Are you full to the brim?
Donna McGeorge
??Creating space and capacity through intentional productivity ?? International speaker & author helping employees reimagine their approach to work ?? Defeating burnout, reducing stress & regaining control
I was at a meeting recently — an in-person live meeting (still rare in 2022) — and I noticed a behavioural pattern as people got cups of tea or coffee and moved around the room. Those who had filled their cup to the brim had to concentrate hard to avoid spilling any before they reached the meeting table.
Those who had filled to around 85 per cent capacity were easily able to return to the table without spilling anything. They were also able to multitask by chatting with others. One even waved her cup and saucer around as she gestured. Didn’t spill a drop!
Seems obvious really, doesn’t it? But I’m not so sure we think about this when it comes to our minds and our work.
When you operate at 100 per cent capacity it doesn’t take much to send things off the rails (spill the tea), or it takes much longer for things to happen.?This could be because your diary is so full, people can’t get hold of you!
Think about your eight-hour workday. (You might think I’m dreaming but stay with me on this.) Your eight hours are your total capacity. If you plan to use all those working hours, you aren’t leaving yourself any margin.
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What do you need a margin for? Think about the last time you put your head down to dedicate yourself to getting something done. How many times were you interrupted? And how much longer did it take to complete what you needed to do? How often do we truly do eight hours of solid work in an eight-hour time frame?
That’s why we need a margin. If we plan to operate at 85 per cent capacity, we would be doing just under seven hours’ work in an eight-hour day. That way, if something unexpected comes up (and it will) we can handle it.
Protect a margin of about 15% each week in your diary. That could be 1.2 hours per day, or 6 hours per week. The bigger the chunk the better.
Donna McGeorge is a best-selling author and global authority on productivity. Her book series, It’s About time covers meetings, structuring your day, and doing more with less is available in bookstores around Australia or can be ordered online via Donna’s website.
Science Teacher/Polymer Engineer/NPD/Account Manager/Naturopath
1 年I still remember doing this training with you at Ford!
Human Resources Professional - Collaborative Partner - Strategic Planning Advisor - Change Agent
2 年Loved this Donna! Great food for thought and so practical. Thanks for sharing your insights. Hope all is well!
Leadership & Career Coach / Talent & Leadership Consultant / Trainer
2 年Totally agreed! Levering the 15%+ of margin time to do some self-reflection and even meditation would be great! Thanks Donna for sharing the great insight! ??