search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
MANAGEMENT


TIME


STOP PROCRASTINATING BE CYBER AWARE


Dr Lewis Goodings is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology from Anglia Ruskin University and offers top tips to help your procrastinating employees build a culture to stop data breaches


N 1


ew research from Anglia Ruskin University and Cyber Aware has revealed that nine in ten UK Brits


surveyed admitted to delaying at least one or more tasks, so it’s likely there are more than a few procrastinators in your small business. The good news is there are four simple tips you can recommend your employees do to remain productive and achieve ‘self-mastery’ in the work place – helping your team to stay motivated and achieve business goals.


Don’t be afraid to bring back the pen and paper


In the digital age, it’s easy for people to keep their task lists on computers or phones. However when we write down our to-do lists on paper, it reinforces their importance and gives us the satisfaction of ticking them off when complete. Writing things down also physically provides an additional reminder of what needs to be achieved, so make sure your employees know when to pick up the pen and paper.


2


Remember the value of the task at hand


The world we live in means businesses have to work at a fast-pace. Sometimes this pace of work means employees forget to recognise the value of each task and


22 SME MAGAZINE


delay doing certain tasks which aren’t seen as ‘important’. For example, they may delay installing the latest software and app updates on all of their devices. This only takes a few minutes, but it has a big impact on a firm’s cyber-security as these updates protect devices from hackers and viruses. The government’s Cyber Security Breaches survey revealed that 42% of micro/small businesses identified one breach or attack in the last 12 months , – reminding your employees of the value of this task is important, because the risk of a cyber-attack is relatively high.


3


The key is to make a start Just as writing our tasks on paper


and ticking them off can increase our satisfaction when completing a task, so can making a proactive start to the list. It’s a well-known fact that often making a start is the hardest part, but once we


have taken a few small steps the sense of achievement motivates us to do more. For example, raising a few invoices or replying to our suppliers. New research from Anglia Ruskin University and Cyber Aware shows that despite our inertia, 67% of people questioned reported feeling positive after completing tasks. A key tip to help employees push through procrastination is to start with an easy task to help them feel positive straight away – this will encourage them to progress through the rest of their list efficiently.


4


Set yourself timescales and look forward to rewarding yourself


THE GOVERNMENT’S CYBER SECURITY BREACHES SURVEY REVEALED THAT 42% OF MICRO/SMALL BUSINESSES IDENTIFIED ONE BREACH OR ATTACK IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS


For most small and medium sized businesses, efficiency is vitally important for growing the business and procrastinating employees can negatively impact this process. Research indicates that the more time people give themselves to complete a task, the more likely it is they will procrastinate. To boost productivity, encourage team members to set shorter deadlines for completing their work and make sure they reward themselves when they reach their targets – perhaps by buying their favourite lunch or taking a walk. Research shows that by lifting our mood by rewarding ourselves we can improve our self-esteem and organise our to-do lists. ■


www.smeweb.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28