Enhancing Personal Producitivity

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life many of us are just skimming by, barely meeting deadlines, and often just giving the minimum expected of us. In a struggling economy where unemployment is high and job roles are ever changing, there are significant sources of added job stress that are related to job insecurity through downsizing and corporate mergers, as well as through high turnover from burnout and fatigue. (http://www.suite101.com/content/managing-job-stress-in-a-struggling-economy-a159000) The coinciding impact of layoffs and the expectations for employees to increase performance to compensate for a decreased work staff, contribute to job stress, and can become difficult to cope with and manage.

In an era in work streamlining and downsizing based on company consolidations, the demand for high productivity among workers has never been higher. (Essentials of Management Dubrin, Andrew) In this struggling economy, employers are expecting much more from employees, such as taking on responsibilities and tasks previously managed by numerous people. The constant demand can lead to work overload. Work overload is described as having excessive demands and too much work at one time causing fatigue and lack of productivity due to the employee constantly being behind in schedule.

People with good work habits tend to be more successful in their careers than poorly organized individuals, and they tend to have more time to spend on personal life. Good work habits are more important than ever because of today's emphasis on productivity and quality. Don Wetmore, President of the Productivity Institute says, “Time management is the foundation for creating balance in our lives in vital areas, such as health and family.” (“Beat the Clock”, HR Magazine, November 2003, p103.) I feel this statement carries so much truth behind it. Without time management, we are simply bouncing from task to task without any real plan. We plan meals, holidays, travel- why wouldn’t we...