{"id":8402,"date":"2012-03-15T12:07:21","date_gmt":"2012-03-15T19:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/?p=8402"},"modified":"2012-02-26T12:58:00","modified_gmt":"2012-02-26T19:58:00","slug":"defragmentation-isnt-just-for-computers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/?p=8402","title":{"rendered":"Defragmentation isn\u2019t just for computers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part of the Professional Development Series by Laura Lee Rose<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/a>As computer experts, we all recognize the importance of regular computer maintenance.\u00a0 We regularly backup, run a disk cleanup, schedule automatic maintenance diagnostics and remove\/uninstall obsolete programs and application.\u00a0 We also regularly perform defragment for optimal computer performance.<\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t it be nice to value our manual performance just as much as our computers\u2019 operation?\u00a0 Below are some simple steps to keep our career running smoothly.<\/p>\n

Regular backups:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep a folder of all your business accomplishments:\u00a0 client recognitions, thank you notes from other managers, accommodations from your managers or executives.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep a log \u2018as you go\u2019 of everything that you have accomplished in this performance period.\u00a0 This will make your yearly review paperwork simple<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t collected \u2018thank-you\u2019 notes in the past, start now.\u00a0 Also, if someone is telling you how much they value your assistance or work on their behalf , get into the practice of asking people to write you a note of thanks and copy your manager.\u00a0 People are happy to do this.\u00a0 The only reason they don\u2019t, is because it doesn\u2019t occur to them<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Start writing \u2018thank you\u2019 notes to co-workers that you appreciate and copy their managers.\u00a0 They will naturally reciprocate.<\/p>\n

Frequently Scheduled Diagnostics<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t wait until your yearly performance review to discover how your performance compares to your management\u2019s expectations.\u00a0 Schedule frequent and regular peer and management review of your performance<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lead the discussion in what you feel your strengths are, where you see your value to the company lie, what direction you want your career to take, and who you want to eventually work with.\u00a0 Utilize these critical and unofficial discussions to clue your management line to what you want your eventual role to be.\u00a0 This allows them to continually be on the lookout for appropriate opportunities.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In these periodic unofficial review meetings, ask peers and managers what they feel are your strengths.\u00a0\u00a0 Have frank discussions regarding your gaps and requests in-house mentor recommendations.<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Have these unofficial diagnostics done long before your regularly scheduled performance inspections, so that you have your gaps filled long ahead of time.<\/p>\n

Removing obsolete programs and applications:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Review every task that takes your time.\u00a0 Should you really be doing this?\u00a0 Or have you outgrown this particular duty?<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consider handing-off, deleting or combining it with another more relevant role.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Is there another, more optimal and efficient way to accomplish the essence of that goal?<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Just like uninstalling obsolete programs from our hard drive, removing these items will give you more space and time for more relevant activities and projects that are more in lined with your current goals.<\/p>\n

Defragmentation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just like our computers, we work better when we have continuous space to complete our work.\u00a0 And like our computers, many of our days become fragmented with interruptions, previously scheduled meetings that have been postponed\u00a0 or modified,\u00a0 or badly estimated projects and meetings.\u00a0 To be out our most effective, we need to regularly defragment our work day.<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Take control of your calendar. Block out contiguous \u00a0space and time on your calendar for dedicated work<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Post either your office hours (available for interruptions) or your do-not-disturb times.\u00a0 Most people will respect those requests. You just need to make them known.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Set a block of time to review your email (and voice mail) versus whenever they come in.<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Just because something is happening \u2018now\u2019 does not make it urgent. Use the Do-Not-Disturb features on your phone, chat-lines, instant messages, etc.\u00a0 Allow people to leave a phone message.<\/p>\n

5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Combine activities.\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t have time to exercise during work, bring toning weights and flex\/stretch during one-way conference calls.\u00a0\u00a0 Brainstorm with a colleague while you are walking the campus track or office building.\u00a0\u00a0 Take those needed breaks via networking and building those important working relationships.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong>:\u00a0 Let’s keep our ‘people’ skills as well-maintained as our computer with constant forethought, attention and care.\u00a0 We’ll replace our computers every few year (not so with ourselves).<\/p>\n

If you are interested in more detail professional coaching or a professional coach to help you stay on target with those goals, please consider one-on-one coaching sessions to propel you forward faster.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wouldn\u2019t it be nice to value our manual performance just as much as our computers\u2019 operation? Below are some simple steps to keep our career running smoothly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1508,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6,1,855,847,849,899],"tags":[195,39,13,33,64,110,17],"class_list":["post-8402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-leadership","category-communications","category-miscellaneous","category-pmbok-process-executing","category-self-leadership","category-team-leadership","category-career-2","tag-accountability","tag-best-practices","tag-career-development","tag-common-sense","tag-communication","tag-getting-things-done","tag-lessons-learned"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1508"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8402"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8977,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8402\/revisions\/8977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}