People. There are so many great people and organizations in the world doing good things. Some meet spiritual needs, others physical or emotional. Some even crossover and do more than just one. There are groups that impact your local community and those that touch lives halfway across the world that you will never meet. Needs. I don’t know about you, but when I hear about a starving child, someone being mistreated, a natural disaster or a spiritual need, I want to help. I want to stop everything I am doing. I want to give all my money. If there is anything I can do to make a difference, I want…
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Productivity Tip: Pick One
Your productivity tip for today is very simple. Pick one. Multi-tasking is a myth, pick one thing to focus on it. You can only do one thing at a time well. Try doing more than that and you will both poorly. Give this tip a try. For the next hour, what do you need to do? Work on a project, check email, make some calls. Well, instead of mixing and matching, pick one. Work on that project first. Once it is done or where it needs to be today, do email, all of them. Once email is done, then make those calls. When you are doing your projects and email,…
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Productivity When Moving
Right now we are in the middle of a move from New Orleans to Atlanta. Let me give you a tip, something I am learning the hard way right now. Get ahead, way ahead, before you move. No matter how well you plan, your plans will change. Interruptions will arise. If you aren’t ahead, you will find yourself drowning in a pool of projects. That’s me right now. What tips do you have for moving? Share in the comments section.
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Honor One Another
There are many things I learned from my Father, but I also missed the opportunity to learn much more from him. It is easier to see what you could have learned from someone after you don’t have them around. Believe me, I know. What better way to honor someone than to make a pivot with your current relationships. Who are some people in your life now that if they were gone, you would regret not taking advantage of learning from them? Could be someone, like my Dad, who is good at fixing stuff, or someone who you respect spiritually, or someone who is a great parent. Go ahead and think of…
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Sometimes the Best Thing To Do is Breathe
You have a big project. It is taking a lot of your time. Your brain is working overtime on the front end in planning to ensure that everything works smoothly on the back end. You have thought of every contingency and are well prepared for things to work seemlessly. Then life happens. Interruptions break in. Your perfect plan falls apart. Your project happens, but not like you had hoped. What do you do?! Take a deep breath. Sometimes, even with the best plans, things don’t work out the way we had wanted them to. If you are a planner, like me, this probably drives you crazy. It’s okay. You are…
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What Should You Be Reading?
Being a lifelong learner is extremely important for one’s career. Whether you are running a nonprofit, working for one, or doing something else, you need to be constantly increasing your knowledge base. But what should you read? There is so much content out there, it is not possible to consume it all. What if you are not a big reader? I struggle to read. It kind of puts me to sleep. However, I do love to learn. Occasionally I read a book or ebook, but on a daily basis I stick with audio books and podcasts. Managing Content You need to be intentional with what you are going to read…
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Book Recommendation: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
At the Catalyst Conference last week Charles Duhigg spoke on his book, The Power of Habit. He discussed how our brains work when it comes to habits and how we can make or break habits. His findings involved a lot of research and was fascinating. In fact, Duhigg says that “Every habit can be changed” and we can change the habits of others. This captivated me from a productivity standpoint. Who doesn’t want to make better habits? Duhigg also discussed “willpower.” He even says, “Researchers have found willpower is the single greatest corilary to future success.” Then he told us that willpower also can be taught. Duhigg scratched the surface of…
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Podcast Recommendation: Dan Miller and 48Days.com
I have started listening to a new (to me) podcast recently. Dan Miller is the host and he runs it much like a radio show. “Callers” send in questions, comments and stories. Miller reads these and gives feedback. Miller is author of 48 Days to the Work You Love. His website is 48Days.com. He helps people find work they love. He is also an entrepreneur and incredible dreamer who gets things done. I get inspired listening to him and love all of his ideas. Even if you are very happy with your current work, as I am, listening to the 48 Days Podcast will spark ideas in you and make you…