I’ve seen them time and time again. Heck, I’ve even been one myself. I’m talking about Zombies. Not the bloody, festering monsters you see eating people’s brains in countless movies.
These poor Zombies have lost their own brains via endless e-mail, attempted multi-tasking, and an overwhelming to-do list. You see us everywhere. It’s the guy who forgot to push the elevator button and missed his floor. It’s the woman who forgot where she parked.
Think of the times you forgot what you were doing after being interrupted for the umpteenth time. But unlike most zombie movies, there is a cure for our modern day Zombies.
- Take a vacation. If it’s been a while since you’ve taken time off, schedule a week off. Studies show you need time to recover diminished cognitive abilities that multi-tasking and the world of work takes from us.
- When you’re on vacation, unplug from work. This means you don’t check work e-mail, go to work and say “I’m not really here,” or call in. Stay away from work.
- Avoid multi-tasking. Study after study shows that we’re simply not good at it. Multi-tasking actually reduces our productivity 20 to 40 percent. Doing tasks one at a time is much more productive.
- Look at your schedule and action list and see what can come off your plate. Any meetings that can come off your calendar? Are they really needed? What committees or projects can you give up? If something no longer serves you, it’s time to re-evaluate it.
- Learn to say no. It’s a small word with a powerful impact. Saying no means saying yes to yourself. You are worthy.
- When driving, just drive when you can. Driving and texting make you as dangerous as a drunk driver. So no texting while driving, and if you’re using a phone in the car, use a hands free device. Pay attention. Zombie drivers cause accidents.
- Take care of yourself. Exercise regularly, eat more healthy foods than bad ones, get plenty of sleep and drink water.
It sounds simple to reduce the number of self-induced Zombie issues, but a few simple steps can help you from aimlessly riding up and down an elevator because you forgot to press the button. Happy Halloween from your Spooky Organizer!
