by Dr. Heléna Kate | Dec 8, 2013 | Dr. Heléna Kate's Blog
Today\’s tip: what to do on super-slow days.
Once in a while there are these days when loading the dishwasher is the most productive thing I can manage. (It may or may not happen on a verge of a big project I\’ve never tried before). Forget writing curriculum, planning workshops, or catching up on back-end stuff. I don\’t trust myself to do anything of consequence. In the past such days triggered an unpleasant mix of guilt and \”I\’m-a-failed-entrepreneur\” fear. Fun times.
Now… here is a simple strategy to a) make these days productive, and b) earn the bonus of avoiding guilt and self-bashing: Read. A book.
Most entrepreneurs have a list of books they plan to read \”someday\”. Well, that day is today. You can\’t sit yourself down and brainstorm, because you\’re too exhausted/scared/waiting for information/whatever. You don\’t trust yourself to do behind-the-scenes work for a client for the same reasons. You can barely tolerate the thought of interacting with another human being.
Time to sit down, make yourself a cup of coffee and open one of the better-written books on your list.
Don\’t rush into performing the exercises if the book offers any, as they often do. You\’ll have time for that later. Relax and read.
Soak the ideas. Get some validation for stuff you already know. It\’ll surface later when you network, teach, launch.
It\’s time well spent. Or rather, well-invested.
A smooth running, successful business is within your reach and Marina Darlow of Vision Framework can help you get there with systems for time management, cash flow, project plans and more.
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by Dr. Heléna Kate | Oct 8, 2013 | Dr. Heléna Kate's Blog
Today I\’d like to share one of my favorite tools that helps me (and my clients) be more productive than I ever thought possible:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
SIRI + iPhone Reminders app!
(Note for Android users: you can try these instead: Astrid: http://astrid.com/
Remember The Milk: http://www.rememberthemilk.com/)
I know it sounds almost mundane and not as fancy as the \”usual suspects\” such as Calendar and Evernote. However, this is the biggest mental-space and time saver I found to date. It allows us to follow the essential principal of productivity: allocate the RIGHT amount of time and energy to every task.
Why does it work so well?
A) The task is now out of your mind and in a trusted system, that not only will store it for you, but will remind you to address it AT THE RIGHT TIME. Now it doesn\’t clog your brain with needless thoughts and worries and doesn\’t require any energy/mental space to remember it.
B) For me personally, writing stuff down creates some resistance. It\’s too much work! But when I only need to say \”Remind me…\” and assign a time, it\’s easy and doesn\’t interrupt the flow of whatever I am doing. This way, many more reminders go in, and subsequently more stuff GETS DONE.
Really, it\’s mind-boggling how much more productive thinking I can do since I stopped trying to remember every to-do.
I would like to challenge you to try it for a week, and tell me how it is working for you.
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Need to create better systems for your business? Marina Darlow of Vision Framework will help you put the structures in place to make you and your business the most effective.
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