Better Work Better Life Blog
Making Productivity and Leadership More Human
productivity coach, leadership coach, time management coach, business coach,nonprofit, small business, organizations and associations
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Better Work Better Life Blog

01 Oct

Posted at 22:55h in Productivity, Space, Tech & Digital Clutter, Tips for Easier Living

Every once in a while I come across a product that is perfect.

I’ve been carrying the Incipio STOWAWAY® for about the past 6 months. I have had more people comment and get excited about this phone case than anything I’ve owned (that I can remember.) Practically everyone who sees it asks about it and says they want one.

This is a wallet case for my iPhone that holds 3 credit cards (Business Credit Card, Family Credit Card, and Personal Credit Card). It does add a bit of thickness to the case, but that doesn’t bother me. I typically carry my cell phone in my jeans back pocket or in my handbag. The thickness doesn’t affect either of these situations. It is great to have what I need when I need it.

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17 Sep

Posted at 09:03h in Uncategorized

A friend mentioned that her (big) company recently has added Instant Messaging to their IT system.  She says, “now, while I’m on the phone, or in a meeting, in addition to having to check emails, I have these IM’s popping up at me.”  WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???!!!!???!!!!

A study by Microsoft found that it takes an employee an average of 15 minutes to return their attention back to the previous task when distracted by email, instant message, etc.

I know, you think you are special and while you can accept that multi-tasking doesn’t work for everyone else, you can still manage it.  I suspect that you can’t.  [Also understand that there is a difference between multi-tasking and a white-noise activity.  Some people need to doodle, color, play solitaire, etc. to stay focused.]

The secret about multi-tasking?  The secret is that you can’t multi-task. The brain can only do one thing at a time.  You may a fast “task-switcher,” which means you can move from task to task quickly, but the brain is only capable of holding one thought process at a time!  Bummer.

What can you do to get more done?  Try these tips for a week – then assess:

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27 Aug

Posted at 08:46h in Organize to Thrive, Space, Tips for Easier Living

In the Spring I helped a client organize her husband’s home office as a Father’s Day present.  We were given clear instructions to not touch anything “on the desk,” but everything else was fair game.  Her husband is a Neuroscience Professor at an area university.  Of course he had a large library of books. They were in absolutely no order at all.

I was curious how he could find anything.  Why is it that certain people’s brains need order and others don’t?  (more…)

13 Aug

Posted at 08:43h in Productivity, Tech & Digital Clutter, Tips for Easier Living

Yes – actually we now have names for people who keep too much electronic information.  But, there is good news!  Unlike physical clutter where our space fills up and overflows, our computers can handle massive amounts of data.  Bad news is, just like physical clutter, it can negatively affect our quality of life.  Is this you?

  • You’ve missed an important opportunity because the email invitation was hidden among hundreds of unimportant emails
  • You’ve spent hours looking for a document you know you had but couldn’t find
  • Your computer is mired in so much muck that it no longer is the wonderful resource it once was.

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23 Jul

Posted at 08:18h in Focus and Prioritize, Productivity, Time Management, Tips for Easier Living

Do you ever ask yourself how you can better manage your time?

If managing people is making choices about how to maximize their potential, than you can easily say that managing time is making choices about how to maximize its potential as well.

One of the most useful tools I have found to most effectively manage time is Pareto’s Principle.  Pareto was an Italian Economist who in 1906 observed that 80% of Italy’s land was owned by 20% of the population.  From this comes The Pareto Principle, more commonly known as the 80/20 rule.  Simply put, 20% inputs yield 80% output

How does this help you manage your time?

Let’s look at 3 relevant examples:   (more…)

09 Jul

Posted at 08:47h in Envision Possibilities, Focus and Prioritize

Do you have goals?

Of course you do, but perhaps the question should be, “What are your goals doing for you?” If they are simply floating around in your head, they are probably just frustrating you, but if you take the time to do something with your goals, they can enrich your life.

Many people say they don’t use goals because it seems so complicated. Not so. Using goals to shape your life more the way you want it is really quite easy. Take ten minutes and you are on your way to accomplishing the things in your life that are most important to you.

Before you begin, it is important to review a few key terms relating to Goal Setting. A goal is an action statement that reflects a desired outcome. Life areas are areas you consider important in the balance of your life, i.e.: business, self, family, and service. The term measurable means quantifiable through time, quantity, result, or concept.

Action Plan for 10 Minute Goal Setting:    (more…)