Added this post about Behance’s Action Method Process from Productivity 501 to my articles about Action Steps, Projects and Time to Act.
Turn it on
A post at OrganizeIT about productivity got me thinking: What would a productivity attitude look like? I’m picturing a “can do” attitude. This attitude can be flipped on and off like a switch. I think of creativity this way too. It’s simply a matter of realizing we all have the ability and saying “yes” to it. And then the switch is turned on. Of course we can all be productive. Just say “yes.”
Posted in productivity
To the point of no return(s)
Interruptions and Distractions
Over at Creating Passionate Users, Kathy Sierra talks about Is Twitter Too Good? There’s a great illustration about how the newfangled ability to be constantly connected interrupted and distracted has shot dramatically up. How can we focus and accomplish great things something anything? We need to be aware and take control of our tools! Know when you’re at the point of low return(s) and absolutely pull the plug when you’re at the point of NO return(s)!
By the way, some blogs I read to kick-start, dial-up, get in touch with, and just plain old inspire creativity. Creating Passionate Users is awesome for this! Sometimes I do serendipitous typing, and ended up with Crating Passionate Users…no, no, no…we definitely do not want to box up our users or our creativity. Think outside the box!
Posted in information management
Work Ethic
People who succeed possess a trait called work ethic. A person with a good work ethic:
• Works hard: nobody succeeds without putting in a lot of time and effort
• On time: they are reliable and consistently show up
• Reaches performance goals: achieves outcomes with quality work
• Knows the value of hard work in developing character
• Eager to learn
• Takes pride in providing an honest day’s work: feels satisfaction from a job well done
• Has a positive “can do” attitude and is proud of their accomplishments
• Is pro-active: anticipates needs and goes above and beyond the expected
• Committed to providing their best effort
Develop work ethic with DESIRE:
DESIRE:
• Discipline [apply grit]
• Exercise willpower
• Steady effort
• Inspire flow [how to increase flow]
• Remember purpose [purpose planning]
• Exclude distractions [TEND to focus]
Watch: How to Develop Insane Work Ethic
Explore more at Develop Work Skills and Top 10 Skills Employers Want
Posted in work skills
The Joy of Journaling
Journal writing can be a spiritual journey that lets us explore and clarify our thoughts.Try the spinner with 31 journaling prompts!
31 Journal Prompts
1. What would tell your 12 year old self if you could?
2. What is a favorite memory of your childhood?
3. What would your future self tell you to do now?
4. What makes people happy?
5. When have you been happiest in life?
6. What is the best compliment you ever received?
7. What is the best gift you ever received?
8. What is the nicest thing anyone ever did for you?
9. What is your favorite place to go?
10. What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
11. What is the best trip you ever took?
12. What super power would you like to have?
13. What causes you to experience flow?
14. What do you love to talk about?
15. What is one of your earliest memories?
16. What is one of your biggest strengths?
17. How would someone else describe you?
18. What is something you possess that you especially value?
19. What social issue or cause would you most like to improve?
20. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve ever overcome?
21. Who is someone that exemplifies courage or integrity?
22. Who was your favorite teacher and why?
23. What inspires you or gives you hope?
24. What makes you feel peaceful?
25. Do you have a dream that you’ll always remember?
26. What is something that others might be surprised to know about you?
27. If you knew that you would not fail, what things would you like to do?
28. Is there a project you’ve done that you are especially proud of?
29. What do you most like about the work that you do/have done?
30. Is there something you’ve never done that you’d like to try?
31. What was the best advice you ever received?
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
The journal prompts also work well as conversation starters! See more ideas at A Networking Game Card.
For those who are grieving, here are 50 grief journal prompts.
Consider asking yourself at the beginning of each day:
- what possiblities do I want to explore today?
- what do I want to create?
- where do I want to go?
- who do I want to talk to?
- what can I give to share with others?
- how can I be courageous?
- what thoughts do I want to think?
- what do I want to learn?
- what am I grateful for?
And at the end of the day:
- what possiblities did I explore today?
- what did I create?
- where did I go?
- who did I talk to?
- what did I give to share with others?
- how was I courageous?
- what thoughts did I think?
- what did I learn?
- what am I grateful for?
More ideas at the journal prompts Pinterest board. Scott H Young writes about the power of writing.
Posted in personal development
Are You Stuck? Get out of that rut!
When we are stuck, we fail to do the things we want to do. If you feel stuck, look at what is stopping you. It might be:
- Fear
- A lack of resources
- Internal obstacles
- Limiting beliefs
- Unclear process
- Real problems
- External obstacles
What to do? Reclaim agency to overcome obstacles (often created by ourselves). Procrastination often comes from an unwillingness to face discomfort. Face fear with courage, rally your resources, look at limiting beliefs, change your self-talk, get creative, gain clarity, and deal with distractions.
Change is not (always) a four letter word. Sometimes change can be difficult, but sometimes it can be a good thing.
OK, I admit it. I like to find a product that I really love and stick with it because I know it works well. I like to find the optimum way to arrange furniture in a room and leave it that way. It’s the efficient way. It’s also the boooorrrring way! Somewhere I read that hair actually needs a shampoo change every now and then, or it gets too used to the one you’re using for it to work well anymore. So every now and then…Shake it up! Try something new and different. Drive a different route to work. Get a new perspective. Maybe even….move some furniture around.
Books and TED talks (Amazon affiliate links provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt
- Stop self-sabotage by Judy Ho, TED talk How attachment influences self-image
- The Science of Stuck by Britt Frank
- The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest
- Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
Find more at the TED talk book discussion
Posted in personal development
Complete
To complete yesterday’s post about the productivity cycle:
- Don’t procrastinate
- Just get started
- Stick with it
- Follow through
- Keep looking at the benefits of results
- Be determined
- Hang in there
- Overcome obstacles
- Adjust course as needed
- Be willing to do the difficult
- Never give up
- Until it’s
- Finished!
Posted in productivity
Discovery of the Day
The original site I saw this at is now gone, but here is the productivity cycle at the Daily PlanIt:
Reminder to self: Don’t get stuck in one part of the cycle!
Posted in productivity
Asking the Right Questions
Asking the right questions is an important skill to:
- generate ideas
- discover direction
- reframe thoughts
- learn about others
- clarify communication
- manage well
I’ve gathered together some thought provoking resources here that answer the question: “What are the right questions to ask?”
Goal setting and time management questions:
Generating Goals
What do you want more of?
What change do you want to make?
Imagine you are old and list your most important accomplishments
If you only had 6 months to live, what would you do?
What would your ideal life be like?
What would you do if money was not a concern?
Evaluating Goals
Why would this be a good goal?
Will this goal help me or others to learn? To grow?
If you could only complete one goal, which one would it be?
What resources will be needed?
Which goal will give the highest return for resources invested?
What obstacles will need to be overcome?
How difficult will it be to reach?
How much time will it take to reach?
How much do you want to achieve the goal?
Do I have the enthusiasm and the courage needed? Am I willing to make the commitment of resources required?
Are the benefits achieved worth the costs?
What is the measurable outcome?
Next Actions
What is the next physical, visible activity needed?
What needs to happen before the next step?
What can be done today?
What activities am I not doing now, that might help me reach goals if I did them?
What is the most effective use of my time right now?
Paper Management
Is this only for my information, and now I know it?
Is this quality information? Objective? Reliable? Timely? Useful? Clear?
Does this information exist elsewhere? If needed in the future, could it be replaced?
Under what circumstances would I want this information?
What words would first enter my mind when looking for it?
Where would you most likely look first?
Simplify
Do I want to do this?
Do I need this?
Can I afford it?
Is this worn out, broken, or damaged?
Is this a gift that I just don’t like?
Does this fit?
Do I love the way it looks or works?
Have I used it in the past year?
Does it have strong sentimental value?
Can it be easily replaced?
Will it be used in the future?
Organizing
Is this the best place to keep this?
How often do you use this?
Where do you use this?
How much space does it need?
Is this the best way to keep this?
What bothers you the most? Why?
Systems
What is the best place to do this?
What supplies and tools do I need to do this?
What organizers could be helpful?
What steps should be done in what order?
When is the best time to do this?
Questions Are the Answer by Hal Gregersen, TED talk What are you dead wrong about today? [Amazon affiliate link to the book provides a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt]
Learn more at 10 minutes, 10 questions for goals, Time Management Questions, and the Not So Big Life.
Control Clutter
The IDLE Method: Identify the clutter category, Decide how to delcutter, Locate or let go, Evaluate your clutter rules.
The FAST Method: Fix a time, Anything not used in 12 months goes, Someone elses stuff, The Trash can is your friend.
Cut Clutter from Organized Home
Clutter 101 from Simple Productivity
How to Declutter from Zen Habits
52 Weeks to an Organized Home from Home Storage Solutions 101
Declutter Your Kitchen (printable pdf)
A Decluttering Checklist from the Daily Planit
Posted in productivity
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