by Kristi Willis
Getting the EDGE at work was one challenge, but Getting the EDGE at home was another story entirely – more like a nightmare. I noticed that while I was now organized and effective at work, I was flailing at home and it was causing problems. It was time to take control, so I initiated Project Clean Up/Clear Out at my house.
I started small, one drawer or shelf at a time, and separated things into Action, Reference, Recycle, To Someone Else and Trash stacks. The project went much faster than I thought it would. I delivered things to others, filed my important paperwork and old bills, and then stared at the stack of leftovers. What was I going to do with this stuff?
Some of the items were straightforward things that I could add to my Outlook system at work, like an upcoming party of a friend or a gift I needed to order for a friend. But other things were more ambiguous – they were someday/maybes or reference things that didn’t have a home like vacation ideas or recipes that I had ripped out of magazines. And, there were a lot of them. Hmmmm….
The problem is that I read a lot – magazines, newspapers, blogs, books, you name it. All this reading spurs great ideas; those “ooh, I want to do that/try that” moments. I needed a place to put those things and the Outlook Notes feature wasn’t going to cut it. Keeping it all in paper binders wasn’t practical either. I needed a technology solution.
Enter Evernote (http://www.evernote.com/), one of the coolest applications I have ever used. Evernote is a database application that allows you to store information and access it from just about anywhere. It loads a copy of the database on your computer and syncs it with an online version (this is called cloud computing). If I load a recipe in the database, I can log on to Evernote from anywhere, including my iPhone, and find that recipe.
You can tag the documents with keywords so that they are grouped and located easily. I have recipes, travel ideas, gifts, crafts and exercise routines all saved in Evernote. Each month, when I read my magazines, I find the articles that I want to save online and clip them to Evernote. When I’m out doing errands and see something that I want to keep up with, like a gift idea, I can take a picture of it with my iPhone and store it on Evernote.
While The Effective Edge doesn’t endorse applications as an organization, I have found Evernote truly helpful. If you have a paper “issue,” I recommend using it or a similar tool to help you stay organized. I also recommend that you find a solution that will synchronize with your SmartPhone/PDA so that you can access it anywhere.
I no longer have stacks of magazine clips all over my house and I can find what I need quickly. Definitely EDGE-y.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Productivity Zappers! UGHHH!
by Skip Colfax
Imagine yourself sitting at your desk totally engrossed in creating a document you need to complete today. You’re totally focused and making great headway, feeling on track for getting the document finished. Finally, you’re being productive. It seems that many of your days are spent spinning, instead of getting your work done. As you’re working, a little flag scrolls up in the right hand bottom corner of your screen that says, “You have a new message.” It’s a small flag, not really alarming, not even colored brightly. What happens when that little, innocuous flag appears? Most of us stop what we’re doing and go into our email to see what the message is. Sometimes you’ll handle the need right now by making a phone call or simply responding to the email, but usually you don’t do anything with it because you don’t have time to work on it now, so you leave it in your inbox with the thought that you’ll come back to it later. Sound like you?
My point here is that you were working hard, being productive and, “in the zone” when that little flag distracted you and pulled you out of productivity in just a split-second.” Can you count how often that happens every day? It used to happen to me countless times every day. I was so tied to my email, I couldn’t get much else done. One of the best golden nuggets I got from “Getting the Edge” training, was reducing those pesky productivity zappers.
For most of us it takes 2-3 minutes of concentration to get into “the zone”, where we’re really being productive, and only a split second to get pulled from “the zone”. Even if we ignored the insidious little flag and went right back to our task, it would take us another couple of minutes to get back into the productivity zone. If that happens often enough each day, it’s no wonder we feel like we’re spinning rather than being productive.
Since I’ve completed the “Getting the EDGE” productivity training, my ability to stay in the zone for longer periods of time has remarkably increased! By removing as many of those annoying little productivity zappers from my environment as I could, I get more things done. As I implemented the EDGE system, I learned many new ways to think about my work and new ways to use Microsoft Outlook, but removing those distracters has enabled me to be much more productive, right from the beginning.
I miss the flags, beeps, buzzes and flashes sometimes, but getting so much more done each day motivates me to easily deal with my separation anxiety.
Imagine yourself sitting at your desk totally engrossed in creating a document you need to complete today. You’re totally focused and making great headway, feeling on track for getting the document finished. Finally, you’re being productive. It seems that many of your days are spent spinning, instead of getting your work done. As you’re working, a little flag scrolls up in the right hand bottom corner of your screen that says, “You have a new message.” It’s a small flag, not really alarming, not even colored brightly. What happens when that little, innocuous flag appears? Most of us stop what we’re doing and go into our email to see what the message is. Sometimes you’ll handle the need right now by making a phone call or simply responding to the email, but usually you don’t do anything with it because you don’t have time to work on it now, so you leave it in your inbox with the thought that you’ll come back to it later. Sound like you?
My point here is that you were working hard, being productive and, “in the zone” when that little flag distracted you and pulled you out of productivity in just a split-second.” Can you count how often that happens every day? It used to happen to me countless times every day. I was so tied to my email, I couldn’t get much else done. One of the best golden nuggets I got from “Getting the Edge” training, was reducing those pesky productivity zappers.
For most of us it takes 2-3 minutes of concentration to get into “the zone”, where we’re really being productive, and only a split second to get pulled from “the zone”. Even if we ignored the insidious little flag and went right back to our task, it would take us another couple of minutes to get back into the productivity zone. If that happens often enough each day, it’s no wonder we feel like we’re spinning rather than being productive.
Since I’ve completed the “Getting the EDGE” productivity training, my ability to stay in the zone for longer periods of time has remarkably increased! By removing as many of those annoying little productivity zappers from my environment as I could, I get more things done. As I implemented the EDGE system, I learned many new ways to think about my work and new ways to use Microsoft Outlook, but removing those distracters has enabled me to be much more productive, right from the beginning.
I miss the flags, beeps, buzzes and flashes sometimes, but getting so much more done each day motivates me to easily deal with my separation anxiety.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Sleep Filled Nights
by Angela Ware
In our classes, we ask our participant to engage in a process called the “Mind Sweep”. This activity allows everyone to clear their mind of all of the stuff floating about in their subconscious in an effort to gain greater focus.
In as much as I teach this process on a weekly basis, I am always thankful of the reminder of its benefits in my professional and personal life.
With an abundance of the technical gadgets clipped to my belt, in my purse, backpack and on my desk top, all capable of holding my ideas and To Do’s, I occasionally succumb to the impulse to use my head as a note-taking and reminder device. Why!? All of that “stuff” just sits-in-wait in my subconscious for the right wrong moment to rush to my conscious mind.
And when is that? Two minutes after I lay my head on the pillow. Sleep interrupted!
Here’s my play by play… Just as I get comfortable and begin to relax, my eyes pop wide open and my To Do list and don’t forget items all begin to fight for position as active thoughts. Now, the old me would fight the thoughts until sleep won out, after about 30 minutes to an hour or two or three. Not anymore!
When I fail to Mind Sweep during a busy day, I make it a point to grab my note taking device and clear my mind before heading off to sleep. The benefit of my routine is “sleep filled nights.”
In our classes, we ask our participant to engage in a process called the “Mind Sweep”. This activity allows everyone to clear their mind of all of the stuff floating about in their subconscious in an effort to gain greater focus.
In as much as I teach this process on a weekly basis, I am always thankful of the reminder of its benefits in my professional and personal life.
With an abundance of the technical gadgets clipped to my belt, in my purse, backpack and on my desk top, all capable of holding my ideas and To Do’s, I occasionally succumb to the impulse to use my head as a note-taking and reminder device. Why!? All of that “stuff” just sits-in-wait in my subconscious for the right wrong moment to rush to my conscious mind.
And when is that? Two minutes after I lay my head on the pillow. Sleep interrupted!
Here’s my play by play… Just as I get comfortable and begin to relax, my eyes pop wide open and my To Do list and don’t forget items all begin to fight for position as active thoughts. Now, the old me would fight the thoughts until sleep won out, after about 30 minutes to an hour or two or three. Not anymore!
When I fail to Mind Sweep during a busy day, I make it a point to grab my note taking device and clear my mind before heading off to sleep. The benefit of my routine is “sleep filled nights.”
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Work/Life Balance
by Kim Brewster
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” This ancient village proverb is as relevant now as it was then. Jack had no work/life balance.
To some, work/life balance is a phrase completely devoid of meaning or attainment. To others, it is a delicate balancing act where some days work consumes more of our time yet life is able to assert its rights mightily on other days, so the scale once again becomes level.
If you have taken our Getting the EDGE course, you may remember the section on the Weekly Recharge. This is a set time per week (because you set a task reminder) to capture the prior week’s events, successes, sales, everything from your calendar. The recharge includes completion of outstanding emails, voice mails, and items without categories. It’s your creative place, if you will, of your outlook on life (not necessarily the Microsoft program). Who knows, a review of the items on your someday/maybe list may have borne fruit.
A cursory read of the above paragraph may lead you to believe that all those items are work related only. However, you know you have just one life, so why would it be separate from work? If you are using your Outlook tools to the fullest, your hair appointments, workout times, shopping, cultural events, et al, will be there. Moreover, the things you long to do, like take a fabulous trip, remodel your house or setting aside time to read a book, will be there in your someday/maybe.
By assembling the information from the weekly recharge into a weekly update email that is shared with my colleagues, I have a snapshot of my life at work and life not at work. I can see where imbalances may be occurring.
Intuitively we know when we need to take a break. This is where PTO or vacation time comes in handy. Just like having a savings account, having a PTO account ensures a bank of time for me to use as I wish, even if only half a day. As my own PTO banker, I am in charge of making sure I have extra time stored for an emergency, but it is also my responsibility to take time for myself. I don’t want to end up like Jack.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” This ancient village proverb is as relevant now as it was then. Jack had no work/life balance.
To some, work/life balance is a phrase completely devoid of meaning or attainment. To others, it is a delicate balancing act where some days work consumes more of our time yet life is able to assert its rights mightily on other days, so the scale once again becomes level.
If you have taken our Getting the EDGE course, you may remember the section on the Weekly Recharge. This is a set time per week (because you set a task reminder) to capture the prior week’s events, successes, sales, everything from your calendar. The recharge includes completion of outstanding emails, voice mails, and items without categories. It’s your creative place, if you will, of your outlook on life (not necessarily the Microsoft program). Who knows, a review of the items on your someday/maybe list may have borne fruit.
A cursory read of the above paragraph may lead you to believe that all those items are work related only. However, you know you have just one life, so why would it be separate from work? If you are using your Outlook tools to the fullest, your hair appointments, workout times, shopping, cultural events, et al, will be there. Moreover, the things you long to do, like take a fabulous trip, remodel your house or setting aside time to read a book, will be there in your someday/maybe.
By assembling the information from the weekly recharge into a weekly update email that is shared with my colleagues, I have a snapshot of my life at work and life not at work. I can see where imbalances may be occurring.
Intuitively we know when we need to take a break. This is where PTO or vacation time comes in handy. Just like having a savings account, having a PTO account ensures a bank of time for me to use as I wish, even if only half a day. As my own PTO banker, I am in charge of making sure I have extra time stored for an emergency, but it is also my responsibility to take time for myself. I don’t want to end up like Jack.
Friday, June 19, 2009
A Good Night’s Rest
by Laura Finney
I remember hearing a quote that said, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” The reference was from a billionaire, who worked countless hours to achieve that wealthy status. The successful billionaire was known to sleep 4 hours per night. Many successful people have followed this very same way of living.
Many average everyday employees sleep only 4 to 5 hours per day, and not because they are working on a career or financial goals. This particular group of people is not getting good night’s sleep because their minds are not at rest, which means their bodies are not at rest. They are not resting because of the mind clutter that is being stored in the conscious and unconscious parts of their minds. This group has not learned the value of Emptying Your Collection Points.
Remember the commercial about a specific nighttime cough medicine that will help you get a good night’s rest? The commercial used two people to give a visual example of someone who had taken the medicine and of someone who had not. The person that had taken the cough medicine is shown sleeping peacefully while the other person, who had not taken the medicine, was coughing, tossing and turning the entire night.
Would it not be wonderful to sleep peacefully and not worry about what you may have “forgotten” to do? You can rest assured by consistently emptying your collection points and putting those thoughts into a single seamless system. Then you will be free of worry and wondering if you have forgotten to remember something. You will no longer have to worry or wonder if you emailed everyone that is supposed to be on the conference call in the morning. Or, trying to remember to remind yourself, everyday, to schedule the doctor’s appointment. Or, if you packed everything you need for your trip.
Always remember to empty your collection points into your single seamless system. Then you will be able to go and enjoy a good night’s rest.
I remember hearing a quote that said, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” The reference was from a billionaire, who worked countless hours to achieve that wealthy status. The successful billionaire was known to sleep 4 hours per night. Many successful people have followed this very same way of living.
Many average everyday employees sleep only 4 to 5 hours per day, and not because they are working on a career or financial goals. This particular group of people is not getting good night’s sleep because their minds are not at rest, which means their bodies are not at rest. They are not resting because of the mind clutter that is being stored in the conscious and unconscious parts of their minds. This group has not learned the value of Emptying Your Collection Points.
Remember the commercial about a specific nighttime cough medicine that will help you get a good night’s rest? The commercial used two people to give a visual example of someone who had taken the medicine and of someone who had not. The person that had taken the cough medicine is shown sleeping peacefully while the other person, who had not taken the medicine, was coughing, tossing and turning the entire night.
Would it not be wonderful to sleep peacefully and not worry about what you may have “forgotten” to do? You can rest assured by consistently emptying your collection points and putting those thoughts into a single seamless system. Then you will be free of worry and wondering if you have forgotten to remember something. You will no longer have to worry or wonder if you emailed everyone that is supposed to be on the conference call in the morning. Or, trying to remember to remind yourself, everyday, to schedule the doctor’s appointment. Or, if you packed everything you need for your trip.
Always remember to empty your collection points into your single seamless system. Then you will be able to go and enjoy a good night’s rest.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Look for the Signs
by Angela Ware
I recently experience a situation that I had only heard about and had often laughed about. After attending a concert a group of friends and I decided to go to a local restaurant downtown for breakfast before heading home. The parking lot in front of the restaurant was full but we were able to find parking in the lot across the street. Great location!
After an hour or so we left the restaurant to find that all of our cars were gone; and not just the cars of our group, but a number of others as well. A crowd of about a dozen irate people had formed in the parking lot. After about two minutes of people asking each other “did you see anything?” a gentleman comes over and points out a small sign on a Pay Box at the north east corner of the lot. Mind you most cars enter in from the south west corner, because all of the streets in the area are one-way driving. Meaning we would have seen the Pay Box on our way out, not on our way in.
As I walk toward the Pay Box I notice a sign about two feet off of the ground that reads “All cars must pay, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week”, then I see a sign that reads “All violators will be towed at the owner’s expense.” This is no longer a great location!
As I am calling the tow service to get information about our cars and the process for getting them back, I hear one of my friends say, “I knew it was too good to be true, free parking downtown on a Saturday night”. I thought about his comment for a moment and decided he was right! Free parking on a Saturday night? We should have looked for a sign.
Because we were so eager to find a parking spot we forgot to consider our surroundings. Downtown on a Saturday night in a dining and entertainment district, we should have looked for a sign. Because we didn’t, we learned a $195 lesson.
My take away from this experience… when you are in a hurry, pause and look for signs that you are making the best decision. Acting fast may get you the first seat at the table but it may also cost you more than the price of the meal when you leave.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Unexpected Help
by Russell Tibbits
It’s triathlon season again and I just started training for my second of the season. While the first race was the shortest triathlon I’ve completed, the next one, in July, is the longest, so I’ve ramped up my training. My last workout was a few days ago, Sunday and I typically don’t remember workouts, but this one stands out. My goal was to complete a long, intense swim workout followed immediately by a standard run to downtown and back. Sunday proved difficult however, because the temperature in the late afternoon hovered around 95 degrees. As I finished the swim, I felt better than anticipated. And with my running background, this run should be no problem. I started my jaunt through the neighborhood to the main road that leads to downtown. Upon hitting the main road, I began to pick up speed. I felt really good; my legs still had power. Tired but managing, I approached the halfway point, when I suddenly I realized why my legs and my lungs still had more to give. I had been running slightly downhill the entire time. The final half was all uphill.
I looped around and began my ascent to the top of the hill. As I eyed the top far in the distance, the lactic acid started to creep into my legs and lungs, and I began to notice how hot it was. I would run for a few minutes, but seemed to be no closer to my destination. Toward the top of the hill, about a half mile from my car, I was gassed. I thought to myself, there’s no shame in walking and jogging back after this run. As I was about to give up, I passed a homeless man, weathered by the blistering sun, sitting on the curb. He looked up at me from underneath his dingy white hat and all he said was, “You can do it.” I don’t know if he was trying to be funny or actually motivate me, but I easily made it back to my car, feeling like I could run another loop.
Here is someone that probably aches constantly, can’t find a place to escape the heat of the bright sun, thirsts for a cool drink all hours of the day and he’s helping me. It was such a humbling experience. How often do I complain about the little things in life? How frequently do I miss out on chances to support or inspire someone? If I can accomplish something I didn’t think was possible from a single line of encouragement, what could he accomplish with my support?
It’s triathlon season again and I just started training for my second of the season. While the first race was the shortest triathlon I’ve completed, the next one, in July, is the longest, so I’ve ramped up my training. My last workout was a few days ago, Sunday and I typically don’t remember workouts, but this one stands out. My goal was to complete a long, intense swim workout followed immediately by a standard run to downtown and back. Sunday proved difficult however, because the temperature in the late afternoon hovered around 95 degrees. As I finished the swim, I felt better than anticipated. And with my running background, this run should be no problem. I started my jaunt through the neighborhood to the main road that leads to downtown. Upon hitting the main road, I began to pick up speed. I felt really good; my legs still had power. Tired but managing, I approached the halfway point, when I suddenly I realized why my legs and my lungs still had more to give. I had been running slightly downhill the entire time. The final half was all uphill.
I looped around and began my ascent to the top of the hill. As I eyed the top far in the distance, the lactic acid started to creep into my legs and lungs, and I began to notice how hot it was. I would run for a few minutes, but seemed to be no closer to my destination. Toward the top of the hill, about a half mile from my car, I was gassed. I thought to myself, there’s no shame in walking and jogging back after this run. As I was about to give up, I passed a homeless man, weathered by the blistering sun, sitting on the curb. He looked up at me from underneath his dingy white hat and all he said was, “You can do it.” I don’t know if he was trying to be funny or actually motivate me, but I easily made it back to my car, feeling like I could run another loop.
Here is someone that probably aches constantly, can’t find a place to escape the heat of the bright sun, thirsts for a cool drink all hours of the day and he’s helping me. It was such a humbling experience. How often do I complain about the little things in life? How frequently do I miss out on chances to support or inspire someone? If I can accomplish something I didn’t think was possible from a single line of encouragement, what could he accomplish with my support?
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