For years I’ve scheduled regular planning sessions and each project received detailed next actions. This allows me to identify the work that needs to be done and think about the required tasks. My challenge, however, was to find a way to view them so I could acknowledge project progress and work with my to-do list. […]
Plan
5 Quick Tips for your Disaster Preparedness Plan
This weekend, Tropical Storm Fay brings heavy rains, high winds, and potential tornadoes to the Mid-Atlantic Region while simultaneously the COVID-19 pandemic infection rates are not controlled across the United States. But wait, there’s more! According to the NOAA Weather Prediction Center, there is “enhanced risk for severe thunderstorms moving across the northern Plains today” […]
Review your Disaster Preparedness Plan: 3 Steps to Start
It’s hurricane season, wild fire season, and ongoing social justice reform & pandemic season. For years I’ve recommended reviewing your disaster preparedness plan at regular intervals. With everything that’s happening this year and new procedures in place as business begin to reopen, it’s a very good time to do this! First, if you’re curious about […]
plans for a world turned upside down
First things first: Black lives matter. I found How to be an Antiracist (library availability) as well as Me and White Supremacy (library availability) to be two good places to start learning. I’m reading The Torture Letters (library availability) to better understand how we arrived at current events. My experience is that during national/global crisis […]
book review: digital minimalism
I am a longtime proponent of being thoughtful and intentional with the technology I use every day. I’ve shut off notifications for years. Over the past several months I’ve taken a large step back from social media. I found that my work has evolved, improved, and not missed out on that One Big Opportunity. I […]
continuing a new year of deeper work
A year ago, I made a commitment to work deeper. It was successful, for the most part. Under my current client-work model, attention residue is quite sticky. This often causes projects to become mired in details instead of moving forward. While I made progress on reducing the stick last year, the processes are still a […]
book review: atomic habits
I’ve subscribed to James Clear‘s weekly email newsletter for years. Honestly, I can’t recall when or how I discovered his writing. He writes thoughtfully about productivity and often his newsletter touches on topics that I’m mulling over that week. When I saw he had a book coming out, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way […]
thoughts on Deep Work
Over two and a half years ago I read Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport. It’s sat with me and changed how I think about work and how I focus. At the start of this year, I made a commitment to working deeper. It hasn’t been easy, I […]
evaluating software and services with a planning grid
Clients often approach me asking for assistance in choosing new technology. After they answer the first three critical questions, it’s time to get into the grit of researching options and evaluating them in light of my client’s needs. This is where my planning grid provides assistance. Yes, I could use a spreadsheet and evaluate many […]
book reviews: how we learn (to be) smarter, faster, and better
I am a bookworm. I like to read across disciplines to improve my work and assist my clients. Two books I recommend are How We Learn by Benedict Carey and Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg. When read together, they provide insight into ways we can learn to increase our productivity.