by Alison Chapman
Football season has arrived again. I am anticipating many weekends of fun-filled social activities. They start on Friday night, and they do not end until Sunday evening; sometimes even later than that. Friends come into town, dinners, tailgating, and numerous parties to go to. These are always fun when the season starts, but they get tiring after a month or two. It is difficult when Monday comes around and you haven’t gotten enough sleep. You drag and barely make it through the day.
In addition to working and social activities, I am now in graduate school, working on my MBA. I work, go to school and study during the week. On the weekends, if I need to, I study. But I try to relax and enjoy myself as much as I can. The problem is I have friends coming in town, weddings, wedding showers, happy hours and parties that I want to go to as well. I enjoy going to all these events, and I hate missing even one. After starting graduate school, I had realized that I have to make sacrifices and say “no” when I need to. I need my energy for work and school right now, and those are my priorities. It is difficult enough for people that work to have enough energy to get through the week, much less someone that is going to school in addition.
As much as I have hated it, I have learned to decline social events that I am invited to. I realize that there are sacrifices that I have to make in order to accomplish my goals. I have also realized that, although I am missing out on some small things now, there is a much greater goal down the road. This is something we all have to realize when we are trying to accomplish our goals, whether that goal is going to school, raising kids, buying a house or advancing in your career. It is a difficult thing for people to realize. But if you want something bad enough, you will learn to balance.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Get Out of Your Own Way
by Diane Holz
In our office we have a couple of bookshelves with self-help books, and other books to inspire us. Every time I walk by the bookcase one book in particular always sticks out. It is entitled “Get Out of Your Own Way.”
I always want to stop and read that book. If I can read that book I can switch off the counterproductive parts of my brain and use the parts of my brain that are waiting to align my best energy and brainpower to my goals, hopes, wishes, dreams, and aspirations. If I can just read that book…everything will be better. But that means I would have to let go of something.
We talk about being so busy all the time. But a lot of times, we are distracted by things that are not very important; falling into ruts and routines instead of seizing every chance to give our best to each other and to our work and our family. I chug along on autopilot, a lot of times sidestepping anything new or challenging.
Do you beat yourself up because you don’t have the time to do things for yourself? One of the things taught in our trainings is to schedule time for you. Stop now and take the time to put you on the calendar….go for a walk, watch a movie, listen to music, go to dinner with a friend…or read a book! So easy, so simple.
In our office we have a couple of bookshelves with self-help books, and other books to inspire us. Every time I walk by the bookcase one book in particular always sticks out. It is entitled “Get Out of Your Own Way.”
I always want to stop and read that book. If I can read that book I can switch off the counterproductive parts of my brain and use the parts of my brain that are waiting to align my best energy and brainpower to my goals, hopes, wishes, dreams, and aspirations. If I can just read that book…everything will be better. But that means I would have to let go of something.
We talk about being so busy all the time. But a lot of times, we are distracted by things that are not very important; falling into ruts and routines instead of seizing every chance to give our best to each other and to our work and our family. I chug along on autopilot, a lot of times sidestepping anything new or challenging.
Do you beat yourself up because you don’t have the time to do things for yourself? One of the things taught in our trainings is to schedule time for you. Stop now and take the time to put you on the calendar….go for a walk, watch a movie, listen to music, go to dinner with a friend…or read a book! So easy, so simple.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Handle Email or Watch A Movie
by Robertt Young
Last Saturday I travelled home from New York and observed several people around me on the airplane. They had their laptops open and were working during the two hour flight. The one thing that they all had in common- they were all checking, reading and doing who knows what with their email. I felt a little guilty as I watched a movie on my computer while these folks tried desperately to get out of email jail before they got home. It occurred to me that these people were just like so many in the business world today; taking every spare moment they have to catch up on their email. Watching this scene in the airplane reminded me of something we talk about in the Getting the EDGE workshop. “Small things done consistently in strategic places create major impact.” And depending on the small thing, this can either be positive or negative.
What I saw on the plane, people handling email, was an example of a small thing done consistently in a strategic place that created a major negative impact. This small thing was opening an email, looking at it and making the decision not to do anything with it at that time. They made the choice to come back to the email later and do something with it. On the airplane was the later time. Instead of sleeping or reading a good book or watching a movie and relaxing, they were then forced to be heavily engaged and focused, catching up on all the stuff they let accumulate during the week.
The small thing they could have done consistently in a strategic place that would have created a major positive impact would have been to open each email and make a decision to either Dump it, Do it, Delegate it or Defer it. They would then be facing an empty inbox on the plane. The only decisions they would be making is whether they were going to sleep, watch a movie, read a book or magazine or having a conversation with a seat mate who might just be a potential new friend, client or the next President of the United States.
Last Saturday I travelled home from New York and observed several people around me on the airplane. They had their laptops open and were working during the two hour flight. The one thing that they all had in common- they were all checking, reading and doing who knows what with their email. I felt a little guilty as I watched a movie on my computer while these folks tried desperately to get out of email jail before they got home. It occurred to me that these people were just like so many in the business world today; taking every spare moment they have to catch up on their email. Watching this scene in the airplane reminded me of something we talk about in the Getting the EDGE workshop. “Small things done consistently in strategic places create major impact.” And depending on the small thing, this can either be positive or negative.
What I saw on the plane, people handling email, was an example of a small thing done consistently in a strategic place that created a major negative impact. This small thing was opening an email, looking at it and making the decision not to do anything with it at that time. They made the choice to come back to the email later and do something with it. On the airplane was the later time. Instead of sleeping or reading a good book or watching a movie and relaxing, they were then forced to be heavily engaged and focused, catching up on all the stuff they let accumulate during the week.
The small thing they could have done consistently in a strategic place that would have created a major positive impact would have been to open each email and make a decision to either Dump it, Do it, Delegate it or Defer it. They would then be facing an empty inbox on the plane. The only decisions they would be making is whether they were going to sleep, watch a movie, read a book or magazine or having a conversation with a seat mate who might just be a potential new friend, client or the next President of the United States.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Someday, Maybe
by Kim Brewster
“Death, taxes and childbirth. There’s never any convenient time for any of them.”
--Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind, 1936
In our day and age, childbirth, however, can be scheduled for the convenience of the mom, should she and her physician make that choice. Taxes – well, let’s no even go there.
I recently attended a funeral; something all of us do from time to time. It was for the father of my brother-in-law, an elderly gentleman I had met several times. I never really got to know him that well, mainly because he lived several hundred miles away. By the end of his funeral though, I had a come to know him in a much deeper way and I attribute that to his foresight in leaving his story.
He approached his son-in-law several years ago and asked his assistance in writing his obituary and what he wanted said at his funeral. He was not in ill health or in a hurry; he just wanted to “get it out and have it right.” They met regularly to add or make changes to the story, a story which began in early childhood and was completed a few days before his death. He had even selected the songs he wanted sung and the bible references he wanted recited. He may have even selected the menu of fried chicken and mashed potatoes which was served at the church following the gravesite ceremony.
Maybe this is a subject you would rather not address now. Maybe it’s an idea for the distant future, or never. But if this idea connects with you, the perfect place to have those gentle reminders to keep a record of your life is your Someday/Maybe list. After all, who can tell your story better than you?
As Van Morrison sings in his song, Precious Time, “…precious time is slipping away.”
“Death, taxes and childbirth. There’s never any convenient time for any of them.”
--Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind, 1936
In our day and age, childbirth, however, can be scheduled for the convenience of the mom, should she and her physician make that choice. Taxes – well, let’s no even go there.
I recently attended a funeral; something all of us do from time to time. It was for the father of my brother-in-law, an elderly gentleman I had met several times. I never really got to know him that well, mainly because he lived several hundred miles away. By the end of his funeral though, I had a come to know him in a much deeper way and I attribute that to his foresight in leaving his story.
He approached his son-in-law several years ago and asked his assistance in writing his obituary and what he wanted said at his funeral. He was not in ill health or in a hurry; he just wanted to “get it out and have it right.” They met regularly to add or make changes to the story, a story which began in early childhood and was completed a few days before his death. He had even selected the songs he wanted sung and the bible references he wanted recited. He may have even selected the menu of fried chicken and mashed potatoes which was served at the church following the gravesite ceremony.
Maybe this is a subject you would rather not address now. Maybe it’s an idea for the distant future, or never. But if this idea connects with you, the perfect place to have those gentle reminders to keep a record of your life is your Someday/Maybe list. After all, who can tell your story better than you?
As Van Morrison sings in his song, Precious Time, “…precious time is slipping away.”
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Multi-tasking. The Wave of the Future?
by Kirk Miller
In our Getting the EDGE course, we speak extensively about the downside of multi-tasking; even the negative effect it can have on our health and well-being. As a father of two daughters, it is especially alarming to see that multi-tasking seems to be the wave of the future, as opposed to showing any signs whatsoever of slowing down.
I recently sat at a restaurant with my 14-year old daughter and her friend. I sat bewildered, watching my daughter’s friend, not only eat and have a conversation with us, but all the while texting back and forth with multiple friends at the same time. She was proud of the fact that, in school, she is able to text friends while in the classroom with her phone in her pocket. She is part of the “MySpace Generation.”
In an effort to better understand what is going on with my daughter and her friends, I picked up a book called “Me, MySpace and I: Parenting the Net Generation”, by Larry Rosen, PhD. In the book, he goes into the topic of multi-tasking in great detail. He describes one evening sitting in his daughter’s room, watching her not only doing homework with an iPod on, but also manage 8 IM windows open on her laptop, while also checking her MySpace page.
We reference an article in our Getting the EDGE course that describes the damaging effects of multi-tasking on IQ. In light of this, one can only shudder to think of the effects all of this multi-tasking will have over time on the MySpace Generation. Culturally, multi-tasking seems to be not only here to stay, but gaining momentum. Keeping the EDGE reminds us to prioritize our tasks into single actions that we can execute single-mindedly, giving our full attention and focus to that single task. We still get everything done, but in a peaceful and relaxed manner.
In our Getting the EDGE course, we speak extensively about the downside of multi-tasking; even the negative effect it can have on our health and well-being. As a father of two daughters, it is especially alarming to see that multi-tasking seems to be the wave of the future, as opposed to showing any signs whatsoever of slowing down.
I recently sat at a restaurant with my 14-year old daughter and her friend. I sat bewildered, watching my daughter’s friend, not only eat and have a conversation with us, but all the while texting back and forth with multiple friends at the same time. She was proud of the fact that, in school, she is able to text friends while in the classroom with her phone in her pocket. She is part of the “MySpace Generation.”
In an effort to better understand what is going on with my daughter and her friends, I picked up a book called “Me, MySpace and I: Parenting the Net Generation”, by Larry Rosen, PhD. In the book, he goes into the topic of multi-tasking in great detail. He describes one evening sitting in his daughter’s room, watching her not only doing homework with an iPod on, but also manage 8 IM windows open on her laptop, while also checking her MySpace page.
We reference an article in our Getting the EDGE course that describes the damaging effects of multi-tasking on IQ. In light of this, one can only shudder to think of the effects all of this multi-tasking will have over time on the MySpace Generation. Culturally, multi-tasking seems to be not only here to stay, but gaining momentum. Keeping the EDGE reminds us to prioritize our tasks into single actions that we can execute single-mindedly, giving our full attention and focus to that single task. We still get everything done, but in a peaceful and relaxed manner.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Outcome is in Your Attitude
by Angela Ware
I recently relearned the importance of keeping a positive attitude in the midst of an unpleasant circumstance.
In preparation for a recent business trip I logged on to a popular travel site to find the most cost effective car rental company to meet my needs and save on expenses. After viewing all of my options, I made my decision and booked my car. Great! I’ve saved the client some money and secured dependable transportation for myself. Or did I?
Yes, I did book a car with, let’s call them Rental Car, and the price was the second lowest price of all of the companies listed. But that is where the fairytale ends.
I arrived at Oakland International Airport and proceeded to the Rental Car Shuttle service. While riding the shuttle I noticed that the rental car company I had chosen was not listed on any of the shuttle signage. I asked the driver if this was the correct shuttle for Rental Car. He said, “Yes.” He went on to tell me that I would need to call Rental Car once we arrived at the shuttle station. I smiled and said, “Thank you for your help.”
Upon arrival, I called Rental Car and, sure enough, within five minutes they had a company van out front to pick me up. Apparently Rental Car did not park their vehicles on the same lot as the other companies.
After driving four blocks we turned into a motel parking lot. That was a clue!
In front of the motel was a small sign reading Rental Car. I couldn’t help but to ask the driver, “Is this the correct location?” To which he replied, “Yes, mama”. I smiled and said thank you and proceeded to the rental “counter” where I met an agent who was clearly bored with her job. We completed the required paperwork and I smiled and thanked her for her help. Before walking to my car I asked if I could get a local map, only to learn that they do not have maps. I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
A gentleman, also clearly bored with his job, pulled my car around. The car had not been washed. The interior had stains and smelled of smoke. I asked for another car, only to learn that this was the only car available.
Upon returning to the rental “counter,” which was a pop-up table, to cancel my reservation, the woman explained that it was too late to cancel my reservations without penalty and that it was not there policy to take noncustomers to the shuttle station. I smiled, said thank you and went to give the rental another look in the hopes that it had transformed while I was inside.
After two or three minutes the agent came outside. She thanked me for being so polite to everyone during an unpleasant circumstance. She agreed to cancel my reservation without penalty and the driver volunteered to take me back to the shuttle station.
Needless to say an agent for a company that is known to try harder got me into a clean, fresh smelling car with a local map. For this, I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
I recently relearned the importance of keeping a positive attitude in the midst of an unpleasant circumstance.
In preparation for a recent business trip I logged on to a popular travel site to find the most cost effective car rental company to meet my needs and save on expenses. After viewing all of my options, I made my decision and booked my car. Great! I’ve saved the client some money and secured dependable transportation for myself. Or did I?
Yes, I did book a car with, let’s call them Rental Car, and the price was the second lowest price of all of the companies listed. But that is where the fairytale ends.
I arrived at Oakland International Airport and proceeded to the Rental Car Shuttle service. While riding the shuttle I noticed that the rental car company I had chosen was not listed on any of the shuttle signage. I asked the driver if this was the correct shuttle for Rental Car. He said, “Yes.” He went on to tell me that I would need to call Rental Car once we arrived at the shuttle station. I smiled and said, “Thank you for your help.”
Upon arrival, I called Rental Car and, sure enough, within five minutes they had a company van out front to pick me up. Apparently Rental Car did not park their vehicles on the same lot as the other companies.
After driving four blocks we turned into a motel parking lot. That was a clue!
In front of the motel was a small sign reading Rental Car. I couldn’t help but to ask the driver, “Is this the correct location?” To which he replied, “Yes, mama”. I smiled and said thank you and proceeded to the rental “counter” where I met an agent who was clearly bored with her job. We completed the required paperwork and I smiled and thanked her for her help. Before walking to my car I asked if I could get a local map, only to learn that they do not have maps. I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
A gentleman, also clearly bored with his job, pulled my car around. The car had not been washed. The interior had stains and smelled of smoke. I asked for another car, only to learn that this was the only car available.
Upon returning to the rental “counter,” which was a pop-up table, to cancel my reservation, the woman explained that it was too late to cancel my reservations without penalty and that it was not there policy to take noncustomers to the shuttle station. I smiled, said thank you and went to give the rental another look in the hopes that it had transformed while I was inside.
After two or three minutes the agent came outside. She thanked me for being so polite to everyone during an unpleasant circumstance. She agreed to cancel my reservation without penalty and the driver volunteered to take me back to the shuttle station.
Needless to say an agent for a company that is known to try harder got me into a clean, fresh smelling car with a local map. For this, I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
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