Finding time may seem to depend on full consensus between you and your coworkers. But probably differences exist between how you and they relate to punctuality, planning and procrastination. Sometimes these differences seem light years apart, threatening to stall progress on essential projects.
However, you can learn how to utilize this to everyone's mutual benefit. Approaching conflicting outlooks proactively can enhance cooperation and productivity in ways that will surprise you. Furthermore, you can carry these skills into every area of your life. Cultivating these skills will improve communication and open up fresh options with friends, family and anyone else you need to coordinate schedules with.
What potential benefits can you tap by making the best of conflicting time styles?
Opportunity #1: Clarify what's of prime importance to you. Pare it down and negotiate for it. Every strength you develop increases your resilience and decisiveness.
Opportunity #2: Attune yourself to others' varying approaches to time use. Genuinely accepting individual differences in time styles will benefit you in four ways:
First, accepting that others won't change for you spares you the frustration of repetitive and fruitless efforts to control others.
Second, when people notice you are not trying to change them, they feel more relaxed and receptive.
Third, when your colleagues feel respected, they are increasingly likely to negotiate successfully with you.
Fourth, effective compromising increases flexibility and clarifies lines of power and responsibility. Different time styles often reflect different priorities. Explore how this can work to your mutual advantage. For example, one of you might accept added responsibility if you can make your own hours. The other might hold down the fort 9:00 - 5:00 in return for not taking work home.
Opportunity #3: Commit to creativity. Thinking outside the box carries negotiations beyond rigid power struggles. For every problem, there is a resolution that honors the integrity and needs of each person.
Opportunity #4: Present the challenge in terms of shared goals. Keep the focus on the rewards you and your colleagues will enjoy. This stimulates cooperation.
Opportunity #5: Invite others to contribute ideas. The more invested everyone is in the problem-solving process, the more dedicated they will be to making it work.
Negotiating different approaches to time use will challenge each of you to grow. Instead of presenting necessary changes as sacrifices, identify the benefits and address the baseline needs of everyone involved. You will develop vitality and confidence to encounter challenging conditions in ways that improve morale, promote effectiveness and save you time.
What is your next step to find more time?
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How to take the "step" out of a family
By: mother vs life | 25-08-2008
Good day. I am married to a great person, we've been together for 5 years and married for two. I have 2 girls aged 10 and 8 from a previous marriage, we have a boy aged 3 together. Unfortunately my husband and my girls are at headlock. They did not get along 100% from the start, but it now snowballed to such an extend that he proposed a divorce, seeing a coucillor is not an option for him. He is a really "hard" person, and it seemed in the beginning that the kids irritatehim a little, but i did not worry about it too much as I thought he as well as the girls would have to work on building a relationship. Obviously I was dead wrong ! I really think that he is too hard on them and , much like a dictator who thinks they are little soldiers. It has now caused a great deal problems, the kids does not disrespect him though, but my second daughter seem to "challenge him".....with good reason I think..... I really love my husband and my girls a lot!! But my motherly instinct is to protect them when I think he's been unreasonable, and that causes even more havoc! He does not listen to reasoning when I Speak to him about his behaviour, infact he gets exremely defensive! how do I handle this to the benefit of us as a family?
I don't know how to begin
By: Christin | 25-08-2008
I don't know how to begin, but I felt you would be the right person to talk to, I am starting to go thought a tough time in my life I have a friend she is a female, we are very close to each other and recently I feel like she is fitting more in groups that I want/cant/can but don't want/confused about fitting in them. I don't drink and I am a virgin. I am not sure if I will ever open up to a guy or if I will consider drinking either. I am sure I will diapppoint my family if I do what she does. her family does not know about what she does, I know she has the right to be who she is, butwhat she does is not easy, cuz she is too scared her parents will know about that. Am i jealous of her, am i afraid ? Do I want to be like her? why do i feel like she is going ahead in life and iam still laggin behind,? Am I trapping myself in a place that I don't want to be at?
Ive been waiting for what seems a life time for my ...
By: michelle | 24-08-2008
ive been waiting for what seems a life time for my son to be assesed for adhd, could i pay to go private if so how much would it be
How do I get out of depression lows?
By: mona | 24-08-2008
how do I get out of depression lows?
Getting out of depression
By: mona | 24-08-2008
how to help myself get out of thi depressed mood of lowss?
Help me if you know
By: 123 | 24-08-2008
i've been suffering 2 weeks ago from a difficulty in breathing during and after eating although small quantities and i also burp after eating and feel that i have a kind of bloating in adddition to constipation so i wonder what could it be?could this be anorexia nervosa since i've been going on diets and some pressure and stress please,i'm looking forward to your answer
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