Posts
Regroup, Refocus & Recharge
Time to Regroup
During a recent conversation with my Connecticut mastermind group,1 one of my coach friends described having several potential opportunities in play. Investing her time and energy in multiple directions was making her feel scattered and unfocused. By the end of the conversation she concluded: I need to take a breather right now and get grounded and back in balance. In hearing herself say these words, she knew what she needed to do. That’s the value of tapping into your inner circle – people who will listen, hear what you’re saying, and give honest and helpful feedback. Read more
The Movie Camera Technique
First, Go Wide
Today I’d like to share one of my techniques for managing overwhelm. You can use this on any given day as well as for long-range planning. Applying the metaphor of a movie camera, it goes like this: When multiple or conflicting priorities make it hard to know where to start, first, go for the wide shot. In movie lingo it’s also known as the long shot: “a camera shot taken at a relatively great distance from the subject and permitting a broad view of the scene.”¹ Read more
Are You in Catch-Up Mode?
“The sooner I fall behind, the more time I have to catch up.”
– Unknown
Which Kind?
“I’m digging out.” That’s what my friend, Tim, said with a definitive sigh when I asked how he was doing back at work after knee surgery. “I’m catching up.” Those were my own words when my friend, Monica, posed a similar question to me about a month ago. I told her it felt good to be returning to projects that I had put aside last winter in order to care for my mother. Yet Monica sensed a degree of heaviness in my choice of words. “You think you might want to reframe that catching-up part?” Seeing as how this reframing business is something at which we coaches are experts (ahem), I’m usually open to the suggestion. This time I found myself yeah-butting: Okay, but even if I call it something else, aren’t I still catching up? Read more
September is a Fresh Start
Whatever the Weather
I recently returned from a two-week vacation, visiting friends and family back east. After four years living in Arizona, I’m getting to learn the art of these visits, which includes scheduling just the right amount of activity and not packing too much in — and that goes for my suitcase, too. On this trip I had the pleasure of witnessing a friend’s wedding and spending time with my stepsons, parents, and a few other friends. I also got to escort my niece, Natasha, on shopping trips for college supplies and then surprise my niece, Olivia, by picking her up at camp and seeing her perform in a talent show. Read more
Your Short & Mighty List
Are You Satisfied with Your Progress?
Do you end most days feeling like you worked on the most important things, given what was put in front of you? How about that mental list you’ve been meaning to get to… are you satisfied with your progress there? For the second question, I’m talking about the kind of proactive steps that when taken, would definitely have a positive impact on your work and life overall. Interestingly, it’s possible that you could answer yes to the first question and no to the second. Daily life is an unpredictable mix of what just happens combined with what you cause to happen or initiate. On a day-to-day basis, you can be doing a fairly good job of managing what’s in front of you and yet still be dissatisfied with the results you’re getting overall. Read more
Leap + Steady-As-You-Go
A Strategy for Approaching Your Goals
This summer, I’ve witnessed several clients make tremendous progress using a strategy I developed for myself and shared with you a few years ago. I decided to rerun the issue today with a few enhancements. Read more
Distracted Easily? Try This.
Wired For Distraction
A news headline on your computer screen. Your own thoughts. The buzz of your cell phone. In today’s world, we are bombarded and if you are prone to distraction by nature, learning how to manage this is critical. First, though, acknowledge the upside of how you are wired¹. When I suggested this to Sharon, a sales professional and client, she was relieved. Rather than feel badly for being susceptible to distractions, she identified that her strength is that she is spontaneous and flexible. Her opportunity now is to harness this so that she can be more focused and productive. Read more
The Planning Paradox
“…I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
Is Planning Worth It?
“The best-laid plans… often go awry.”¹ What looks good on paper doesn’t always work out as envisioned. So why bother planning at all? I used to think that the point of planning was the satisfaction I got by checking off completed tasks. While this still makes me feel good, I now see that the main reason for planning is to get you into purposeful action and to make progress. Read more
3 Questions: Move from Overwhelm to Momentum
Overwhelm: Don’t Get Too Used To It
It seems that a fact of modern life is getting acquainted with the state of overwhelm. We are overwhelmed by the speed of information coming at us, conflicting demands on our time, and the myriad of choices we have. While it’s true that being in overload from time to time comes with the territory, there is a significant difference between overwhelm as a temporary state and overwhelm as a bad habit or way of life. The cost of operating this way all the time is that urgency tends to rule and our ability to solve problems or be creative is eroded, along with our overall effectiveness and sense of accomplishment. Read more