Managing Your Expectations
I sit on the board of an organization and at the last meeting
found myself speaking with another board member named Standolyn
Robertson. Standolyn is also a business owner and our
conversation was about managing expectations ... both ours and
our clients. She said something that is very true--'It is about
using our knowledge and expertise to foresee and side-step
roadblocks, revise unrealistic timelines and debunk myths.' And
I couldn't agree more.
But there are times when I am not there to coach a client and it
seems prudent to share information with you on how to manage
your own set of expectations when it comes to improving your
organizing or time management skills.
Foresee and side-step roadblocks If you have tried to improve
your skills in the past, but have not been successful over the
short or long-term, step back and think about the types of
roadblocks that interfered with your success. Was time committed
to your calendar? Did you lack information? Did you lack of
support? Wrong tools? Did you even have ownership of your goal?
Or maybe it was perfectionism that got in the way. As I have
said in the past and continue to say, the goal is to be
successful...not perfect. Identifying past roadblocks will help
you become more aware of them so that you may be better prepared
to overcome them and reach your goal.
Revise unrealistic timelines Your organizing and time management
challenges didn't happen over night and they won't be solved
overnight. Give yourself some leeway.
Select some milestone dates, put them on you calendar and revise
them only if absolutely necessary. For example, "Have an
organized office by 12/31/05." In between these milestones
select smaller tasks that you will do to build to your milestone
date. For example, "Organize the desktop" or "Organize a filing
drawer". Smaller activities routinely spaced apart help lead to
your milestone date.
Debunk myths Maybe there are some myths floating around in your
mind. Things like, 'touch a piece of paper only once', 'someone
else can organize my workspace and it will work for me', or my
all time favorite...'I don't have time to get organized'. These
are old, ineffective recordings that are repeating in your head.
Toss them aside and replace them with something that moves you
forward. For example, 'I can find paper, time and peace of mind
if I begin NOW.'
Learn to manage your expectations and ultimate your success.
Copyright 2005 Cynthia Kyriazis. All rights reserved.