Juggling Elephants Blog

Geoff Colvin has written an insightful article, comparing the work habits of Americans vs. Germans, and in a broader light, those in the UK. It's entitled, Not So Lazy, After All. For years I too have heard of the long vacations taken by Europeans and the total vacation days they have in a year. Conventional wisdom has been that we Americans simply work harder. Turns out, that's not totally correct. According to one study, we actually work about the same amount. According to the research, We [Americans] do more market-based work, and Germans do more home-based work. Colvin does a superb job defining these differences in the article.

How do our differing purposes affect our lifestyle and culture? Colvin quotes the research done by Freeman and Schettkat: By working long hours and taking short vacations, Americans earn money to buy goods in the market. By working fewer hours and taking long vacations, Germans have more time to produce goods at home. (Example: Germans spend more time preparing meals (work at home) while Americans spend more money on restaurant meals-paid for by market work). Make sure you read the last sentence of the article-it spells out the ultimate impact of acting on purpose.

Interesting how acting on purpose affects us in so many ways.

Labels: purpose, vacation

After the weekend, many of us trudge back to work on Monday already feeling tired instead of refreshed. If you are one of those people who has trouble maintaining your energy level on Monday afternoon or anytime for that matter, Redbook magazine gives a multitude of ways to keep your body and mind performing at a higher level. Here are a few of their tips-the article actually goes into more detail about the benefit of each one:

• Eat every 3-4 hours
• Fill up on fiber
• Stay hydrated
• Watch caffeine intake after noon
• Vent your feelings
• Turn on some tunes
• Take belly breaths
• Let go of grudges

I really like the summation given by the author near the beginning of the article. She said that the root causes of our lack of energy normally result from, "How we sleep, What we eat and How we cope emotionally with our problems." Kudos to Nancy Rones for such a timely article.

Labels: energy, focus, productivity

One of my training programs last week was a group of school administrators and school district leaders in California. They were a dynamic, engaging group and I tremendously enjoyed my time with them. I also had the unique opportunity to see a fantastic ringmaster in action.

I arrived early to set up for the meeting and was met by "Dave" the facilities manager. He greeted me at the door, ushered me into the meeting room and immediately began asking me what I needed to get set up. No matter what I asked, Dave either had it available or quickly contacted someone to take care of it. When he finished with me, he moved to the food service area and guided the group as they set up for breakfast. Next, it was time to greet the participants. He was everywhere!

Once the program started, I noticed that Dave would stop by from time to time, checking on things and making changes as needed. Always upbeat, he left a wake of smiles as he scurried around taking care of things.

The most telling moment about Dave came when I talked with him after the program. I thanked him for doing such an outstanding job taking care of all of us. His response, "This is my school, and whatever happens here is a reflection of me." Dave gets a HUGE standing ovation from me and countless others in that school system. I left that meeting having learned much.

Who could you observe today that could teach you something about being a better ringmaster of your circus?

Labels: leadership, ringmaster

What can be accomplished in just 30 minutes? A lot of different items come to mind-a phone call to a friend, checking email, a stand up meeting, a power lunch, etc. In our block of 24 hours a day though, 30 minutes doesn't seem like much.

But consider if you took 30 minutes a day for a week, month or year. That same 30 minutes can really add up-3 hours and 30 minutes a week, 16 hours a month, 182 hours a year. I realize that I probably waste more than 30 minutes a day on unproductive activities (that's a blog for another day), but what is the power of focusing 30 minutes a day on a specific goal or task?

What would be the outcome of reading 30 minutes a day-how many books could you read? What if you spent 30 minutes a day writing a book-how soon would you have a novel? Experts say that there is real value in exercising just 30 minutes a day-how much weigh could you lose?

We had a very large load of top soil delivered to our home for our yard. The task was very overwhelming to me as I looked at that big pile of dirt in my driveway. But, I made the decision to wake up 30 minutes earlier in the morning and spend that time wheel barreling top soil. It took time but eventually the project was completed. I took satisfaction each day as I saw consistent progress towards my goal over time.

What can you accomplish if you consistently focused on something for 30 minutes a day? Pick a goal, carve out the time and then be amazed.

Labels: goal setting, time management

The first line of the article said it all: A couple going on a European vacation remembered to take their duty-free purchases and their 18 suitcases, but forgot their 3-year-old daughter at the airport. Read the entire article by clicking here.

Apparently they were late for a flight, and in the rush to the gate they forgot to check to make sure they had all five of their children. The good news is that the child was safely flown to meet them on the next flight. Scary moments.

A comment by one of the grandmothers really got my attention. She said, "We're in shock. They're very responsible and organized, top-notch people." Let's review-they left their child at an airport and flew to another country! While it would be so easy to just scream at the parents, I have to wonder-how many well-intentioned people have made some really poor choices because they were just working or living at such a breakneck "juggling elephants" speed.

How many good employees have left an organization because their manager or supervisor was just too occupied with "busy work" to respond to their needs. I'll bet there are a ton of individuals who have abandoned their life's passion because they were too busy with the daily rush of life. And yes, all too often, we see children or spouses get left behind in some way because someone was focusing too much on the "wrong ring."

What is your "rush to the gate" routine costing you? Some things are just too important to be lost.

Labels: choices, productivity, success, work/life balance

I give complete credit of this idea to our friends Michelle and Kevin. I think it is a great way to look at the type of intermissions that we take. They explained to me that they plan two types of vacations. "B Vacations" and "C Vacations." A "B Vacation" is where they go to just relax, take it easy and "be." A "C Vacation" is where they go to "see" things, run from place to place, play hard, etc.

Sometimes it is important to have "Be Vacations" for just recharging our batteries. If we are run down and end up taking a "See Vacation" then we can sometimes come back to work in worse shape than we left. We have all returned from an intermission stating that we need a vacation from the vacation.

Another variation on the theme is to schedule a vacation with the first half being the "see" part and the second half being the "be" part. Take a few days at the end of your vacation to relax, rest your feet and unwind before heading back to your normal routine. You will return from your intermission with renewed energy and ready to tackle the other acts in your circus.

Labels: intermission, stress reduction, vacation

One of the strangest looks I get when delivering a training program on Juggling Elephants is when I ask participants to describe a "smell" that would be associated with success with their new lineup. It's one of those perfect "aha" moments because all I have to do is say, "Don't believe in the power of smell? How about your grandparent's home? Fresh cut grass? A high school gym? (Hey, I didn't say they were all positive.)

Our sense of smell is the strongest emotional connection we have to a place or event. Read the article, The Nose, An Emotional Time Machine, to find out the science behind this fact. While the article focuses much of its time on how people can quickly connect with their past using their olfaction (our sense of smell), we can also use it as a motivating reminder of the value of doing something differently-and getting different results. Examples for me include:

• Fresh cut grass. It reminds me that if I focus and get my tasks done, I'll be able to go leave work at a decent hour and enjoy time outside with my children, wife and yes, my Labrador retriever.
• A plate of cheese fries from Outback. We use this delectable dish as a celebration of some accomplishment-personal or business. (Also works well for the sense of taste)
• Fresh air first thing in the morning. It reminds me of the upcoming intermission I will have in the mountains of NC. Smelling the fresh air encourages me to buckle down this week and work hard on my lineup so that I can really savor the time in the mountains this weekend.

Yours may be very different for where you are in your particular situation. If you are in a small business, the smell of fresh paint or sheet rock may be your sensual trigger that if you focus on growing your business, you'll soon be able to move to a larger location. If you are in the market for a new job, the smell of a copier may be motivating to you. It helps you visualize copies of your wonderful resume being duplicated for dissemination to all those potential employers.

Still don't believe me? Try this test. The next time someone you know gets a new car-take a deep breath while sitting in it-I would be willing to wager that the smell motivates you to either freshen up your old vehicle-or work hard to eventually get a new(er) one yourself.

Labels: motivation, senses

While you definitely need to be the ringmaster of your circus, the person you report to at work would also be considered a ringmaster. They are charged with the responsibility of making sure the acts within the organization and/or department run smoothly, and that the performers are functioning with a high degree of success.

Margaret Steen gives some sound advice on making sure you stay on your boss's "Top Performer" list. She highlights 10 habits we need to develop in her article, 10 Habits That Bosses Love. Some of the key ones include:

• Anticipate the boss's needs. Like you, their lineup is full of acts, and if you make their life easier, it's usually appreciated.
• Think one level up. You need to do your job, but also try to take on the mindset of the person above you. What do things look like from their perspective?
• Be engaged in your work. Offer ideas for improvement instead of just "doing your job." Within reason, don't be afraid to challenge the status quo when you deem necessary.
• Learn the boss's pet peeves-and avoid committing them.

Labels: relationships, teamwork

Work Interrupted: 6 Ways To Avoid Distractions is an extremely practical article by Caroline Potter. In it she highlights 6 suggestions from the Center for Creative Leadership on staying focused. They are:

• If you have a door, shut it. If you don't have a door, consider putting in earphones when you really need to focus (no music required). Don't make eye contact with co-workers when they pass by your work area.
• Budget your time. Even your free time. Making a well-thought out schedule (lineup) that includes both work and non-work items will help you better understand how your time was used and keep you on track.
• Put down your mobile device. Or at least turn it off for defined periods of time so you can better focus on other tasks.
• Consider a change of scenery. If your current work location is wrought with interruptions, find a place where you can better focus. It might be at home, in a conference room or even a vacant office.
• Stop incessantly checking your e mail.
• Off hours are in. Early mornings, late afternoons or even weekends might be a time to catch up on those high mental tasks that just never seem to get done. (Juggling Elephants note-you will need to find a way to maintain those quality acts in your relationship or self rings if you start using your off hours for your "work ring.")

Labels: focus, interruptions

Ouch!!! See if you can determine the common factor involved in the following accidents:

• A 30 year old walks into a stop sign
• A 15 year old girl falls off her horse, suffering head and back injuries
• A 13 year old suffers stomach, leg and arm burns while cooking

Here's a hint: SSINF. That's right. They were all injured while texting with their cell phones. It's not just a habit of teenagers. An adult aide to a presidential candidate fell off a curb this Summer while texting. There are also documented cases of adults being killed due to being hit by automobiles while texting and crossing the road. You can get the entire article from the Greensboro News and Record here.

Dr. Patrick Walsh, an emergency physician in Bakersfield, CA is a texter, but sums up the dilemma quite nicely: "We think we're multitasking, but we're not. You're focusing on one task for a split second, then focusing on another one, and with something moving 40 miles an hour like a car. It just takes a couple of seconds to be hit."

I often laugh at others who struggle to get everything done, and I have highlighted the physical, mental and emotional dangers of overextending yourself in previous blogs. I have also been in situations more than once where someone's texting was quite distracting or even unsafe. I got an employee at a fast food restaurant in trouble because I reported him to his manager for trying to text and take my order at the same time!

The act of texting while driving, walking, biking, etc. however is one that is much too dangerous to make a part of anyone's lineup. If you are too busy to stop and focus on one task for even a few seconds-you're just too busy.

A quote in Juggling Elephants is, "There is no shortage of acts for the circus." Just because you can add it, doesn't mean you always should. I can't imagine anyone starting their day or week by saying, "My purpose is to put my life in danger because I want to text someone anytime I want."

Our goal is that you always be AAS. If you need some help with texting vocabulary, click here.

Labels: text messaging