There’s no limit to what people can accomplish if they want to. There’s no limit to what you can do to try to get someone to change that doesn’t want to.
Disturbed by Disturbances
Last night when I was getting in bed I pulled the covers aside and accidentally threw them on top of Pax, she was already asleep. I felt bad so I quickly climbed into bed and pulled the covers off of her, onto me. She barely flinched when the covers landed on top of her. Every day people bump into us,…
Your thoughts are not your own
When you think and feel, it’s easy to assume that what you think and feel is what you want and who you are. If a big decision is being made and you favor one outcome over another, is it because of your thoughts alone? Perhaps you felt strongly one way over another, but is that way really the way that…
Waste less time by getting rid of todo lists.
As a consultant, I have a habit of keeping track of just about everything my customers ask for. At least I used to. The work I did in the past often entailed hourly work so the more there was to do, the better. And for a long time I assumed that this was beneficial for my customer too. So I…
What isn’t used?
People ask for things all the time that they won’t use. Sometimes it’s just an idea that they ask for that they don’t really think through and don’t really intend you to carry out. Sometimes things exist because someone that came before us asked for them. And people no longer use them. Regardless the reason, you should ruthlessly search for…
The demo – usage gap
It is one thing to demo software that’s being developed, it can be a good way to get early feedback. But the feedback is nothing compared to the feedback you will get from people using the software. For example, a week ago I received a notice about a new software system, basically a mini demo of the new features. There…
Handling Distractions: Develop a Feel for it
Feelings dictate how we act. When you’re happy, you don’t generally worry about what you’re doing. When you’re disturbed, you tend to question what it is that you’re doing. So, if you want to avoid distractions, see if you can develop a feel for them. Doesn’t have to be a shameful feeling, just a spidey sense that something is amiss.…
Handling Distractions: Avoidance
Stop the distractions from happening in the first place. i.e.: Unsubscribe from unwanted emails. Don’t take on as much work. Say no to less important opportunities. Throw away the ideas you’re never going to get to. Turn on do not disturb. Tell yourself you don’t need to feel bad for ignoring things, then ignore them.
Getting rid of unused things requires patience
Unused things beget other unused things. For example, you might have a form that’s required for taking time off at work. That form might then be processed by someone in another department within the company and entered into a database. If you realize that the form isn’t necessary to request time off, you have to get rid of it then…
Stop thinking lowly of yourself when you get distracted
Accept that it’s normal to be distracted. Don’t beat yourself up or you’ll be too busy thinking lowly of yourself to do anything about the distractions.