Job Advice: How Do You Avoid Making Mistakes?

[terestrife]

I care about doing a good job. I hate having things pending.

The problem occurs when I'm trying to help coworkers on the phone, customers in person, and do my work on the computer.

I'm sometimes trying to do three things at the same time. I sometimes make mistakes, I'll click on the wrong thing and not notice. This can cause issues in the system.

I sometimes panic when i see so many things to do away the same time.

How can I do better?

 

[Kieka]

Know your limitations and be willing to admit them.

If you can't do three things at once there is absolutely no shame or weakness in telling your coworker to wait or pause your work until you handle the others. I sometimes do the same thing of doing something on the computer, talk with someone and be answering emails about something else. I only do that though if they are low attention level items or I won't be saving anything while doing it. I never hit save when distracted by something else. I wait to finish and double check it then hit save. If the person says something that requires more attention I stop the other things and focus on them.

In terms of priority, I'd do customers then coworkers or other work. I tend to stop everything and do five minute or less tasks as soon as they come in. It's easier and ends up taking less time just do it then to put it aside and remember to come back to it. Other tasks I assign priority to and process time limits. Something with a 8 hour timer I will out aside for a four hour timer. But if I hit the 8 hour mark without getting back to it, I refocus there. That way no one task ever sits for too long. It's kinda complicated but you get in a pattern with it. I have had items that are top always, five minute or less tasks, then the more time sensitive to less with tasks reprioritized if it's been too long on the less sensitive.

If there are more things then you can reasonably complete then tell your supervisor. As long as your workload isn't lower then anyone else's they should understand. There are limits to everyone and admitting when we reach ours is key to success.

 

[cassiopea]

Deep breath, relax, and don't panic - Seriously the whole "Keep Calm and Carry On" line has worked wonders for me personally As common and cliche as it sounds! I have two jobs that often require a lot of multitasking (Ballet Teacher and High End Beauty Advisor)

It is definitely important to take your work and job seriously, but at the same time we are human and we can't be perfect every single time. You can't be hard on yourself when mistakes happen - you had the best intentions in mind, it wasn't like you were trying to be lazy. Multitasking is very common in jobs too.

As the above mentioned, simply learn to pace yourself. Know your limitations. Engage with your superiors. Also don't hesitate to tell someone "Please Hold" "I have someone else with me at the moment, I will help you shortly/next etc" on the spot either. Better to politely tell them to wait a minute or two to finish one thing properly before resuming with them properly instead of creating a domino affect of mistakes. Quality of Quantity! Any sensible person will understand. If they don't that is their issue.

Don't be a superhero! And remember you are already excellent at your job.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Know your limitations and be willing to admit them.

If you can't do three things at once there is absolutely no shame or weakness in telling your coworker to wait or pause your work until you handle the others. I sometimes do the same thing of doing something on the computer, talk with someone and be answering emails about something else. I only do that though if they are low attention level items or I won't be saving anything while doing it. I never hit save when distracted by something else. I wait to finish and double check it then hit save. If the person says something that requires more attention I stop the other things and focus on them.

In terms of priority, I'd do customers then coworkers or other work. I tend to stop everything and do five minute or less tasks as soon as they come in. It's easier and ends up taking less time just do it then to put it aside and remember to come back to it. Other tasks I assign priority to and process time limits. Something with a 8 hour timer I will out aside for a four hour timer. But if I hit the 8 hour mark without getting back to it, I refocus there. That way no one task ever sits for too long. It's kinda complicated but you get in a pattern with it. I have had items that are top always, five minute or less tasks, then the more time sensitive to less with tasks reprioritized if it's been too long on the less sensitive.

If there are more things then you can reasonably complete then tell your supervisor. As long as your workload isn't lower then anyone else's they should understand. There are limits to everyone and admitting when we reach ours is key to success.

I'm giving your post an ovation, and the bolded stuff gets a standing ovation.
Customers come first. If someone walks in, they get your undivided attention unless your hair is on fire or someone in the room is having a baby. Other than that, phone calls can wait (caller ID and voice mail makes a quick call back easy, all you have to do is be pleasant and say "I'm sorry ma'am/sir, I was away from the phone" and co-workers can wait (unless their hair is one fire or they're the ones having a baby!)
Are you the supervisor/manager/owner? If not, unless the company has a policy I'm not familiar with, the co-workers should be going to them for help.

I like the fact you openly admit to wanting to do a good job and want to do better. It's an excellent attribute, professionally and personally. I hope whatever company has your employment notices this and appreciates your initiative to do your best (especially when it comes to dealing with customers; you're the face of the company to that customer) and keeps you well paid.

 

[terestrife]

Know your limitations and be willing to admit them.

If you can't do three things at once there is absolutely no shame or weakness in telling your coworker to wait or pause your work until you handle the others. I sometimes do the same thing of doing something on the computer, talk with someone and be answering emails about something else. I only do that though if they are low attention level items or I won't be saving anything while doing it. I never hit save when distracted by something else. I wait to finish and double check it then hit save. If the person says something that requires more attention I stop the other things and focus on them.

In terms of priority, I'd do customers then coworkers or other work. I tend to stop everything and do five minute or less tasks as soon as they come in. It's easier and ends up taking less time just do it then to put it aside and remember to come back to it. Other tasks I assign priority to and process time limits. Something with a 8 hour timer I will out aside for a four hour timer. But if I hit the 8 hour mark without getting back to it, I refocus there. That way no one task ever sits for too long. It's kinda complicated but you get in a pattern with it. I have had items that are top always, five minute or less tasks, then the more time sensitive to less with tasks reprioritized if it's been too long on the less sensitive.

If there are more things then you can reasonably complete then tell your supervisor. As long as your workload isn't lower then anyone else's they should understand. There are limits to everyone and admitting when we reach ours is key to success.

I really like your advice of doing 5 minute tasts as soon as they come in. those are the ones i tend to put off. but its easier to just get it done.

I have always had this issue with forgetfulness. Someone will tell me something, and unless i write it down, theres a chance i will forget. i will start to do something, then remember another important task, and then start that one. I will start to focus on a task, then my mind starts wandering. It reminds me of all the fights i would get into with my mom due to my forgetfulness. She always thought i would do it on purpose, but i am noticing it happens to me in all parts of my life.

I feel like i am trying to do three things at the same time constantly.

I relaxed on friday and focused on doing one thing at a time, as you suggested, and it helped a lot. I was able to catch my mistakes easily.

thank you for your help! =)

Deep breath, relax, and don't panic - Seriously the whole "Keep Calm and Carry On" line has worked wonders for me personally As common and cliche as it sounds! I have two jobs that often require a lot of multitasking (Ballet Teacher and High End Beauty Advisor)

It is definitely important to take your work and job seriously, but at the same time we are human and we can't be perfect every single time. You can't be hard on yourself when mistakes happen - you had the best intentions in mind, it wasn't like you were trying to be lazy. Multitasking is very common in jobs too.

As the above mentioned, simply learn to pace yourself. Know your limitations. Engage with your superiors. Also don't hesitate to tell someone "Please Hold" "I have someone else with me at the moment, I will help you shortly/next etc" on the spot either. Better to politely tell them to wait a minute or two to finish one thing properly before resuming with them properly instead of creating a domino affect of mistakes. Quality of Quantity! Any sensible person will understand. If they don't that is their issue.

Don't be a superhero! And remember you are already excellent at your job.

I think thats my problem, i want to help too many people at the same time. I want to help our customers, as i dont want them waiting. I dont want the inspectors stuck on one account too long because i am not helping them. I also have my own work to do on the computer.

Relaxing really helped me out on friday, i stopped trying to finish things as fast as possible. I always worry that if i dont hurry something will come up, and i wont be able to get everything done.

Thanks for the advice!

I'm giving your post an ovation, and the bolded stuff gets a standing ovation.
Customers come first. If someone walks in, they get your undivided attention unless your hair is on fire or someone in the room is having a baby. Other than that, phone calls can wait (caller ID and voice mail makes a quick call back easy, all you have to do is be pleasant and say "I'm sorry ma'am/sir, I was away from the phone" and co-workers can wait (unless their hair is one fire or they're the ones having a baby!)
Are you the supervisor/manager/owner? If not, unless the company has a policy I'm not familiar with, the co-workers should be going to them for help.

I like the fact you openly admit to wanting to do a good job and want to do better. It's an excellent attribute, professionally and personally. I hope whatever company has your employment notices this and appreciates your initiative to do your best (especially when it comes to dealing with customers; you're the face of the company to that customer) and keeps you well paid.

The problem is that I am responsible for the customers, but im also responsible for helping out our inspectors. They have their own supervisors. They should be the ones helping them, and they do. But they still call and bother the office with their problems. I once had to tell an inspector to wait, and he called my boss to complain. Im managed to get some of them to stop calling. There are some inspectors that can assign accounts on their own, but they still bother me to do it. Thankfully they have stopped calling.

Its hard because i have to help the customers, but the inspectors are out on the field needing help. I sometimes feel like they are just another one of my responsibilities. Its part of my job to keep after them to contact customers, and to handle accounts. I wear a lot of hats at my job.

 

[denice]

I have definite limits when it comes to doing several things at once. Some things that I do I can't do anything else, I have to concentrate on that one thing. Is this a job that you have done for awhile or is it fairly new. If you are new at the job the best thing you can do is to prioritize, multitask only as much as you can and concentrate on quality. As you do the job more you will be able to multitask more and your production will pick up.

 

[Kieka]

I have always had this issue with forgetfulness. Someone will tell me something, and unless i write it down, theres a chance i will forget. i will start to do something, then remember another important task, and then start that one. I will start to focus on a task, then my mind starts wandering.

When. I have a really busy day or a lot of things to do I pull out a pad of paper and jot them all down. During the extra hetic times I'd take a few minutes at the end of the day to copy down regular daily and any carry over tasks on a clean page for the next day. There is a certain satisfaction to crossing things off.

It sounds like it might be useful for you to keep a desk calendar or something in Outlook. List normal daily tasks and any other tasks that come up. Cross things off as they are done. That way you have record of what you've done, what day you've done it, and what is to be done.

If that's not your taste, just post it notes with high importance items that you need to delay can work too. I don't like clutter on my desk so I don't keep post it's or notes all over in general. So I know if it is a note on my desk it is important. My boss does the same thing but he do digital post it's on his second monitor. Also clearing the completed ones off when done.

I do know what you mean about field workers (in my case) wanting things. My guys though tend to be in the five minute or less requests. So I just pause and get them what they need before going back to my work. I usually follow up with an email saying "just in case you need it here is the information you requested in writing to reference." with a copy paste or screen grab. Which does double duty of preventing call backs and documenting what I've done. If I am with a customer when they call, I hold the customer for a moment to tell them I am with a customer and will call right back or I let it go to voicemail and call back. It depends on what is going on with the customer, sometimes holding the customer gives me a chance to gather my thoughts for them or look something up while I am telling the field guys I will call them back. Sometimes the field guys will tell me to call them back with xyz and it's easy to jot it down and handle after the customer too. Of course I wouldn't hold the customer for more then a few seconds or if the timing of the conversation is wrong. But I also have four years experience being a receptionist with six incoming phone lines and customers walking in constantly. Juggling phones and in person effectively takes a little balance of paying attention to where conversations are at and what is going on.

 

[m3rma1d]

As a pharmacy tech I have to count meds, answer the phone, look up a patient profile, click thru commands (order a refill, check to see if something new was sent, edit something, whatever,) enter a script, process, whatever, and tell a person at the counter I'll be right with them--ALL these things at the same time, over and over, all day long. Oh and if we make a mistake we could lose our job or harm someone. So at work, my ADHD brain is an asset. (In real life, not so much.) Oh and despite all of us doing all these jobs at once, people STILL get pissed at us when their order takes more than a few minutes.


But if you aren't wired that way, you can't force it. Streamline and do things one at a time. Definitely don't feel bad about it--Embrace it, explain it, and do the best work you can possibly do!