Juggling Elephants Blog

A surprise in the mail last week! We received four unique copies of Juggling Elephants. Our publisher sent us the Korean, Japanese, Spanish and UK version of Juggling Elephants. Interestingly enough, the title, "Juggling Elephants" didn't translate well into Korean so the title is First. We are looking forward to seeing versions in Chinese-simple, Chinese-complex, Dutch, Portuguese, and Indonesian.

It is clear that individuals and organizations world-wide are struggling with "getting it all done." You can go to http://www.jugglingelephants.com/resources/
international.asp and see the covers of these editions. Stay tuned for other foreign editions as they become available.

Labels: juggling elephants

I am a big Tim Russert fan. Like many people I was saddened by his early death. I spent some time watching the news and MSNBC as they paid tribute to this wonderful man. What has really impressed me were the consistent comments from a variety of people interviewed stating that Tim knew how to have a balanced "circus."

He was a very successful journalist but time and time again there were stories on how he slipped out to meet his son Luke for a ball game or left early just to be home when his son arrived home from school. Stories of his devotion to taking care of his father, his great relationships with those he worked with and his attention to his religious faith. It seems to me Tim Russert knew the purpose of his circus and focused on what really mattered to him. He worked hard but didn't let that get in the way of his "other rings." I saw separate interviews from Matt Lauer and Maria Shriver and both mentioned advice that Tim had given them individually on the importance of family and taking care of the family along with career. He was a tough, hard hitting journalist but he showed people that he cared for them individually.

As I personally struggle with "getting it all done," I appreciate examples of people like Mr. Russert who, with their silent actions say, "It is OK to make a stand and be the ringmaster of my circus. I am leaving work early today to catch a ball game with my son!" They take care of the important and the rest takes care of itself. We send our best wishes out to the family and friends of Tim Russert. He will be greatly missed.

Labels: work/life balance

We recently returned from being a part of the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) International Expo. It was a great experience for us and we really enjoyed talking with existing and potential clients. It became very clear and reaffirmed to us that organizations and individuals are really struggling with work/life balance and "juggling" too many priorities. People would stop right in the middle of the isle and say, "You know, that is exactly what it feels like! I am juggling elephants."

We also learned that many trainers are looking for a fresh and more engaging methodology to deliver content on time management, work/life balance issues and productivity. Juggling Elephants gives them that tool.

We look forward to working with organizations as they try to "get their acts together" and help their employees "be the ringmasters of their work and life."

Labels: ASTD

Ever have one of those days when you met everyone's needs except your own? Sure, there are days when your job, parental role or relationships may require you to focus on the needs of others. But continually neglecting your own physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and even financial needs is dangerous.

The next time you are feeling overwhelmed by trying to meet the needs of everyone else just remember-they are PART of your circus-they can't make up your entire performance.

While listening to the radio, a report was given about the dangers of individuals stealing your password and getting to your sensitive information at financial and social online sites. They said, "the report indicated that if you had any of the following passwords, you were in danger of having others steal your information." They were:

• let me in
• qwerty
• abc123
• 12345
• password

Somtimes simple isn't always best.

Labels: humor

It is strange. When most of us think of having security, we think of things NOT changing. The reality is that we are confusing the word "security" with "comfort." Most of us are comfortable when things are not changing, but rather staying the same. Apply the concept to the key areas of your life:
-Would you rather be comfortable in your job, or secure in it?
-Would you rather be comfortable in your relationships, or secure in them?
-Would you rather be comfortable with yourself, or take steps to be more secure as an individual?

Bottom line-how does your lineup for today or this week reflect your desire to be "secure" or "comfortable?"

Labels: purpose

With the struggling economy and increased expectations in the workplace, I have found that several people I know are not taking a vacation from work this Summer. Even if they are, their plans often sound like a rushed retreat that will result in them being more tired and less motivated than when they left.

I found an intriguing article about the need to take a break from work:
Recession Fears Threaten Worker's Vacation Plans

The authors, Milo and Thuy Sindell, give the following fantastic rationale for taking time off from work: You are not helpful to the company and your coworkers when you are not operating at full capacity. Vacations help you to get rejuvenated to come back to work at full capacity.

They also give excellent tips on saving on the cost of a vacation and on insuring that work continues in the office while you are absent. Check it out before you check out this Summer!

Labels: intermission, relaxation, vacation

When your circus seems out of control, ask yourself: "Do ALL these acts contribute to accomplishing my purpose-or have they been added to my lineup due to convenience, procrastination or simply the inability to say 'No?'"

Labels: focus, purpose