Do you find yourself in recurring meetings that turn into the same ineffective meeting over and over and over where little is accomplished or decided? You discuss the same topics, you rehash the same issues and then nothing is resolved, launched or progressed because you were inefficient and ran out of time. So, the next meeting you try to remember what was discussed in the previous meeting, rehash the same information and try to come up with a solution again and again and again.
Don’t hold meetings just to hold them. Make sure that they have purpose, an agenda and desired outcomes. Also be sure to leave the meeting with those outcomes or decisions documented.
Unproductive meetings are a huge time waster. Having a purpose and working to achieve desired outcomes in a meeting can be an efficient tool – when done correctly. Next time you have a meeting, at the conclusion ask, “What did we accomplish?” If no one can answer the question, then you have some work to do.
Dreaming
Instead of counting sheep to help me go to sleep at night, I like to daydream (night dream?). It has been an effective way for me to forget the reality of life, calm my brain and help me sleep. Call it a different type of meditation. These daydreams are frivolous and far fetched. Very little reality involved. Candy for my brain.
What kind of dreaming do you do? Is it all brain candy? Or, do you also do some deliberate dreaming? Do you take the time to dream about what you want to do? What you want to be? What you want to accomplish? I talk a lot about being intentional and feel that we also need to be intentional with our dreams. Take some time to ponder what you want to achieve. Write it down. Sketch it out. Create a collage of pictures to visualize it. Tweak it. Arrange it. But then get to work on it.
I just returned from a wonderful intermission (vacation) with my fabulous wife. It was a great time to catch up and spend some time together walking and talking. We took some time to dream about the next 10 years of our life and what we want to do. It takes time to do this. We came up with several drafts. We started over a few times. We rearranged it and are close to agreeing on it. Once we agree on it, the fun begins as we work on it. Our planning included work, our changing family, vacations, major purchases, home renovation, savings, and working towards retirement. These were topics important to us. It took a chunk of time just coming up with the topics. Then we discussed scenarios. It was so helpful just to talk and hear each other’s perspectives. (As a side, perspectives change over time and you might be surprised to find your significant other’s views have changed since you last spoke.)
Take the time to dream. Personally, with your partner, with your family, direct reports, boss, etc. Dreams can and should turn into reality. They should turn into goals and daily tasks. Dreams shouldn’t be something that just help you get to sleep.
To Procrastinate or Not to Procrastinate. That is the Question!
Sorry Mr. Shakespeare. But for me, that is a question that I believe we should be asking ourselves every day. Do we put off doing something because we are lazy or because it is hard or intimidating? Or, do we put it off because it is not the “best” thing for us to be focusing on right now? It is passive procrastination versus active procrastination. Being intentional about what you do and what you don’t do can determine what you be-come and what you don’t be-come.
Priorities and Passion
Some priorities we choose. Some priorities are dictated to us. But, we can control our passion and what we are passionate about.
Isn’t it interesting that if we are passionate about a priority how we are able to find time for it? We stay up late or get up early to focus and work on it. We eat lunch at our desk while working on it.
I relate having passionate priorities to reading a very good book. You can’t put it down. You are reading it at stop lights, in the bathroom, at the dinner table, in your bed…well into the night.
Identify those things that you are passionate about and make them a priority. Or, become passionate about your priorities. Life is too short to take time “on a bad book”. (There are so many other books just waiting to be read.) Delegate or ask for a reassignment if the passion isn’t there. You will be more productive when you will look for ways to spend time on what you love.
TO-MORROW
He was going to be all that a mortal should be
To-morrow.
No one should be kinder or braver than he
To-morrow.
A friend who was troubled and weary he knew,
Who’d be glad of a lift and who needed it, too;
On him he would call and see what he could do
To-morrow.
Each morning he stacked up the letters he’d write
To-morrow.
And thought of the folks he would fill with delight
To-morrow.
It was too bad, indeed, he was busy to-day,
And hadn’t a minute to stop on his way;
More times he would have to give others, he’s say
To-morrow.
The greatest of workers this man would have been
To-morrow.
The world would have known him, had he ever seen
To-morrow.
But the fact is he died and he faded from view,
And all that he left here when living was through
Was a mountain of things he intended to to
To-morrow.
—Edgar A. Guest
Stop! Do “I.T.” today!! Now!!!