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The Lost Relationship Ring
This poem is an oldie but a goodie: "Around the corner I have a friend, In this great city that has no end; Yet days go by, and weeks rush on, And before I know it, a year is gone. And I never see my old friend's face, For Life is a swift and terrible race... But tomorrow comes-and tomorrow goes, And the distance between us grows and grows. Around the corner!-yet miles away... 'Here's a telegram, sir...' 'Jim died today.' And that's what we get, and deserve in the end: Around the corner, a vanished friend." --Charles Hanson Towne Poems and songs like this (think "Cats in the Cradle") hit home with some of us. We get caught up in the "terrible race" and before we know it, time has come and gone. Call that person that you haven't talked with for years. Spend time in the relationship ring! Before it is too late. Labels: relationships
Three Questions To Ask
"Do It Yourself." It's a mantra shared by many of us as we seek to reduce the cost of auto repair, home improvement or even tasks within a small business. Bruce Johnson, author of 50 Simple Ways to Save Your House, asks himself three questions before taking on a project-or leaving it to a pro: - Do I have the time?
- Will the job require specialized tools and skills?
- Is there a safety risk?
What difference would that make if you did the same before attempting to add a "do it yourself act" to your lineup? Labels: delegation, focus
Speeding Isn't the Answer
I had to laugh. The article got my attention when it said, "Running behind the clock?" The main point in the article was that driving faster to get somewhere quicker was relatively futile. The statistic given by the National Traffic Safety Institute was that if you drive 10 miles at 7o mph versus 55 mph, you only save 55 seconds-less than a minute! One solution I have found that works is to call the person expecting me for the meeting if I know I am going to be late. When telling my anticipated arrival time (after apologizing for being tardy), I normally add a 10-15 minute cushion. Two benefits are created. One is that if there are any other traffic tie ups or delays, I'll still be on time. The second benefit is that if I don't encounter any more delays, I'll actually arrive "earlier" than anticipated and they will be pleased. Labels: driving, time management
Out of Your Control
The Ringmaster has the greatest impact on the circus. (Juggling Elephants, page 30) Yesterday I talked with someone who really understands their circus and their role as the ringmaster. They make a living taking transcriptions. They are responsible for transcribing official meetings, court proceedings and other discussions where every word must be captured correctly. In asking about her schedule, she told me that she previously had tried to sometimes schedule 2 appointments per day. The challenge came when one meeting ran longer than expected. She couldn't leave her current location to get to the other meeting. If she missed the other meeting, it caused a myriad of problems for the other group. Her solution? In her words, "I only schedule one meeting per day because I have no control over the length of the meeting." The additional stress and possible loss of business was not worth it. If we are honest with ourselves, there are some things over which we have no control. Whether it's the length of a meeting, time of a project, or an uncertain economy. In those moments, we have to make the conscious decision to limit our lineup and not keep adding acts that we most likely will not be able to perform. As the ringmaster, we need to add them to the lineup when it best fits our opportunity to perform them. Labels: planning, ringmaster
Small Is The New Big
Last week I had a conversation with someone who is definitely "struggling to get it all done." The twist was that while they had lots of acts going on in their work ring, they just didn't have some of the RIGHT ones. They were busy, but not bringing the right tasks into their lineup to improve their business over the long term. It became very clear that my role was to listen. When they finished their verbal download, I simply asked one question: "If you could perform only one task at work tomorrow that could have a major impact on the success of your business, what would it be?" While I expected a litany of items, he just replied, "I need to make a phone call." And he did. The enthusiasm I heard in his voice after the phone call was wonderful! While he has not worked out the details yet, at least he has new hope for his business-and his circus. What is the one small thing you could do today that could have a big impact on one or more of the areas of your life? Labels: goal setting, planning, priorities
Never Miss An Act In Your Circus
While having my car serviced the other day, I waded through the stack of magazines on the table, looking for something of interest. I found an issue of AARP magazine (yes, the one for retired peope) with an interesting article entitled, Never Get Sick! While I don't plan on being retired for at least two decades, I did see value in learning from those who have lived longer, healthier lives.The article gave 6 ways to increase your immunity and safeguard your health. The six given were: - Smile when you say that. Research suggests 15 minutes of laughter daily may help prevent a heart attack.
- Bring up Bowser. Owning a pet has been shown to create lower cholesterol levels and improve recovery after heart attacks, even when exercise among both groups was the same. Even watching fish has been shown to reduce stress levels and the onset of Alzheimer's deterioration.
- You snooze-you win. Restful sleep is a key component of a person's overall well-being.
- Read a book. Keep your mind as sharp as possible.
- Read a label. Pay attention to the labels on the food you eat. When eating, realize that different flavor categories stimulate different brain cells. The more cell areas stimulated in a meal, the more food you need to eat to feel full. (Article explained that's why you can be full of meat and potatoes but somehow still have room for dessert.)
- Gaze at your navel. Practice tai chi, which improves flexibility and mood. Practice meditation. These are ways to improve your body's immune system.
Labels: health, longevity, stress reduction
If Time and Energy Were Fuel
With rising fuel prices, many of us are being forced to limit trips in our vehicles and avoid unnecessary driving. In some cases, people may even have to limit spending on other items in order to pay for fuel. I have a friend who is an independent truck driver, and he has had to turn down some jobs because, in his words, "I just can't make money delivering that load." Tough times indeed. This situation also caused me to reflect on how things would be different in my own life if I looked at my time and energy in a similar manner more often. Here are some possibilities: - I would more consciously prioritize the tasks in my day, insuring that the ones with the greatest connection to my purpose were accomplished first.
- Because time is so valuable, I would guard against wasting a single moment.
- Before expending my energy (physical, mental or emotional) on any issue or task, I would ask if the benefit was really worth the cost. Put another way, does it help me accomplish my purpose? If the answer is no-it would not find it's way into my schedule.
Bottom line? I'd stop wasting my own resources. Good advice to myself-whether it's fuel, time or energy of any kind. Labels: focus, planning, priorities
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