Welcome to the Saturday Summary.
What I’ve Posted – Blog Summary
This week, three of the posts focus on our energy and where we are spending it. As we hit the mid-year mark, it’s a great time to think about this. The creative post is interesting to consider which quadrant(s) you spend the most time in.
Project Energy. This post describes what project energy is and how to take note of what we are doing when it arrives. Knowing work that energizes vs. drains can help us steer our careers.
The Four Quadrants of Creative Work. All creative work is not created equal. This post looks at the intersections of ideas vs. projects and structure vs. free flow.
A Mid-Year Personal Energy Audit. As we hit the mid-year point, how is your energy? This post explores 7 types of daily energy and lets you check in to determine if anything needs to shift.
The Power of Meaning and Mattering. This title says it all. Each of us needs meaning in our lives and feeling like the actions we take matter to others (at home and at work).
Morning Energy. This week is full of energy! This final post covers our morning energy. It’s different for each of us. Looking at the 7 types, what is the right formula for your morning?
What I’ve Listened To – PodList
This week if you can only listen to one of the curated selections, choose the first one. It ties directly to three of the blog posts this week – managing our energy. I like the last two that provide ideas to make the most of our summer.
Stripping Time Management to Its Essence. 4 minutes. Self-Improvement Daily. This episode reminds us that we can’t manage time but rather can choose how to spend our energy.
Corrupted Callings: The Subtle Difference Between Finding Your Life’s Work and Loving Your Life. 11 minutes. Part 2. 9 minutes. Optimal Work Daily. Cal Newport explores the distinction between finding work you love and pursuing what he calls a “true calling.”
The Most Powerful Creator Strategy: Silence. 3 minutes. Content Inc. This short podcast reminds us why white space matters for content creators…. really anyone.
Practice TOAD Time. 5 minutes. Before Breakfast. This episode carries a great idea for anyone. The acronym stands for Time Outside After Dinner. Learn more at the link.
Plan Microadventures to Make Your Weekend Feel Like a Vacation. 10 minutes. Optimal Living Daily. With summer in full swing, this is a great reminder to make the most of our weekends.
What I’ve Been Up To
On the professional front, I have been working on some new projects and I’m excited by a concept/insight that emerged. We’ll see where that takes me. I also continue to dive into the world of gamification (more on that on my LinkedIn this week). I see myself taking my years of relationship marketing experience to the next level and wanting to lead the way in how we think about what modern relationship marketing looks like.
Outside of work, our pool leak is FINALLY fixed, and I was able to spend some time floating in the pool reading. Pool floating is always fiction. I finished The Autumn of Ruth Winters. Time to start something new this week. I’m also overwhelmed with my evening “want to watch” list. I’m bouncing between Georgia & Ginny on Netflix and two shows on Peacock – Love Island (yes, a guilty pleasure) and Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together. All three are different and I’m struggling with which one to pull up each night!
What Do You Think?
Did the blog posts this week provide insights on how your energy is consumed?
What are the shows you can’t wait to watch this summer?
Are there any personal audits or check-ins that you are doing as we hit the mid-year mark?