The 3 P’s – Positivity, Proactivity and Productivity

The recent 19th Commonweath Games in Delhi shows just what is achievable despite international concerns of unfinished building work, infrastructure (lack of) and the very real risk of Delhi Belly. In fact one of England’s excellent swimmers Fran Halsall encapsulated the very nature of competitive sports when she swam through the debilitating effects of Delhi Belly and still competed for her country. OK she didn’t win the medal she expected to but she still got in the pool and did her best. It’s that desire to be your best and to give your best no matter what’s affecting you at the time that I would like to draw on.
It’s all very easy to complain at work that there are too many distractions or IT problems are causing a slow rate of work. Instead, find yourself a quiet room to do a piece of reading or a report that’s due. Ask a colleague to cover your phone and take messages for an hour so you can get on with work – if they know that you are willing to repay the favour when they need it then they will most likely help you out. Or you could actually find out from the IT department if there is something that can be done to resolve your IT issues for example a spare laptop available while they work on the problem you’ve registered with them.
Whatever you perceive to be annoying factors getting in the way of your productivity at work – don’t let them! Focus on an alternative activity on your to-do list (because you’ve made one, right?), take steps to deal with the issue, and don’t let yourself get into the negative spiral of Can’t/Won’t. Even if you only think these words it will come across in your behaviours and speech and pull other people down with you, causing not only your own lack of productivity and happiness but that of others – hardly a team-building quality is it!
So, if you come up against issues that threaten to spoil your day, I would recommend that you be positive, proactive and productive at all times!