E- Zine - February 2006

WELCOME to the PROTOCOL PLUS MONTHLY E-ZINE

IN TODAY'S ISSUE:

Tips to Outclass Your Competition – Digital Age Distress

According to a recent Today Show on-line survey with more than 7000 responses, 24% of you are only able to spend 5 minutes or less on a task before getting interrupted by a call, an e-mail, a person stopping by or other causes – 46% said 10 minutes, 24 said 30 minutes, and 5% said rarely interrupted. When asked how often you check your e-mail, 65% responded you check it constantly, 25% check it a few times a day and 13% check it when you’re not too busy. 92% of you consider yourself a multi-tasker and 8% do not.

An article in the Jan. 8th Time Magazine reported there is a price to pay for this recently named condition: ADT – Attention-deficit trait. ADT takes hold when you get so overloaded with incoming messages and competing tasks you are unable to prioritize. This mental channel switching affects your ability to think clearly and work effectively. Some of the side effects are impatience, irritability and inefficiency. Recent research found interruptions consume an average of 2.1 hours a day, or 25% of your workday. The hours of lost productivity and the associated recovery time cost the U.S. economy $488 billion a year. How much are interruptions costing you?

You must set boundaries around yourself for protection. These are limits of what you can and will do, as well as the limits of what you will and will not accept from others. Boundaries help define who you are, how far you will go, and how far you will let people (and technology) to come in. You must prioritize ruthlessly. Some tips to help you are:
  • Turn off the ringer, dinger, and clinger.
  • Use total discipline and resist the temptation to answer interruptions.
  • Put a “Do Not Interrupt” sign up when you do not want to be interrupted.
  • Stay on task, stay on task, and stay on task!

    If you are overstretched, overwhelmed, and in constant chaos, I can help. Call 405-341-3216 today so we can reduce your interruptions and raise your productivity. As your coach, I am licensed to use the Personal Freedom Program to help you.
    1. Be aware of your boundaries.
    2. Define and expand your boundaries.
    3. Communicate your boundaries to others.
    4. Have a game plan for infringement.
    5. Celebrate your successes?
    The Coach’s Corner – #1 Word of the Year

    Based on Merriam-Webster On-Line lookups, the #1 Word of the Year for 2005 was “Integrity” – a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility - an unimpaired condition: soundness - the quality or state of being complete or undivided: completeness. Integrity is knowing who you are and being to true to yourself. Self-deception will hold you back so you must become very honest with yourself. Are you living in integrity with yourself?
    Coaching questions:
  • What do I stand for?
  • Am I honest with myself?
  • Am I honest with others?
  • Do I “practice what I preach?”
  • Is my life in harmony?

    Increased self-awareness and getting in touch with your thinking, can help you evolve far beyond what you may have designed or planned for. I can coach you through the 12 Phases of Personal Development to move you to a higher level of alignment in all areas of your life. Call today for your no-obligation, coaching session. This 30-minute confidential session will give you the experience of coaching. To schedule your session, call 405-341-3216.

    Quotes of the Month

    "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony”
             --- Mahatma Gandhi

    “A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.”
             --- Dave Barry

    Ask the Expert - How do I handle phone interruptions?

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