Expectations

What is expected of me now that….

-         There is so much uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring

-         Personal demands on your time and resources are constantly changing

-         Your routine…uh, what routine?

-         Client demands and timelines are moving and stretching

-         Engagement with your boss and/or colleagues is shifting

With this whirlwind of questions and likely many more, have you wondered whether you are meeting expectations?

I have.  And, if it helps, I have listed the abbreviated version of what I do below.

1.)   Breathe. Calm yourself. 

• Try out the method practiced by Navy Seals – Box Breathing https://time.com/4316151/breathing-technique-navy-seal-calm-focused/

2.)   Write down your available blocks of time

3.)   Take a look at your projects/tasks

4.)   If you haven’t already, assign small action items to those projects and tasks

5.)   Choose the priorities (or for my engineering friends out there - identify the critical paths)

6.)   Take care of the little things that take the least time first, then get to the bigger things

And, if you don’t know what should be on your to-do list or how to prioritize, that’s ok.  Keep reading.

Here’s the super short version of what you can do.

1.)   Same as steps 1 thru 5 above.

• Give it your best shot even if you are uncertain.

2.)   Type up a short email and send it to your supervisor/boss.

• Anytime you go to someone with a problem, you should understand the problem to the best of your ability and have a few solutions of your own.
• Here’s your template

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Hi [name],

I wanted to quickly let you know what I am working on.  Just verifying I am working on the most critical items at this time to meet company and client expectations.

• Projects/tasks you are working on (be brief)
• Your specific action items related to those projects/tasks (be brief)
• The time you plan to dedicate to each action item

Please let me know what modifications to my plan are needed. In the meantime I will be working on [x] project. Feel free to give me a call to discuss.

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Overall, the best practice would be to do this on a weekly basis.

• Make a list of the projects/tasks you are working on
• Detail the action items related to the projects/tasks
• Assign priorities
• Determine where the action items will fit in your schedule
• Have a quick conversation about it via phone or email with your supervisor on Friday afternoon, for the week ahead, or Monday morning
• Quickly review or re-evaluate the list at the end of every day or first thing every morning. No more than 10 minutes.

Personal Note: I go through a similar process in my personal life as well. My husband and I are now trying to balance work and two kids at home with us. We discuss our own work demands and schedules, along with the needs of our children, THEN determine the realistic expectations we have of one another. It prevents a lot of frustration and disappointment.....well, most of the time.

Tell me!  How do you make sure you are meeting expectations?