Multitasking is the biggest threat to real creativity. It makes us less productive, and requires a lot of energy. Even when our multitasking is all related to our jobs, it distracts us from reaching our biggest goals. Therefore, we must abandon multitasking and instead embrace task batching.

Batching vs. Multitasking

Multitasking makes you feel like you’re being productive, but prevents you from completing your most important task. The batch method brings order without forcing us to sacrifice any of our goals. It helps us become better stewards of our time.

Batching requires you to categorize all of your tasks. Then you schedule certain times during the day or week to work on each category. The batch method helps you use your time more effectively than when you’re multitasking. It also fosters peace of mind. When you know you’ve set aside time for answering emails and calls, you won’t stress about getting back to people. The quality of your responses will likely improve as well, since you won’t be rushing to write a reply so you can get back to other work.

Maker Days and Manager Days

To become more productive, try to institute Maker Days and Manager Days, a productivity approach built on batching. All of your meetings, scheduling, phone calls, and other administrative tasks happen on Manager Days. Maker Days are for getting things done.

The Maker vs. Manager model allows you to work effectively and creatively. When everything has an appointed time, nothing falls through the cracks. The quality of your output increases significantly.

Not everyone at your company may be on board right away. When you tell your coworkers, “I won’t be responding to emails this morning,” they might worry that you’re slacking off. But once they realize the opposite is true, they’ll be more forgiving of your slower response times.

How to Shift from Multitasking to Batching

Still, shifting from multitasking to batching takes some transitioning. Here’s how to make it easier on your boss, your colleagues, and yourself:

Get Buy-In

Don’t just stop responding to messages, especially in the middle of a big project. Before you switch to task batching, sit down with your boss to explain your rationale and ask for their support and permission. Tell them you’ll be more creative and productive if you’re not constantly reacting to other people’s priorities. If they’re skeptical, ask for a trial period and offer tangible metrics by which they can judge your performance.

Once your boss approves this new approach, huddle with your teammates and let them in on your plans as well. Reassure them that you’re working just as hard as before, if not harder. You simply won’t be available to respond to questions and issues at a moment’s notice. Some of them may even join you on the anti-multitasking train.

Set Expectations

Most conflicts start with mismatched expectations. That is why communication is critical during your batching transition. Share your schedule with your boss and colleagues so they know when you’re available for meetings and when they can expect your input via email or team chat conversations. As they become confident that you’re upholding your responsibilities, they’ll support your new way of getting things done.

Some people will have a harder time than others accepting your changed schedule. Be patient and let your results speak for themselves. If they persist in their criticisms, respond kindly but don’t get distracted from your core goal, which is to do good work. Take comfort in the words of Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

Allow Time for Fires

No matter how carefully you plan, emergencies happen. A project goes off the rails, a client pulls out of an agreement, a meeting is poorly run and eats into your day. Avoid falling back into multitasking chaos during these crises by building buffers into your schedule.

Give yourself an extra day or two to finish a project, just in case something comes up. Build in 30 minutes more than you expect to need when making phone calls so you’re not pressed for time if a conversation goes long. Having these bonus productivity slots will help you cement the batch method in your workflow.

Batching requires discipline, and if you’re used to multitasking, self-restraint may be in short supply. But you can build those reserves if you stick to your batching schedule and remember that you’re benefiting yourself, and your company, by doing one thing at a time — and doing it well.

In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon writes about the time and seasons for everything in life. Verse 1 says, There is a time for everything,  and a season for every activity under the heavens. He continues in verses 12 and 13 – I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

I think this wisdom applies to our modern day workplaces. There are times and seasons for certain jobs, certain transitions, and certain tasks within those jobs. But in all of it, we should find joy and satisfaction by doing what God has called us to – by fulfilling our purpose.

If you’re passionate about productivity or simply want to become more efficient, check out our Modern Worker’s Toolkit to Work Smarter, Not Harder.

The post Can’t Focus at Work? Use Task Batching to Organize Your Brain appeared first on Crown Financial Ministries.

Well, yes and no. The flexibility and autonomy of working from home is great when you have clear boundaries, personal discipline, and your family respects the difference between your work hours and personal time. But if your days lack structure and boundaries, working from home can be a nightmare.

Most people are so excited by the idea of remote work, they don’t take the time to learn how to work from home successfully.

The Pros of Working from Home:

• No commute time
• Save money on gas
• Save money by not eating out
• Save money on clothing
• Increased productivity (for self-starters)
• Fewer distractions and interruptions from coworkers
• More flexibility and autonomy in schedule

The Cons of Working from Home:

• No social engagement or in-person collaboration
• No connection to peers, coworkers, or managers
• Difficulty self-motivating
• Difficulty staying engaged on projects
• Easy to become distracted by household chores, errands, family needs, etc.
• Difficulty proving worth since contributions may be less apparent
• No physical separation from home and office can cloud psychological separation (you can’t leave the stresses of home or the office at your house or office because they’re one in the same)

The Keys to a Successful Work-From-Home Routine

Considering these pros and cons, many people thrive as remote or independent workers. At least, they would if they had the right routine. If you’re considering working from home or want to improve your productivity as a remote worker, use the following tips to up your game:

Be professional.

I don’t care if you work from a fully equipped home office, your guest bedroom, or your daughter’s tea table. When you show up to work, you should look and act like a professional.

Doing so signals not only that it’s time to work but that you take your career seriously. It also trains other people to take you seriously. Wake up and prepare for work the same way you would if you were going to the office. Establish a morning routine and follow it so that no matter where you’re working, you’re in a professional, focused state of mind.

Set boundaries.

Work during work hours. Do not do laundry, wash the dishes, or run errands simply because you’re at home. You may need to set boundaries and expectations with your family as well, so they can help you be successful at home and at work. If you wouldn’t do a certain task at the office, don’t do it until your working hours are over.

But once your work hours are over, shut down your computer and honor your personal commitments. If you told your wife you’d take her to dinner, make good on that promise. If you committed to game night with your husband and his friends, show up and be present. Your family will be happy to respect your boundaries when they see that you’re there for them the rest of the time.

Keep your office clean and clutter-free.

Clutter is the ultimate productivity killer. It’s distracting, it increases stress levels, and it causes you to lose countless hours searching for documents and materials you need to work.

The beauty of working from home is that you can create your ideal work environment. Find what yours is, optimize your space, and keep it tidy.

Know yourself.

To maximize your productivity, you need to cultivate the circumstances in which you thrive. And to do that, you need self-awareness. If you know you need breaks to refresh your mind every thirty minutes, plan how you’ll spend those.

Maybe you’ve never thought about what elements contribute to your productivity. If that’s the case, pay attention to your habits for the next few weeks. Do certain assignments seem to flow better when you have instrumental music on in the background? Does an afternoon walk help you think through tough problems? Recognizing these patterns could help you develop a much more efficient and enjoyable work environment.

Begin each day with the end in mind.

There are limitless distractions to keep you from your work. Even if your family honors your boundaries from day one, you have app notifications, emails, news alerts, text messages, and all manner of content vying for your attention. That’s why you need to begin each day with the end in mind.

Before you start working, decide what you want to have achieved by the time you go to sleep that night. Make a list of priority tasks, and do not give in to external distractions until these are complete. Then you’ll shift from being in a reactive mode to an intentional mindset.

That’s really what working from home successfully comes down to: intentionality. You need to work by design, not default. If you wake up whenever you feel like it, eat when the mood strikes, and work in between loads of laundry and text messages from friends, working from home will be a miserable failure — and I do mean miserable. You cannot feel good about your career when you work this way. But when you live and work by design, you’re rewarded with professional satisfaction and success.

And most importantly, remember who you ultimately work for. First Corinthians 10:31 tells us, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” That translates directly into our careers. We are to approach our work day with integrity, and trust that God will provide. Use your opportunity to work from home to show your boss and your co-workers how Christians truly live out their faith.

The post The Often Overlooked Pros and Cons of Working From Home appeared first on Crown Financial Ministries.

I’ve experienced firsthand the tension, discomfort, and frustration that stem from unresolved issues. That’s how I know all conflicts must be addressed, no matter how awkward or difficult those conversations may seem. Problems don’t go away until they’re solved, and ignoring them makes them worse.

Seek to Understand

Even if you enjoy a great relationship with your boss, don’t rush headlong into a meeting about your problems. Productive conflict resolution begins with understanding why the issue arose.

Lack of clarity often lies at the heart of most conflicts. Reflect on where the problem started and identify any miscommunication that occurred. Not only will this help you avoid problems in the future, it will also create a good starting point for dialogue when you sit down with your boss.

A lack of transparency also causes friction in many organizations.

You’re well within your rights to ask for more information, but try to see the bigger picture. Maybe what you interpret as opaqueness is really just the result of them juggling any number of decisions and responsibilities. Coming to the conversation empathically is far more effective than angrily demanding answers and explanations.

Remember that your boss is human. They’re prone to mistakes and insensitivity, just as we all are. Instead of jumping to conclusions, seek to understand their position. Don’t get wrapped up in office gossip, which is poison to your mind and your productivity. Proverbs 18:6-7 says, “The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.”

When colleagues begin whispering about potential layoffs or budget cuts, don’t give in to the fear-mongering. Schedule a meeting with your boss and ask them for answers directly. They may have a perfectly reasonable explanation, and they’ll appreciate that you were forthright instead of perpetuating rumors.

If they messed up, let them know how you feel but give them a chance to acknowledge your position. When they do, accept their apology and strive to improve the relationship going forward. As Colossians 3:13 tells us, “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Schedule Facetime During Peacetime

Time is the currency of all relationships, including professional ones. Seek opportunities to get to know your boss, whether that’s volunteering for a project or prioritizing company events where you’ll get a chance to chat in a more casual setting. The stronger your rapport, the easier it will be to work through conflicts and strengthen the relationship.

You’re also less likely to be rattled by gossip if you regularly have candid conversations with your boss. Depending on your position in the company, you may need to work hard to get on their radar. But once you do, make a point of stopping by their office, pitching them ideas, and following up on previous conversations to stay top of mind.

If you get the chance to work closely with your boss, take it. Nothing bonds people more than working toward shared goals, and you’ll gain a great deal of insight into their personality and leadership style. You’ll then be better equipped to empathize with them and diffuse problems before they begin. More importantly, you’ll trust your boss, which makes you less susceptible to rumors and petty aggravations.

When you do run into conflicts with your boss, a change of scenery can do wonders for gaining perspective. Meeting in their office or a conference room can keep you stuck in formal or negative patterns. Invite your boss to talk over coffee or lunch instead. The new surroundings will help you see one another as individuals rather than “boss” and “employee”. This fresh lens may inspire creative solutions to your conflict and spark a new interpersonal dynamic that will help you work together more effectively in the future.

Work on Your Self-Awareness

Sometimes you meet a new boss and it seems like you’ve known one another forever. You find your groove with them quickly, and you enjoy an easy, even friendly, dynamic. Other times, the relationship requires more work. You often feel as though you’re speaking different languages, and you simply don’t know how to connect with them. Those situations call for some serious self-awareness. The better you know yourself, the better you’ll be able to see how your personality complements or conflicts with your boss’s.

Recognizing that you have different modes of relating to people will help you approach your boss with an open mind. Instead of complaining about the lack of vocal approval, you can come up with a feedback system that works for you both. The important thing is that you’re communicating and working with one another instead of simply complaining that you can never get through to them.

Huddle Up

Seek out ways to get consistent and productive time with your colleagues and your boss. You might even suggest a weekly huddle to your supervisor. Tell them you can do a trial run of a few weeks and see how the team responds. Work up a proposed schedule beforehand so they can envision what you have in mind.

I find that giving people an opportunity to voice their concerns and struggles helps us all. When workers aren’t afraid to tell their bosses they’re having problems, supervisors can step in to offer guidance. Bosses love to help. They want their teams to succeed. And they don’t want to waste time arguing with employees when an issue has spiraled out of control unnecessarily.

Identify Your Boss’s Win

Your best bet is to understand what your boss most cares about. Is it the number of units sold? Number of leads converted? Dollar amounts on new contracts? Find out your boss’s big win and help them achieve victory. As long as you do that, you will almost never find yourself in conflict with them — at least not over your job performance.

You may disagree with their management styles or experience personality clashes, and those are much bigger (and potentially unresolvable) issues. But if your goal is to maintain a positive, professional relationship, helping them get that win is a surefire strategy.

Watch Your Body Language

We all get fired up from time to time. When a coworker insinuates that your boss is upset with you or you feel your manager snubbed you in a meeting, it’s easy to ride that wave of anger and adrenaline right into their office.

But before you rush off to confront your boss, take a few deep breaths. Go for a walk to let off steam, and compose your thoughts ahead of the meeting. Your boss will interpret aggressive, accusatory language as threatening and disrespectful, and that will only hurt your case. Even if you had a legitimate gripe to begin with, you weaken your position by yelling and hurling insults.

When possible, wait at least a day before talking about hot-button issues with your boss. You don’t want to let the issue fester, but even a few hours can be enough time to cool down and see things from their perspective. Talk with your spouse or a trusted friend to get their take. Maybe you’re being a little unreasonable or misinterpreted the situation. Time and feedback can make all the difference to how the conflict plays out.

If you routinely struggle to keep your feelings in check, you may need to improve your EQ (emotional intelligence quotient). Employees with high EQs can easily tune into other people’s emotions, are receptive to constructive feedback, and have an easier time relating to their managers and peers. Journaling, meditation & prayer, and even participating in a course on self-awareness may help improve your relationships at work.

Practice Humility

Approached correctly, conflict resolution is a study in humility. The Bible reminds us over and over that “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6). Jesus was the ultimate example of true humility.

Even if you are in the right, you must put yourself in your boss’s shoes and empathize with their position. You must also recognize that you played a role in the conflict. More often than not, both parties carry some responsibility for the issue. Acknowledging your shortcomings is a humbling exercise if ever there was one.

You may occasionally find yourself in situations where you are being treated unfairly, and you may have bosses who refuse to admit wrongdoing. That, too, is humbling. It’s frustrating when your grievances go unrecognized, especially if you end up penalized in some way as a result of the conflict.

Those are the moments when you must remember that your work is worship. Offer your anger and pride up to the Lord and ask Him to bring grace into your heart. Pray about the situation and seek wisdom in it. There are always lessons to be learned if we are open to receiving them.

Unless your boss’s offense was so egregious that it would go against your morals to continue working for them, make a peace offering once the strong emotions have settled. That can break the ice and foster conversations about growth and change in the relationship. Jesus says in Matthew, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and this is why. Being the bigger person is challenging, but it leads you to a place of deeper fulfillment and understanding.

Take the Long View

Not all conflicts are resolved the way you want them to. You may make an impassioned case for a particular initiative, but your boss could still go in a different direction. If you can live with that decision, humble yourself and say, “I just needed you to hear my thoughts on this, and I appreciate your attention. Since this is what you’ve decided, I’ll support you 100%.”

That’s not to say you won’t be disappointed. But conflicts need closure. Lingering resentment over rejected proposals or perceived slights poisons the entire organization. In such times, we can find wisdom in Ephesians 4:31-32: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Whether or not you agree with your boss’s decisions, move on and focus on the things you can control. How your company spends money or which clients it pursues may be out of your hands. But you can decide to show up with a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard. You can choose to pursue new opportunities to learn, to cultivate strong relationships with your boss and your team, and to work to the best of your ability. Those actions will raise your esteem in your boss’s eyes, and you may achieve different outcomes in the future.

Remember, too, that conflict resolution can take time. Just because your boss doesn’t come around in the first meeting doesn’t mean all is lost. Continue to show up with an open mind and a sincere heart, and you’ll find that opportunities for improving the relationship will reveal themselves over time.

The post How to React to Conflicts With Your Boss Without Ruining the Relationship appeared first on Crown Financial Ministries.