Thinks I find along the way
Generational differences at work are largely unsupported by data and often harmful. Shifting focus from supposed generational gaps can improve workplace dynamics. Source: Generational Differences at Work Are Marketing Hype
Here’s how it went. Source: I Tried the “Kanban Method” to Organize Every Aspect of My Life
One of the most important concepts to learn as you figure out your 2024 plans comes from David Allen: “You can do anything you want, but you can’t do everything you want.” [Free Workshop this Monday]. Source: The Power of Focus Themes – The Sweet Setup
We’ve come a long way, but are we focused on the right things? Source: The Perils of Progress
it takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to regain full focus after an interruption.
Ruth Gotian Ed.D., M.S.
“Picture it: You are sitting at your desk in the office, deeply engrossed in a task, when a colleague appears at your door who has a “quick question.” Twenty minutes later, a barrage of emails overflows your inbox, and the constant ping of notifications on your computer becomes maddening. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Workplace disruptions have become increasingly problematic, depleting our energy and sapping our productivity, creativity, and overall job satisfaction. The burning need to conquer these disruptions and reignite productivity is universal.” Go to the Source: Maximizing Productivity: How to Conquer Workplace Disruptions | Psychology Today
Shawn Blanc of The Sweet Setup has an interesting perspective on matrixed approach to getting back on track: “If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then perhaps you feel as though you have been given too much. In fact, you’ve been given so much that you’re to the point of feeling buried and drowning beneath a huge mass of stuff — from urgent issues, undone tasks, incoming requests of your time and energy, and more. As a result, you feel overpowered and defeated.” Go to the Source: The Ownership Matrix (What to Do When You’re Overwhelmed) – The Sweet Setup
Why—and how—to set meaningful goals outside work: Setting Goals for a Life Worth Living
J. Kim Penberthy writes “A friend of mine – we will call him “Jay” – was working for IBM in New York City in the early ‘90s. He was a computer programmer and made a good salary. Occasionally, competitors and startups approached Jay to join their companies. He had an offer from an interesting but small organization in Seattle, but the salary was paltry and most of the offer package was in company shares. After consulting with friends and his parents, Jay declined the offer and stayed with IBM. He has regretted it ever since. That small company was Microsoft.” Source: Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda: How to Better Manage Feelings of Regret
A single domino can bring down another domino that is actually 50% larger. Read about practical steps how you can implement the Domino Effect in your life. Source: How to Use The Domino Effect to Get Results – Timewiser.com
What are the ‘big rocks’ tasks in your life? Here’s a way to make sure they all get done…
I am a huge fan of productivity thoughts, tools and tactics and I firmly believe that no matter what business you are in, you can benefit from some intentional thinking in this area. All of us have more things to do than time to do it in and could benefit from a tool that would help us to organize our thoughts and tasks in a more systematic way.
I have been interested in this space since the early 90’s when the company I worked for at the time implemented the Franklin Planner as a means of increasing or enhancing productivity. Franklin Planner was a great way to start but organizing things according to their methodology was as cumbersome as the mass of binders that we had to carry around in order to manage our days.
Almost 20 years ago David Allen came on the scene with his radical ‘Getting Things Done’ approach to time and task management. His ‘mind like water’ approach is perfect for a time when to-do lists must be more flexible while recognizing the context of tasks as well. I have taken his approach to productivity to heart for almost half of my business life and thought of you who know me have heard me talk about it at least once, if not more! What I have never really found is a way to implement his thinking in a way that incorporates the best of software tools, the cloud and a platform independent approach that met my needs. Until now, that is. The tool I want to tell you about is called Priority Matrix from Appfluence.
Priority Matrix is platform independent, based in the cloud, freemium software that integrates with any email platform you’re using including Office 365, Outlook, G Suites and Gmail and it does it seamlessly and elegantly.
Here’s a brief overview:
Additional Examples…
It’s even available for smartphones!
You can find many more of these examples on their YouTube channel here.
This solution hits all my high notes around thoughts, tools, tactics and timing in the productivity space and it meets all my criteria for an effective solution. It is simple, it is powerful, it is platform independent, it is freemium and therefore it is effective. If you’d like to talk about how this applies to you, please use the contact form below!
My interview with David Allen…
These thoughts were assembled with care for the important people in my life. If you’re getting this link, it’s because you and your productivity and happiness are very important to me! I hope it benefits you…
I’m surprised I haven’t come across this video before because GTD or Getting Things Done is one of my favorite thoughts or strategies and Mindjet MindManager is my favorite tools for implementing GTD. I promise you it’s worth your time to watch if you have a lot of information and effort to coordinate…
Do first things first, and second things not at all.
Peter Drucker
“The ability to set priorities, focus on them and not deviate may be the most important skill for success in life. The quote from Peter Drucker was written in the context of talking about business efficiency but can be applied to any field. With limited time and energy that is available, there are only so many things that can be done – no matter how many time management skills you learn. And because not all things get you the same return on investment it is important that you only do those things that are the best investment of your time, energy and also money.”
Source: First things first (Quote of the Month, December 2010)
More great thoughts from my hero, Brian Johnson…
I believe that mind-mapping is a special skill that will help you organize your thoughts for business or life. Here’s Brian Johnson’s take. Click the title to watch the video…
More inspirational thinking from Brian Johnson of optimize.me…
Effective ways on how to stop multitasking and start focusing if you want to boost your productivity and achieve more in less time: How to Stop Multitasking and Become Way More Productive
Most of us have troubles keeping focus throughout the workday and have to constantly fight procrastination and all kinds of distractions. Here are 15 instant tips for focusing on work that you can apply to your workflow today: How to Focus on Work Like a Jedi: 15-Point Checklist – Upwork Blog
Bright, shiny objects! 
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