Okay, I need help.

[e_juliana]

I have a terrible time focusing at work, primarily because I don't really enjoy the work and it doesn't challenge me. My poor job performance is feeding into and reinforcing my poor self-esteem, making it impossible to want either improve at this job or find a new one. I can't afford a shrink or a 'career counselor', so here I am.

Dear readers, please share your favorite organizational and focus tips. It doesn't matter if it seems completely elementary or obvious to you, it may not be to me. If I already know it, I'll appreciate the reminder. I need something, because we really can't afford for me to lose this job, and I need to shake myself out of this paralysis.

Thanks.

Comments

[pix-kristin.livejournal.com]

Oh sweetheart. I'm so sorry and I SO empathise, especially right now.

Post-it notes save me sometimes around the house for day-to-day reminders. I carry a pad around with me and jot down a reminder and stick it to the relevant surface so I won't forget it later.

My biggest strategy, though, is simple list-making. I make a list, use highlighters in different colors to signify deadlines or type of task, and then usually rewrite the list in chronological order of what I need to do first to last. I often also seperate the chronological list into seperate sub-lists by location of task (home/office/errands etc.) so that if I don't finish everything on my office list, I know where to pick up again when I get back to work the next day.

I also sometimes call home or call work and leave myself a voicemail.

You really need to read my essay "Gentlemen Prefer (Medicated?) Blondes". It would make you laugh a lot and not feel so badly about your own organizational skills.

[jesseh.livejournal.com]

The thing that makes the most sense to me in theory is crazy scheduling of your own time -- 15 min email, 1 hour Task A, 15 min online, 1 hour filing, 1/2 hour Task B.

Not that I've ever actually implemented it.

[mfnlaw.livejournal.com]

I always tend to focus on the fact that as bad as it may seem, being broke is worse. Also, this is temporary. You will be able to find another job.

For organisation purposes, I do a weekly itinerary, and I always make sure to schedule time for the penny-anty crap that needs to be done to keep me organised, e.g. updating call logs. I also keep a work journal, so to speak. It's just a steno book, but I write down phone calls and what they concern, and reminders for things I need to follow up on. It also gives me one-stop shopping for phone numbers/email addresses when I go to update my iPaq.

[serenada.livejournal.com]

If you get into list making -- put list maintenance on the list. I mean, schedule time at the top and bottom of each day to review the list, and add or subtract.

Which just reminds me -- I have minutes to type up, dammit.

[orthoepy.livejournal.com]

assign a specific day and time to each task. If you don't schedule it, it won't get done. And write it down, or you will find that you've put "friday afternoon" next to five things in your head!

[sail-aweigh.livejournal.com]

When I had a job where I had a dozen things to do that needed to prioritized, I bought a Franklin planner. I found it an extremely usefull tool for helping me keep organized. They give you all kinds of tips on how to determine priorities, an alphanumeric system for prioritizing. It also came with sections for tracking car maintenance, house maintenance, expenses, everything.

[fatoudust.livejournal.com]

I'm totally with you. For years, I had a great job and was engaged and enthusiastic about it. And then they hired my nemesis (and a completely incompetent person) to be my boss. I became the Worst Employee Ever, because I refused to let my success create a platform for the Bad Boss to crow over. This was a bad idea.

As a result, I spent the next several years in the sloughs of poor work ethic, and yes, my self-image suffered as a result. Unfortunately for this inspirational epic, I didn't change my ways until I got out of the job (although not actually out of the company, that came later). Still, I had to rebuild my organizational skills and focus and the whole bit.

Yes, I definitely got a planner (day-timer for me) and that helped. I scrupulously wrote down all my appointments, kept track of expenses, created, updated and checked off to-do lists.

All of that helped, but in the end, what I needed to do was realize that I was proud of myself, my ability, my professionalism and my work ethic. And I needed to excel in those things *for myself* not for any putative crappy boss or crappy job or crappy task. I needed to be able to take pride in my achievements, and for that, I needed to get my ass in gear.

It took a while. Be patient with yourself. Change doens't come overnight. But you can turn yourself around, and it can start with how you think about yourself, instead of the other way 'round (though that way has its rewards, too).

Oookay, I'm done with my Motivational Speaker Voice, but I do mean it. You're intelligent and capable.

[fabby.livejournal.com]

I always email myself reminders and lists (to and from home and work, depending on where I am and where I need to be to complete the tasks). That way as soon as I think of it, I jot it down and it doesn't get forgotten.

Also, it always makes me feel better in those sorts of situations when I actually buckle down and start a nightly job search. Just getting your resume out there makes you feel like you're being proactive and that a change is just around the corner. I usually go to craigslist, the local newspaper sites, and monster. I've had the most success with local newspaper sites.

(By the way, this is Gloomcookie from b.org.)