Long-Range Goals

My mother always said that the best gift for a child is a plain old large cardboard box. 

Now, with children of my own, I know what she means.  They often seem most excited about the potential a box offers rather than the specific type of play often directed by the toy inside.  A plain box is a blank slate to a child.  The mind begins its creative process to “imagine the possibilities”! 

Today, I reflect on this idea as I think about our use of Time.  With so many options to fill our time wi…

I recently spoke at a Lunch-n-Learn where they used a great icebreaker to kick off our discussion.  Participants were told to imagine they have been given $86,400.  They are required to spend it all – none can be saved.   Their assignment was to consider HOW it would be spent.  Many then shared what they would put the money toward:  paying off student loans, saving for retirement, paying down their mortgage, gifting money to family, taking a dream vacation, etc.  Each person’s intention was to d…

It's so frustrating to create a plan for your week and then have it all go out the window!  While we can't always avoid emergencies, priority changes, or sometimes even interruptions there ARE ways you can make sure that you don't jeopardize your plan from the get go.  Make sure your plan isn't short-sighted.  There's nothing like constantly tackling urgencies and last minute deadlines to throw our intentions into a tail spin.  Today's tip:  

Broaden your scope beyond the current week  

It…

Better planning means avoiding pitfalls that jeopardize our intentions.  Like last week’s article “Broadening the Scope” (click here to catch up), the idea of Leaving Space means giving ourselves room to maneuver and adapt as life comes at us.  Here are some things to consider:

1. How "responsive" is your role?  Consider how often interruptions, client communications, personnel interactions or even family commitments come up as a normal part of your day.  When these are a part of your role it'…

A plan for your time should be dynamic.  Think beyond the boundaries of a list of “stuff” to do.  As my earlier posts in this series (Broaden Your Scope and Leave Space), taking into consideration when as well as how to do various tasks can boost your productivity significantly.  If you haven’t really considered your workstyle, preferences, energy and natural rhythm of working you may not be capitalizing on the best way to harness your best energy.  Consider the following:

• When do you focus…

Many of us have spent these first weeks in January considering goals and projects we intend to accomplish in the coming year.  There is often a lot of momentum and excitement to see those plans to fruition.  In addition to identifying those goals and determining what steps you need to make them happen, there is another question that can prove beneficial - What speed bumps might you encounter along the way?  You know, those annoying spots in the road that slow down your progress and keep you from…