Category Archives: productivity
Are you consistently inconsistent?
A friend of mine recently called to tell me he hadn’t been getting my weekly blog posts, and he wanted to check and make sure he was still on my mailing list. He said he was bummed to miss out … Continue reading
Do your habits chain you to failure or slingshot you to success?
“Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.” Hmmm…… This Spanish proverb highlights a key attribute of habits: They’re a very sharp, double-edged sword. Good habits make life run smoothly, easily, and effectively. Bad ones effortlessly screw you up. So … Continue reading
How to get more done on important projects in 6 hours than you usually do in 6 days
I have a client who frets about being “not as productive” as an entrepreneur as she was in her days as an employee. I think she’s often too hard on herself, since she forgets those common attributes of paycheck … Continue reading
Dogs as business instructors. Who knew?
I recently puppy-sat for my sister’s dogs. Two of them. For a week. Added to my own dog, this means I was outnumbered three to one. Emma (the little blond) had to be watched every moment she’s outside, … Continue reading
Are you doing things for the first time EVERY time?
All of us have experienced hundreds of “firsts” in our lives: first day of school, first kiss, first car, first job…Many of these firsts are powerful rites of passage, and so worth celebrating. But, if you’re like a lot of … Continue reading
Killing the killers
Last week I spoke about productivity killers. In my opinion, all of them are subtle, insidious, and a general pain in the ass. The good news is that there are specific action steps you can take to do away … Continue reading
Who are you kidding?
“Productivity: the quality, state, or fact of being able to generate, create, enhance, or bring forth goods and services.” You’d probably agree with Dictionary.com’s definition of productivity in general terms. But what does productivity look like when applied to … Continue reading
Are you sabotaging your success by chickening out?
“Chicken!!” If you’re like most adults, you can probably remember hearing that taunt sometime during your childhood. It usually was intended to push you into doing something you weren’t comfortable with. Was this typically done from a position of … Continue reading
Focus, dammit!
Last week I explored the dangers of getting sucked into the myth of “productive multi-tasking.” Today it’s time for problem-solving so that you (or your clients, family, friends….) are able to resist the siren call of this seemingly plausible … Continue reading
Do you buy into the myth of multi-tasking?
Do you pride yourself on your ability to multi-task? Maybe it’s time to remember the old saying that “pride goeth before a fall.” I found it rather fascinating that, in two different online dictionaries, “multi-tasking” is defined primarily in … Continue reading
Caught any trespassers lately?
Last week we explored two different types of boundaries: those which are so porous they fail to keep out things which ought to be kept out, and those which are so rigid they fail to let in things which … Continue reading
Sand or stone: Where do you draw the line?
A boundary, as defined by Dictionary.com, is “something that indicates bounds or limits.” While some people may choose to view boundaries as something that can restrict their progress, other – perhaps wiser – people view boundaries as something to … Continue reading
What’s stopping you now?
If you’re like most talented entrepreneurs, the tendency to procrastinate can be a major obstacle to your success. If you’re like some successful entrepreneurs, you’ve committed to a “do it NOW” approach to the myriad tasks facing you as … Continue reading
Haven’t you started YET?
As I addressed in last week’s post, procrastination is a fabulous way to quickly and efficiently derail your success. If this sounds less than appealing, here are some more ways to fight your put-it-off tendencies and, instead, propel yourself … Continue reading
Waiting for success = speeding toward failure
If I had to choose the most stubborn, ubiquitous, and effective obstacle to entrepreneurial success, my hands-down favorite would be procrastination. According to Etymology Online, this word comes “directly from [the] Latin procrastinationem, ‘a putting off from day to … Continue reading
Kicking back? Kicking it up? How ‘bout both?
Folks in the northern hemisphere are basking in the start of summer. If you’re like most such people, you’re looking forward to vacations and road trips and some lazy days off. The question is, Can your business afford to … Continue reading
Resistance is STILL futile. What are you doing about it?
Last week we explored the topic of resistance, but stopped short of addressing how to actually deal with it. Since self-awareness without action is fairly useless, let’s figure out how to address the question that will actually improve your … Continue reading
Resistance is futile. Give it a rest!
Have you ever watched two hard-core arm wrestlers? Both are exerting all their strength to resist the force of the opponent’s hand. This typically involves a lot of sweat and strain, grunting and grimacing. And, sometimes when a wrestler … Continue reading
Is your auto-pilot leading you straight to a dead end?
In a perfect world, life can flow a lot more smoothly when you have systems, processes, and productive habits in place. You don’t have to continually re-invent the wheel, and your effectiveness soars. In a perfect world. In the … Continue reading
You can’t have one without the other.
There are just 63 days left in 2014. How did such a thing happen?? Sixty-three days left to evaluate what worked great in 2014 and what went down in flames. Sixty-three days left to envision and lay the groundwork … Continue reading
5 steps to saying “no” without guilt
For far too many entrepreneurs, especially women, “no” is a four-letter word: rude, crude, and socially unacceptable. What’s with that? Helping others and making a difference are two of the reasons many entrepreneurs start their businesses to begin with. That … Continue reading
How to ditch time-wasting “coffee dates” once and for all
We’ve all felt the lure of that seductive question that seems to indicate a burning desire to know more about our fascinating business: Why don’t we get together over coffee? Such an unassuming little question. Such a seemingly great networking … Continue reading
3 quick and easy ways to run your tank dry
Most of us would agree that running a business requires a fair amount of energy. You can probably identify activities that charge you up—as well as activities that suck all the life out of you. But if you’re concerned about … Continue reading
The top 5 lies about accountability
Accountability. It’s often mentioned but rarely practiced. When you’re held accountable for your actions, you are, according to Dictionary.com, “subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable.” Knowing you’re expected to report on your progress or … Continue reading
Warning! Only you can prevent business fires.
Which would you rather manage—a crisis or an opportunity? Most entrepreneurs have more experience with the former. Whether due to procrastination, or trying to do too much, or not focusing on the important activities, or whatever, it’s all too common … Continue reading
Are you dooming yourself by playing the comparison game?
The noun “compare” derives from the Latin roots com, meaning “with,” and pare, meaning “equal.” This would lead you to believe that comparing two people (or activities or achievements) involves looking at equals. Yeah, right. The reality of comparisons is … Continue reading
A rite to help you write right
Getting prospects to trust you and respect your abilities is one of your more crucial business-development activities. A business truism that has stood the test of time is this: Unless a prospect knows, likes, and trusts you, she’s not going … Continue reading
One easy tip for driving yourself insane while blogging
Many successful entrepreneurs will tell you that one of their critical success factors is clearly demonstrating how their services benefit their clients. They share client success stories, they give out high-value content, and they make it a point to do … Continue reading
The Hamster-Wheel School of productivity
You’ve probably seen cute little hamsters running on their wheels. They look so darn adorable, don’t they? Furry, cuddly, goofy looking as they go in endless circles, working so hard to get nowhere. Do you ever have a sneaking suspicion … Continue reading
How time-saving tools gamble with your productivity
Remember back in the good ol’ days when the advent of the computer lead to pipe dreams about the “paperless office”? Me, too. That’s just one of the more amusing examples of how technology was supposed to improve our productivity, … Continue reading
Focus + creativity + powerful mindset = success.
The greater your focus on the important stuff, the greater the probability of you rising high in the ranks of successful entrepreneurs. Continue reading
Focus on the right activities leads to business success.
Have trouble focusing? Here are some tools to improve this crucial skill. Continue reading
Mindset, money, BrickBreaker – oh, my!
A positive, powerful mindset is crucial to business success. How’s yours? Continue reading
Are you sacrificing results just so you can stay in your comfort zone?
It’s been said that the purpose of the ego is to save us from anticipated future pain. I can totally see this being true, and it makes me wonder: Just how much have all of us sacrificed by allowing our … Continue reading
Are you dealing with eMAIL or eMAUL?
Successful entrepreneurs know how to manage their inbox so it increases their productivity instead of making them crazy. Continue reading
How to use “not now” to propel your business forward.
You can’t be productive if you don’t stay focused. Continue reading
How much of a hypocrite are you when it comes to walking your talk?
Most of us have probably heard the expression, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Kind of stinks, doesn’t it? That’s because its implicit message is, “What I’m telling you sounds good and I think you should do it, … Continue reading
How trying to improve on your weaknesses actually robs you of strength
Build on your strengths. It’ll pay off bigger than trying to fix your weaknesses. Continue reading
The minimalist guide to business development
You don’t have the luxury of bouncing from one business-building ploy to another. Here are some ways to keep you laser focused on activities that will actually pay off for you. Continue reading
Are you doing things for the first time EVERY time?
Reinventing the wheel is a common mistake that robs entrepreneurs of time, energy, and opportunity. An uncomfortable sense of déjà vu is typically an excellent clue that you’ve fallen prey to this results killer. For example, you may notice that … Continue reading
Three MORE time-management mistakes you don’t realize you’re making.
Isn’t it special that there are so many ways to misuse your precious time? In case you didn’t find any of your personal favorite weak spots in the post earlier this week, see if any of the following sound familiar. … Continue reading
Would you rather be comfortable or prosperous?
Jeff Olson, in his book The Slight Edge, observed that “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.” In other words, unsuccessful people value their short-term comfort more than their long-term results. This seems to be a … Continue reading
5 Shortcuts for Clearing Up Backlogged Emails
Are you drowning in emails? What is that costing you in terms of energy, time, and money? Use these 5 shortcuts to tame your Inbox From Hell. Continue reading
7 clues that you’re busy instead of productive
Are you simply doing stuff, or are you making progress? See if any of these traps are keeping you busy and unproductive. Continue reading
5 Content Essentials That Get You More Clients, More Influence & More Authority In Your Industry
Not sure how to use the power of the Internet to get your name out there in a powerful way? Here are five ideas to get you started on the right path. Continue reading
Forget about improving on your weaknesses. Build on your strengths.
You’ll get a much bigger payoff and feel a LOT more confident and satisfied if you do more of what you’re good at and less of what you’re lousy at! Continue reading
Are you working ON your business or just IN it? How to balance development and delivery.
When you work IN your business, you’re busy delivering the goods, working in the now to earn money. When you work ON your business, you focus on developing your business so that in the future you will be, do, and have more. Continue reading
The Evils of Stop-and-Go
The problem of stop-and-go business activity is that you never really acquire momentum and you waste huge amounts of time getting your head back in the game once you’ve walked away from an important task. Here are some strategies that will get you started and keep you moving forward. Continue reading
Are you choosing to stay stuck?
When you’ve hit rock bottom and feel as helpless as a turtle on its back, try one of these five strategies for getting unstuck. Continue reading
Focus is Our Friend.
Lack of focus bogs down movement toward your goals and increases your stress. What can you do to stay focused on the important activities facing you? Continue reading
Baby Steps or Long Jumps: Either Will Get You Where You Want to Go.
Small bits of progress may be less dramatic than big ones, but enough of them, taken consistently and faithfully, will get you where you want to go just as well as a few giant (and often exhausting) leaps. Continue reading
Runnin’ on Empty: The Importance of Re-charging
I’ve been feeling stressed lately and have had a hard time figuring out what was up. After a certain amount of whining, pondering, and ingesting mass quantities of chocolate, I realized I’ve been pushing too hard. Does any of this … Continue reading
