Stop Wasting Your Time!

Best 10 Tips to better manage your time:

1. Organize yourself
Organize your work space; keep an up-to-date appointment calendar, etc.

2. Plan-Schedule
Ascertain how long tasks will take, if they can be accomplished in whole or in part, and determine/negotiate deadlines.

3. Set Priorities
Determine what's really important (both at work and at home)

4. Don't try to juggle too many tasks
Balance rest, relaxation and other everyday activities with periods of work

5. Establish effective work techniques
Start with the most difficult tasks; organize your work space, etc.

Think you can multitask?

Computers can. People can't — at least not the important stuff.

At Y2 Consulting Psychologists, we know that when people are asked to multi-task, they are — in reality — being asked to do the impossible. It's like suggesting that someone juggle several balls in the air, even though they have never done it before.

And people who claim that they can multi-task are doing no more than focusing their attention first on one task and then — in rapid succession — on another and another.

Simply put, when you try to do two (or more) things at once, chances are that you will do none of them very well.

And so while you can sing while you take a shower in the morning (something routine and familiar) or fold laundry (something routine and familiar) while you talk to the neighbor on your cell, other types of multitasking can be downright dangerous, such as texting while driving to work, or blow-drying your hair while taking a bath.

Daily Grind or Work-life Balance - It's Your Choice!

Daily our lives are filled with a variety of personal, family-related and professional responsibilities and obligations. Most people are successful in developing strategies to manage the repetitive aspects of their every day routines – or "the daily grind".

It's the unexpected events and/or last minute demands in our lives that seem to catch many of us off guard and that influence our ability to deal with them effectively.

There are a number of strategies that can help individuals better cope with the psychological and physical impacts of their life/work stressors. Preventative strategies, such as exercise, balanced diet, relaxation, deep breathing, and adequate sleep build our resilience to stress. In fact, it has been shown that adopting a healthier and more active lifestyle works.

Other coping strategies, including assuming a more positive and realistic outlook on life demands and seeking social support, have also proven to be beneficial in managing stress.

I believe that our ultimate goal is to lead a happier and more meaningful life. For many, this begins by tackling the numerous life stressors first and by attempting to achieve work-life balance.

Enabling Change: Re-energizing Your Organization

It has been shown that change management is a carefully planned and systematic way of formulating, communicating, and implementing change in an organization.

A key element of the change management process is the enabler, or a professional who creates a constructive environment in which change can happen effectively and efficiently.

So what are the skills and qualifications of a change enabler?

• An in-depth understanding of how people go through the change process.
• Familiarity and knowledge of change management concepts, principles and methodologies.
• Understanding of project management theories, principles, methods and practices.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively at all levels of an organization.
• Strong, active listening skills.
• Keenly-developed problem solving and root cause identification skills.
• Acute analytic skills and decision-making abilities.
• Commitment as a team player and the capacity to work with, and through, others.
• Facility in influencing others and moving toward a shared vision and goals.
• Involvement with other change efforts — both large and small — and previous change management experience.

It's natural that most individuals react with caution and with concerns when changes are being planned or occurring in an organization since they may have an impact on their future, security and organizational fit.

But change occurs and it affects people, often in stressful ways. The real challenge for the enabler is how to get over the resistance of those who don't want to change.

At Y2CP we are the professional and experienced change enablers which your organization may need right now.

Leaman Long, B.A., B.Ed.
Y2 Consulting Psychologists

Teamwork – Is it Underrated or Overrated?

It depends...

If it means working collegially and listening to — and understanding — other members of the team, in order to determine best approaches, then it is.

If it means "toeing the corporate line", "not upsetting the apple cart", or "maintaining a civil workplace", then it isn't.

How do team leaders build dynamic teams?

Sound leadership is a key element in building sound teams. Through example, team leaders should be able to establish and maintain positive working environments, and to motivate and invigorate team members.

Open communication is a vital factor in the interpersonal interactions of teams. Team members must be able to articulate their thoughts and feelings, contribute ideas, resolve professional differences, and assess the viewpoints of the other team members.

Décompressons! Dix conseils gagnants pour les leaders

Leaders : Voici 10 trucs efficaces sur comment mieux gérer votre stress au travail rédigé par le Centre de Creative Leadership.

La main-d’oeuvre au Canada : Chiffres intéressants publiés par Statistiques Canada !

Cela nous permet d'ouvrir les yeux face à la réalité canadienne et de pouvoir comparer notre milieu de travail avec les autres au Canada.

Knowing Yourself Well Leads to Greater Success

The end of high school and the transition to post-secondary education represent a significant turning point in the lives of young adults. Choosing the right and appropriate college or university program is the first hurdle towards a well-paying and interesting job. In today's world, post-secondary education is the key to success.

Unfortunately, too many young people choose their post-secondary program without really taking the time to seriously think about it. A haphazard choice is the main cause for dropping out of a college or university program. Dropping out has numerous negative impacts: loss of self-esteem; fear of making another mistake; limiting oneself to small jobs that do not pay well; difficulties in motivating oneself to go back to school.

How many young people manage to know themselves well enough to choose an appropriate post-secondary education program? Very few: in fact, according to certain studies, not even 30 % of those who are finishing high school. This means that up to 70 % of young adults make a more or less realistic choice.

Bien se connaître pour mieux réussir

La fin des études secondaires et la transition aux études postsecondaires constitue une période charnière dans la vie des jeunes adultes. Un choix réaliste et ajusté d'un programme à l'université ou au collège est la première condition à remplir pour accéder à un emploi bien payé et intéressant. Car pour réussir aujourd'hui, les études postsecondaires sont la clef du succès.

Malheureusement, beaucoup trop de jeunes font un choix d'études postsecondaires sans réellement prendre le temps d'y réfléchir sérieusement. Un choix irréfléchi est la principale cause d'abandon d'un programme à l'université ou au collège. Un abandon cause beaucoup d'effets négatifs : perte de l'estime de soi, crainte de se tromper à nouveau, limitation à des petits emplois mal payés, difficultés à se motiver pour retourner aux études.

Combien de jeunes parviennent à développer une connaissance de soi suffisante pour faire un bon choix de programme d'études postsecondaires? Très peu, en fait, selon certaines études même pas 30% des finissants et des finissantes du secondaire. Cela veut dire que jusqu'à 70% des jeunes font un choix plus ou moins réaliste.

Investing in Employee Development in Order to Stay Competitive and Meet Organisational Needs in the GOC

The federal government's Policy on Learning, Training and Development (2006) specifies that all employees must have learning plans aligned with departmental business priorities. The learning plans are intended to enable employees to acquire and maintain the knowledge, skills and competencies needed for their level and functions, and prepare them to do the next job. Accordingly, all public service employees are to be developed.

You've heard it many times: public service leaders are accountable for leading and managing people to achieve results aligned with strategic directions. This is a tall order at any time in a dynamic political environment marked by evolving priorities, shifting resources, changing employee expectations, and ongoing public scrutiny. However, people remain at the heart of it all – people who take on the challenges of leadership, and the people they lead.

Leaders need to strategically manage the flow of talent through their organizations so that the right people are in the right place at the right time. In the hurly burly of daily activity, however, leaders often focus less on developing people after they are on board.