Picturing Successful Change

Small steps: here are the files I requested; the transformation begins - from piling to filing system...

T., my Indigo 'trainer' asked me to do an exercise aimed at helping me to visualise what a transformed, organised Colin would look like, and - from the inside - how I will feel. She asked me some questions and I wrote my responses. When we looked back at it, she commented that it was very abstract - and she was right on the money there.

Last night, as I watched England beat Croatia 5:1, I did some work to SMARTen this up...
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Timebound...

Here's the text - revised update in red...

"Picturing Successful Change…

What do you want?
I want:
-> To make my systems work for me; to make them ‘me-shaped’. In particular, find strategies for managing my memory difficulties, and get better at participating in large meetings Organise filing (paper and electronic) so that I can retrieve info. Book in time to organise work area – specifically, shelving. Practice ‘echoing’ to improve auditory memory.
-> Make my working practice more strategic and get more time back for me, and feel more in control ie develop good new habits! Plan in time to step back, review and reflect on practice, as well as search for different approaches from others. Keep reading anti-prevarication ideas, and see which ones work for me.
-> To be creative and ‘play’ more <*((((><( )><))))*> Trish has set me the task of thinking about a routine work-task and turn it into 'play'.
-> To establish firmer boundaries between formal work and my personal life. Keep days work free. Change message on answer phone, reminding colleagues/partners that I’m part-time
-> To become better at multi-tasking – less clumping, more foraging. Plan work and prioritise before working – time-task planning. Identify objectives and make them SMART.

Being of an abstract tendency, this SMART approach does not come easily to me. However, T. gave me a series of questions which help to pin things down a bit. I know I've still got some work to do here (for instance, there's not a lot of the 'when' in my responses), but it's an on-going process. This sequence of Q&A leading from generalities to specifics is called 'chunking down'

Chunking down (abstract -> SMART)
What specifically?
With whom?
Where?
When?
How?

Where are you now?
-> The process of change has already begun: I am beginning to tackle some of my difficulties – for instance = self-audit time-task management. Need to develop an action plan with time-bound objectives. I will begin this process within the next week.
-> I feel that I’m too reactive, missing the forest for the trees somewhat.
-> Related to the previous point, I often get in a muddle and feel anxious about the possibility of mucking up. Face up to mistakes, and do something about them. Be kinder to myself – tell myself positive things.

How would you know you’ve got it? (ie what you want) How would this be in reality? (I what would I see, hear, feel; what feedback would I get?)
I would begin to achieve more in less time, and it would feel like I have more time at my disposal
-> I will see a much tidier working space
-> Colleagues and ‘clients’ will begin to notice that I’m functioning at a higher level
-> I will feel an increase in my confidence, and feel more assertive
-> I will enjoy surprising myself with my successes!

I'm happy to report that I walked in a group of my colleagues who said to me, "Colin, we think you're inspirational'. Accepting compliments is a skill, and so I said,

"Thank you, you're very kind to say that."

I think that this is, in part, a signal of the progress I am making.

When and where do you want it?
-> It has already begun…
-> When? Habits take 21 days to establish, so between 3-6 months seems a realistic time span
_> Where? I want to see the positive benefits in all areas of my life as I tend my metaphorical garden. Specifically, in terms of my work environment; better work systems; more time stepping back from detail; tidy, organised work space.

What will happen once you’ve got it?
-> I think that I’ll be able to place things in better perspective.
-> Work related anxieties will not loom over me. I will see that my time is productive because I’ll be consciously monitoring time-task inputs and outputs.
-> There is a sense in which you never quite ‘get it’; it’s more about establishing the good habits to continue working to improve (self-reflexivity)
-> I’ll be more confident and assertive

What resources do you have available to you to achieve this outcome? List them…

Me
Indigo support
Friends, colleagues and family
Digital recorder
Handwriting recognition word-pad
Tracking systems
Blog -> hopefully, exchange ideas with others

What additional resources do you feel you need?

The things identified on my assessment report ie mind-map software and PDA/organiser

What are you going to do to begin now to get what you want?

Continue process of self-evaluation
Work on establishing some new good habits eg cleaning desk-space; working on task prioritisation; filing things etc
Talk to line manager about Access to Work equipment. Break things down into small, manageable steps...

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