"I'm so poor I can't even pay attention." -- American folk saying. "The cobra feeling is an almost muscular albeit mental bearing-down on a subject or object, which you rise above, hood flaring to block distractions, and hold steady in your unblinking focus." -- Winifred Gallagher, author of Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life. What we call "civilization" dates back no more than a few thousand years—and in many ways, our biology has not yet caught up to our culture. Back in our nomadic hunter-gatherer days, Mother Nature shaped us to respond to the natural environment in ways that kept us safe. Those who listened to their protective instincts lived to fight another day—and to have babies. When a dry whirring at your feet meant Snake! and a glimpse of movement out of the corner of your … [Read more...]
How NOT to Decide What to Do Next
"Procrastination in the name of reducing risk actually increases risk." -- Colin Powell, retired American four-star general and former Secretary of State. "Many people go through life making nothing but 'if' decisions. These are not decisions for success but preparations for failure." -- Zig Ziglar, American motivational guru. It happens every day: You finish a task, check it off your list, and feel a sense of accomplishment. Great—now what? It’s important to quickly decide what to do next. But it's equally important to decide what NOT to do next. Making the right choice can be difficult when you’re drawn to distraction, react to requests, or randomly select the next task. We must choose the correct course of action by design, not by default. So I’d like to give you some guidance on how … [Read more...]
The Anchor of Procrastination: How Dragging Your Heels Weighs You Down
There may be a few perfect employees out there who have never once dragged their heels on a task…but I doubt it. While procrastination is nothing to brag about, we all do it—some more than others. Sometimes procrastination seems reasonable: when work is scarce and efficiency will put us out of a job; when we fear a backlash for being too efficient later on; or when our personal circumstances force us to cut back to a more realistic workload. Sometimes, though, the self-imposed anchor of procrastination stems from more unworthy factors. We may hate a task, find it difficult, or simply want to duck the responsibility. Other factors holding us back can include: • Workload • Fear • Inertia • Lack of self-confidence • Uncertainty • Perfectionism • Distraction • Excessive time pressure • High … [Read more...]
How to Be a Fixer, Not a Finger-Pointer
"When a man points a finger at someone else, he should remember that four of his fingers are pointing at himself." -- Louis Nixer, noted American trial lawyer. "I never yet heard man or woman much abused that I was not inclined to think the better of them, and to transfer the suspicion or dislike to the one who found pleasure in pointing out the defects of another." -- Jane Porter, nineteenth century Scottish novelist and dramatist. Few of us truly appreciate criticism, because no matter how valid or constructive, it can be embarrassing or annoying (especially when someone fails to offer a solution to the perceived problem). Poking holes in something is much easier than repairing them—yet most critics don't let that stop them. Hence the saying, "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach; … [Read more...]
New iPhone App for The Productivity Minute Podcast
We've got a new iPhone app for our Productivity Minute audio podcast! Boost your personal productivity any time with a quick productivity tip from Laura Stack! Instructions: 1. On your iPhone, visit http://theproductivitypro.podbean.com/mobile/. 2. Click the arrow button to add the Quick Launch icon to your home screen. 3. Visit the app and listen to The Productivity Minute at your convenience! You can also sign up for FREE to watch the Productivity Minute videos. When you sign up, you'll receive a weekly email with a link and password for that week's video. Enjoy a year's worth of productivity tips! … [Read more...]
Customer Engagement Magazine Special Promotion
To help you get to where you want to go faster and easier I struck a deal with Customer Engagement Magazine to give you 3 months access on your iPad. They just featured me in a video interview and I think it can help your business. This is a new premier multi-media magazine that features Business Executives, Business Owners & Industry Experts that are passionate about The Customer Experience throughout the Solution Lifecycle leading to True Customer Loyalty. This magazine helps Business Owners and Executives: Build a Team of Success Oriented Customer Driven Employees; Build Solutions Customers are Excited about Using; Build Marketing Programs that add value; and, Build a Sales Process that helps customers make an informed buying decision. This is accomplished through a Blue … [Read more...]
Blowing Past the Bureaucracy: How To Think More Like An Entrepreneur
"Bureaucracy is a giant mechanism operated by pygmies." -- French author Honoré de Balzac. "Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status." -- Laurence J. Peter, Canadian-American educator and formulator of "The Peter Principle." Remember the Biblical story of David and Goliath? It's a classic of its type, right up there with Jack and the Beanstalk. In both cases, a little guy shocks the world by using speed, agility, and audacity to bring down an "unbeatable" giant. Corporations must become nimble and flexible enough to out-maneuver larger competitors. Consider Apple, which the late Steve Jobs saved from terminal bureaucratitis with innovative thinking and outside-the-box leadership. Jobs didn't just blow past corporate bureaucracy; he scoured … [Read more...]
Walking the Tightrope
I realize all you young go-getters would work 25/8 if possible; however, heed this advice from a 20-year business veteran who tried that: 1. You can't maintain a breakneck pace forever. Sure, you have to invest plenty of time getting your business aloft, but you shouldn't still be working so hard three years later. Something's gotta give—don't let it be you. 2. Protect your time. Keep external challenges from destroying your focus and eating your precious time. Block out time to concentrate on your strategic priorities and erect barriers against interruptions. 3. Know when to unplug. If you don’t take care of yourself and get the R&R you need, you won’t have the energy to take care of your business and other people. Carve out personal time to do the things you enjoy, away from work … [Read more...]
Slow Decisions Can Kill Your Momentum
"A peacefulness follows any decision, even the wrong one." -- Rita Mae Brown, American novelist. "In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions, which a minute will reverse." -- T.S. Eliot, British poet and playwright. The ability to consistently make good, solid decisions lies at the heart of any productivity initiative, especially those affecting entire teams or organizations. Those of us concerned with maximizing positive outcomes have invented a wide variety of guidelines to help people make such decisions. Some experts argue that all significant decisions deserve careful consideration and consensus building before implementation, which results in a slow, deliberate decision-making process. I can't say they're necessarily wrong, because decision-making style depends at least … [Read more...]
In the Decision Comes the Dilemma
It’s the little moments that count. Specifically, one moment: The space in between choosing what to do or what to work on next. It’s that second when you think to yourself, “Okay, what should I do next?” In that space of time, you choose to be productive…or not. We face these moments in the normal course of our days. They represent a fork in the road, where we choose our behavior. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic, in that split second, you choose whether to flip him off and or apply the brake. It’s not that you’re still not angry¬—you are—but you’re making a purposeful choice in how you’re going to let your self-talk manifest itself. If your partner is in a foul mood and says something snippy to you, in that following second, as you inhale, you choose whether to escalate … [Read more...]
