How to Make Time Mapping Work for You
April 30, 2011 by Kristin Lowe
A tried and tested personal productivity strategy is that of Time Mapping. In a nutshell, this is the practice of putting appointments with yourself on your calendar to help carve out time to work on your high-priority tasks for the day. Sometimes people find it tough to stick to these appointments, especially if the scheduled [...]
Helping Teams Accomplish More With Less
March 12, 2011 by Kristin Lowe
Things are looking up for our clients since the recent economic downturn, but companies are still cautious about spending and hiring. With smaller budgets, fewer people, and uncertainty all around, managers are looking for ways to help their people stay productive in this environment. A few simple approaches will help people work more efficiently and [...]
Work-Life Balance +1
September 27, 2009 by Kristin
We recently did a facilitation session with a group of senior sales managers whose team leader felt they needed to revisit the issues of work-life balance, prioritisation and boundary-setting. One of the most interesting conclusions to come out of the session was a need for a new model for thinking about balance, particularly for parents.
The group commented that what is commonly meant by the ‘life’ side of the work-life balance equation is ‘family,’ specifically time spent with the kids. While several participants felt there was room for improvement here, others stated that their job and their kids were indeed getting enough time; the missing piece was actually ‘self’ time. By this the group meant time for exercise, hobbies, adult relationships, reflection, and so on. Here are some thoughts on how to strike a Work-Life-Self Balance:
The 'Everything ASAP' Problem
December 1, 2008 by Kristin
We all know we’re expected to manage loads more information and communication that our parents and grandparents had to in their careers, but what we don’t seem to be grasping fully is the fact that we simply cannot do it all – even if we’re great with technology.
We keep trying to do ‘Everything ASAP’…and it’s just not working. The consequences of treating all incoming information and communication as equally important and urgent are dire; we’re more stressed and working longer hours than any generation before us.
Create a 'Front Office'
August 7, 2008 by Kristin
Gone are the good ‘ol days when most white collar workers had a dedicated secretary to filter incoming communications and information, making sure the boss could keep his or her mind on the most important matters. Email, instant messaging and mobile phones have given everybody direct access to everybody else – all day, every day.
While today’s tech tools can be great business and productivity boosters when used with discretion and flair, the general trend is toward non-stop interruptions and distractions preventing most of us from finding the quiet time needed to focus and complete critical tasks.
