Listening. Skilled communicators listen actively to others and avoid thinking ahead about how to respond while someone else is talking. Understanding. Try to empathize with your audience, so you can see things from their point of view. Simplicity. Being able to break down a complex idea and explain it in a way that makes sense to everyone is an essential asset. Reliability. Good communicators keep their promises, provide answers promptly, and avoid saying things they don’t mean. Silence. Know when to let others take the floor, and recognize when your lack of words is saying something important. Interact. Ask questions and provide feedback to check that you understand what the other person means. Nonverbal cues. Communication experts use nonverbal cues, such as gestures, facial expressions and body posture, to help convey their message and express openness. “I” statements. Phrases that start with “you” often put others on the defensive. Focus on explaining your own thoughts and feelings, rather than pointing fingers. Brevity. Good communicators respect others’ time and get to the point directly. Confidence. Trusting in your abilities and knowledge is the first step to speaking and writing well, and communicating effectively. We can all improve our communication by developing these stellar qualities: What Is an Anxiety Disorder? Feeling worried or fearful is a normal response to a stressful situation. However, worry can evolve into an anxiety disorder when it is excessive, rarely goes away, and interferes with your daily life. People who suffer from an anxiety disorder often have at least some of these symptoms: Feeling nervous and keyed up. Feeling helpless or fearful that something is terribly wrong. Having trouble focusing or concentrating. Feeling exhausted, weak and possibly light-headed. Having trouble falling or staying asleep. Physical symptoms, such as a fast heartbeat, sweating, shaking or nausea. ere are 3 common types of anxiety disorder: • Generalized anxiety disorder causes people to worry excessively about everyday problems. • Panic disorder is characterized by sudden, repeated panic attacks, which come with physical symptoms such as a pounding heart, sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath, feeling hot or cold, tingling hands and feet, and chest pain. • Social anxiety disorder makes people feel anxious in social situations. ey may have a hard time talking with others, be self-conscious and easily embarrassed, and worry too much about what others think. Researchers think anxiety may be hereditary, though it sometimes results from certain underlying medical conditions or as a side effect of medication. For many people, anxiety begins in childhood and is a lifelong condition they must manage. If you think you may have anxiety, talk with your health care provider. Anxiety can be treated successfully with a combination of medication, talk therapy and self-care. Don’t let anxious feelings or panic attacks hinder your ability to work well and enjoy life. 10 Qualities of a Great Communicator 3.2020
Transcript
Listening. Skilled communicators listen actively to others and avoid thinking ahead about how to respond while someone else is talking. Understanding. Try to empathize with your audience, so you can see things from their point of view. Simplicity. Being able to break down a complex idea and explain it in a way that makes sense to everyone is an essential asset. Reliability. Good communicators keep their promises, provide answers promptly, and avoid saying things they don’t mean. Silence. Know when to let others take the floor, and recognize when your lack of words is saying something important. Interact. Ask questions and provide feedback to check that you understand what the other person means. Nonverbal cues. Communication experts use nonverbal cues, such as gestures, facial expressions and body posture, to help convey their message and express openness. “I” statements. Phrases that start with “you” often put others on the defensive. Focus on explaining your own thoughts and feelings, rather than pointing fingers. Brevity. Good communicators respect others’ time and get to the point directly. Confidence. Trusting in your abilities and knowledge is the first step to speaking and writing well, and communicating effectively.
We can all improve our communication by developing these stellar qualities:
What Is an Anxiety Disorder?Feeling worried or fearful is a normal response to a stressful situation. However, worry can evolve into an anxiety disorder when it is excessive, rarely goes away, and interferes with your daily life.People who suffer from an anxiety disorder often have at least some of these symptoms: Feeling nervous and keyed up. Feeling helpless or fearful that something is terribly wrong. Having trouble focusing or concentrating. Feeling exhausted, weak and possibly light-headed. Having trouble falling or staying asleep. Physical symptoms, such as a fast heartbeat, sweating, shaking or nausea.There are 3 common types of anxiety disorder:
• Generalized anxiety disorder causes people to worry excessively about everyday problems. • Panic disorder is characterized by sudden, repeated panic attacks, which come with physical symptoms such as a pounding heart, sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath, feeling hot or cold, tingling hands and feet, and chest pain.• Social anxiety disorder makes people feel anxious in social situations. They may have a hard time talking with others, be self-conscious and easily embarrassed, and worry too much about what others think. Researchers think anxiety may be hereditary, though it sometimes results from certain underlying medical conditions or as a side effect of medication. For many people, anxiety begins in childhood and is a lifelong condition they must manage.If you think you may have anxiety, talk with your health care provider. Anxiety can be treated successfully with a combination of medication, talk therapy and self-care. Don’t let anxious feelings or panic attacks hinder your ability to work well and enjoy life.
10 Qualities of a Great Communicator
3.2020
3.2020
Questions to Ask: Time Management AppsOnce, our best or only method for tracking and managing time was a pencil and paper. Today, we have time management apps to help us maximize our precious hours.
To decide if a time management app is right for you, ask these questions: What do you hope to achieve? Do you want an app that tracks how much time you spend on each task or project? Or, to reduce time spent on nonessential or wasteful activities, find an app to monitor your online use. If you account for your time to management or clients, consider an app that tracks billable hours.
Do you often lose track of time? If you tend to procrastinate or lose time on email, social media or unimportant tasks, consider apps with reminders and goal-setting functions. For example, when using email, you can enter a preset time limit for the app to remind you with an alarm to switch to another task.
Will you use it? If you struggle to stay organized and aren’t skilled in tracking or logging your time, be realistic. Using an app might help, but you may need to combine it with other time management strategies.
Preparing to Take on a New RoleThe transition of moving to a new position or starting a new project can be challenging. Adapting to the change is easier with good preparation. Here’s how:CREATE a transition plan. Minimize the time you spend filling both roles by carefully planning how to wrap up 1 set of duties and start the next. Create a transition schedule with specific tasks assigned to each day, and stick to it.LET GO of old responsibilities. If you are handing off duties of your soon-to-be former job, document them. If you are the only one who can perform a specific procedure, teach it to someone else. Create a solid list that someone else can follow, so you can comfortably step away.
BE PATIENT with the learning curve. Just as it will take time for someone else to learn your current role, don’t expect to just hit the ground running with your new responsibilities. Give yourself time to adjust, and take steps to manage stress during this time; exercise regularly, eat nutritiously and don’t short yourself on sleep.
Boost Your Immunity to DistractionResearch shows distractions can greatly reduce your ability to get things done. A Michigan State University study found that people were twice as likely to make mistakes on a task after a 3-second interruption. Distractions can divert your attention from working at the high level of supreme focus that makes the task at hand progress quickly and effortlessly.Use these mental boosters to stay focused:
Insulate. When you are working on a task that requires focus, block out everything else. Shut off your mobile devices. Close your email and your online apps. Set a time limit, such as 20 or 30 minutes, to work single-mindedly without interruption.
Identify. Know what times of day you’re at your mental best, and seek to avoid distractions and focus on important work during those hours.
Engage. Often, distraction doesn’t come from your surroundings — it comes from you — checking social media, cleaning off your desk, chatting with a coworker, or checking email instead of working on a project. Try this: Schedule a set time for tasks you don’t particularly enjoy, or break down daunting tasks into small chunks. Once you’ve met your goal, turn to other, more pleasurable activities. That way, you turn those little breaks and conversations from distractions into rewards.
The Smart Moves Toolkit, including this issue’s printable download, Boost Your Mood With Exercise,is at personalbest.com/extras/20V3tools.
