Wasting Time: A Day in the Life Sunday

The past several weeks are in the bag. Looking back, I came upon a realization: I devoted less time to writing than I did to anything else. It's not new for me but now the stakes are higher.

Last week, I made a commitment to myself to energize a novice writing career. It's not going so well.

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These Words with Friends letters were taunting me in a game I was losing. No U for my Q, no triple word boxes in sight, I didn't make a killer word. I didn't win the game. I didn't unwind at the end of the day. I didn't write.

I was distracted. Again.

It's times like these when I pull out my dog-eared copy of a 2010 Chris Brogan post, Distractions are Yours to Manage. His three points: distractions are a part of life, you own this life and you set the limits are always right on for me.

Some days, I am better at managing distractions than others. Like Chris, nothing beeps for me except text messages from the kid. Tweets, Facebook notifications, emails are all silent. I am in Google Reader once a day, star items to read later and started Buffering as I move around the Web.

I even bought an iPad so I can use my time in the bleachers to write while the kid swims. Great intentions foiled by great apps.

From Chris, "When all is said and done, you own your own time. You own your own life. You own the distractions."

I get it. They are my distractions. I own them. Now, what the heck do I do with them?

HR Department Audit: It's Not Personal

I am pulling this post from the 2011 archives as HR audit/effectiveness survey time approaches. I'm good, my staff is great and we run a pretty tight ship. Bring it on!

What's the surest sign of an HR professional experiencing unnecessary anxiety? They make this stuff personal.

I've got this thing I do. It has nothing to do with clothing, food or body parts and everything to do with words.

I collect phrases.

If I hear a phrase that resonates with me  - it may be an insight, a perspective, or a snappy little comeback- I enclose it in a grade-school-like cloud in the upper right hand corner on the first page of my notes. Phrases that have made their way into my vocabulary are "dirty stinkin' liar," "manage the smiley faces" and "karma is a b**ch." 

My new phrase, thanks to a colleague in Florida during a recent discourse of our HR lives is "hell bent for leather." Now, let me add a few words to get right to the heart of the matter for me.

Hell bent for leather . . . and under scrutiny.

As an HR professional, leader, supervisor, manager, former Army officer, I am no stranger to questions, challenges, or disagreements but lately, I've felt that the spotlight <or is it mirror> has been on me, my decisions, my priorities, my leadership and "Frankly, Scarlet, I <do> give a damn." 

Bottom line: I don't like it. 

This latest round started with an HR Oversight and Effectiveness Survey. This was our first ever and I welcomed the team with open arms, fully aware they would have findings. But did they have to find so much the first morning of the first day of a 3 day visit?!

I am sure Doctor Daniel Crosby, has some valuable insight into the "psychology of an audit" but you have to know that I wasn't seeing much beyond loser by the end of the first day. Throw in employee relations, labor relations, dips in customer service delivery, staff performance and my own performance as a supervisor and, well, anxiety was alive and well.

Today, it is different. Not all the HR problems of the world are solved, they never will be, but the anxiety level has dropped dramatically for this one HR professional.

How?

I stopped making this personal.

The spotlight, the questions, the scrutiny from self and others - it's going to happen. It's unavoidable. Just when you think all is lost and you think about turning in your keys and parking pass, stop and take a look around. 

Notice that your hands are gripping the reins. They are clenched, sunburned and achy. Notice that your legs are cramped and your spurs are dull.

Now, notice this. You are still on the horse. 

Photo creditiStockphoto