It’s a Bad Boys Convention
Look who came riding in behind the Bad Boys of Writing. It’s the Bad Boys of Business. They’re just as seductive as their counterparts, and like their writing friends, they do damage. Get these con guys in your head and they can blow your productivity.
Meet their point man, Bad Boy 1: That’s Not Real Work. You’re wasting time.
Stressed Before We Start
We’re about to work, and we realize that our desk is covered with stuff. Time to clean up, to get a fresh view before we start. That’s when this bad boy starts talking.
“That’s not real work. You’re wasting time,” he says.
He’s dressed as a tape recording. The longer we work at cleaning up, the more the tape recording repeats itself. The pressure builds. Suddenly we feel behind. We pile up, instead of clean up, We figure we’ll fix up that stuff later. The fresh view we were going for is gone. We’re stressed before we start.
That bad boy found a way to ride right over us, by repeating and repeating one idea. We have the tread marks to show for it.
What Is “Real” Work?
If that bad boy has his way, he’ll convince that all of these are not “real” work.
- setting up things ergonomically,
- organizing files, doing updates and backups,
- sending newsletters, email, thank yous,
- attending meetings, making business phone calls,
- reading about competitors and competitors’ products/services,
- doing budgets, paying bills,
- buying supplies, putting them away,
- networking, attending conferences,
- building relationships with customers and colleagues.
That boy would have us think that any task on that list that doesn’t produce income as a direct result is not “real’ work. He’s one damaged tape recording.
The “Real” Work Test
“Real” work is any action that makes our business more effective and effiicent in meeting the needs of the people we serve. If that bad boy is hassling you, use this one question test to check the “real” value of your work.
How and how much will this help my customers?
That one question will refocus your thinking on your brand and your customers. That bad boy of business will be out of your head, taking his stressful treadmarks elsewhere.
When do you find yourself thinking that isn’t real work?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
If you think Liz can help you with your writing, your brand, or your blog, check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.
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