Heather Eldred » Living With Purpose & Passion

Is email making you unproductive?

Heather — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 01:14:43 +0000

Science is starting to catch up with what many of us figured out a while ago. Multi-tasking is not good. We accomplish more when we focus on one task, minimize distraction and have a bit of down time every hour or so. In a “Case Study: Evaluating the Effect of Email Interruptions within the Workplace” by Thomas Jackson, Ray Dawson & Darren Wilson, the impacts from frequent email interruption have been studied and documented. Studies have been out for a while about the highly disruptive nature of telephone calls and personal visits in the workplace. It takes us up to 20 minutes to recover from a phone call or a personal visit. The study shows that while there is a much lower recovery time for email, the average worker will still be interrupted 64 seconds for every email read or responded to. Just think, if you get 5 phone calls or personal visits a day and say 25 emails, that is over two hours a day of just recovering from interruptions. This doesn’t even count the multitude of unproductive meetings that most organizations have daily. Here are a few tips to make better use of your time, stay focused and be more productive: 1) My tip has always been to turn your email off for a couple hours every day. For this to work you should try and pick the same few hours and set expectations with peers, staff and your supervisor. This is the time to do your hard projects, brainstorming and creative work. I also believe in blocking your calendar so you always have a few productive hours that can’t be blocked for meetings. 2) If you don’t feel like you can turn email off completely, at least turn off the automatic notifications. At a minimum turn off the pop-ups and sound alerts that a new email has arrived. Even better – set your update so you only get new email every 15-60 minutes. This applies to making good use of time when when you aren’t at work as well. When I’m away from the office, I don’t have my phone get auto updates, I only do manual updates. That way, I am not tied to the job, but generally will check in once an evening or a time or two on the weekends – on my schedule. 3) Restrict the number of people that are on an email to only the essential people. Try not to use “reply to all”. This just means you get that many more replies and it is disrespectful of other’s in-boxes. 4) I have my email setup so that messages from the boss, a high profile client or direct staff show up in a color or move to the top. If you don’t know all the cool rules, formatting and alerts you can do in your email application, do a quick tutorial. It will be time well invested. 5) Finally, work on changing the culture in your workplace. Train staff on how […]

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Are you sacrificing today’s happiness for the “success” of tomorrow?

Heather — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 23:51:34 +0000

We’ve all heard the warnings are out there that getting rich won’t make you happy and highly successful business people die at a young age of heart attacks or sacrifice their families, hobbies and other dreams for the sake of success. Yet, many of us are still driven to this place. The allure of money, success and power has become (at least in the US) a draw like a siren that tempts you with her (or his) pleasures and treasures only to see you crashing on the rocks when you finally have all that you dreamed of. I personally never had any great aspirations to run a company or make a ton of money or to be a leader. Really I never had these aspirations because I was raised to be “ordinary”, which really none of us are. I did however grow up with great intellectual curiosity and an overwhelming desire to work hard and do a good job. I’ve always wanted my actions to matter. I always wanted to look back at the end of the day and say, “ok, there was some value I brought”. Only when I started being successful (through no grand design, just hard work and intuition), did I start to understand that there were perils at the top that no one really tells you about. Even those at the top don’t really admit it or maybe even know because once you are at the top; you have to try so damn hard to stay there. You oftentimes lose your purpose and why or what got you there to begin with. Maybe when we are young we think: I want to get rich so I don’t have to work anymore and I can spend every day fishing or skiing. Yet, what happens when we get successful or rich, we just work harder because we are so afraid of not being at the top or we spend so much money on vacations and self-medication (shopping, gambling, alcohol, food, etc.) in order to deal with the stresses of this lifestyle that we just have to keep making more money. Having aspirations to be CEO or make six or seven figures are worthy goals. However, I do suggest being very diligent in staying in the present moment as you are making the climb to the top. Also, if you aren’t enjoying what you are doing most of the time, then I’d suggest some self-reflection. Is this really what you are passionate about? Can you see yourself doing it for the next 30 years? Or is it just a means to an end? Will you look back and regret that you missed so many of your kids games or let your marriage fall apart or didn’t have enough “you” time? Rarely (or arguably ever) should the happiness of today be sacrificed for the “success” of tomorrow. Just my two cents.

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4 ways to get more done each day

Heather — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 16:45:04 +0000

Let’s face it, no matter how much we get done each day, burning the candle at both ends, the longer our to-do list gets. I personally run to the side of overly ambitious in all the things that I want to pursue and accomplish. In any given day, I might decide to get a lot of work done for a client, work out an hour or two, make a great meal, clean my house, write some pages in my book-in-progress and spend quality time with my kidos. Some days I accomplish all of this and some days not so much. Because I’m always trying to do so much, I’ve had to find effective and simple strategies to get more done- without killing myself. The key? Quit trying to do so much! Here are four tips to help you get more of the right stuff done each day. 1) Prioritize – what do you really want to do and what really has to get done? Once a week (and usually every day), I make a list of the FEW things that absolutely must get done this week. For me, mowing the lawn isn’t on the MUST do list while cleaning the clothes is, folding them isn’t. Paying the utility bill that is past due so the electricity doesn’t get turned off is. At work, I really focus on the 80/20 – the 20% of things that have the ability to move the needle. So the few things might be meeting with my staff to develop next quarter’s strategic plan (helping them find their 80/20) but not cleaning out my inbox. For a busy executive – this list might only be 3-5 items long. 2) Quit multi-tasking – believe it or not multi-tasking is the worst thing that you can do. It used to come with bragging rights but now I think most people realize this is not the way to get more done. You end up working on a lot of things but getting nothing done well. Don’t believe me? Try it for a week. Only work on one thing at a time. You’ll get more done, you’ll feel less stressed and what you do get done will be done well. 3) Make your Mornings Count – Do the most important (and hardest) tasks when your brain is at its peak. For most of us, that is first thing in the morning. I realized a long time ago, that if I don’t get the hard stuff done by 11, I’m pretty much screwed for the day. And what we do the first thing in the morning sets the tone. If you start your day saturating your brain with email or worse yet last night’s Facebook posts, you’ll set yourself up for a very unproductive day. So don’t use those precious fertile moments to read email or pay bills! That time is precious and should be used for things that require great creativity and or great thought. If you are working on a new business idea, writing a book or […]

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Learn to say “no” to achieve your dreams

Heather — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 15:59:13 +0000

I had a great conversation with a friend yesterday that inspired me to share her story and great tips. Barbara (all names have been changed to protect the innocent) is a young professional that would like to get involved in management and be a leader in her company. She’s felt frustrated in the past because while her co-workers genuinely value her “get it done attitude”, teamwork and appreciate that she’ll jump in and help with anything – she doesn’t think they see her as a leader. At first she was upset that no one really took her seriously, but now she has taken her career growth into her own hands. One of the hardest (and maybe not intuitive) things she had to do was to quit saying “yes” all the time. In my experience most of us are either “yes” or “no” people. By this I mean our first impulse when asked to do something is to either say yes or no. This instant answer (regardless of if you are the yes guy or the no guy) should be tempered. If you generally say “no” (particularly if it “isn’t my job”) to requests, you will rarely have an opportunity to try new things, grow or work with new people. You won’t have the opportunity to discover some of your own hidden talents and passions. And from your peer’s and supervisor’s perspective, at a minimum you’ll get pigeon holed – people won’t even consider you for new assignments. But even worse, they’ll feel you aren’t a team player. You aren’t someone they can depend on. I think most of us understand the pitfalls in being the “no” guy. And probably if you are a “no” guy, you already recognize it and are working on it. But I bet most of us don’t get and maybe some of you won’t even buy into the fact that being the “yes” guy can have pitfalls as well. Barbara realized that while she was well liked and everyone wanted her on their team, she wasn’t standing out as a leader or a real expert. But instead of blaming others for not giving her opportunities, she took it on herself to develop the skills and experience that is needed to become a leader – and this started with knowing when to say NO. Barbara knew that she needed to work hard to become a leader – she needed to gain skills but also needed opportunities where her co-workers could see her in a leadership role. But she knows that just adding more hours in her workday wasn’t the answer either. Barbara has already seen the benefits of work-life balance. She needed to find ways to spend more of her time on the tasks that will get her to her goals without adding hours to her day. These are the tips she shared with me: 1) Track and review where you spend your time. If you don’t know what you are spending time on now, you can’t make […]

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Is Your Boss Smothering You? (Or are you the Bossy Micro-Manager?)

Heather — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 16:26:35 +0000

Is your boss someone that although well meaning, is a bit of a control freak? Having a positive relationship with your boss is one the key variables in enjoying our jobs. But for most folks, micro-managers make work life challenging because they feel they lack the creative freedom to get the job done. “Micromanaging can show up in many forms, but most typically in bosses who dictate how employees complete tasks, question employees’ judgments, frequently ask for updates, and check in incessantly. While the line between effective involved leadership and micromanaging can be thin—detail-oriented or obsessive? Constructive or controlling?—many employees have felt the effects of a manager whose management style is more overbearing than hands-on and collaborative. In his book My Way or the Highway: The Micromanagement Survival Guide, author Harry Chambers reports that 79 percent of those surveyed said they’d been micromanaged at one time or another. A 2003 survey by office products manufacturers Franklin Covey, meanwhile, found that employees singled out micromanagement as the most significant barrier to productivity they faced, confirmed by a 2011 study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology that showed people who believe they are being watched perform at a lower level.” ~ “Managing up when your boss is an obsessive micromanager” by Peggy Dexler. http://www.forbes.com/sites/peggydrexler/2013/06/13/managing-up-when-your-boss-is-an-obsessive-micromanager/ The first step is to understand if you (or your boss) are really a micromanager. This great article by Terry Arndt lays out the different “types” of bosses and how to recognize them: http://www.jobdig.com/articles/1107/Types_of_Bosses.html How to recognize a Micromanager: “He maintains tight control over information and resources, requires constant feedback on progress, seldom gives decision-making power to others, can be closed to input from subordinates, and tends to question employees about their decisions, methods and results.” “Bright side: Provides detailed instructions.” “Dark side: Bottlenecks progress, causes employees to question their own abilities, makes work tedious and more time-consuming than necessary.” This management style also impedes our creative energies and gets us out of the mode of thinking for ourselves. Without experience (and failure) in managing your own time, finding your own solutions and making decisions; the employee will never grow personally or within the company. How to deal with a Micromanager The key in dealing with a micro-manager is to give them a sense of confidence that you know what you are doing, that you are keep track of everything on your plate and that you know how to determine what tasks need your bosses opinion and which don’t. “Always restate your boss’s expectations and concerns out loud. This demonstrates that you hear and comprehend your task.” You really need to understand what your boss’s priorities are. Ensure (and repeat back) what the end product needs to look like, when it is due, who needs to review it and state plainly what you believe his main priorities are. Ask him straight out if you can have flexibility in how you get to the project accomplished as long as you are addressing his concerns and make the deadline. Often […]

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Flexibility = key to success

Heather — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 08:35:00 +0000

One of the most important things I’ve learned in my career (and life) is that you have to be able to bend. In our modern, stressed out, balls to the wall corporate culture, things get heated, people have differing opinions and motives can oftentimes be at odds. This is the case even if folks have the best of intentions and are just trying to do what they think is right. It makes it even harder when there are people that have less than the best of intentions and are so focused on getting to the top that they don’t mind crushing a few bystanders on the way. When I was in my 20s, I had an opinion about everything and I argued about everything. And of course I was always right (just ask me). I still think I’m right most of the time, but I’ve learned that life is too short to be constantly at battle and frankly, when you have a fight that you need to take on, you don’t want to be too diluted or too damn worn out to take it on. Bottom line: Pick your battles. Here are areas that I apply this to: 1) My teenager.. let as much roll off as possible long hair, the occasional smart ass remark, wants to have to do his chores when he wants, not when I want. the friends he picks – unless they are real trouble makers Battles to pick: no swearing online or around girls, be respectful, kind & a gentleman; especially to Mom, Grandma and Girlfriend, follow through with commitments You’ll notice no texting while driving, drugs, alcohol and unprotected sex aren’t even on the list. Those aren’t negotiable and are not up for battle – he just knows he’ll have the wrath of Mom. And we talk about them… A LOT. You can imagine his joy :-). 2) My subordinates.. again, let as much roll as possible flexible work hours, the way projects get accomplished as long as time frames, scope and a high level project plan are established, how they manage their staff as long as they are respectful and fair, time off as long as it doesn’t interfere with something very important – even just a mental health day should be encouraged). Battles to pick: being respectful, kind and professional Effective communication including establishing understanding of expectations, timelines, resources and what will need to prioritized in order to get the job done follow through with commitments – communicating with effected parties as challenges arise, bringing forth possible solutions, ramifications and risk mitigation. Effective, measurable movement toward goals Bottom line – don’t be a control freak. Pick the battles that matter. Focus on the 80/20 whether at work or at home. Empower and trust those around you. You will get more done and you will inspire your employees and children to take charge and be the best versions of their selves.

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Do Less To Achieve More

Heather — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 23:48:36 +0000

I found this great article in Forbes from a couple of years ago. It really illustrates the 80/20 principal in very practical business terms. The advice here is sound – for all areas of life. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. Only do the few things that actually make the biggest difference. In my life, I take all my must haves, want to do’s and should do’s and sort them into A, B & C lists. The first thing I do is throw the B & C lists away. I then take the A list and sort by the top 3 most important things that will make the biggest impact. These are what I work on. I try and use this lens for everything I do. This allows me to maintain work-life balance and leaves a little space for spontaneity and grabbing onto innovative or creative moments and ideas. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ronashkenas/2012/03/12/do-less-to-achieve-more/

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Making decisions is an integral part of being a leader

Heather — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 22:14:15 +0000

Decision making is a key component to our lives and a daily element of successful leadership. The quality of decisions and the ability to make one (as opposed to being continually un-decided) shapes our lives and our careers. I’ve personally honed my decision making skills by the following: 1) A lot of practice making decisions and not being stifled by indecision (remember NOT making a decision is still making a decision, you just had no input into the outcome). 2) Learning to focus on the 80/20, the 20% of the facts that are actually relevant to the effectiveness of the decision, quickly discounting the red herrings and fluff. 3) Finally, the most important thing I’ve learned is to trust my intuition. While I generally have little time to make a decision and nearly always have to make it based on not enough information and not enough time, the gut reflex will generally get me there, even if I have little empirical data to support the instinct. I’ve learned to take a moment and ensure I’m making a decision from a place that is positive, won’t have any large unintended negative impacts and that feels genuine to myself. This article from Deepak Chopra discusses how to make great decisions. https://www.deepakchopra.com/blog/view/1412/_the_secret_to_making_good_decisions

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Embrace Change for Growth

Heather — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 23:11:29 +0000

“The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.” ― C. JoyBell C. What does it mean to be successful? Many times we have a vision in our heads of having “arrived” at some poignant point in our lives where we have achieved all that we have set out to achieve. Finally, I have work-life balance, finally I am as healthy as I want to be, finally I have work that fills me with passion and I can execute with integrity and purpose. Finally I have the people in my life that I want. Finally I have financial security and I can give back. Finally. I am successful. But whether you have actually arrived at this place, called “success” or are still striving in that direction, the problem with this day dream is this – what happens to your life once you have arrived? What then? We now have all that we ever wanted, but is it enough? How often we achieve exactly what we want in life, only to find ourselves mildly content for a bit and then largely discontented. Maybe because the dream wasn’t all the reality was cracked up to be. Maybe because what we really needed in life wasn’t the success vision we had pursued, but something entirely else. Or maybe the truth is a realization that if we aren’t growing, we are dying. Bottom line; open yourself up to the next passionate scheme that ignites your soul. We need something else to strive for. The depths of our souls are endless and the possibilities of our passions are limitless. To live, we must grow. And to grow, we must change. We must take risks. We must take on new assignments, new beliefs, and new people. We will never “arrive” at a point in our lives where we won’t be uncomfortable or have to deal with difficult people or circumstances. This is because without trial and tribulation and pain, we can’t grow. This reminds me of weight lifting. If you’ve ever had a particularly intense workout, you know that your muscles will be sore the next day (or several days!). Muscles grow only through the process of repairing damage to themselves. When you lift significant weight, you are actually tearing and damaging the muscles. They grow larger and more defined through the re-building process. Without the pain and damage, there could be no growth. Even when we think we have “arrived”, we still should be open to new challenges and continue to expose ourselves to life. We will continue to suffer setbacks and damage and there will be moments of strife, grief and really hard work. But in the end, we’ll keep […]

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Surround Yourself By People Smarter Than You

Heather — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 01:56:28 +0000

I recall when Ross Perot ran for President in 1992. I was 18 years old and fresh with optimism and a little scared that I didn’t have a clue what I was doing or where I was heading. I remember hearing that he attributed much of his success to surrounding himself by people that were smarter than him. The guy’s net worth was close to $3.5 billion and he was running for president so that was likely enough of a reason to heed his advice. But more than anything, it resonated with me. I’ve applied this advice in my career over and over and the more I do, the more I believe. None of us are perfect so the way to get closer to perfect is to compliment yourself with people that have skills that you don’t. I’m a very high level strategic thinker but I don’t like getting mired down in the details. I have always have staff that work for me that are great with the details. I come up with the high level direction, they make it happen. And keep me out of the weeds. And out of trouble! My staff meetings closely resemble a spirited high school debate as opposed to a bunch of folks sitting around telling me what I want to hear. We are respectful, but there isn’t one person that won’t tell me I’m wrong. I highly value my own opinion, (who doesn’t?), but I don’t need a bunch of folks that share my opinion. I need the devil’s advocate. I need the conservative, glass half-empty and “what if” people. I need the “what if we tried it this way?” I need help remembering that if we go this route, “we might piss some people off”. Now that’s collaboration that creates great results. How to achieve this in your work place? 1) As in most things in business, it starts at the top. The management team really needs to believe that every person has value and brings some unique skill to the table. The culture needs to value diversity, frankness and kindness. 2) The second element required is that there has to be a solid level of trust. It must be a safe environment. That means that folks are loyal to each other and the group or organization. I just read a great article that Deepak wrote, “How to Win Loyalty From Other People” (https://www.deepakchopra.com/blog/view/1405/how_to_win_loyalty_from_other_people). He says, “Although money is often seen as a prime motivator, ultimately the bonds that hold an enterprise together are psychological. Important data gathered indicates that loyalty is one of the top three things that make workers feel satisfied.” To promote loyalty, Deepak recommends: 1) getting rid of gossip, 2) be sympathetic and open to people you work with, 3) competition with co-workers is healthy, but rivalry is counterproductive. Remind folks that we are all on the same team, 4) get to know your co-workers on a personal level, 5) share your success, 6) don’t keep secrets and 7) remind yourself that there is no […]

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