A few weeks ago, I had one of those stretch of days where Monday ended up blurring into Friday. This wasn’t because of something specific from that particular week, but more a result of an escalation in busyness that had started building up over the previous weeks. Naturally, this frantic pace was beginning to take its toll, and I knew that I should be making more time to relax and catch my breath to assess the situation. Ironically, in trying to manage this growing pile on my To-do list, the first thing I started cutting back on were those very things that I needed the most.

One night, after spending the last couple of days working at this accelerated pace, I was preparing my kids’ lunch for the next school day. While making their sandwiches, I realized that I had accidentally buttered both sides of the same slice of bread. It was a silly mistake, one that gave my wife a good laugh at my expense. And yet, it also ended up being the very thing I needed – a wake-up call to recognize that I’d been so busy simply reacting to what I was facing that I was neglecting the importance of reflecting on what tasks were the ones that most needed my attention in order for me to reach whatever goals I had for that week.

I realized that part of the problem is Click here to continue reading »”4 Questions To Help Your Team Keep Their Focus”

Photo courtesy of hael0

The wise man at the top of the mountain – it’s a timeless image many of us are familiar with when we think of the road to wisdom. Most stories about the wise man on the mountain involve someone climbing up to the summit to seek the elderly man’s counsel. These stories often serve as a metaphor for the journey each of us must take in the pursuit for greater understanding and awareness, with the wise man representing who we will become through this process. And yet, if we examine this tale from the perspective of the wise man, we’d find that there are also some valuable insights on the importance making time for reflection.

In terms of the seeker, having the wise man at the top of a mountain makes sense as it implies a challenge to reach this source of knowledge and insight. And yet, there’s an important reason why being at the top of the mountain is beneficial for the wise man as well. From his position at the summit, the wise man is able to take in the full view of his surroundings. Instead of getting caught up in the details, his focus has shifted to understanding the bigger picture, of examining how everything relates and interacts. Being up on the top of the mountain allows the wise man to be free from the distractions found in the village below so that he can instead reflect on the questions in his mind in the hope of finding some answers, if not a greater sense of awareness of the situation.

Like the wise man, it’s important that those in leadership positions take time to Click here to continue reading »”The Power of Reflection in Leadership”

Photo courtesy of Andy Ciordia

The following is a guest post by fellow blogger/writer Nacie Carson.  Nacie writes about personal development issues on her blog “The Life Uncommon“.

Ever since I left the corporate world to work for myself two years ago, I have been fascinated by the concept of productivity. How to get more done, accomplish more, see better quality, and then – as a reward – be able to enjoy greater and more satisfying periods of rest truly intrigue me.

My interest in the art and science of productivity began when I first started working from home in 2008. After months in a cubicle, I was thrilled to run my own schedule, work where I wanted, and focus on the business I wanted to do. However, within a few weeks I found that getting things done was a lot harder than it looked. “I was so productive when I worked at Company X,” I thought, “Why am I not getting the same result now that I am working for myself?”

I started investigating productivity techniques, tips and tricks, and found a wealth of information both online and in books to help me form actionable strategies. But I soon found that within a few days of implementing a new strategy my productivity level would slip back down again. What was the deal?

The problem was obvious, and the solution simple: the issue was my state of mind.

There are two elements that come together to shape our lives: Click here to continue reading »”The Productivity Mindset”