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I’ve realized over the years that we all have our own definitions of common terms like “EOD” and “ASAP.” And that can cause miscommunication and serious productivity hiccups!
I was a TV producer for many years, so I have a specific definition of ASAP — to me it means “in the next few minutes.” Because when you’re on a deadline things move fast and you have to move quickly too.
But… that’s not everyone’s definition of ASAP. For some people it means by the end of the morning, or by the end of the week, or just whenever they can get to it. If your job relies on communicating with lots of people from different industries, their definition (and yours!) will probably vary a lot.
Productivity can be really hampered when we’re working with different assumptions. People can easily get frustrated when you’re not aligned on a timeline. Things go much more smoothly when there’s clarity in communication.
Here are some common productivity communication challenges and how to combat them:
1) ASAP
This is a big one — we all say it all the time, so it’s a hard habit to break. But it’s worth the effort. Instead of saying ASAP, it’s better to just share a specific day or time, even if it’s a range. And if someone says they’ll “get it done ASAP” but you don’t know when they mean, just ask politely if they can give more details about their timeline.
2) EOD
“End of day” seems like it would be straightforward enough. It can cause confusion when you don’t know someone’s work day! I once worked with someone whose workday ended at midnight and I didn’t realize it, so at 5 o’clock I was always left wondering what was going on. But she was thinking of her EOD, not mine! Since you never know when someone’s workday starts or ends, giving specific times is better.
3) Time zone
It’s super common now to work with people across different time zones. So it’s extra important to give time zone information when you’re scheduling meetings or deadlines. If you regularly work with someone in another time zone, it’s great if you can get in the habit of giving both your time zone and theirs (11am PST/2pm EST, for instance) when you’re communicating. That way there’s less room for error. I’ve been using an app to help with this – it’s called SavvyTime and you put in the time zones you need to know and it shows you all the times on screen. Very convenient!
These all seem like small changes but they really add up! You might be surprised how much these communication pitfalls are impacting your productivity.
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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? CLICK HERE to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.
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