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Productivity Coaching, Time Management Consulting and Leadership Coaching for business and nonprofits - get your most important work done. Collaborating with leaders and their teams to become more strategic, focused and productive. Leadership and Board Coaching, Strategic Planning Facilitation, Productivity Coaching and Time Management Consulting, Professional Speaker.
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focus Tag

15 May

Posted at 16:25h in Focus and Prioritize, Intentional Productivity, Productivity for Leaders, Stress Management, Time Management

By the time summer rolls around, many people are running on fumes. The year started with energy, optimism, and ambitious plans. You set goals. You committed to new habits. You promised yourself this would be the year you finally got ahead.

And then real life happened. Work expanded to fill every available space. Responsibilities multiplied. Personal commitments piled on. The pace accelerated. Somewhere along the way, productivity quietly shifted from purposeful to relentless.

So this is your reminder — especially if no one else is saying it: Work hard. But don’t kill yourself doing it.

An occasional sprint is normal. A season of extra effort may even be necessary at times. But exhaustion should not become your baseline. Working seven days a week, staying up until midnight every night, and sacrificing your health, relationships, and peace of mind is not sustainable productivity. It’s survival mode disguised as ambition. And the hard truth is that most workplaces won’t stop you. Organizations are often focused on immediate needs: this quarter’s numbers, today’s deadlines, the next problem to solve. They are not thinking about your future self — the version of you who wants energy left for family, friendships, creativity, health, and joy. They are not thinking about the weekends you spend recovering because you pushed yourself too hard all week. Or the family dinners you missed. Or the slow accumulation of stress that eventually catches up with your body and mind.

And if you work for yourself, this conversation becomes even more important.

  • Why are you pushing so hard?
  • What are you trying to prove?
  • And to whom?

So many high-achieving professionals operate from an unspoken belief that their worth is tied to output. If they work harder, stay later, achieve more, and carry more, then maybe they will finally feel successful enough, valuable enough, safe enough.

But worthiness is not earned through exhaustion. You do not have to destroy your quality of life to demonstrate that you are intelligent, capable, committed, or deserving of success. This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in intentional productivity. Real productivity is not about squeezing every ounce of energy from yourself. It’s about creating a way of working and leading that is sustainable — one that supports both effectiveness and quality of life. That’s why mid-year is such a valuable time to pause and reset. Not to abandon your goals, but to reevaluate them honestly. Ask yourself:

  • What is working well right now?
  • What is draining more energy than it’s worth?
  • Which goals still matter — and which were based on unrealistic expectations?
  • Where have I overcommitted?
  • What would make work feel more sustainable?
  • What do I need more of to feel like myself again?

For many people, the answer is not “work harder.” It’s clearer priorities, more realistic planning, and systems that actually fit how they are wired.

  • Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is let go of a goal that no longer aligns with reality.
  • Sometimes it’s reducing the number of priorities competing for your attention.
  • Sometimes it’s accepting that your calendar should reflect not only your responsibilities, but also your humanity.

Because here’s what I’ve learned after years of coaching leaders and professionals:

  • You can build a successful career and still have a life.
  • You can care deeply about your work without sacrificing your health.
  • You can be ambitious without living in a constant state of depletion.
  • And ironically, people often become more effective when they stop operating at an unsustainable pace. Clear thinking improves. Decision fatigue decreases. Creativity returns. Relationships strengthen. Leadership becomes steadier and more grounded.

Better work really does support a better life. So before summer fully arrives, give yourself permission to reset intentionally. Not because you’re failing. Not because you aren’t doing enough. But because sustainable success requires recalibration along the way.

Your future self will thank you for it.

Ready to create a more sustainable way of working?

If you’re ready to figure out how to work better and live better, my book, Productivity for How You’re Wired, offers a practical roadmap for designing work, routines, and systems that fit how you’re wired—so success doesn’t come at the expense of your well-being. Because productivity shouldn’t leave you depleted. It should help you create a better life.

Available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

09 Apr

Posted at 19:36h in Envision Possibilities, Intentional Productivity, Tips for Easier Living

Friction Points: How to Spot Them—and Solve Them: Small changes that make life easier.

You know those little annoyances that quietly follow you around? The thing that’s just inconvenient enough to bug you—but not urgent enough to fix. So it lingers. Day after day. Slightly draining your energy. Taking more effort than it should. Living rent-free in your life.

That’s a friction point.

And here’s the thing: most friction points are completely fixable. We just don’t stop long enough to do something about it. Instead, we work around them. We tolerate them. We tell ourselves, “It’s fine.” But what if it didn’t have to be?

How to Spot (and Solve) a Friction Point

If something has been mildly frustrating you for a while, it’s worth paying attention to. A small fix can create a surprisingly big shift. Here’s a simple process to work through it:

1) Notice the issue: What’s been bothering you—even just a little? If it’s recurring, it’s worth your attention.

2) Identify the problem: Why is this bothering you? What’s actually not working?

3) Consider solutions: You can go structured (pros/cons, ranking options)… Or intuitive (pick something that feels like it might work). Either is fine—this is about movement, not perfection.

4) Implement: Try something. Not the perfect thing. Just a thing.

5) Assess (and tweak if needed): Did it help? If yes—great. If not—adjust and try again.

Example #1: Recycling

1) Notice the issue: For a long time, I noticed that getting my recycling to the garage in my condo building was a hassle—but I didn’t stop to really think about it.

2) Identify the problem: The issue wasn’t recycling itself—it was that I didn’t have an efficient way to store and transport it. I was making multiple trips, dropping things, and dealing with clutter in my space.

3) Consider solutions: I tried using a grocery cart, which helped a bit. But what I really needed was a larger, contained space to hold bulky recycling—something that wouldn’t require constant trips downstairs.

4) Implement: I bought a Hulkie—a large rolling bin—and started keeping it in my guest room. Now I toss all bulky recycling into it as it accumulates.

5) Assess: It works beautifully. I only need to take the bulk recycling down once every week or two, and it’s easy. It’s become an autopilot system—and something I no longer think about. And…it no longer frustrates me!

Example #2: This Blog

I’ve been blogging since 2008. That’s a long time—and if I’m being honest, I’ve gotten bored with the process.  So sometime’s it’s hard to stay on my schedule. But I still believe it matters. So instead of stopping, I asked: Is there a way to make this easier?

1) Notice the issue: I knew I wasn’t blogging consistently—even though it’s something I care about.

2) Identify the problem: The issue wasn’t ideas or skill. It was motivation. I needed more than “I should do this” to get started.

3) Consider solutions: I tried batching posts—didn’t work. I tried putting it on my task list—too easy to ignore. I realized I needed a stronger cue and some external accountability.

4) Implement: I asked my virtual assistant to email me at the beginning of each month asking for my blog post.

5) Assess: It works. That email sitting in my inbox is just enough of a nudge to get me to write. I do the writing, and she handles the rest. The system supports consistency without forcing it. And…you get a post every month!

The Bigger Point

Friction points aren’t just annoyances. They’re opportunities. Each one is a place where your life could be easier, smoother, and more aligned with how you actually want to work and live.

But only if you pause long enough to notice—and choose to do something about it.

You don’t need to overhaul everything. Just start with one thing. One small friction point. Fix it. And then notice how much lighter everything feels.

Your Turn

Now I’m curious about you… What’s a friction point in your life that you’ve been quietly tolerating?

Something small. Something recurring. Something that’s just annoying enough to drain your energy—but not urgent enough that you’ve fixed it.

Now that you’ve noticed it, what might your solution be?

Drop it in the comments—your friction point and one possible fix. You don’t need a perfect answer. Just a starting point. Because once you name it and give it a little attention, it’s often much easier to solve than you think.

Ready to make work easier?

If this idea of reducing friction resonates with you, my book Productivity for How You’re Wired, goes deeper into how to design systems, routines, and workflows that actually work for you—not against you. Because when your work fits how you’re wired, everything gets easier. You can find it on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

19 Feb

Posted at 18:40h in Attention Managment, Focus and Prioritize, Intentional Productivity, Productivity for Leaders, Stress Management

 

If the things that matter most keep getting pushed aside, the problem may not be time — it may be what’s competing for your attention.

Sorting through five days of mail after being out of town, I heard myself say – out loud – “I’m never subscribing to another magazine again.” It wasn’t really about the magazines. For years, when I’ve spoken about managing paper, we’ve talked about that subtle sense of obligation — the feeling that if something comes into our home or office, we should read it. We should give it our attention. And there I was, doing the very same thing.

My Harvard Business Review and Nutrition Action Health letter — the ones I actually value — were barely being opened. Meanwhile, I was spending my limited casual reading time on grocery store flyers, unsolicited catalogs, and local magazines I never asked for in the first place.

That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t just mismanaging my reading. I was misdirecting my attention. And attention is one of our most precious resources.

A focus problem disguised as a paper problem

Overwhelm rarely comes from having too much that matters. It comes from too much that doesn’t competing for our attention. Every item we keep creates tiny decisions:

  • Should I read this?
  • When will I get to it?
  • Do I need this?

Those micro-decisions create mental clutter – and mental clutter makes focus harder. Today, this shows up far beyond paper. It’s the movie you’ve genuinely wanted to watch for months – the one you intentionally chose – competing with 60 TikTok’s you never meant to open. Same time spent. Very different result. One leaves you restored or inspired. The other leaves you wondering where the evening went. The issue isn’t time. It’s attention drift.

A better-aligned system

I needed a system that worked with my real life — not the life I imagined I should be living. So I made a few small changes:

  • I moved my priority reading to where I naturally sit — the kitchen island and family room.
  • I (ruthlessly) recycle unwanted material immediately.
  • I spend my reading time on what I intentionally chose, not what simply arrived.

Same 15 minutes. Completely different outcome.

Designing for how you actually live

Here’s another truth: most of my reading now happens on my computer or phone. My Substack and LinkedIn feeds bring thoughtful, relevant content aligned with my interests and work. So this isn’t about eliminating magazines — or streaming, or social media. It’s about being honest about what you value, how you naturally operate, and designing systems that support both. Because productivity isn’t about forcing yourself to work the “right” way. It’s about making it easier to do what matters.

The leadership connection

This same dynamic shows up at work every day. Leaders don’t struggle because they lack priorities. They struggle because too many non-priorities are allowed to compete with them.

  • Unread reports
  • Unnecessary meetings
  • Low-value requests
  • Constant digital noise

When everything asks for attention, the truly important work quietly loses. Productivity — for individuals and leaders alike — isn’t about doing more. It’s about protecting attention so the right work gets done.

The bigger picture

This small shift is about far more than reading material. It’s about:

  • Choosing intentionally instead of reacting automatically
  • Removing what competes for your attention
  • Making space for what matters most

When you do that, focus gets easier. Decisions get lighter. And overwhelm begins to fade. So if the things that matter to you aren’t getting your attention, don’t ask: “What’s wrong with me?”

Ask instead: “How can I make the important things easier to reach — and the unimportant things easier to let go?” That’s where thriving begins.  And it’s how work – and life – start to work better.

Protect What Matters Most

Attention is at the heart of productivity. In my book, Productivity for How You’re Wired, I help readers understand their unique productivity style and build systems that support focus, clarity, and meaningful progress — without forcing themselves into someone else’s method.

Available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

13 Oct

Posted at 11:44h in Focus and Prioritize, Productivity, Stress Management, Task List

If your computer looks like your brain feels – 37 tabs open, all competing for attention – this one’s for you.

You start with good intentions: one quick check, one more thing to look up. Suddenly, you’ve got open tabs for work projects, travel plans, news, shopping, and maybe that recipe you’ll definitely make someday.

Each tab represents something unfinished—an open loop your brain keeps tracking. No wonder you feel distracted and overwhelmed.

Our Brains Weren’t Built for This Many Tabs

Neuroscience shows that our best thinking happens in the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, planning, and prioritizing. But it can only hold so much at once.

When too much comes at us—too many tabs, tasks, or worries—we overload. The thinking brain gives way to the emotional brain, triggering fight, flight, or freeze. Focus evaporates, anxiety rises, and even simple things feel hard.

When your computer crashes, you lose all those open tabs. When you crash, you lose all those thoughts and ideas. That’s why you need a system for offloading them—your task list. There’s hope (and help).

Pro Tips

  • For ideas:
    Capture them somewhere reliable—your task list, a Google Sheet shortcut, an email to yourself, or even a sticky note you’ll transfer later. Avoid random Notes apps if you never revisit them. Ideas are only useful if you’ll find them again.
  • For browser tabs:
    Add the action (and hyperlink) to your task list. Then close the tab confidently. You’ll know where to find it when you’re ready.

“Too Many Tabs” Looks Different for Everyone

Some tabs are digital. Others are mental or emotional. They sound like:

  • “I should reach out to that client.”

  • “I need to start that presentation.”

  • “I still haven’t scheduled that appointment.”

  • “I need to figure out what’s next for my business.”

Each open loop takes up mental bandwidth. The more tabs you keep open, the slower everything runs, and the more stuck you’ll be when you or your computer crashes.

Closing the Tabs

You don’t need to close every tab—just enough to free up cognitive space.

  1. Externalize what’s internal.
    Write down everything on your mind. Once it’s captured, your brain can relax. (Learn more in Chapter 9 of Productivity for How You’re Wired or search “task list” on my blog.)

  2. Decide what deserves to stay open.
    Keep what matters today; close the rest. Add hyperlinks to your task list for anything important.

  3. Match your “tab load” to your structure preference.
    If you need everything visible, organize your open tasks in one clear list. If clutter overwhelms you, pare it down to just what you need now.

  4. Give yourself permission to reboot.
    Step away, stretch, breathe, or declare “tab amnesty.” Close everything. With today’s search engines and ChatGPT, you can find it again if it’s important.

The Point Isn’t Perfection—It’s Clarity

Closing tabs isn’t about being perfectly organized. It’s about making space to think clearly and do your best work.

When you have too many tabs open—on your computer or in your mind—you’re not lazy or unmotivated. You’re simply overloaded.

Take a breath. Save what matters. Close what doesn’t. Give your brain the gift of focus.

What About You?

What’s one “tab” you can close – digitally or mentally – today to make room for focus and peace?

Feeling Overloaded? If you’ve got too many tabs open—on your screen or in your head—you’re not alone. I help leaders and professionals create clarity, structure, and focus by aligning how they work with how they’re wired.

Want to dive deeper into strategies for working smarter, not harder? Check out my book Productivity for How You’re Wired —available now on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

Or, if you’re ready for personalized support, let’s talk. Together we’ll design systems that actually stick and create a sustainable rhythm that works for you. Let’s connect – schedule your discovery call today.

 

28 Aug

Posted at 10:31h in Productivity, Stress Management

I’m noticing more than ever how hard we are on ourselves. My clients, my colleagues, even myself—we all tend to expect more of ourselves than is appropriate, healthy, or even humanly possible. When we fall short, instead of extending grace, we turn inward with harsh judgment. We criticize. We attack. And in doing so, we undermine our ability to be effective.

Dr. Kristin Neff, a pioneering researcher in self-compassion, alongside Dr. Chris Germer of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, has shown us a different way. Their model identifies three key elements of self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. These concepts have deeply influenced me, yet when I share them, people often resist. It’s as if self-compassion is something that should apply to everyone else—but not to them.

Why is that? Is it our fast-paced, high-demand culture? The belief that constant self-criticism is the only way to succeed? Or is it simply easier to overwork than to pause and take care of ourselves? Whatever the reason, the truth is this: being hard on yourself doesn’t make you more productive—it makes you less.

The Three Tenets of Self-Compassion

When I only have a minute with clients, I break Dr. Neff’s framework down like this:

  1. Self-Kindness
    Treat yourself the way you’d treat your best friend. When you’re stuck in self-criticism, ask: What would I say to my best friend in this situation? Chances are, you’d respond with encouragement—not with the harsh words you use on yourself.
  2. Common Humanity
    Struggle is part of the human condition. Everyone wrestles with some form of self-doubt. Recognizing this can help us see our challenges as normal, not evidence of inadequacy. When we know we’re not alone, it’s easier to be generous with ourselves.
  3. Mindfulness
    Mindfulness means noticing what we’re feeling without ignoring it—or drowning in it. Saying, This is hard. I feel disappointed. I feel anxious, creates space to respond with clarity instead of reacting with judgment.

Why Self-Criticism Derails Productivity

Neff makes a powerful point: “Today most of our threat is to our self-concept. When we fail and feel inadequate, we are fighting ourselves. We are the attacker and the attacked.”

When we’re hard on ourselves, we don’t just bruise our feelings—we hijack our brains. Instead of staying in problem-solving mode, we flip into fight, flight, or freeze. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline flood our system, and suddenly the “danger” isn’t out there—it’s inside us.

And when you feel under attack, your emotional brain overrides your thinking brain, making it physiologically impossible to focus on your work.

The Science of Self-Compassion

Research shows that people who practice self-compassion aren’t weak or indulgent. In fact, they’re more resilient, motivated, and accountable.

  • They feel less anxiety, stress, and burnout.
  • They report more optimism, gratitude, and life satisfaction.
  • They keep high standards, but bounce back quickly when they fall short.
  • They take responsibility for mistakes and make amends without spiraling into shame.

In short: self-criticism sabotages, while self-compassion empowers. Giving ourselves grace—not beating ourselves up—is what helps us be our best selves.

Practicing Self-Compassion in Real Life

So what does this look like in practice? It’s not about lowering the bar. It’s about changing how you treat yourself when things get tough.

Next time that inner critic pipes up, pause and ask yourself:

  • What do I need right now?
  • What would I say to a good friend in this situation?
  • What if this challenge is just part of being human—not proof that I’m failing?

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is step back and pause. Sometimes it’s giving yourself permission to do less. And sometimes it’s simply saying: This is hard—and that’s okay.

The Path to Flow

At the end of the day, productivity isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about creating the conditions where you can do your best work. And self-compassion is a condition.

When you stop beating yourself up and start having your own back, you clear the way for focus, creativity, and growth.

Because the truth is, you’ll never criticize yourself into greatness. But you can support yourself there.

Want to dive deeper into strategies for working smarter, not harder? Check out my book Productivity for How You’re Wired —available now on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

Feeling overwhelmed by too much to do and not enough time to do it? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to stay stuck in that cycle. Through one-on-one coaching, I help professionals and leaders like you cut through the noise, ditch the never-ending to-do lists, and align your productivity with how you’re wired—so you can finally create systems that actually stick.

 

05 Aug

Posted at 14:01h in Envision Possibilities, Procrastination, Productivity, Stress Management, Tips for Easier Living

It’s August. It’s hot. Everyone’s either on vacation or thinking about it. You might be wishing you had more time to rest, slow down, and escape the heat—but somehow, the work still needs to get done.

That’s why how you spend your work time really matters. You don’t need more hours—you need more impact from the hours you already have.

Here’s something I often share: “One unit of focused time is equal to four units of broken focus.” — American Academy of Family Physicians

In other words, ten focused minutes can be as productive as forty minutes of distracted, fragmented effort. The math is simple—and persuasive. Especially in a season when we’re all craving more time off the clock.

Start with Clarity: What Matters Most?

Before we dive into distractions, let’s talk about focus. You can’t focus effectively if you don’t know what you’re focusing on. Each morning, take a moment to clarify your most important priorities for the day. I like to jot mine down on a simple sticky note—just a few key tasks that, if completed, will let me feel good about calling it a day.

This doesn’t mean creating a massive to-do list. In fact, it means the opposite.

As Lin Yutang wisely said: “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.”

Letting go of the nonessentials is an act of leadership. You protect your time by honoring what matters most—and letting the rest wait.

Eliminate Distractions: Your Phone Isn’t Helping

One of the biggest threats to focused work? The small device that’s always within reach. Our phones—helpful, powerful, and endlessly distracting—can derail even the best-laid plans for a focused work session.

Want to tap into the power of those “ten focused minutes”? Start by putting your phone in another room. Seriously. Airplane mode is great. Do Not Disturb works too. But if it’s physically out of sight, you’re less likely to reach for it out of habit.

Consider turning off all but the most essential notifications. For me, that’s calls and text messages—nothing else. During focused work sessions, even a single ping can break your concentration and cost you more than just a few seconds. Research suggests it can take 20+ minutes to fully recover from an interruption. Multiply that over a few distractions, and you’ve just lost your entire work block.

Plan for the Ramp-Up: Flow Takes Time

Here’s something we don’t talk about enough: it takes time to settle in and focus. So don’t expect to sit down and immediately start cranking out brilliant work. That’s not how human brains operate.

Instead, plan for ramp-up time before you dive into focused work. Do a quick check of your email or messages, respond to anything urgent, and then intentionally clear the decks. Grab water. Take a bio break. Cue up music that helps you concentrate. Close the extra browser tabs. Then give yourself permission to go deep.

This preparation isn’t procrastination—it’s setting the stage for high-quality work. It’s part of what turns ten minutes into something powerful.

Work Smarter, Rest Better

In this summer heat, when our energy can feel low and our motivation stretched thin, we don’t need more hours—we need more impact from the hours we do have. That starts with focus, clarity, and protecting our attention like the limited resource it is.

So before you burn out trying to push through an endless list, stop.

  • Write down your essentials.
  • Silence the noise.
  • Create the conditions for deep work.
  • And remember: ten focused minutes might be all you need to make real progress today.

Want more practical strategies like this? Chapter 11: Time Matters in my book Productivity for How You’re Wired dives deeper into how to plan your day, manage your time, and get the right things done without the overwhelm. It’s available now on Amazon—in print, eBook, and audio.

Feeling overwhelmed by too much to do and not enough time to do it? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to stay stuck in that cycle. Through one-on-one coaching, I help professionals and leaders like you cut through the noise, ditch the never-ending to-do lists, and align your productivity with how you’re wired—so you can finally create systems that actually stick.