- One man told me of how his brother made an exceptional sale for his business. The man asked his brother what are you going to do to celebrate it? And this business owner said well, there's lots to do, I need to get back to work so, nothing I guess. While this may seem like the business owner is hard working, he's actually short changing his success. This is an interesting phenomenon that I discovered as I was researching studies for my book, "The Power of Having Fun".
One study from the University of Washington found that mice, when deprived of the naturally occurring motivation chemical dopamine, took significantly longer to perform a simple task. The more they persisted in that task, without dopamine, the worse their times got. On the other hand, mice that had a little pick me up of dopamine at any point in the process cut their performance time roughly in half.
Now, we're not mice yet some of us are treating ourselves like a rodent in a maze, doomed to repeat the same experience over and over with no joy in sight. Instead you can choose to inject a little fun and a little celebration into your daily performance. And if you have responsibility for managing and leading other people, it's even more critical that you pause and allow them to celebrate their successes when they occur.
How do we go about doing that? First, whenever something positive happens, stop. Imagine a big stop sign in your mind that says we need to take a look at this. Second, use your mind to intellectually acknowledge that something positive occurred. All you need to do is think something like, that was great that we just completed that big project, or whatever your success is. Next, ask yourself the question, what level of celebration is appropriate for this success? Now, if I got positive feedback from a customer, maybe a high five or a good job is all the celebration we need.
But, if our team received a public award for outstanding customer service then that would be a completely different level of celebration. There's an element of subjectivity but the point is that you're taking the time to consider what is appropriate. And finally, celebrate. Take action and do something enjoyable. It may take a little time from your day depending on the level of celebration, but in the long run enjoying these positive moments will help you and your coworkers be more productive.
Remember, when you have success and celebrate and acknowledge that success, you're injecting positive chemicals into your body that reinforce your desire to have even greater success. Take the time to celebrate and you will find that success comes more easily to you and those around you.
Author
Updated
4/15/2019Released
4/11/2016Productivity expert Dave Crenshaw provides techniques on a wide variety of topics, designed to help people better manage their time and ultimately become more productive. Tune in to learn about everything from managing emails and calendars to setting priorities, collaborating with coworkers, reducing interruptions, crafting a "productivity mindset," and creating a more comfortable and effective work environment.
Have an idea for a future video from Dave? Submit it using our course feedback form. If you want more time management strategies now, we recommend watching Dave's Time Management Fundamentals course.
- Reducing interruptions
- Dealing with feeling overwhelmed
- Responding to quick questions
- Making the most of meetings
- Following up
- Implementing a closed door, open calendar policy
Skill Level Intermediate
Duration
Views
Q: Why can't I earn a Certificate of Completion for this course?
A: We publish a new tutorial or tutorials for this course on a regular basis. We are unable to offer a Certificate of Completion because it is an ever-evolving course that is not designed to be completed. Check back often for new movies.
Related Courses
-
Excel Tips Weekly
with Dennis Taylor32h 57m Intermediate -
Time Management Fundamentals
with Dave Crenshaw2h 53m Intermediate -
Improving Your Focus
with Dave Crenshaw56m 3s Intermediate -
Time Management: Working from Home
with Dave Crenshaw1h 25m Intermediate
-
Introduction
-
Welcome43s
-
-
1. Time Management Tips
-
Power tips for sending email3m 14s
-
Positive procrastination3m 15s
-
Remove the "busy" tag2m 58s
-
Manage digital interruptions4m 19s
-
Make the most of meetings2m 52s
-
Follow up on delegated items2m 58s
-
Become tech savvy4m 33s
-
Focus on the person2m 37s
-
Time management for students2m 59s
-
Ending meetings with action1m 44s
-
Building a not-to-do list2m 46s
-
Avoiding the crowd mindset2m 58s
-
Placing a value on your time3m 30s
-
How to schedule a meeting3m 35s
-
How to develop flexibility4m 19s
-
The trouble with texting3m 48s
-
Create a perhaps list4m 58s
-
Reduce attention switches4m 46s
-
Adapt your favorite app4m 33s
-
Make time to get more time3m 49s
-
Read vs. unread email3m 52s
-
Make time to have fun3m 57s
-
Create a morning ritual3m 23s
-
When to create new homes3m 26s
-
How to reduce spam3m 48s
-
Why repetition saves time2m 48s
-
Productive passwords2m 3s
-
Productive web browser tips1m 51s
-
Writing a productive email1m 55s
-
Commit to your calendar1m 54s
-
What to say instead of ASAP1m 46s
-
Set voicemail expectations1m 43s
-
Set email expectations1m 46s
-
How to use an inbox1m 41s
-
How to use an outbox1m 53s
-
- Mark as unwatched
- Mark all as unwatched
Are you sure you want to mark all the videos in this course as unwatched?
This will not affect your course history, your reports, or your certificates of completion for this course.
CancelTake notes with your new membership!
Type in the entry box, then click Enter to save your note.
1:30Press on any video thumbnail to jump immediately to the timecode shown.
Notes are saved with you account but can also be exported as plain text, MS Word, PDF, Google Doc, or Evernote.
Share this video
Embed this video
Video: Celebrating success for improvement