ibn al-Khattab r.a)

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Thinking Positively
I am to recognize my weaknesses and act upon it. I believe that change is an inevitable part of life and I will adapt to changing circumstances. I view remarks, feedback and mistakes as lesson for improvement in life I am willing to accept more tasks as a challenge and feel satisfied and more confident after accomplishing goals set. I dont feel overwhelmed or too much pressure as I plan and prioritize my tasks. I am willing to innovate & take risks, face challenges. Lifelong learning is a must for my personal development.

Be positive while even while facing difficulties..

It is very important to be positive & realistic even in difficult times..
Indeed, with every hardship comes ease"
(Surah94: 5-6)

Common Saying: There's a light at the end of the tunnel..

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Why should I be happy where I work? Some positive ideas..

I have a good salary compared to the number of hours I work. I have ample time to spend with my family & kids during holidays I am working for a noble cause; educating the employees, parents and leaders of tomorrow My workplace is clean, secure and have a good infrastructure I am working for a top ranked school which is expanding every year while other private schools are closing down

Facilities I get at school

I can have my kids near me at from preprimary, primary,.. Indirect benefits: Discounted fees for kids & for my personal development at tertiary level. I work in a sound environment compared to other school I get ample FREE training for my personal development. As the organization is expanding rapidly, there are definitely future career opportunities, like managerial roles, tertiary dept etc..

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Defining Success in life

How do you define success?
Cultural & Islamic point of view? Climbing the career ladder? Having a good home life? Raising your kids properly? Having a lot of money? Having or maintaining a good health?

What is the key to success?

Whoever works righteousness whether male or female while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter) [al-Nahl 16:97]

Understanding Success
A successful person has a clear definition of success. You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there. (Yogi Berra) Is achieving work life balance part of your success?

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Importance of emotional Intelligence for success

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. Your ability to manage your emotions is a determinant factor for success in life:
IQ only account for 20% of a persons success in life What accounts for the other 80%? Some of the missing ingredient lies in emotional intelligence the capacity to acquire and apply emotional information.

References:
http://www.training-games.com/pdf/Connecting-Emotional-Intell-To-Success_pdf.pdf http://www.6seconds.org/2007/04/16/white-paper-emotional-intelligence-success/

Having the right attitude for success

(Emotional Intelligence)

Success is an attitude not just a set of achievement or financial gains. Your attitude at the beginning of a task more than anything else will determine your success or failure. Sets achievable goal Lives life to the full Prioritize important issues Maintain a positive mental attitude Recognize success Stop chasing false goals and expectations
Holden & Renshaw, 2002

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Work Life Balance

How could work life balance be part of your success? Could you work smarter but not harder ? How could you be more efficient, talented & creative in what you are doing? Do you know how to set criteria and develop plans for success?

Work life balance concept in Islam

A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, "Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever." Allah's Apostle came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers)." Narrated Anas bin Malik

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Thinking Big
You are what you think. Success is determined by the size of ones brain but by the size of ones thinking. If you think Positively & BIG, your brain will help you find innovative ways to do it.. The size of someone bank account, happiness account or general satisfaction account is dependent on the size of ones thinking People are not thinking big because they believe opportunities to lead does not exist.
(David J.Schwartz from the book, the magic of thinking big) The Islamic Obligation of thinking big: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgTzDp8iSKY

What you think is what you get.

Strategic Thinking
You can take actions in the present that will help determine the future. Don't make predictions about the future, but rather suggest multiple possible futures, often in the form of "scenarios" or stories about the future. Understand your life Explore plausible futures (personal scenarios) Plan to achieve the future you want (personal strategic planning)
(Wheelwright,2011) & www.personalfutures.net

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Planning Your life strategically (Personal Strategic Planning) Create a vision of your future Visualize your future Develop plans and strategies to achieve that future. Begin with the end in mind (Coveys 2
Habit)

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Comfort Zone & Risk Management

You have to take risks if you want success and a better future. You need to get out of your comfort zone Risk can be managed
Assess the risks properly Create contingency plans Use Scenarios Planning A,B,C Risk Management in Islam..
And that there is nothing for man except what he tried, His efforts shall be seen. And rewarded to fullest extent." (Sura An-Najm
53:39-41)

Leave your comfort zone and take risks!! Who risks nothing, gains nothing Qui ne risque rien na rien (French Proverb)

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Short term Planning

Break down your long term plan in an action plans with SMART goals. Short term (Monthly, Weekly, BiMonthly etc..)

Assign checkpoints & milestones Check whether every actions you are taking are moving you towards your goal or away from it?

To do List
On a daily basis, write down the activities that you need to accomplish Make use of sticky notes either on your PC Desktop (virtual) or use the paper version. At the middle of day & End of day, review your to do lists & plan for the next day.
PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT or ADJUST

Demmings Cycle: Plan > Do > Check > Act

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Procrastination The emotional battle

You procrastinate because you want to do things that you find too difficult. Then you indulged immediately in activities that are either less painful or pleasurable. Think what is preventing you to move forward. You feel good about the thing that you want to do it is also generating negative emotion. You have two options: Give up on that desire, either for good or to accept postponement until another time
Adapted & Source www.1dayhabit.com

Low productivity due to Multitasking

Research shows that our brains can only focus on one thing at a time. Increased levels of stress related hormones are present during multitasking. Build a clear and manageable to-do list. Then work your way through it, one task at a time. Youll actually get more done both in terms of quantity & quality.

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How to make all these work together?

The new world of work require you to be more productive Know who you are (Introvert or Extrovert) How do you view reality? What are your paradigms & Worldviews Define your own meaning of success

How to make all these work together?

Be emotionally intelligent Be patient..it takes time to succeed.. Manage Stress Fight against negative thinking Think positively Have the right attitude for success Self Motivate yourself Commit yourself to work towards achieving work life balance
"Oh you who believe! Seek help with patience perseverance and prayer, for God is with those who patiently persevere. Quran (2:153)

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How to make all these work together?

Think Big Think Strategic Turn your strategies into actions

Short term planning Smart goals To do list

Everyday avoid:
Procrastination Battle against yourself emotionally Multitasking Finish one task first then tackle another one.

How you can change your situation?

Remember: Verily Allah does not change a people's

condition unless they change their inner selves Surah ArRa`d (13:11). And to be firm and patient, in pain and adversity And throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing Surah Al-Baquara 2:177. Verily, with every difficulty there is relief Surah AshSharh 94:5-6

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Act NOW!!!!
You now have the tools/keys to solve/unlock the success puzzle It is time for change before it is too late You need to start NOW! Start solving the puzzle for success Remember : Plan > Do > Check > Act

The End

Feedback Questions & Answers

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References & Recommended Reading List

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