So, if you're a late-comer to the game - as I was - and haven't heard of KIVA.org, here is a 2 minute 30 second overview of what I think about it...Enjoy, and please pass on to just one person!
Please Click anywhere in the black area below to get started...Well, just this morning, I posted a note on my Facebook page asking people for a quick favor. Here's the request I made:
Below, here are just some of the responses (to read them all, check out my FB page...). This picture is from an older journal...The beginnings of an article written many moons ago!
1. Click the space bar instead of the @ symbol and the dot when typing e-mail addresses.
2. Click the space bar twice at the end of each sentence. It adds a period and a space and capitalizes the next word.
For the rest of Jodi's article (and, 8 more tips you HAVE to know) read the rest of the article on the Pink Magazine website!
She even talks about this tip!
This one is from www.OutlookDashboard.com...
If you’ve ever missed a morning meeting, make your Calendar the opening screen on your computer.
Most people are unaware that you can change the main view of Outlook to have the Calendar as the starting page. It is quick and easy to edit the “dashboard” view. (There are step-by-step directions on the Outlook Dashboard site, just click the link in above...)
If you use an online calendar, you can make that your homepage by editing the Preferences from the menu bar of your online browser.
Now that you’re looking at your calendar, do you trust it? Or is it a jumble of reminders and to do’s, mixed in with your actual daily meetings and appointments? Do you keep moving uncompleted tasks from one day to the next? For many people the Calendar becomes more of a chore or afterthought than a productivity tool. When you glance at your calendar, it should be a clean shot of what you need to know about your day.
By reviewing a concise calendar, you’ll be better prepared for the day and never miss another 8 am meeting again.
+ PS: We found ways to create your "dashboard" in Lotus Notes, and even gMail as well! Just ask...
Carefully identifying some of the "areas of focus" for goal setting and goal achievement takes but a few moments of time. In fact, purposeful and directed focus can actually take some of the stress of "thinking about thinking" out of the picture!
Here are just a few things to consider...
Continue to balance the "Thinking/Managing/Doing" aspects of your work to bring together hours, days, weeks, months and quarters more in alignment with where you think you'd like to be...identify the results you hope to achieve, and make daily choices - of your action and your focus - to move further...faster.
If there is something getting in your way of focusing on the MITs (the Most Important Things), write it down and filter it through the 4 areas of focus above. Then, over the next week, see how you can move forward, from where you are to where you want to be.
Recently, I sat at a cafe with a group of friends at the "start of our morning." During the conversation, the topics ranged from sports to politics to travel. But, at one point we turned to a theme of "recommendations." I don't remember what got us started (were talking about traveling down the CA coastline), but I do remember taking this picture.
As the recommendations were flying, two of us took out our "little pads of paper" and started taking notes. Now, in many situations this may have been seen as weird. ("You're taking notes on conversation you're having at a coffee shop???)
But, as I am planning a 5 day bike ride from San Francisco to Ojai next spring, I know that I was more than just interested in the conversation. I wanted to get back to my office, go online, and research some of those suggestions.
I did NOT want to hope I remembered what they were!
I have an idea for ya: for the next week, take a few more notes...even if you "think" you'll remember something later, write it down anyway! Then, look at those notes back at your desk, office or home. I'm curious to hear what happens!
Did a little research this morning after my most recent trip consulting for a few Investment Banks in Europe last week. It seems that now (more then ever, they are saying) people have more than "just" work on their minds when they are AT work. So...what's the big deal?
Read on...
The study compared 10 healthy people in their 60s and 70s to a dozen younger volunteers, ages 22 to 36. Their brains were scanned while they looked at photographs of people they did not know. As each photograph was displayed for one second, the volunteers were asked if they'd seen it before in the study.
Have you ever felt "a little bit distracted?" If so, check out this article by Mr. Malcolm Ritter.
For years, I have talked about the importance of learning in "less distracting" environments. As a high school teacher, I didn't ask my students to study in quiet environments because they could NOT learn while watching TV or listening to music. Instead, I attempted to show them that they could learn FASTER and EASIER by focusing in on what they need to do!
I know, I know...nothing new. But, I do have a question to ask of my own self: What will I do today, in total focused concentration?
To get myself geared up for an experiment, I re-viewed this TED Talk by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
On vacation, I found out my website is down, my email account is down, and I'm a 4+ hour drive away from the office. So, I called in on my network of friends and mentors: - we've domain-forwarded the website (that's why you're here, if you typed in www.jasonwomack.com. - we've moved my email hosting (please E-mail me at jwwomack (at) gmail (dot) com
Ok, we're back up, you can E-mail me at the link off to the right side of this page between now and Monday)
- we've decided to take a hike, as I'm not going to drive back to the Ojai office to fix this. This is what running our own business - and being geographically independent - is all about!
Ok, got some really nice advice from the stage just now...
"Look to create and participate in the kind of community in HERE that you want to experience out THERE."
He talked briefly about how "easy" it can be to create a significant community by simply reaching out to meet a couple of people within handshake-distance.
(Interesting personal story - can't make this up - I'm sitting between two women, Nancy and Gail. My mom's name is Nancy...my step-mom's name is Gail. So, I guess I'm supposed to be here...like, right here!)
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~ Mark Twain