Do you have discretionary time? Not in the HR “time off” kind of way. The kind of time when you have autonomy to do what you want. No work deliverables you must do. No laundry. No running errands. You could choose to do those things. Or you could choose to do...
We’ve had many posts here about the benefits of slowing down. We know that while it’s counterintuitive, stepping away from a situation can make us stronger when we return to it. Enabling better negotiation, higher productivity, and increased happiness. When our brains...
Our lives can be crazy. Sometimes the days and weeks feel out of control. Over the last few years, I’ve written many posts about how to regain that control. Move from a defensive position in life to one of offense. Below is a summary of some of the ideas I’ve shared...
It’s been over 2 years since my post about the types of energy. I developed this framework to help us understand the best time of day for activities. The “when” will be different for each of us. That post highlights 7 categories: Charge – Time to rest, reflect, and...
We’re halfway through the year. Before we start power through the rest of it, this is a great time to pause. Stop checking off more tasks and instead check in with our energy. We often measure time but rarely measure how we feel during that time. Yet, energy is the...
I have posted about many topics on time management. Yet, I often shift to the idea of energy management. Considering our days, weeks, work, and leisure times based on the type of energy we have. Most of the energy posts have helped consider what time of day we are at...
Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. But for many of us, it’s a day of dread. The to-do list feels like it’s growing, not shrinking. The Sunday Scaries show up. The day becomes a catch-all for everything we didn’t finish last week. What if, instead of defaulting...
When we think about the year, we each break it down in our own way. Some think in quarters. Some in seasons. Some follow school calendars. For me, the year has five distinct segments: Segment 1 (January – March): New Year Energy Segment 2 (April – Memorial Day):...
This week, I listened to a podcast from Everyday Better with Leah Smart focused on productivity. Leah interviewed Ali Abdaal and discussed his book Feel-Good Productivity. They focused the discussion on the three blockers to productivity: Uncertainty, fear, and...
Our approach to life is a big question. However, this post will break it down to look at just one layer. I listened to an episode of the TED Radio Hour podcast over the weekend. The title was “Approaches to Life: Improvise, Pivot, or Plan.” There were three...
Decisions drain our energy. A variety of sources suggest that we make 33,000-35,000 decisions a day. Many of the choices we don’t even realize we are making. Yet, each one takes mental power to execute. When we reduce the number of decisions, we have more energy...
My whole life, May has crept up on me and then done a body slam. The month is full of transitions. We have the seasonal transition which provides energy to get outdoors. That energy can often come with lawn work and outdoor projects to prepare for summer. This is also...
Time is a funny thing. Sometimes it moves quickly. Other times it moves slowly. I feel like when I’m working on projects, the clock is always fast. I underestimate how long something will take. I get pulled in and lose track of time. For others, I think project work...
Timeframe. Such a common word. So common we probably don’t even think about it. “The period of time in which something occurs or is planned to take place.” Until someone brings it to the forefront. For me, that was through a wonderful poem titled Time, Framed. I hope...
I’ve been thinking about time increments and planning. We can think of many increments like 5, 15, 30, 60, or 90 just to name a few. Then apply those to different time metrics including seconds, minutes, hours, days and months. We could plan a month with time blocks...
Yesterday, we explored the idea that the timeframe for “the first 90-days” has shifted. The timeframes to get up to speed and make an impact is getting shorter. That got me thinking that we could use “90” as a framework for different types of activities. Some are 90...
With a new project or job, the first 90 days are often discussed. Made popular in the early 2000s with Michael D. Watkins book The First 90 Days. We are asked how we will approach the first 90 days. Teams discuss how to get through forming, norming, and storming in 90...
In a meeting recently, someone mentioned their focus on closing open loops. They wanted several loops to be closed by the end of the first quarter. If you are wondering what an open loop is, these are the commitments we make to ourselves or someone else that we...
The holiday season brings fun, food, and family. From Thanksgiving through the New Year, our calendars are full. Many look forward to the season and dread it at the same time. We are excited to spend time with those we love. The shift in routine. Possibly off from...
When we think of routines, fluid doesn’t usually come to mind. People focus on stacking habits into routines. We have these routines sprinkled throughout our days. Little groupings of to-do lists to make sure we keep good habits. Lately, I’ve heard more people talk...
As we build a sustainable life, we need to be productive. Enjoying deep work, getting “chores” completed, and having time for the things that matter to us. The challenge is ensuring we feel productive and not busy. Productive is accomplishment. Busy creates anxiety...