Copyright 2005 Writer's Eye Advisory Service

*Do you tell yourself both the positive and negative truth
about your work day?
*Do you remember what you did well at work? *Do you keep a
record of tasks that will support a good work evaluation?
*Do you keep track of your successes? *Do you take the
time to tell others the truth?
*Do those that you supervise know when they’ve done a well?
*Do they know when and where they need to improve?
*Or do you relive only the worst moments of your work day? 

Telling yourself the truth applies to all parts of your
life. It isn’t an easy discipline to learn, because it is
so much easier to complain, feel sorry for yourself or
blame someone else for your mistakes. It’s also awkward to
talk about your successes. Telling yourself the truth, will
free you up from nagging negative thoughts, open your eyes
to new ideas and enable you to relax and work more
productively. If you see any part of yourself in this
description, then you might find the following exercises
helpful.

LISTEN TO YOUR THOUGHTS: Take five minutes and listen to
the thoughts in your head. Listen carefully to the tone of
your remarks. Do you recognize sarcasm, anger or whining?
Are any of these words familiar?: “You can’t do that.” “You
can’t break the rules or you will lose your job.” “Who do
you think you are?” If you hear these words or something
similar then you are heading directly into a negative
situation. In order to successfully complete your project,
you must make some immediate changes. One of those changes
is to choose:

ONE WORK AREA: Choose one difficult area: Are you aware of
vulnerable areas in your project? Take a closer look at
idea development, completing action plans, completing the
finished project or sending the project out into the
world? Remember to keep your focus on your chosen work
area, unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

CREATE A WORKABLE PLAN: A workable plan consists of
choosing a measurable amount of work, choosing a numerical
amount to guide your work and choosing a date when your
goal should be completed. For example, I am going to
complete two articles, ready to print and submit, by
7/16/05. I’ve included a specific job description (write
two articles) a specific number (two) and a specific
date(7/16/05). I recommend that you only choose one goal
within the middle range. Choosing a goal that is too large
or too small may make it harder for you to complete the
goal and the project in time. In the case of extended
projects you may need to set many goals before the each
phase of a project is finished.

CHECK WITH OTHERS: Please remember to run your plans by
your supervisor and your work group. It’s important that
you view these goals and working with your colleagues in a
flexible manner. Remember to continue to involve others in
revising your working plans. Remember also that goals and
actions are tools to help you, not to take your ideas
hostage.

START PRODUCING: It’s time to start working toward your
goal. Keep accurate records of your progress and the
progress of others, as needed. Be ready for changes,
interruptions and unexpected issues that might develop.
When you need to adapt your goals, keep in mind that a good
goal, is clearly written, producing a measureable amount
of product or other change according to a clearly stated
deadline.

May your work productivity and interactivity grow and your
goals be realized much sooner than your deadlines.

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About the Author:

Lael Johnson, owner of Writer's Eye Advisory Service,
offers creativity coaching services and additional writing
resources. Visit http://www.writerseye.com  for more
information.