Resources

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…

We’ve all been there - - that lingering item that needs to be done but we just can’t seem to make ourselves do it.  Sometimes it’s that the task is large or difficult.  Other times it’s something that’s new and we’re not quite sure how to proceed.  Or, it could be that we are waiting for ALL the information needed to get started.  Whatever the case may be, we can move toward combatting procrastination when we look beyond the task and start to tackle the first real hurdle - - just BEGINNING.  Try…

The holiday lights are starting to appear and preparations are underway.  As much as I enjoy the holidays I also anticipate them with a bit of dread as I know that time seems to come at a premium this time of year.  So, in anticipation of what can be a runaway train in terms of time, I thought I'd highlight a few ways to impact your time this season.  While you actually can't MAKE time, you can certainly craft the way you spend your time so it's meaningful and fulfilling.

• Start Early!  Unless…