Just 15 Minutes Makes a Difference

One of the key elements to managing your time and making sure that you accomplish the most important things in your day is to carve our just 15 minutes each day for planning. This is formal planning. Sitting down, without interruption, and focusing on what is going on in your life and what you want to accomplish in the next 12-24 hours. This is where you review your list of things "to do", what you have scheduled (meetings, special events, etc.) and what important "acts" you need to fit into your "lineup." If you have a lot of activities and meetings coming up, then your to do list should be small. If you have few meetings/activities you should load up on tasks.

Now for some, the best time to plan is first thing in the morning. Others like to review what they have done today and then plan out tomorrow. Which ever you choose, commit to yourself to make a plan for your day, each and every day. You will find that the days you plan will go smoother (fewer things will fall through the cracks) and that you will sleep better knowing that you have a handle on what is going on in your life. You will find yourself being more proactive as well, including in your day things that normally wouldn't be included if you are, "flying by the seat of your pants" and "putting out fires" all day long. Try it out! Experiment with planning in the morning verses the evening and see what works best for you? Stick with it!

Do You Need Glasses?

The word of the week is "myopic." There are a few different dictionary definitions for myopic. One definition is tied to ophthalmology: Pertaining to having myopia; or being nearsighted. The definition to focus on (pun intended) is that of "being unable or unwilling to act prudently; shortsighted."

When someone is caught up in what we call the "juggling elephants routine" it is very easy to be shortsighted (synonyms: short-term, short range, thoughtless and unthinking). The reason being is that you are so busy checking things off of your to do list and trying to get caught up that you don’t even think if the stuff that you are doing is the right stuff that you should be doing. This myopic routine is all about the here and now, being reactive, shooting from the hip and putting out fires. It is not about whether or not you are acting prudently and focusing on what matters most or what will bring the most desired outcome.

Is it time to get your vision corrected so that you can see into the distance and plan today’s tasks accordingly? If you are not being strategic about the things that you do you will be looking at achievements that are empty and that come at the expenses of things that are of greater value. Can you see?

Be Thorough

One of the consequences of attempting to "juggle elephants" is that we end up doing some of our tasks half way or that we deliver a product or service that is "half baked." More than ever, poor performance is a result of having too much to do and not enough time and focus to deliver.

Lord Chesterfield said, "Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads."

Take that little extra time to be thorough. Remove other "acts" from your "circus" to make sure you are delivering a quality performance.

The Elephants of Tomorrow

Yesterday we were meeting with attendees at the Training Trade Show in San Diego. It was fantastic to hear of training managers and others talk of how they are using Juggling Elephants. For some it was a book club, while others are doing their own training through our Train the Trainer program and still others have us booked for a keynote or live training program sometime this year. We always enjoy getting to know those who are sharing the message with others.

One of our favorite moments at a trade show is when someone who has not heard of Juggling Elephants says, "So what is Juggling Elephants?" We then simply say, "Do you ever feel like you have too much to do?" and the expression on their face says, "I get it now."

When talking with one attendee, we were explaining Module 6 of our training program-Continuous Improvement. He didn't see the value of focusing on such a concept in a program like ours. I simply said, "So, are you ready for the elephants of tomorrow?" He said, "No. I'm just trying to deal with the ones today." I replied, "Well, if you could do something small today or this week to prepare to deal with tomorrow's elephants, would that be of value?" His smile said it all.

Like others, too often I find myself so hyper focused on the elephants of today that I never give thought to the ones on the way. My circus seems to function better when I have at least one act that deals with an elephant coming in the future.

What could you do today to better prepare for the elephants coming your way? Remember-there are always more elephants on the way.

The Time To Improve Your Circus

A slumping economy has been affecting corporate America for some time now. The impact on communities and cities as a whole, however, is just now beginning to take shape. A recent article in the New York Times, however, highlighted a city that seems to be insulated from many of the challenges facing other areas. In the article, For Pittsburgh, There's Life After Steel, several reasons are given for their ability to withstand the negative impact on so many other communities.

The sentence that was most telling was this: Pittsburgh had the luxury of reshaping itself while the rest of the United States economy was relatively strong. It goes back to that old adage, "The time to change is when things are good." Whether it's a corporation, community or a household, those entities that are constantly analyzing their surroundings (i.e. being good ringmasters) and making changes proactively instead of reactively fare better in the difficult times. Many saw this impending crisis developing, but did little to prepare for it or modify business practices, budgets or even family spending habits.

So, if your circus is struggling now, commit yourself to continuous improvement so you can insulate yourself from future downturns that will certainly come. If you are experiencing only minor discomfort during this crisis due to your forethought and progressive action-bravo! Along with Pittsburgh, thanks for being an example for the rest of us.