Welcome to the Saturday Summary.
What I’ve Posted – Blog Summary
This week is all about time. We explore how to think about it, plan it, and determine what we think we are doing when we waste it.
The First 90 Days Outdated? The first post of the week suggests that many times we no longer have the luxury of 90 days to come up to speed on something.
Leveraging the “90’s” Framework. This post isn’t about reliving the 1990s, instead it’s about time. Explore what can be accomplished in 90 seconds, minutes, hours, and days.
9-Box Planning Method. This is the third post in the series about time increments. Here we explore how we might use the increments and projects to create a matrix of activities to schedule.
Time Frames. We all know what a timeframe is. However, what if we consider the “frame” to highlight what we are looking to accomplish. Could time frames help us create timeframes?
Time – What is a Waste? We don’t all look at time the same way. What one person might see as a waste of time another might see differently.
What I’ve Listened To – PodList
This week, the first three curated podcasts focus on how work structures can create illusions of productivity. The final two podcasts have an interesting idea for friendships and one for those who might be going through career grief.
Knowledge Workers are Bad at Working (and Here’s What to Do About It). 12 minutes. Optimal Work Daily. Cal Newport highlights a major flaw in modern knowledge work: most professionals are inefficient due to distractions and a lack of structure. The podcast provides tips for deep work.
What Doing Your Core Work Actually Means. 10 minutes. Optimal Work Daily. Core work is the essential tasks that drive our real progress. This podcast explains how busywork and distractions feel productive, but don’t allow real achievement.
The Problem with the Traditional 8 Hour Work Day. 9 minutes. Optimal Work Daily. This episode suggests that the rigid schedule of the traditional work week reduces our creativity & productivity.
Host a Friendship Awards Ceremony. 5 minutes. The Best Advice Show. Anna Goldfarb, author of Modern Friendship, shares an idea for celebrating the friends in our life.
Career Transitions with Laverne McKinnon. 32 minutes. Happier in Hollywood. This podcast includes a great segment with career coach Laverne McKinnon talking about career grief.
What I’ve Been Up To
This week, I spent time updating the first three modules of the job loss course. These sections focus on making the transition by focusing on self-care, working through the emotions, and finding clarity as you start to regain control.
Outside of work, I thoroughly enjoyed the glimmer of spring the weather provided. I went on walks outside and spent time starting the annual yard cleanup routine. My sister was also in town for business and we were able to spend Thursday evening together – going on a walk, out to dinner, and just enjoying time together in person.
What Do You Think?
Did the blog posts on time encourage you to think differently about how you allocate yours?
Do you see a lack of productivity in your workday?
How could you leverage the concept of a friends (or co-worker) awards ceremony?