Time Management
Be Productive Not Busy
It’s a common response. How are things going? Busy. It comes out of our mouths almost by itself. The truth of the matter is we shouldn’t be busy. Even if we have a lot going on, we should be striving to be productive, not busy. What’s…
Make A “To-Don’t” List
We’re all familiar with a to-do list. It’s easy to take on too many projects because you don’t want to say no or you don’t want to disappoint people. That same desire not to disappoint can lead you to do things that divert you f…
Set “Time Boundaries” to Protect Your Schedule
Meetings that run long or unexpected requests from colleagues can prevent you from getting an important task done, make you leave work late, or even disrupt family time. How can you set and communicate boundaries so that you feel your time is respected…
How To Achieve More By Doing Less
There are more demands on our time than ever before. Being constantly connected means even when we’re not working, we are working, blurring the lines of work and home. Sometimes we need an extra hour (or more). Instead of trying to cram more into…
At Your Next Meeting, Use a Shot Clock
Tired of being in meetings that drag on and on? It may sound unusual, but the answer is a shot clock, much like the ones used in professional basketball. Here’s how it works: Before a meeting, explain that you want to devote a certain amount of time to…
Schedule Time for Your Most Important Work
No one likes getting to the end of the day and feeling that, even though you’ve been frantically working for eight hours, you haven’t accomplished anything important. To avoid spending all your time answering emails and texts, try scheduling important …
Three Things You’re Doing That Kill Your Productivity
There’s always more work to do. To handle it all, it is important that we maximize our productivity. Some of the things that we think are helping are actually holding us back. Here are three things to stop doing: Trying to be perfect: You’re not …
Schedule Your Most Important Work for When You’re Most Focused
If you’re like most people, you struggle to maintain focus throughout the day. Maybe you’re distracted by your phone buzzing at your desk, or you can’t seem to stay off email and Facebook during meetings. Instead of beating yourself up, take steps to b…
Don’t Stretch Yourself Too Thin
You are a superstar. Everyone knows it. You are the one to turn to when something needs to be done. This usually results in an abundance of requests for assistance. You want to help everyone, but saying yes to everyone isn’t helping them. Worst o…
Business Lessons From A Prison Gang
On an episode of “Lockdown” a prison warden spoke with a member of jailhouse gang. The problem being addressed was that there was a steady stream of contraband coming in and the guards couldn’t figure out how to stop it. Speaking cand…