Have you ever thought about the fact that work does not inspire you to write life-affirming songs and books? The only thing that comes to mind is "Work Hard and Sing" from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Many often complain that work is boring and it would be better not to work at all. At the same time, people are constantly talking about the need to work harder and achieve the best results using the minimum amount of labor and other resources.

And why not arm yourself with more optimistic songs, positive psychology and new attitudes to make work easier, faster and more fun? It is for this reason that this book has been written, offering strategies for effective, productive and enterprising work.

Neil Fiore. Psychology of personal effectiveness. How to beat stress, stay focused and have fun. - M.: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2013. - 208 p.

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I understand that the idea of ​​treating work as fun may seem paradoxical, but even if the task before you is boring, it trains the brain. There is something exciting about going from not knowing to knowing. Otherwise, why are you doing crosswords, sudoku, playing chess, reading detective stories or learning to dance salsa?

Chapter 1

The most important quality of a good manager is to protect his employees: their time, self-esteem and career potential.
Robert Townsend, former director American Express and book author

I bring to your attention seven main methods of effective work, minimizing distractions and bad habits.

First principle. Engage in correcting existing habits. The shortest way is to coordinate the formed behavior patterns with the correct ones. In most cases, you will have to abandon old ones and develop new habits. If you want to become an effective manager and teach it to others, instead of asking “Why did you spill the milk?” ask: “How to clean everything faster?” Analysis of errors and criticism in emergency situations are not as appropriate as actions aimed at eliminating problems.

Second principle. Replace tension with a feeling of lightness - this is the law of reverse effort. Tension is a sign that you are moving in the wrong direction. “If you're pushing a door and it won't open, try pulling. Figuratively speaking, in life all the doors are on hinges - like most problems, so they open easily.

Third principle. Focus not on yourself, but on the task. Write down your beliefs in two columns: in the first column, thoughts about the past, future, and mistakes made, and in the second, thoughts about the task at hand. Students trained to quickly move from the ego-oriented thoughts of the first column to the question "What do I know about the problem?" of the second, significantly improved their performance in the entrance and final exams.

Fourth principle. Instead of "Need to finish," say, "It's time to start." Bad leaders force subordinates to do what they do not want, thereby causing resistance and discontent. “You have to” means “you don’t want to, but I will make you do it. The word "must" is unproductive and provokes sabotage. The word “must” provokes an internal conflict that deprives you of strength, blocks motivation, and only complicates the task.

Fifth principle. Instead of "I have to finish a grueling and lengthy project," say, "I'll work for 15 minutes." A good organizer does not force subordinates to work without respite. They must know when, where and what they will do and when they will receive a salary or other remuneration. Aim your subordinates for 15 or 30 minutes of continuous work. Well-defined time best method combat distractions, and breaks between work can be used as encouragement: stretch, throw away unnecessary papers, check mail or SMS.

Sixth principle. Instead of constantly vainly stressing individual parts of the brain, use all of its components as a whole. One of the most effective ways to double your productivity and reduce your stress levels is to find a way into your unconscious mind. I tested the effectiveness of this method on myself, writing a doctoral thesis in a year. I left all the most difficult tasks to work out to sleep and subconsciousness and woke up every morning with a decision and a desire to work 15-30 minutes before breakfast.

Seventh principle. Act in accordance with your highest values ​​and current goals. Worried about catching up from superiors, search new work, hanging on the Internet or calling a friend? Ninety percent of these thoughts contain outdated errors that are not in line with your current mission, job description, goals and abilities of an adult. Most of them are primitive reproduction of behavioral stereotypes.

Actively use the seven methods to increase productivity at work. Please note that they all build on established behavioral stereotypes and smoothly translate them into new, effective reactions. During the week, take turns dedicating a whole day to one of the principles and determine which one is most effective in your situation. Then take it on board until you learn how to quickly switch from outdated negative habits to new ones.

Chapter 2 Managing Time and Life

The longest journey starts with the first step.
Confucius

Set deadlines. By abandoning the standard philosophy of working longer, longer, and in an eternal rush, you will begin to effectively manage your time and life if you learn to: get down to business immediately; manage your to-do list; come up with an alternative to them; based on the timing, form three and four-dimensional routes to the starting point; ask for feedback upfront and fight perfectionism.

Get started immediately. One of the first management books I read while doing my MBA was Peter Drucker's The Effective Leader. The author considers the ability to accept right decisions the main characteristic of a leader, but for this, first of all, you need to learn how to manage your time and concentrate on urgent tasks.

Don't worry about finishing time, just start again every time. Manage your to-do list. Be afraid of the desire to redo everything. The habit of acting immediately (that is, immediately prioritizing) will save you from having to make endless to-do lists and worries about whether you have done everything and whether you have correctly allocated your precious time. The schedule is a list of endless “needs” that cause resistance, grumbling. Creating a more detailed schedule, as well as striving for strict self-organization and perfectionism, can be the main irritant that serves as an excuse for your unwillingness to work on a project.

Personal life. Always remember the people close to you and do not forget about health and fitness.

Matters of paramount importance. One to three daily activities (project A, B, or C) that will affect your entire life will keep you workplace and will take from 8 to 1000 hours. Keep them in mind and make time for them.

Based on the timing, form three and four-dimensional routes to the starting point. Time is not in vain considered the fourth dimension, so you should go beyond the typical two-dimensional approach to achieving goals and solving problems. This approach not suitable for solving large-scale problems that take into account distance and time - the third and fourth dimensions. Draw mentally the return route from the end point to the present. The same reversal calendar can be drawn up for a large project that needs to be completed in two months. Review your calendar 60 days ahead and mark weekends, business trips, appointments, client calls, and more so you don't miss anything and fool yourself into thinking you have a full 60 days (or eight weeks) ahead of you. When plotting the return itinerary from the end point to the starting point, you will see that you have only 49 working days, or 7 weeks, and it takes about 10-15 hours a week to complete an important project. Total - 70-105 hours preparatory work, if you start today and work well 10 hours a week, without being distracted by anything. Now you think like a project manager: track progress and remember that it's time to start, otherwise you will miss the deadline.

The myth of the perfectionist. If you devote more time to the project, it will become perfect, there will be no errors in it, and I will earn praise even if I turn it in later, right? If you're a perfectionist, keep returning to a project until you're satisfied with the outcome. Then hand over the project to management with a cover note: “I have done some serious work and I present to you a draft of the project. Before presenting the final version, I would like to hear your opinion.” The extra time invested in a project increases its value, while timely feedback on its fit, style, and content will save you time. Getting feedback before work is completed means you are aware of the market and the competitive environment. The client could change priorities for the last week, month or year. By presenting the first drafts in advance, you gain confidence that no one will criticize them.

Chapter 3. The Language of Effective Self-Organization

Internal dialogue affects your state, behavior and ability to be an effective manager. If, for example, you keep telling yourself “It was high time to finish,” “I shouldn’t have been digging through my mail this morning,” “I wish I was here and not there,” or “Why don’t I look like x,” that means that what you are doing falls short of some imaginary ideal. A negative comparison, repeated dozens of times a day or hour, often becomes the culprit of depression and anxiety. By excluding various “shoulds” from the internal dialogue, you will continue the path to excellence,

Remember the words of psychologist Albert Ellis: “If it had to be different, it would have been different. But everything is as it is. So that's the way it should be." In other words, beware of self-criticism and unnecessary tension due to the irrational belief that everything should not be the way it really is. You can simply increase your chances of success by studying the facts and possibilities of the world around you. Oddly enough, but whatever the cause of the problem - the boss, the atmosphere at work or boring duties - only your attitude turns you into a would-be employee.

Watch your thoughts: motivation with a carrot and a stick. Your thoughts form an attitude towards yourself - either you think in terms of resistance and hostility, or peace and mutual understanding. Does your internal dialogue generate indecision, stress, and rejection, or mobilize forces to achieve goals?

In his classical theory Douglas McGregor categorized companies in the X category, in which the management style is based on pressure and fear, and in the Y category, those where the atmosphere of encouragement and motivation reigns. This scale can be translated into "carrot and stick" methods used in motivating and managing people. Start managing yourself effectively.

Which question is more effective: why or how? If you ask a child why he spilled milk, and an adult why he did the project in a certain way, it will only confuse the respondent, while the milk will still drip off the table, and the state of the project will not improve. Most effective question: "How do you clean up spilled milk?" or “How to avoid mistakes in the future?” A good leader instead of a dry one: “Think about how to correct the report” will offer the subordinate at least four recommendations. It turns out that in order to effectively manage yourself and others, you need to stop drawing negative parallels, and together correct mistakes and praise for every step taken towards the goal.

Catch yourself doing something good. Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Manager series of books, has found that employees are encouraged and more receptive to new information when "caught doing something good" (see ). When addressing yourself or anyone else, remember the wisdom of Dale Carnegie: “To be an effective leader, praise your subordinates and express sincere admiration. When pointing out mistakes to someone, mention your own first and let others save face. Celebrate small accomplishments and don't skimp on rewards."

The words you say to yourself, your partner, subordinates or children contain your core beliefs and philosophy of life. But your actions are even brighter and closer to your true feelings and thoughts. Worldview and expectations have a much stronger effect on your life than words. This has been proven by numerous experiments. Teachers were given a fake list of good students, and they paid more attention to these children, encouraging them to study to the best of their ability. As a result, the tests and behavior of the children on the list improved significantly, even if before that they were the worst students in the class.

Attitudes and expectations influence us much more than attitudes. They affect the mind and body in the same way as the placebo effect. Placebo - a neutral substance presented as an effective drug - improves the mental and physical condition in almost 30 percent of patients. Optimism is one way to motivate yourself to move towards the goal step by step and, when faced with inevitable difficulties, turn lemons into lemonade.

Managers, directors, and self-employed people generally find work to be stressful. However, most stresses arise from internal causes: self-criticism, accusations and violated dignity, if the desired cannot be realized or the life scenario does not develop according to plan. Stress is a defensive reaction caused by internal signals about the threat to life and dignity.

Chapter 4 Effective Communication

Many managers, entrepreneurs, and business people still think that communication is all about giving orders, arguing, and making excuses. Whereas the first thing is active listening. As Americans joke, for New Yorkers, listening means waiting for their turn to speak. Ineffective communication is arguing with others, aimed at protecting your goals and plans. It means there are winners and losers. There is only one correct opinion, so we can neglect the views and experiences of people who can enrich our knowledge of the world and shape complete picture. Effective communication, in turn, aims to understand the views, feelings and opinions of others. When two parties listen to each other, both win.

Success is achieved if each side says: “Yes, that's what I meant. Do you understand me". Why argue about who is right and who is wrong? Target effective communication- establish and protect relationships, support and working relationships that are mutually beneficial and therefore lasting.

My training in effective communication includes listening exercises that involve dividing the audience into subordinates (or clients) and managers (or employees of the service department). The initial goal is to listen to at least three sentences, and then paraphrase what was said until the speaker confirms that he has been heard and understood. No mutual complaints. Communication is most effective when it focuses on one speaker or one issue. Give up any excuses. The one who complains must be: heard; understood; convinced that you are on the way to a compromise, even before the listener answers and retells his words.

Communication fails for a number of reasons, among which one of the main ones is the difference in styles, cultures and preferences. Personal styles and preferences in communication can be positioned on the axes of coordinates as follows: direct versus indirect and task-oriented versus person-oriented (Fig. 1). Remember that difference is a given, not a problem. Apart from various styles communication, your subordinates, partners and clients perceive information differently, that is, everyone sees, hears and interprets it in their own way. Some perceive information by ear (audials), others visually (visuals), and others physically (kinesthetics).

Chapter 5

Continuous, stubborn concentration on the goal is so omnipotent that others are forced to meet you.

Accept for granted that difficult people and circumstances are a given to live with, not problems, obstacles, or enemies to be faced, overcome, or avoided. Focus on how to clean up spilled milk, not why it spilled.

Chapter 6

The most effective way to replace negative patterns with productive and beneficial ones is to realize that bad habits are warning you to change.

The mission - clear, alluring and lofty - will no longer allow insecurity and irritation to easily grab your attention. The ability to focus on the task will negate failures and quickly return you to the true path, which inevitably leads to success.

Chapter 7

Whatever external stimulus spurs you on, you have an internal motivation to succeed. Only thanks intrinsic motivation you have managed to forgo quick rewards in order to achieve a long-term goal. There are three main motivators: fear of suffering, positive expectations, and possession.

The power of positive expectations. There is no stronger motivation in the world than the one that parents breathe into their child, watching him take his first steps. Their reassuring look helps the baby overcome the fear and pain of failure, get up after a fall and go again. Subordinates who have known the bitterness of failure in school years or in other areas of life, they dream of seeing this expression in the eyes of the leader.

Possession. If you are an employee, you are motivated by a salary, a good team and - if you are lucky - an interest in the activity itself and its benefits to society. But only by working for himself, a person becomes his own master and puts his heart and soul into a business that embodies his vocation and dreams. He is ready to give all his best to succeed. Motivation and inspiration are natural and obvious when you own own business. If you are an employee, imagine that the projects you are working on are your projects. If the boss says, “You haven’t made much headway, so I’ll hand over the project to someone else,” you should object and even argue: “This is my project. I gave him a lot of time and energy. Let me finish it." A sense of ownership in relation to work, business and projects is an important component of motivation. Motivation is inherent in man by nature and just needs concentration and encouragement.

Chapter 8

Why standard goal setting leads to failure, and what it takes to increase the likelihood of achieving goals. Ordinary goal-setting is dangerous because it causes

• anxiety when you are trying to achieve goals in the future - an imaginary place where it is impossible to go - while unspent here and now energy prevents you from moving on;
• depression when you compare where you are now with where you should be (another imaginary place);
• low self-esteem if you procrastinate, fail, and blame yourself for not making progress;
• feeling overwhelmed because of too a large number goals and objectives that you are trying to solve simultaneously;
• fatigue due to a strict routine that contradicts real life and, of course, will fly to hell, because there is no place for life in your schedule;
• disappointment if you are trying to fight reality and stubbornly want to be transported to an imaginary, virtual reality, where you think you should be;
• useless aspiration miraculously be in the future

Ordinary goal-setting generates unrealistic goals.

Setting realistic goals. Large-scale goals are transferred from the future to the present, where they can be achieved in several stages. Effective goal setting has four steps. staging main goal, which describes the position in which you would like to be, and the emotions that you want to experience. Choosing the path that will lead to the goal. Performing each step in accordance with a short-term goal that will help you start and work through specific stages on the way to the main goal.

Chapter 9

Procrastinators have the wrong internal dialogue. Owners, managers, and parents will learn to manage procrastinators only when they realize that they are not productively communicating with themselves, and refuse the temptation to contribute to this unconstructive dialogue. Procrastinators like to put pressure on themselves: “We need to finish a large-scale project, do everything perfectly, cope with self-criticism and the need to infringe on ourselves in some way.” Good employees refer to themselves in a very different way: "I'll start small: work for 15 minutes, sketch, and then do something for the soul." For procrastinators, work is solitary confinement behind bars of criticism. To manage them effectively, teach them to use the right words instead of negative language.

To drastically reduce procrastination, allow subordinates to be creative, motivate them, and give up claims and threats. Seeing specific opportunities, motivated employees will willingly take on tasks that require intense joint efforts.

A good manager asks, “When are you going to start making your first drafts?” The answer to the question will let you know if you communicated the urgency of the project and the quality of the first reports. Ask a subordinate: “When will you start?” A real procrastinator will give a vague answer like "next week" or "tomorrow". Understand that you are not trying to control every step of the subordinate, but help him communicate with you in a language that directs his body and mind to the workplace and encourages him to get down to business at a certain time.

You can turn a procrastinator into a real hard worker if you teach him to ask himself the question: “When to start, what to do and where?”

Accepting your work instead of perfectionism. Try to help the perfectionist accept himself for who he is. To prevent the employee from wasting time looking for the ideal, say: "Come back in three hours, and I will explain what to do next." Feedback, as it turned out, helps subordinates analyze their actions and adhere to common goals and deadlines. As soon as a person understands that you respect him, he will stop defending himself, that is, the main reasons for procrastination will disappear.

Negative attention or positive stimuli and recognition. When managers talk about employees who create problems and who for some reason cannot be fired, I often note that such people usually draw attention to themselves with negative behavior, and no one mentions their abilities. They have to declare themselves in this way, because otherwise they are ignored and not praised for their Good work for the benefit of the company. To stimulate the desired behavior, it is necessary to reward for any steps in the right direction. It is not at all difficult to cheer up a person who has hardly known praise or success. A smile, a nod of the head expressing approval. "Yes, that's right" is a good reward, motivation, and incentive for the desired behavior.

Managing complex subordinates. Bruce Blythe, CEO of Crisis Management International, suggests instilling adequate self-esteem into the minds of aggressive subordinates. How to deal with aggression? Experts believe that aggressive individuals remain calm if the employer controls provocative situations and reduces their duration, frequency and consequences. Pay attention to intonation and voice pitch. Level up discussions active listening avoiding bickering and debate. Use all your communication skills so that misunderstanding does not result in a confrontation. Say the subordinate's name and say "yes", "yes, okay", avoiding negative statements like "no, you have to". Refrain from derogatory comments that can cause moral damage or cause anxiety. Offer employees alternatives that will boost their self-esteem.

Apply psychological tricks improving self-esteem. Start with yourself, use "I" statements, don't blame or point fingers at anyone. For example: “I ran into a problem. And I want to work with you to give you a chance to shine here. But I'm sure the director will reproach me for hiring you. It will be easier for both of us if you start arriving at the office on time and refrain from arguing with colleagues. Then I can evaluate you positively.” That's right, not "You have a problem." As long as you are a manager, director or owner, you alone are responsible for the implementation of the goals and you alone solve the problem. Suggest specific behavioral patterns to the subordinate, such as showing up to work on time and avoiding conflicts with co-workers. Respect subordinates and make their life easier. Like all of us, difficult employees expect to be heard and understood and want to be treated with respect. Listen and paraphrase their words so they know you didn't ignore them.

If you want your subordinates to be fully immersed in the work, productive and employable, give them something meaningful. Treat subordinates like customers. Annual surveys and surveys consistently confirm that satisfied staff delivers good customer service. Learning the basics of work and communication skills inspires a person with self-confidence and causes a desire to take the initiative, contribute rationalization proposals and develop the company.

We translate theory into practice. We all know that the same actions lead to the same results. But now you are tuned to other results that will correspond to new goals, opportunities and skills. It remains to put it all into practice.

Applying new tools and skills. You already have enough knowledge to do everything right. You can use the new tools right away, but I recommend practice before testing them in a moment of crisis. Unavoidable stress at any moment can throw you back into old habits and a familiar state of tension. Consider that typical behaviors have always been at hand and have been used as a survival mechanism for many years. You will have to reject them more than once before you fully master new, more useful ones, and quickly look for alternatives. Remember that each time you choose a reasonable alternative to outdated methods of struggle, you are strengthening new neural connections that will bring positive changes to your life.

By studying your micro-reactions, you will strengthen your desire to take on difficult, important things and bring them to the end at all costs. Catch, for example, a sense of internal conflict, indecision or indignation, often preceding procrastination; criticism that causes perfectionism, and fear that precedes stress. Also note the resentment, disappointment, and anger that prompts you to tell clients, boss, or co-workers things you later regret. Rehearse the situations that most often cause you stress, embarrassment, or resentment, and watch your reactions. Find a solution and prepare your brain for an alternative path to realizing your main goals and mission.

A participant in one of my seminars wrote: “I heard from myself the phrase “you should finish the report” at the right time and turned it into “it's time to start”. Incredibly, the stress is gone! I planned to work only half an hour, but sometimes this time imperceptibly stretched to two hours.

Procrastination is a concept in psychology that denotes a tendency to constantly “put off for later” unpleasant thoughts and deeds.

The idea of ​​treating work as fun may seem paradoxical, but even if the task before you is boring, it trains the brain.

original name: The Now Habit at Work: Perform Optimally, Maintain Focus, and Ignite Motivation in Yourself and Others

The main ideas of the book "The Psychology of Personal Effectiveness"

The habit of acting immediately (that is, immediately prioritizing) will save you from having to make endless to-do lists and worries, did you manage to do everything and correctly allocate your precious time. The schedule overwhelms a person and, as a rule, does not highlight priority tasks. If all items are equally urgent, you will turn into a workaholic. But you can become an indispensable employee who knows how to concentrate on the most important and productive projects.

Catch yourself doing something good, praise yourself, and your brain will get used to doing the right thing.. If you tend to reproach yourself, spoof and punish yourself, most likely you have already encountered the fact that brief outbreaks of workaholism are replaced by irritation and complete sabotage.

Worldview and expectations influence your life much more than words.. This has been proven by numerous experiments. Teachers were given a fake list of good students, and they paid more attention to these children, encouraging them to study to the best of their ability. As a result, the tests and behavior of the children on the list improved significantly, even if before that they were the worst students in the class. Teachers' beliefs and expectations influenced children's behavior and had a positive effect. The same applies to your opinion of yourself and your subordinates.

Perspective Motivation. World War II fighter pilots would leave a half-eaten apple, half-read letter, or detective story before taking off. They went to do their duty, despite the stress, fatigue and panic fear at the sight of another enemy aircraft. They struggled with the temptation to give in to depressive thoughts, fatigue, and a premonition that the war would not end soon. But they knew that if there was something to strive for, if there were unfinished business, their consciousness would return to it and force them to rush into another air battle, survive the loss of another comrade and hit another target.

Let's accept the motivation of possession. Anyone who has ever rented a car or rented an apartment knows that this is not at all the same as owning a car and an apartment. Someone else's property spurs the desire to have one's own. The same goes for work. If you are an employee, you are motivated by a salary, a good team and - if you are lucky - an interest in the activity itself and its benefits to society. But only by working for himself, a person becomes his own master and puts his heart and soul into a business that embodies his vocation and dreams. He is ready to give all his best to succeed. Motivation and inspiration are natural and obvious when you own your own business.

A sense of ownership in relation to work, business and projects is an important component of motivation. It forces you to fight and demonstrate your willingness to take personal responsibility for everything that you have done. To get motivated, imagine that your life, work, body, career, and goals are yours. Don't be under the illusion that others can control, own, or take responsibility for you.

Seven main principles of effective work

1. Engage in correcting existing habits. Don't waste time criticizing yourself for mistakes. Self-flagellation is of no use, it only drives you into stress. It is better to set a goal for yourself to change. If you want to become an effective manager and teach it to others, instead of asking “Why did you spill the milk?” ask: "How to clean everything faster?". Think about what you can fix right now in your situation. In five seconds, you will feel that you will overcome any difficulties and gain strength.

2. Replace tension with a feeling of lightness - this is the law of reverse effort. Like many wise principles, it is simple only at first glance. Tension is a sign that you are moving in the wrong direction. “If you're pushing a door and it won't open, try pulling. No need to strain, just pull it towards you - and it will open easily. Figuratively speaking, in life all the doors are on hinges - like most problems, so they open easily.

3. Focus not on yourself, but on the task. One of quick ways increase productivity - instantly change position, like in karate, and focus on the problem.

4. Instead of "Need to finish" say: "It's time to start." Dozens of times repeating to yourself: “We must finish,” you yourself introduce yourself into a state of fatigue, irritation, depression and procrastination. That is, you voluntarily assume the role of a victim and provide passive resistance. If a child says he doesn't want to, there will always be a parent, teacher or boss who will say: "We must." The word “must” provokes an internal conflict that deprives you of strength, blocks motivation, and only complicates the task. Catch yourself on the word “must” and notice how quickly resistance and irritation flare up in you.

5. Instead of "I need to finish a grueling and lengthy project," say: I'll work for 15 minutes. A good organizer does not force subordinates to work without respite. You will notice that the brain gets used to focusing for 15 minutes and learns to quickly find creative solutions.

6. Instead of constantly vain tension of individual parts of the brain, use all its components as a whole. One of the most effective ways to double your productivity and reduce your stress levels is to find a way into your unconscious, or "night shift" mind.

7. Act in accordance with your highest values ​​and current goals. Your bright mind is the only one on the planet that decides what is right. Imagine that you want to fill your own tooth, pay your taxes, and take on a challenging new project. You are above all these “must” and “don’t want” because of which you are marking time in indecision in a state of internal conflict. You are human and you have a choice.

The most interesting example from life in Neil Fiore's book "The Psychology of Personal Effectiveness"

There is no stronger motivation in the world than the one that parents breathe into their child, watching him take his first steps. Their reassuring look helps the baby overcome the fear and pain of failure, get up after a fall and go again.

In the California office of the insurance company, Joe was considered best seller and for many years successfully headed the sales department. He learned to inspire and motivate himself even in difficult times and managed to train his subordinates in this. One morning Joe came to new office company, located in an 18-storey building, a few minutes earlier to prepare for the weekly staff training.

In the elevator, he got into a conversation with a man who was overjoyed to meet the insurance agent. Moreover, he expressed a desire to purchase a five-millionth insurance! Amazed, Joe said, “Sure, I'll sell you a policy. I'll write it out as soon as I get to the office." But in the office, Joe realized that he was in danger of losing a rare opportunity to motivate his team.

Joe started the training with a little introduction and sales techniques, and then said, "There's a man in this building who's ready to buy a $5 million policy today!" A second later, the room was empty: 12 insurance agents went to comb the 18-story building in search of a big jackpot.

A couple of hours later, each of them returned with a pile of insurance: several for 1 million, several for 500 thousand and one for 5 million dollars.

Thanks to the expectation of good commissions, each agent was successful, and collectively they set a sales record for the day, not to mention the fact that they were all in the same building.

Each of them that day experienced both failures and failures, but stubbornly continued to look for the coveted client.

The expectation of a reward magically ignites something in our minds, changes attitudes, and even appearance thus leading to success. You can do like Joe and give a fiery speech, or talk to the person sitting next to you on the plane. You never know in advance where luck lurks. So waiting is suddenness. Practice creating positive expectation in yourself.

Book review by Roman Kalugin

The book is quite small, but you can’t master it in one fell swoop, you can’t outline it for 10 sheets. The information is given very capaciously, without "distraction" with a lot of useful tips for application in life. Literally on every page you will find small insights and tips. What do we expect from this book by looking at its title? We assume that the author will again teach how to set goals, how to plan a day, and so on ... this is what is most often understood as personal effectiveness. But! The book is not about that at all. I would call it "Natural motivation for productive work without stress"! The author looked at personal effectiveness from the perspective of an inherent lack of stress. Don't stress yourself out! It is necessary to balance stress and personal effectiveness. If the work squeezes all the juice out of you, no matter how productive it is ... this is the wrong way. And most likely it's not the work itself, but how you feel about it. More Steve Jobs said that life is by no means the same as we see on TV screens, it does not consist of gatherings in cafes and entertainment, but, first of all, of everyday work. This book teaches us to perceive the everyday "routine" not as hard labor, but as an adventure. Learn how to convert "need" to "want". Even if you have never found pleasure in work, this book will give you methods that can make your work less tedious and more creative. The book will also be useful to managers looking for unusual ways to motivate employees.

Buy/download the book "Psychology of Personal Efficiency" you can here: or

You can download the mind map for the book (mmap, pdf)

Neil Fiore

Ph.D Neil Fiore specializes in health psychology, as well as success in labor activity and stress management. He has helped thousands of people reach their full potential, advising both private clients and various organizations, including Bechtel, AT&T and Levi Strauss.

The author gives methods that will allow you to get rid of stress, improve efficiency and learn to enjoy work. If your work depresses you in the truest sense of the word, you may first need to think about changing jobs. Fiore believes that negative emotions from work are largely related to guilt complex due to rest and constant procrastination.

The book outlines 7 principles of effective work:

• Correction of existing habits. Of course, we are not talking about all habits, but only about the “bad” ones. Criticism is one of the clearest examples. Don't waste time criticizing yourself or others for mistakes you've already made. Better focus on how to fix the situation.
• The Law of Reverse Effort. If a complex task cannot be solved, then it is necessary to change the way it is performed.

If you push the door and it won't open, try pulling it towards you.

• Focus not on yourself, but on the task. One quick way to increase productivity is to instantly switch positions, like in karate, and focus on the problem.
• Instead of "need to finish" say "it's time to start". The word "must" carries a very negative energy. Constant reminders to finish a task leave you feeling tired, irritated, and even depressed.
• Instead of "I have to finish a grueling and long project," say, "I'll work for 15 minutes.". Everyone needs breaks. At these moments, the brain turns off, rests, and then turns on with renewed vigor.
• Instead of constantly vainly stressing individual parts of the brain, use all its components as a whole. Engage in complex and new tasks - this will allow you to use the full potential of the brain.
• Act in accordance with your highest values ​​and current goals. Forget about rules and limits. This is your job and you know how to do it.

A separate chapter of the book is devoted to the ability to plan your time. But my opinion on this matter differs from the opinion of the author. Fiore argues that making to-do lists negatively impacts workflow and plans negatively impact motivation. I personally tested the effectiveness of drawing up clear plans for the next day and generalized plans for the week / month.

The Psychology of Personal Effectiveness - Recipes by Neil Fiore

After all, the universe is very friendly :)

Only this February on a very sensible book by Neil Fiore "An easy way to stop procrastinating" (original: "The Now Habit: Overcoming Procrastination While Enjoying Guilt-Free Play". New York: Tarcher/Putnam, 1989. Penguin, revised 2007) dedicated to the fight againstprocrastination.

The review included a link to the author's website, and it was mentioned that there is also a more recent book of his - The Now Habit at Work: Perform Optimally, Maintain Focus, and Ignite Motivation in Yourself and Others published in 2010. And I also complained, they say, it would be nice if the MIF publishing house would also publish this book!

And now, less than half a year has passed :), how the MIF publishing house really publishes this book by Neil Fiore - in Russian translation with the title "Psychology of personal effectiveness. How to overcome stress, maintain concentration and enjoy work" (book page on the publisher's website, bought in Ozone).

Thanks to the publishing house Mann, Ivanov and Ferber ( special thanks to Alexandra Shlyakhova!) I received this book for a review, and I share my impressions below. (At the end of the review, a traditional bonus - compiled by me mind map based on the main ideas of the book)

I must say right away that the impression of the book is ambiguous. On the one hand, the book (like the first one - The Now Habit) is literally "stuffed" with a lot of useful practical advice on managing your own time and on overcoming various bad habits (including procrastination). But on the other hand, there are many cons":

1) The first book is undoubtedly a bestseller that has gone through many editions and reprints since 1989. It is felt that the text is carefully "licked" by the author. Compared to the first book, this ( "Psychology of personal effectiveness") seems rather "raw", not very well structured.

For example, almost the largest chapters in terms of volume are the "Conclusion" and "Appendix" at the end of the book. And it seems that in these chapters the author simply "heaped together" scattered helpful tips, which he could not logically attach to other chapters of the book.

2) On the one hand, there are a lot of repetitions in the book (i.e. if you read "An easy way to procrastinate", then you will meet a lot of familiar information). On the other hand, many of the basic ways to deal with procrastination, described in such detail in the first book, are mentioned here in passing, sometimes not even very clearly ( like "three-dimensional" and "four-dimensional" planning). That is, the first book is still desirable to read first too :)

Firstly, the addressee of the book is not very clear: is it the employee himself, who must independently become more organized and overcome procrastination at work? Or is it still a manager who should help his employees become more organized? :)

Looking ahead, I will note that, in my opinion, there are separate chapters in the book that are more focused on the workers themselves, some chapters are for managers, and some are universal. Further in the note you will find my mind map(compendium) on the book. Branches highlighted blue- these are advices on personal self-organization (themselves); dedicated green- ways to help others in their self-organization; the rest - universal recommendations. However, this is just my point of view... But the author himself, alas, does not draw any exact boundary between the skills of self-organization and the skills of helping others in increasing their organization:(

Secondly, personally, as a business consultant, it seems to me that it is necessary to talk about personal effectiveness "at work" in the context of this work itself. Those. "dance from the stove" - ​​namely, from the structure of labor activity, specific business processes and operations.

I understand that there are a lot of different business processes :) But at least a couple of specific working cases could have been included in the book ... But they are not in the book: (And the book turned out in the style of "psychologist's advice to everyone about everything." Tips good in themselves, but how you apply them there at Work is already to the extent of your own understanding, professionalism and imagination ...

However, enough about the shortcomings - it's time to talk about the merits of the book. TO " pluses"Its small volume and focus on specific advice are definitely relevant. I can say that I read quite meticulously, and I would conditionally divide the content of the book as follows: 40% - the ideas and methods of Neil Fiore's first book ("The Easy Way...") are duplicated 30% are retellings of fairly traditional time management techniques that are easy to find in other books, and another 30% are fairly original author's advice/self-organization techniques. In my opinion, for modern books on self-development, 1/3 of novelty is a pretty good efficiency;)

Brief overview of the book:

Chapter 1 - 7 main principles of time management is a very brief retelling of the author's main ideas for overcoming procrastination from the first book ("The Easy Way..."). Here are mentioned the main tricks like "reverse action" ("anti-schedule"); "begin instead of striving for completion" and so on.

Chapter 2 - Managing time and life- rather curious ideas that if we want to become effective, we must first change our own philosophy of time. In essence, we are talking about the formulation of certain principles in relation to our time, which should form the basis of our personal TM system.

The author offers several such basic principles (if desired, you can supplement your own). Among them, for example: fix your cases / tasks in the form of lists on paper, maintain a balance of time spent on different types activities, etc. All these principles have long been known in traditional time management, but repetition is the mother of learning :)

Chapter 3 - The language of effective self-organization- in this chapter - the purest water psychology of self-knowledge and self-attitude. It has long been obvious that our success directly depends on the internal dialogues that we have with ourselves. If we are full of self-blame, "shoulds" and other mental rubbish, even the best time management techniques are unlikely to help us.

Chapter 4 - Effective communications- unlike the previous one, this chapter is no longer devoted to internal dialogues ("inside one's head"), but to external ones (that is, with others). The idea is simple: we can help those around us to be more organized if we communicate (build and use communications) with them in the right way.

I must say that this idea in itself is very true, but its author (in my opinion) reveals it very superficially: to the point of view of the interlocutor, to help him more accurately formulate what hinders him (problems - into tasks), or what he aspires to (dreams - into goals), etc. The author only briefly mentions some (far from all) coaching techniques/techniques:(

The only clear conclusion from this chapter is to re-read something more worthwhile on coaching and think for yourself which particular techniques will work best to overcome procrastination in the workplace.

Chapter 5 - Omnipotent Concentration- a good chapter, the main idea of ​​which is: to be successful in something, you need to concentrate on this business as much as possible. At the same time, one must be able to concentrate quickly and for a long time, keeping concentration on work, despite external interference and distractions. Some of the ideas in this chapter echo those of the first book, but overall this is one of the most useful chapters in the book.

Chapter 6 - Omnipotent Mission- in general, the content of the chapter is not original - it is a mix of (a) effective goal-setting skills, including visualization of the goal, its clear description on paper, focus on results, etc.; (b) affirmative self-hypnosis techniques; and (c) methods of autogenic training (bodily relaxation, proper breathing, etc.).

But despite the fact that all these techniques individually are far from new, Neil Fiore proposes to integrate them in a special way. And only such integration (clearly formulated in the form of positive attitudes and visualized against the background of the correct bodily state of the goal) truly "charges" a person for serious achievements. Summary: One of the most interesting and useful chapters in the book!

Chapter 7 - Maintain intrinsic motivation- in my opinion, a rather weak chapter: (The author claims that there are three basic motivators - success, avoidance of failures and possession. And then he talks about what "levers" this very motivation can be used to create or destroy (i.e. create demotivation).

Well, about the three basic motivators - this is a strong simplification ... And there are somehow not enough ways to motivate employees: (However, there is one valuable thought :) - remove demotivators, and people themselves will find how to motivate themselves to high achievements.

Chapter 8 - Effective goal setting- in fact, the chapter is not about goals :) There was chapter 6 about goals, and this chapter is about what bad habits ingrained in our behavior are, and why it is so difficult to change them.

The chapter is pretty good, although for an in-depth understanding of rigid behavioral patterns and how they can be changed at all, and what difficulties you may encounter, I would recommend a slightly different book :) -K. McGonigal "Willpower" .

Chapter 9 - How to Deal with Procrastinators and Difficult Employees- a pretty good chapter, many of the ideas of which intersect with the ideas of the fourth chapter (about communications). the main idea: Forcing someone to be "efficient" and organized is impossible. Violence (in any form - in the form of "rules", "discipline", punishments, criticism, etc.) does not work!

Helping employees get rid of procrastination (and other inefficiencies) is possible only by sincerely paying attention to them, helping them, developing them, deeply understanding the driving forces of their behavior and personal characteristics. Those. it is necessary to become in one person both a psychologist, and a coach, and a mother, and a little bit of a psychiatrist :)))

In short, again turned out a chapter about psychology, and about coaching - but again quite superficially :(

Conclusion - Applying and polishing skills- one of the most valuable chapters in the book! I'll tell you a secret that all the main answers to the question "How to overcome procrastination (etc.) and become effective employee?" are contained in this chapter. All previous chapters are a "prelude" (for "expanding consciousness" so to speak :))), and here are recommendations exclusively on the case. If there is no time to read the entire book, I advise you to start immediately with the "Conclusion" !

Appendix - Simple Solutions difficult problems- in terms of usefulness, this is the second (after the "Conclusion") chapter in the book :) As I already mentioned, here in one list are short and clear applied tips, various "tricks" that allow you to become more efficient. For example, it was after reading this part that I wrote out as many as eight ideas for myself in order to try them in practice;)

Again I will reveal a terrible secret :) - read the book starting with "Appendix"! The quintessence of the main ideas of the author is briefly and clearly stated there!

In conclusion: traditional book summary in the form of a mind map ( mind map) in different formats (*.mmap, *.cdmz, *.pdf). I immediately warn you that I did not include the "Application" in the mind map, because there literally every sentence is a separate advice, and every such advice is worth its weight in gold;)

Summary: as a book that will help you become more efficient (not only and not so much at work, but in general :)) - definitely read the book! She deserves a solid "four".

As a guide for an "external agent of influence" (i.e., a leader who tries to help others become more effective), the book, alas, is rather weak: (Above the "troika" does not pull ...

If you liked / found this text useful, be sure!

An excerpt from Neil Fiore's book The Psychology of Personal Effectiveness

Manage your to-do list

Be afraid of the desire to redo everything

The habit of acting immediately (that is, immediately prioritizing) will save you from having to make endless to-do lists and worries about whether you have done everything and whether you have correctly allocated your precious time. Don’t waste it on scheduling and don’t say to yourself, “I have so much to do!”

1. "Do" and "finish" - a non-existent point in the imaginary future, where you can not get. Your energy is blocked, you feel anxious, and your time-traveling mind is in a virtual reality that you cannot reach. The desire to redo everything, and quickly, instead of just starting, gives rise to only anxiety.

2. A schedule is a list of endless “musts” that cause resistance, grumbling, and procrastination. Even without saying the word “should” out loud, you will still resist, rebel, or do everything in a slipshod manner.

3. The schedule overwhelms the person and, as a rule, does not prioritize tasks. If all items are equally urgent, you will turn into a workaholic. But you can become an indispensable employee who knows how to concentrate on the most important and productive projects.

4. Creating a more detailed schedule, as well as striving for strict self-organization and perfectionism, can be the main irritant that serves as an excuse for your unwillingness to work on a project.

Useful advice

Learn to deliberately pick up the pace.

Set your own deadlines. Track how much you get done in 5, 15 or 30 minutes. Set aside 5 to 10 hours a week to study a new project and see how much effort and interest it will generate, up to the desire to put another 5-10 hours into it. But start somewhere. If you want to complete the task, start immediately!

Come up with an alternative

My colleague from the National Coaches Association is holding for large corporations scheduling workshops. One evening, while we were having dinner with her family, Marion suddenly developed an allergic reaction. She was taken away in an ambulance. She almost died, and a timely injection of adrenaline saved her. Her next presentation began with this story: “I completely forgot about all those lists. All I thought about was that I wanted to hug my children and tell my husband how much I love him. For the most important thing in life, you don’t need a schedule.” Keep this in mind, but if you enjoy distributing and structuring your current affairs, make four schedules. But the first two - the most important - keep in mind.

Personal life

Always remember the people close to you and do not forget about health and fitness. You should not paint obligations to relatives, friends and partners, as well as to your own body.

Matters of paramount importance

One to three daily tasks (project A, B or C) that will affect your entire life, save your job and take from 8 to 1000 hours. Keep them in mind and make time for them. For these cases, you do not need to make a separate schedule, just remember that it's time to start.

Less important things

Check the conference room is ready, fill up the car, send a presentation file to Joan, and find an assistant through a recruiting agency - you can look at this list after you have started Project A. These include tasks that can be postponed or delegated to someone another, and you will concentrate on tasks of paramount importance. This schedule can serve as a little encouragement or a chance to digress from global tasks. By doing small things, you feel a sense of accomplishment and get time to reflect at your leisure on important matters.

anti-schedule

Make a schedule for activities that you can do in your spare time or during your vacation, such as learning Italian, salsa lessons, playing the piano, or writing a book. Such a list of easy activities will be a pleasant prospect for you and will relieve you of the obligation to start them right now. You can calmly dream about them and put them off until later.