Reading Time: 4 minutesWhy Proactivity Matters: Shaping Your Day Instead of Reacting to It I’ve had a morning routine for several years. I read from several sources, think about what I’ve read, and journal. A recent quote completely reframed how I think about my morning routine. Tsh Oxenreider, in her book One Bite at a Time, wrote: “Instead …
Reading Time: 5 minutesIntroduction: Exploring Two Proven Planning Techniques Have you ever felt your rigid planning system traps you, but total flexibility leaves you unfocused? I’ve been there too. After much experimentation, I’ve found a way to get the best of both worlds. On some days, rigid time blocking my day worked, while on others, the flexibility of …
Reading Time: 3 minutesSelf-aware people think a lot about discovering their calling in life. Today’s quote highlights the challenges of finding one’s calling: “It is not easy to find one’s calling in life. Although some know what they want to do from an early age, for most, it takes many years to find their path.” The Things You …
Reading Time: 6 minutesAfter years of managing my daily tasks, notes, and time blocking across multiple apps, I tested NotePlan, a tool that promised to be an all-in-one solution. Over the last two weeks, I’ve immersed myself in its features, testing them in my daily routines. My journey with NotePlan began unexpectedly while listening to episode 756 of …
Reading Time: 5 minutesI do a quarterly review and planning session each quarter. I thoroughly review the prior quarter and plan for the next near the beginning of every quarter. I follow the system described by David Sparks in his Productivity Field Guide. I use a template (provided by David Sparks in the Productivity Field Guide) with questions …
Reading Time: 3 minutesEach generation thinks of itself as superior to all that came before. More modern, more sophisticated, more knowledgeable, and dealing with much more complex issues than any in the history of humanity. We tend to consider productivity a Modern concern and development. We talk about how, in our modern age, people face all kinds of …
Reading Time: 4 minutesAll time blocks are not the same. As our quote today says, “One unit of time is very different from another unit of time…all hours are not created equal.” Mind Management, Not Time Management, by David Kadavy. Our energy levels and mental states vary by the hour and the day. I am better at some …
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe advice to “be yourself” is typically applied to many different life areas. When talking about relationships or meeting new people, we’re encouraged to be ourselves so that our relationship is based on our authentic self and not a false image that we’re presenting. Our quote today is about being ourselves in our writing. William …
Reading Time: 4 minutesAll of us procrastinate at some time. While not all procrastination is harmful (see my post, Four Ways Procrastination Can Benefit Your Creative Work), it can keep us from doing important work and result in higher stress levels when we put off doing things until the last minute. Why We Procrastinate • We know it’s …
Reading Time: 3 minutesProcrastination is typically seen as a negative in productivity circles. There are plenty of books and articles about how to overcome procrastination. For instance, there are the books “How to Stop Procrastinating” by S.J. Scott and “Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time” by Brian Tracy. …