People who wear glasses will flash a bright white square in the reflection of their lenses when they navigate to a new tab. If a virtual meeting is boring, it’s easy to multitask, check emails, and scroll through social media. The person leading the meeting was reading her bullet points off of a slide, which [...]
Every time I picked up the phone, I put another paperclip into the jar on my desk. I was playing a simple game with my work, to make it more entertaining (and achievable). The list in front of me had 10 names and phone numbers. Every time I dialled a number, I put a [...]
Work without will or wonder is just drudgery. Play is an overlap of work, will, and wonder, and it transforms how we participate in the act of working.Bringing play into your work increases your capacity to do work well. Think of the seven dwarves, toiling in the mines; they knew to whistle while you work. Play makes [...]
Three years ago, I fell severely ill with an autoimmune disorder. I'll spare you the details (but they were bloody uncomfortable). This illness transformed my life. It also transformed my body:For someone who is used to being strong and having high endurance, the change was drastic. I used to rely on my American work ethic [...]
SQUIRREL! Did something just take your attention? Run after it, nobody can stop you! The greatest thing about working from home is your flexibility. But this is also a danger. You have the ability to pivot your attention at a moment's notice - and you don't have to check with a board, or a [...]
Instead of working, I was curled into a ball on the ground. My morning plans were interrupted by pain, and the more I tried to work, the worse my pain became. So I stopped working for the day. I made myself a cup of tea, and went into my back yard, to ask myself: [...]
In the middle of a geek-out session with a good friend, comparing productivity apps, he asked the big question: How do you manage all these lists without getting overwhelmed? I reviewed the basic principles of Getting Things Done, the task management philosophy developed by David Allen. Even after reading the book, implementing these productivity protocols can break [...]
You’ve arrived five minutes early to your appointment. You think there’s a good chance this could lead somewhere… …until twenty minutes later, when you call to find out that, yes, they’ve forgotten all about you. No-shows waste your time (and your reputation). Protect your time. Prevent appointment no-shows from happening by sending 2 emails with [...]
Productive people make things happen. Procrastinators make good excuses. “Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” – Paul Meyer Deadline. The very name sounds menacing and morbid. Many procrastinators can only finish their work under mortal threat. Knowing they will be completely [...]