Author: Carol Williams

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What does the word “leadership” mean to you?

September blows in freshness. For me, this year’s new beginnings include the honor of speaking at a day-long leadership conference. I’m especially excited because of my colleague Steve Gamlin, who I consider a famous (locally, anyhow) speaker will be doing his motivational, practical wizardry as well. Yippee!

Leadership: when you hear this word, what enters your mind? Leadership seems to be somewhat of a buzzword of late. “Lead yourself first.” “We are all leaders.” “Leadership for Women.” “Real leadership.” What does all of this mean?

For me, leadership means accessing what you have and using it to the best of your ability. It means being your best self, sharing yourself with others, and seeking ways to be an even better best self. To that end, I’ll be sharing a talk I’m calling “The Power is with You- Plug it in.”

The power is with you. Hold that for a moment. What happens in the opposite mindset, when we feel powerless? Do we have our next great and bold thought or plan? Do we do our best work? Of course not. The feeling of powerlessness spirals down, resulting in some combination of sadness, anger, anxiety, and possibly depression.

When the opposite is true, we feel powerFUL. We get the “world is our oyster” feeling. We sit and stand up straight. We smile. We laugh. We become more attractive. Words come out of our mouths at just the right time. We get our next great idea. Things seem easy.

Knowing that the power is with us does not mean that we think we know it all. Quite often, embodying this knowledge leads us to expand our knowledge and skill base further. This then puts us in a circle of other leaders, committed to learning and growing. Friendships grow. Leadership circles form.

So lead, but lead from the inside out. Outside influences can light our inner fire, but our inner fire is the light of leadership.

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AD/HD file systems Get Organized More time in my day prioritize procrastination Productivity productivity in the workplace project systems Time strategies

An Easy Way to be your Best Self

Most people I run into say they’d like to be more productive. So, I offer a magic pill for $9.95. I’m kidding, of course.

…Do you ever beat yourself up for not being perfectly productive 100% of the time?

The first step (really) in the ABCs of Productivity is to Accept your reality. This means you must accept yourself. To accept yourself, you must understand yourself. Here’s a snippet entitled “Understand Thyself” from a recent workshop: CLICK HERE

Once you do two things, (1) accept yourself and (2) understand yourself, the stage is set. You are getting closer to being “100% productive.”

In this article, we’ll review the four steps to take you through this self-discovery process. By taking the time to complete this process, you’ll be rewarded with a renewed self-understanding, setting the stage for personal and professional growth and productivity. For you readers who are ready to start achieving, please Contact Me and set up a complimentary Discovery call to eliminate those productivity gremlins for good.

Ready? Let’s get started right now with step one, which is a 4-part question:

Step One: Ask yourself, when are you at your best? (note: This is something most of us never consider. Yet, when considered and followed, a BIG DIFFERENCE can be seen.)

– What time of day do you have the most energy?
– How much rest and/or sleep would you have had?
– What foods would you have eaten (or avoided)?
– What would your family relationships look like?
This may seem simple, and not really related to productivity or achieving more. You may have been looking for that magic pill. It may surprise you to learn that while STRATEGIES are important, knowing where you are at a baseline is critical.

Step two: How are my current work systems doing? What is working great, and what could use some upgrading? Systems to consider: calendar, correspondence, task management, file management, priority management, long range planning.

Step Three: Dare to detail your TRUE desires (know thyself)! With this exercise, you have permission to think big, be brave, and be bold. If you don’t stretch you may never grow. So go ahead and ask yourself…if I am REALLY TRUE to myself….
– What does my work look like?
– What is my life like?
– What qualities do my clients have?
– How do I feel?

Step Four: What do you think might be preventing you from achieving the desires you just outlined above?

Bonus Step: Do something- anything- no matter how small- today. What one tiny step can you take to achieve your true desire? For example, if you think you might want to someday get your Master’s at the local college can you spend 15 minutes at lunch perusing the fall offerings?

I hope this article helps you understand yourself.

To get the most benefit, and fill it in yourself. Refer to it daily, just for 5 minutes. Remember, what you do every day shapes our future. Success, then, is a habit. Remember, your coach and accountability person are just a call or email away!

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EpS Events Get Organized GO system More time in my day prioritize Productivity productivity in the workplace Time strategies

Did someone say “interruptions”?

early bird speaker
early bird speaker

Recently, I had the true pleasure of presenting one of my signature talks, “4 Ways to Produce More While Staying Sane” to a fine group of Human Resource Professionals at the Granite State HR conference in Manchester, New Hampshire.

 

Here’s a INTERRUPTION STOPPER snippet from a workshop I gave to the VT Recreation and Parks Department, click here.

 

One issue that everyone related to – loud and clear- was the apparent disconnect between “saying no” (i.e. not being interrupted) and providing excellent customer service.

 

When most people “want something”, they want it immediately. Few have the self-discipline to add it to a list or to a schedule, and then wait for the right time. Now, if a person has sliced his finger and blood is gushing uncontrollably, immediate action is the only choice.  Most questions are not blood gushing, hospital-rushing ER questions, but, they are treated this way.

 

The late Steve Covey called this living in Quadrant One, “Firefighting.” Our instant-messaging, texting, constant-scroll email culture has exacerbated this issue many-fold. This immediacy becomes our normal, and we no longer have the ability to discern immediate needs from everything else.

 

What’s the issue? Well, there is no issue if you are an ER technician or a firefighter. That’s your job! If, however, you are a MANAGER then this can pull you off track again and again until you find yourself (metaphorically) in Kansas, asking, ”how did this happen?” The answer is…inch by inch.

 

The good news is that you can take back your work life. This workshop is jam packed with tips and strategies, but here are some to get you started:

  1. Work on one thing at a time.
  2. Establish a daily default priority.
  3. Ask your interrupter, “can I get a headline?”

 

These all sound so simple. Ask yourself, are you doing all three? If not, why not? Well, because it’s Not Easy! Here’s a little more about each tip:

  1. One thing at a time: The power of focus is not to be underestimated. At this workshop, we did an exercise proving that working on more than one thing at a time reduced participants’ productivity by OVER HALF. Would you like to double your productivity? Try doing one thing at a time. I dare you.
  2. Daily Default Priority: I know you will do more than one thing in a day. You’ll do a lot more. But how often have you had “that project” that you’ve managed to…skirt around again and again? Keep it simple, keep it clear, write it down, do this exercise every morning and every night. Commit to doing that one thing. And you know what? It WILL get done!
  3. “Can I get a headline?”: This is a great response to all those people who ask the dreaded question….”Got a minute?” That minute turns into an hour- or more -when you then need to do the follow-up, right? And what happened to the project on which you were working? When you ask this question, it causes the interrupter to think before throwing information or questions at you. One s/he summarizes, you can then decide, do I ask him or her to return later, or, is this issue more pressing than my current work? There is POWER IN THE PAUSE.

 

The three tips will get you started back down the path to productivity, taking back control of your workday. Contact me today if you’d like to learn more about how she can infuse motivation, participation, and productivity back into YOU and/or YOUR TEAM. I’d be honored to help boost you to levels you never dreamed possible.

 

With warm regards,

Carol

Your Productivity Coach

 

book-carol-now

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Get Organized More time in my day prioritize procrastination Productivity

Dreaming to Doing: The How

For those of you who may have missed my article in the January Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce newsletter, here’s a timely reminder in MARCH for what we may have intended in January!

 

WHAT is the issue?

 

New Year’s resolutions don’t work. You know that.  Some statistics:

Resolution maintained through first week 75%
Past two weeks 71%
Past one month 64%
Past six months 46%

Source: http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/

 

But, why? We are intelligent and successful leaders. Why do we have a DISCONNECT between Intention and Action?

 

Answer: It’s our brains. It’s how we are wired. But, here’s the good news. We can outsmart our brains.

 

SO WHAT?

 

With everything to gain, and much to lose, it’s worth another look at the “right way” to not only plan, but to design a system that enables you and your team to (really) follow though this time. Without consistent and reliable methods for follow-through, your team will lose momentum, become disengaged, and possibly disgruntled. A disengaged team barely scratches the surface of productivity, whereas a highly engaged and motivated team knows no limits.

 

What if, after many tries of fording an impossible stream, someone built a bridge? Would you ford the stream again? It’s doubtful. What do you have to lose? To gain?

Screen Shot 2016-02-22 at 9.22.09 AM

Want this bridge? Read on.

 

NOW WHAT?

 

How do we outsmart our brains, then, to go from “Dreaming” to “Doing”? It’s simple, but it’s not easy. If it were easy, we’d find different statistics.

 

Simply Successful Steps:

 

  1. Be certain. Envision your end result, with the caveat that you truly believe you can achieve your goal(s). Half-hearted beliefs are doomed to failure.

 

  1. Keep it super simple. A big mistake is to plan for more than three goals. One to three is ideal. “Less is more” after all.

 

  1. Believe through the bumps. There will be bumps, but reminding yourself of successes will breed more successes. Honor and celebrate, and expect the bumps. A deep and meaningful “why” is paramount.

 

  1. Really remember the reminders. What reminds you of “what you were going to do”? Some use a vision board. Some visualize daily. Create small “if/then” habits (hint: this is a “brain trick.” For example, “IF I open a new browser window THEN I will ask myself what my highest priority of the day is.”)

 

  1. Consistently. You must commit to a small step, at least every other day. This creates habit and momentum. It’s also known as Deliberate Practice, which is another way to re-train your brain.

 

  1. Get support. No “man is an island.” Humans are gregarious by nature, and in general, find greater success in personal accountability. Try https://www.stickk.com/, a mastermind group, or a coach. Even announcing your goal (personal or professional) on Facebook can help!

 

Above all, take heart:

 

According to a 2015 study by the Miriam Hospital in Rhode Island, we can “rebuild our willpower muscle.” Like any muscle however, it must be trained.

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Get Organized

Make Your Bed, Make Your Day!

There are times when finding order and organization in our lives seems nigh impossible. I’ve built an entire career and life’s work guiding my clients through that very search. And in a world of “quick tips” and “life hacks,” where the solution to productivity is a “few easy steps!” away, it may be surprising, and perhaps discouraging, that true satisfaction and productivity is so hard to achieve for many people.

This blog isn’t here to make it seem easy. It’s here because I recognize that it’s actually very difficult – but there are tools I can give you to make it easier. Some may not be the final fix you’re looking for, but may in fact be a way to empower you to keep striving for more fulfilling days.

A simple start: make your bed in the morning. It solves nothing and everything at the same time.

What I mean is that essentially, making your bed is a solution to exactly one problem. The problem of having an unmade bed. Now when you think about your hectic days (the looming meetings, the unanswered emails, the schedule that seems to tangle as it unravels) the fact that your bed is unmade may not be your #1 problem. It may not even be problem #99.

So why does making the bed actually help many people, if the habit seems so useless in achieving anything? Psychology Today reports that “71 percent of bed makers consider themselves happy; while 62 percent of non-bed-makers admit to being unhappy.” They also observe that bed-makers are more likely to “like their jobs, own a home, exercise regularly, and feel well rested.” You’ll notice that these are the building blocks of productivity I so often espouse on this blog! Could it really be that easy to attain all these – with a few folds of the sheets?

The answer is a strong “no.” I’m not here to sell you snake oil. But what making your bed can do is start you on the path towards more meaningful tools – it’s what author Charles Duhigg called a “keystone habit” in his book “The Power of Habit.” Making your bed enables you to have other effective behaviors. It starts your day in a mode of productivity, giving you a sense of control over the clutter in your personal sphere. This clutter will rear its head throughout the day, in your email inbox and your hopeless file cabinet. But if you start your day knowing you can overcome disorganization, these problems are going to seem a lot more manageable later on.

Try it tomorrow. It’s an activity you can even make fun too – I won’t stop you from jumping on your newly made bed. You may find that this simple activity may propel you through the rest of your day – even when your day doesn’t seem so simple.

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Evernote

The Why and How of Social Media and Evernote

On July 23, I gave my first live Evernote Webinar, “The Power of Evernote.”  It went wonderfully, and I was so glad to have the opportunity to educate others about what Evernote can do. I know there were at least a couple of social media marketers in attendance. Though I did not go into Evernote and social media in detail via the webinar, I think it is important to dive a bit deeper into that topic. The connection between the two is actually very strong! So here goes. As always, please provide feedback via comment, email, or on social media!

As a reminder, Evernote makes it easy to:

Collect information. With Evernote, you can take snapshots, clip web articles, and store data relevant to one project in one notebook.

Present your work. With a single click all your notes are transformed into a presentation layout without the hassle of having to create slides; and

Discuss work with your co-workers. By sharing notes, you can collaborate on your projects so that the whole team is on the same page. Use the “workchat” feature to eliminate back-and-forth emails. Emails with attachments can get confusing and clutter your inbox – Evernote’s workchat streamlines all that.

Here’s a look at some of the most useful tools, and how to use them:

1. Make to-do lists. Evernote has the ability, in its text editor, to add check boxes (they are like a bullet list in your word processor). For social media marketers, you can use these to:

  • Keep track of an e-newsletter you’re preparing,
  • Organize your upcoming Facebook posts
  • Or store your drafted tweets!

You can create a template, timeline, and themes with your team. Let’s say that on Monday Sally knows she needs to promote X Y and Z. She can check them off and you can see she has done it. She can even create a “notelink” in the checklist to the note where the data/release lives.

Evernote also allows you to utilize IFTTT to auto post tweets and Facebook posts to an Established Evernote Notebook. We’ll cover that later in the article!

2. Snapshots: Not sure whether you should post a picture of that really cool thing you saw today on your way home? Take a picture on Evernote and share it with your team to get their thumbs-up before you post it. We all know, what’s once online, stays online. Here’s a easier way to make sure that what’s online is what you really want to be there.

3. Sound clips: As with pictures, you can save relevant sound clips on an Evernote notebook and use it later for that blog post or report file.

4. Connect to LinkedIn: Eliminate all that business card clutter and simultaneously expand your network.

5. Send an LI invitation as you are snapping the picture of the card. As I demonstrated at the webinar, you can snap a picture of a business card on Evernote and use it to send an invitation to that connection on LinkedIn. Place all your business cards in a notebook and you have a basic Contact Management System started. The beauty of this is the automated nature of it – you can build a bigger network, a lot faster.

6. The WebClipper. This handy Evernote tool eliminates the need for bookmarks! Here’s the scenario: You are searching the web. You find good info for an article. You bookmark it in your browser. How do you remember this later? Here’s how Evernote can help:

a. Download the web clipper add-on for your browser.

b. While in the article, click the elephant icon (web clipper). Then hit save.

c. Now the article is in the notebook you want it in, with any tags (A.K.A. keywords) you want! You can even add them upon saving or add them later, at your convenience.

d. Forget where you put it? Once you have everything saved up neatly in your Evernote workspace, you can easily and quickly search through your content later – Evernote searches tags, texts, and even text within images!

The power of this is that you simply and easily save links from websites, social media sites – in a way that’s a lot easier to manage than endless and obscure lists of unsearchable bookmarks.

7. IFTTT: If This Then That: Last and not least, this is the POWERHOUSE of building processes – and will make your social media life forever better. Here’s the long and short of it: When a process is automated, it saves time and effort, resulting in higher personal productivity. Read on to learn how IFTTT.com can help you with Facebook and Twitter updates.

Let’s say you forgot if you posted that update about a meeting, or you want to keep a running log of what posts have been made about a product release. There is an IFTT “recipe” for this, linked here: This recipe sends all of your Facebook updates directly to an Evernote notebook. This is perfect for when you cannot launch your Facebook app, but need to see what you have posted. So you will save your status updates on Facebook to an Evernote notebook. This keeps a running diary of your Facebook status changes by automatically saving all updates to an Evernote notebook.

You can use Evernote as an IFTTT action or trigger in many different ways, but here we’ll focus on one: Backing up all of your tweets to your Evernote notebooks. You can then search through and share them whenever you like, without having to trawl back through your Twitter feed in and endless scroll, searching desperately for something that would take five seconds to find in Evernote.

How does this work? IFTTT uses “recipes” and is dead simple to use. Go to ifttt.com and search for what you need. They walk you through it. It looks like this:

FOR TWITTER: Create a recipe from within IFTTT and choose new tweets as the trigger from the Twitter channel—you’ll be given the option to include or exclude retweets and replies along the way. The app then prompts you for an action within Evernote, so choose to append new tweets to an existing note, which you can tag as you like to make it easier to find in future. Once a note reaches 2MB in size, IFTTT will automatically start a new one for you.

Here’s the link to send all of your tweets to your Evernote notebook. This makes it quick and easy to share with teammates and clients who may not use Twitter, or stay up to date with your latest posts.

FOR FACEBOOK: It works the same way with a different “recipe,” linked here: This recipe sends all of your Facebook updates directly to an Evernote notebook. It’s perfect for when you cannot launch your Facebok app, but need to see what you have posted.

Save your status updates on Facebook to an Evernote notebook. Keep a running diary of your Facebook status changes by automatically saving all updates to an Evernote notebook.

So to wrap up: Evernote helps you remember everything. The more you use it, the better it gets, and this is doubly true for the complicated work of social media marketers. Try it for one client starting today! See what you think, and start small. Perhaps just start creating notebooks for your campaigns and posts, then let me know what questions or comments you may have. I look forward to helping you be even more productive with this tool!

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