Business Education

How to Avoid Decision Fatigue; Wait, Avoid What?

Decision fatigue. It’s a phenomenon which probably affects you. Yet, you’re not truly aware of it. Put another way, you’ve likely felt its impact, but just didn’t know what to make of it. Or, more particularly, what to call it. That’s okay. It’s something many people experience a few times. Others are hit with it a lot — a whole lot. Usually, these are individuals in positions of authority. You know, the “decision makers.” Although we joke about it, the truth of the matter is, making decisions gets harder and harder as the day goes on. So, let’s look at some ways to avoid decision fatigue.

Is Decision Fatigue Actually Real?

The short answer to the question above is a resounding, “Yes!” Decision fatigue is real. In fact, two university researchers examined more than 1,000 decisions made by judges in Israel. Said judges either decided to grant or to deny parole. Prisoners who appeared in the morning, about 9 am, fared quite well. Those offenders had a 70 percent chance of making parole.

Decision fatigue can seem harmless enough. Spending a few extra minutes deciding between chicken or beef isn’t the end of the world. But what you may not realize is that those little moments of turmoil could be negatively impacting your business. If left unchecked, decision fatigue can lead to reckless behavior like compulsive spending or, worse, the inability to make any decisions at all. —CNBC.com

But, by the time mid-afternoon rolled around, those chances dropped down to just 10 percent. The conclusion, of course, was the judges simply used-up their stamina and therefore, took the simplest and safest way out.

Ways to Avoid Decision Fatigue

Now, if you’ve ever felt “used-up” at the end of the day, like your brain can’t process any more, decision fatigue is a likely culprit. Here are a few suggestions for how to avoid decision fatigue to better your work performance:

Start tomorrow today. At the end of every day, start getting things in order for the next morning. Don’t make big decisions. Just get organized so you’re ready to go when you come back tomorrow. While this might seem too simple, it will have a big impact.
Make important decisions early. When you start your day, don’t “ease” into it. Instead, challenge yourself by making the most important decisions when you’re most fresh and have new energy. You’ll see things more clearly and have a better sense of which way to go.
Stop second-guessing yourself. In the military, some class instructors tell their students to bite the erasers off of their pencils right before starting a test. It’s not literal — it’s a figure of speech. It means your first intuition is typically the right one; so, don’t second-guess yourself.
Snack and exercise every day. It’s a very good practice to have a solid but sensible breakfast in the morning. A light lunch is also a sound practice. But, you might feel a bit worn by mid-afternoon. The cure? Exercise and have a small snack to re-energize.

What other ways do you combat decision fatigue? Please share your experiences by commenting!

Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

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Less Texting More Face Time Equals More Success in Business

September 12, 2017 No Comments

No, I am not talking about the Facetime application … I am talking real, live one-on-one face time! Texting has become as normal a standard in our world as eating and sleeping, and in some cases it has become more important to some people than eating or sleeping! With texting, the level of trust is low. Texting does not allow for relationship building and real relationship building is required to develop trust. Texting only provides tentative, at best, minimal trust. It’s important to understand that low trust does not translate to success in business! Why Personal Contact Always Beats Out Texting in Business Ok, I am as guilty as anyone using text to communicate. Texting is an efficient and immediate form of communication that allows the sender and recipient to respond on their own terms. It’s very convenient. The benefits of texting are numerous, but the problems that texting develop or cause are now beginning to surface as we track data; auto accidents, pedestrian accidents, sleeplessness, lack of productivity, poor communication skills … and now less success in business due to limited and poor planning! Texting has its place, but not while walking, driving, during meetings, or especially at the dinner table. You want to improve your relationships with family, friends, and business associates, along with clients/customers? Call them, meet them for coffee or lunch, and build a relationship with eye-to-eye contact instead of sending texts. We never talk any more: The problem with text messaging – From CNN Tech Web site By Jeffrey Kluger As texting use rises, the phone call is becoming a dying institution American age 18-29 send an average of nearly 88 text messages a day Psychologists worry social skills in young texters won’t develop Habitual texters may hurt relationships, miss out on new ones Because texting is convenient and can be done almost anywhere, it tends to substitute proper planning in advance for last minute texting to coordinate meetings, directions, critical information, etc. Recently, it hit me why last minute texting is a pet peeve of mine. Why? It minimizes our need to plan because we expect immediate responses. So why plan in advance when you can text at the last minute? Is it not more convenient? Does this rationalization sound familiar? Let me provide a real-world example. When texting or cell phones didn’t exist, we all had to plan out our days, our travel, our meetings … our whole day-to-day life. It required goal setting and developing a plan because there was no cell or text to connect at the last minutes. We had to pre-plan even if the plan was just meeting someone for lunch, or meeting someone at an event. Today, I hear many people say, “We’ll figure it out; I’ll text you.” Real success occurs when you plan in advance by writing down your goals and when you have a plan to achieve those goals. Or in the case of meeting or connecting with someone, you plan in advance so that you minimize the use of text while driving to the meeting! Achieving Your Goals Statistics show more than 70 percent of people never have goals. And, only 28 percent say they have some kind of goals, with just a meager 2 percent having written goals. Moreover, it’s estimated that this 2 percent controls over 90 percent of all income. Goals require planning. This includes planning your weekly business calendar of priorities which are part of your strategy to achieve you goals. So, if you have a plan, you can easily set a meeting and location based on your schedule. If you have no plan, and your plan is to “figure it out and text” at the last minute, then your potential for success diminishes greatly. Align your plan with your goals, by scheduling your plan in a calendar. Instead of texting for directions or meeting locations or times at the last minute, usually while driving and walking, pre-plan your meeting in advance and call or e-mail the information. Then use the time while driving to clear your mind and prepare for your meeting. That will produce far more effective and successful meetings than texting at the last minute. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” –Benjamin Franklin Try this for 2 weeks Take 1 hour to plan your week by pre-scheduling all the priorities you need to accomplish in your plan for achieving your goals for the next two weeks. Put each priority in your schedule under a block of time. Allow time for travel, meals, errands, family, work outs, etc. (This takes thinking in advance, but by pre-planning, you will address any logistical challenges in preparing your plan and be able to adjust prior to your meeting or event.) Call and use your voice to communicate your plans with those you are meeting. When you get to the meeting or event, avoid texting and focus on eye contact and listening to your client, customer, vendor, or associate. In doing so, you will have less stress, higher productivity and greater success … with less aggravating, last minute, in between traffic lights and phone call texts … I guarantee it! So, put down your mobile device and start planning for Less texting and more real face time that will help you succeed in business!

Tired of New Employees Abruptly Quitting? Here’s a Novel Solution for Recouping Your Training Costs

November 4, 2022 No Comments

One of the most costly and infuriating aspects of running a business is training new employees only to have them up and abruptly quit. It takes a lot of time, effort, and extra expense to onboard new hires and get them familiar with practices and procedures. When they depart shortly after their training, it means having to fill that position all over again. Since this is such a huge hassle and a costly one at that, some companies are actually billing employees who quit. The strategy is to ensure new employees don’t receive critical industry training only to leave and use their new skills at a competitor paying higher wages and/or offering more enticing benefits packages. Companies Recovering Employee Training Costs through TRAPs Healthcare, retail, trucking, beauty, and more companies are adopting a new approach in order to reduce their workforce losses. Known as Training Repayment Agreement Provisions or TRAPs, these clauses are included in employee contracts. Nearly 10% of all American companies are now using these provisions, according to a recent report by Reuters News. When a valued employee quits, the loss can have a detrimental effect on the person’s team and department and maybe even on the entire company. Not only can an unexpected departure lead to lost revenue, but it also could lower the morale and productivity of remaining employees. —Society for Human Resource Management Other industries may follow this emerging trend if it proves successful and legal. There are already federal and state government agencies looking into the practice, and it appears to be legitimate. If it continues to grow in popularity, it should be not only a big benefit to businesses but to employees as well, as both parties will know precisely what’s expected of them and how to proceed accordingly. How to Use Employee Training Repayment Agreement Provisions Because this is somewhat new, it’s very important to take thoughtful, measured steps in order to implement such a practice. Here are some suggestions for how to use an employee training repayment agreement provision in your business: Consult a labor law attorney. The very first thing you should do is to speak with a lawyer who specializes in labor law in your state. Even if a future employee willingly signs such an agreement, there may be something on the books that does not allow you to enforce such a provision. So, be crystal clear it is legal and actionable in your state. Speak with your human resources department. Obviously if you are able to include an employee training repayment agreement provision in your hiring contracts, you’ll need to get the right people in your organization on board and in the know. You can help to develop a new section in your training process that discloses and advises potential hires and new team member about this provision. Make sure new hires are made fully aware of the provision. When you’re recruiting someone new to your organization, be sure this is made abundantly clear before you proceed with follow-up interviews and probably before the very first, initial interview. Any job candidate should be made aware of this provision well before you get deep into the hiring process. Include a mechanism to recoup new employee training costs. Of course, you’ll need a way to actually recoup those training costs. So, if you offer a sign-on bonus, that may be one way to recapture the expense. Here again, you’ll need to consult an experienced, licensed labor law attorney in your state to establish a recuperation mechanism for the provision. What else would you suggest business owners do to deal with new hires who quit shortly after being brought on? Please share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your input! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Signs an Employee is Quite Quitting

September 23, 2022 No Comments

Quite quitting is currently making all the rounds on social media and in corporate environments. And, it’s generating a whole lot of attention. Quite quitting isn’t just the latest buzz phrase, either. (Although, it is a bit misleading, given that it doesn’t mean preparing to turn in a resignation letter. Instead, it means doing as little as possible while still collecting a paycheck. Or, what was previously known as “coasting.”) However, this differs because employees who “coast” usually depart in the near future. Quite quitting is about staying onboard, but performing just enough to get by without being noticed. Quite Quitting Explained The term quiet quitting has only recently emerged and it’s gained quite a bit of traction in a very short time. The phenomenon is thought to arise from the aftereffects of the pandemic and shutdowns, which gave people a lot of time to reflect and reprioritize. The theory goes that employees realized that they can have a more fulfilling life experience by doing less at work and putting emphasis on their personal lives. Not taking your job too seriously has a new name: quiet quitting. The phrase is generating millions of views on TikTok as some young professionals reject the idea of going above and beyond in their careers, labeling their lesser enthusiasm a form of ‘quitting.’ It isn’t about getting off the company payroll, these employees say. In fact, the idea is to stay on it—but focus your time on the things you do outside of the office. —Wall Street Journal Obviously, this has a number of profound effects – not least of which is the fact that businesses are still paying them the same, though their production steadily declines and quality of work will likewise suffer. That’s just an unfortunate reality, but there are also other deleterious effects. Rather than make the person engaging in this practice happier, it will likely have the opposite effect, since numerous studies have clearly shown that work adds value and purpose to people’s lives. So, it is imperative to know the signs of quiet quitting in order to spot it when it starts to manifest, and before it becomes a problem. Top Signs an Employee is Quite Quitting The good news about this new phenomenon is that it’s actually a kind of reincarnation of an age-old problem. As stated above, it was previously known as coasting, something employees did when they were about to leave their position. But, this new version is far more concerning, because the employee who is quiet quitting has no intention of actually leaving their job. So, here are the top warning signs an employee is quietly quitting: They disengage. An employee who previously stayed in the mix and was eagerly part of the day-to-day operations and activity will start to disengage. At first, it might not be obvious. But, over time, managers and business owners will probably notice it. They stop keeping up. Similarly, an employee who is quietly quitting will no longer keep up with the latest that’s going on inside the company. Instead, he or she will fall out of the loop or just remain on the margins in order to appear that he or she is keeping up with what’s happening – even though that’s not what’s really transpiring. They no longer take initiative. This should come as no surprise. By its very definition, quiet quitting means doing as little as possible in order to remain employed but definitely not contributing any more than necessary. Fortunately, this is a fairly easy sign to spot, especially with people who were previously go-getters who now just seem to show up and do the bare minimum. They keep their ideas and opinions private. This sign isn’t overtly obvious, but it does point to the distinct possibility an employee is quietly quitting. However, if it is someone who previously contributed good ideas and shared their thoughts and opinions and now doesn’t, then such a change might be a red flag. What other telltale signs would you say are indicative of quite quitting? Please take a moment to share your thoughts and opinions – and/or experiences – so others can benefit from your suggestions! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.