by Caroline Leach | Jul 5, 2016 | Leadership, Learning, Work/Life
Need a simple hack to motivate yourself to slog through your email backlog?
Here’s a great one from author and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Charles Duhigg: as fast as you can, write a one-sentence reply to each message.
But don’t send them right away.
Just read and write a sentence in response that “expresses an opinion or decision.”
And if you can exercise control over the situation in your response, you’ll be more motivated to continue, Duhigg says in his book Smarter Faster Better.
Then you can can go back into your draft messages and add the rest of each message – salutations, specifics and signoffs.
This is a terrific example of two ways Duhigg says you can generate motivation.
The first is to “make a choice that puts you in control.” And “the specific choice itself matters less in sparking motivation than the assertion of control.”
The second is to “figure out how this task is connected to something you care about.” If you can “explain why this matters, then you’ll find it easier to start.”
Duhigg’s book is full of fascinating science behind motivation, teams, focus, goal setting, managing others, decision making, innovation and absorbing data.
You’ll learn “the secrets of being productive in life and business” – not only for yourself, but also for your colleagues and your kids.
If you’re looking for an interesting and insightful summer read, this is one to download on your mobile device or pack in your beach bag.
by Caroline Leach | Apr 25, 2016 | Learning
How do you make the most of a virtual meeting, especially if you aren’t running it?
Here are 8 strategies to try for your next meeting.
Read materials in advance. If documents were circulated before the meeting, read them before the meeting. Jot down comments or questions that you want to address in the meeting.
Define what you want to accomplish. Make sure you know why you’re there. If you don’t, get clarity or don’t participate. Have 1 or 2 goals for what you want to get out of it or what you want to see happen as result.
Arrive 5 minutes early. Jumping on early allows you to greet people as they arrive and establish rapport through small talk. It’s a courtesy to your colleagues. And it signals that you’re organized in managing your time.
Turn on your webcam. Take advantage of technology by using the video feature. Establish eye contact and better connection with your colleagues. This will also keep you focused on the meeting, rather than on multi-tasking.
Establish rapport by asking about colleagues. If you’ve joined early and the meeting hasn’t officially begun, ask people how their day is going, what the weather’s like in their city or how another big project is progressing.
Project your voice with a smile. Even when speaking on the phone without video, I smile while I’m talking. Why? It makes your voice sound warmer, more knowledgable and more sincere.
Be one of the first people to jump in with a question or comment. Speaking up early establishes your presence in the meeting from the beginning. Colleagues will then look to you for your thoughts.
Be clear on next steps as the meeting wraps up. If the meeting leader doesn’t summarize next steps, offer up the next steps you will be taking. This often prompts the leader and others to do the same.
And when you’re in the driver’s seat, here’s what everyone should know about running virtual meetings. There are great strategies in Paul Axtell‘s post this month in Harvard Business Review.
What are your best virtual meeting strategies?
by Caroline Leach | Apr 13, 2016 | Learning
Part of making the most of what you have is getting the most out of small snippets of time.
In my April adventure to do my daily dozen every day, I’ve not only found that minutes count. I’ve also learned that using these minutes has changed how I think about using time.
First, it focuses me on goals and accomplishments. Those are the priority items I work on each day. If those get done, I’ve made good progress.
Second, it crowds out busy work. Not everything needs to be done. Less essential tasks that might be tension-relieving to complete get squeezed out by more important actions.
Third, I’m becoming more comfortable with the messiness of life. That could be anything from slightly less perfect physical surroundings to a longer response time on non-urgent personal emails.
Fourth, it means leading a more digital life. I’m doing more things on the go. Waiting in line somewhere? My library of books is just a tap away. Appointment delayed? I can squeeze in my Spanish lesson.
Another minute-long activity is adding short tasks to a “power hour” list. This is a great concept by Gretchen Rubin to tackle uncompleted tasks that don’t have a deadline and therefore aren’t getting done.
The first task for my next power hour? Figuring out why Word Press doesn’t always display my personal photos as right side up on mobile devices (which may be why the clock pictured above from a Connecticut holiday visit may be appearing sideways).
It may not have been a coincidence that starting today your Google calendar will automatically find time in your schedule for your goals. While it sounds like there are some bugs to be worked out, the concept is intriguing.
How are you making your minutes count?
by Caroline Leach | Apr 3, 2016 | Change, Learning, Social Media, Work/Life
In my April adventure to do my daily dozen every day this month, a thought occurred to me. Is there enough time in each day? And if not, how can more time be created?
Here’s the math, by the minute:
- Morning pages: 20
- Power pose: 2
- Weights: 10
- Vitamins: 1
- Reasonable to-do list: 15
- 5 fruits and veggies: included in meals
- Active minutes: 30
- Family member time: variable
- Blog post: 60-90
- Spanish app: 10
- Reading: 30
- 3 things I’m grateful for: 10
- Sleep: 420
Setting aside sleep and focusing on waking hours, that’s 218 minutes, or 3.63 hours. For simplicity, let’s say 3.5 hours.
Like most people, my schedule doesn’t have many open hours in it. So how will this work? By doubling up on activities. Not so I’m multitasking, which is a myth anyway, but by combining activities that naturally go together.
Think of it as a “twofer” – something satisfying 2 needs simultaneously. Or in business jargon, as a “stacked win.”
Morning pages and problem solving. One of the natural outcomes of morning pages, according to their inventor Julia Cameron, is a way to solve problems. If I’m facing a challenging at work or home, writing about it longhand often leads to solutions. And morning pages can be a way to sketch out my next blog post.
Power posing and meditating. Despite the hype about meditating, it hasn’t grabbed me. Yet. While there’s a meditative quality to walking, doing yoga and paddle boarding, it hasn’t been an overt practice in my life. Until I started my 2-minute power poses, thanks to Amy Cuddy. During that time I can focus on my breathing and clear my mind.
Reading and news. Working in corporate communications and now in marketing, it’s imperative to stay on top of the news. My 15-minute news rituals can count toward my reading time. Of course, it’s more enjoyable to read for 30 minutes at the end of the day, but on busier days, reading is already in the plan.
This weekend I stocked up on books, thanks to my local library. Recent releases that caught my eye: Mind Hacking, Why We Work and Social Media for Writers.
And I always have my Kindle app, especially handy if I’m waiting for an appointment or to pick up a family member. Right now it’s Social Physics and revisiting The Happiness Advantage.
Treadmill time and reading. Cardio time walking on the treadmill is also great reading time. There’s catching up with longer-form news and articles via iPad and in print. And there are plenty of books on my iPad (see item above).
Exercising and socializing. My husband is my paddle boarding buddy. We not only enjoy the time together, but we also look forward to gliding across the water and being in nature (thanks to Laura Vanderkam for highlighting the benefits of anticipating weekend activities). And a friend has begun to meet me for a Sunday morning yoga class, brightening both of our days.
Blogging and learning. This blog is a learning journey. It began with a focus on the future of corporate communications. As my career pivoted into marketing, it’s became a way to learn how to learn, especially in the area of marketing analytics. So time spent on my blog is often time spent learning about the latest in my current field. This hack comes from Penelope Trunk and her course on blogging.
Recharging and moving. This includes things like walking meetings, or walking during lunch. It’s hard to beat getting out in nature for fresh air and sunshine. And I often find that walking during the day can help me solve problems I’ve been wrestling with. Other ways to recharge during a short lunch break – a few minutes with my Spanish app, listening to a podcast or meeting a colleague.
Commuting and learning. Driving to and from the office can take 50 to 90 minutes a day. That’s a big chunk of time. How can it better be used? Here are 3 – listening to TED talks, listening to Spanish radio stations and listening to podcasts, especially on data analytics.
And here I’m especially grateful to work for a company that connects us to our world, everywhere we live, work and play (note: opinions expressed in this blog are my own). That puts me a third of the way on today’s list of what I’m grateful for.
Technology and connectivity make our lives better in many ways. Recently I started using the Starbucks app as an easy way to pay. But I hadn’t tried the ordering feature. Until a colleague Sandy Smart-Ashburn raved about it. Short on time this morning, I ordered a latte through the app. It felt like a near-miracle to skip the line and pick up my beverage from the barista.
More to come as the adventure continues.
The photo above is from the University of Southern California where I spoke last year on a panel about social collaboration at my grad school alma mater.
by Caroline Leach | Aug 23, 2015 | Change, Learning
How do you ride a tsunami of information?
As Moore’s Law fades into oblivion (maybe), email has eclipsed it, doubling seemingly every season, rather than every two years.
With pings and dings every second, how do you know what’s important? What to pay attention to? And how to allocate your time?
In trying to answer to those questions, I wonder if they’re the right ones.
It’s really a matter of knowing your most important priorities and focusing your time on those. You can then crowd out the noise and distractions with benign neglect.
And there’s one more ingredient to add to the mix – scanning the environment few new ideas and opportunities. Learning where to dig deep and what to ignore.
And setting up systems to make that happen for you. Silencing pings. Blocking spam. Automating filing.
In the GTD model by David Allen, you get everything out of your head and into your organizing system. That way you don’t waste precious brainpower trying to remember an appointment or a deadline.
He calls this having a mind like water. It means your mind is free to work at its highest and best level – thinking, synthesizing and ideating.
In addition, try reading, writing and coloring. Yes, coloring.
I’m a little late to the coloring craze for adults. Apparently it launched in 2013 with the publication of Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden.
And I have Julia Cameron and The Artist’s Way to thank for it. I’ve long been a fan of her practice of morning pages. It’s three verbatim pages of longhand writing that clear your mind and prepare you for your day. And it’s another great way to achieve a “mind like water.”
But I’d never really embraced the related concept of an artist’s date – an hour for yourself each week to do something fun and engaging. The purpose? To “restock the well” and generate new ideas.
Until earlier this month. With no real agenda, I went to one of my favorite places – Barnes & Noble. Usually when I go, I have a list and a deadline. But I decided I’d wander through some new sections of the store and see what caught my eye.
It ended up being creative coloring books, for relaxation and mindfulness. The next stop was Staples for pencils, pens and crayons.
Coloring envelops your mind, focusing and freeing it. It’s somewhat like coming up with good ideas while walking or showering. It puts your brain in neutral while you create something of beauty. And even more beautiful is the ideas that flow in the process.
When you’re looking everywhere else for answers, it’s worth remembering that you already have them in yourself. Because you’ve always had the ruby slippers. You just have to click your heels.
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