Envelopes For Your Mind
Do you believe that time is money?
That if you’re not making money, you’re wasting your time?
Are You on the (Productivity) Spectrum?
How far are you willing to go to actually get $hit done?
One Trick to Power Up Your Workweek
What if I told you that doing this even for a half an hour a day could reduce your stress by two-thirds, help you live two years longer than people who don’t do this, help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, make it easier to fall and stay asleep, increase your empathy (a key trait for leaders in the 21st century), and develop your thinking skills?
Give Yourself a Break Today And Boost Your Productivity
You can’t have it all, at least not at the same time. You can’t be a great mom, great businesswoman, and champion housekeeper all at once.
So let yourself off the hook.
Birthday 2025
As I like to do each year around my birthday, I look back at the previous year and see if there’s anything to learn. (There’s ALWAYS something to learn.) If you’re on my email list, I sent out a special birthday offer.
A Realistic Look at AI
In a networking meeting this morning, the presenter (a marketing agency owner) discussed AI, how quickly it’s grown, and what implications are for businesses who use a lot of search engine optimization for their marketing.
Everyone wants to talk about AI – I get it, it’s the sexiest new thing! As a productivity expert, I often have people asking me if it will help them in their business.
What’s Holding You Back From Being More Productive?
Unless you’re already working less than six hours a day most days and are leading the life you want to lead, with a business generating profits at the rate you want and a fulfilling personal life, you could probably benefit from more effectiveness in your business.
There are a variety of reasons why people tell me my methods or suggestions won’t work for them, and they're … mostly wrong. Most people can take something from my LaserBrainTM methods, even if they don’t want to or can’t implement it all.
Is Focus Necessary for Female Business Owners?
Why is there such a focus on… well… focus? After all, there’s so much to potentially take care of for women who run businesses. Isn’t it better to work on multiple things at one time, or switch between tasks as they come up? If you’re just doing one thing at a time, does that even count? How else are you supposed to get everything done?
There’s always more work to be done, at least in theory. One more social media post, one more email, etc. But that doesn’t mean your life will be better if you just keep working. Au contraire!
It’s Not the Size of Your Brain, But How You Use It
I remember when I was growing up that adults tried to scare us away from things like drinking and drugs because they killed brain cells. And once a brain cell dies, that’s it. Your brain now has one less neuron. So if a person kept doing these things, then eventually their brain would die.
Is Your Quest for Efficiency Draining You?
You want to be more productive and work smarter, but if you equate productivity with efficiency, you might be well on the way to Burnout City. Being productive is not about cramming more work into each hour, or working more hours. In fact, Americans work plenty, especially business owners.
If you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day or you’re overwhelmed as a business owner, efficiency probably won’t help you feel like you’re more in control – but productivity might.
Smart Ways to Think About AI in Your Business
As with most technology, there are pros and cons to working with AI. I don’t think ignoring it is a great idea, because it definitely has some helpful applications for entrepreneurs. It may also be coming to disrupt your industry sooner rather than later.
That makes now a good time to think about what you can reasonably use it for, how it can help your business in a sustainable way, and what parts of your business might it take over.
Socializing in Real Life Makes You More Productive
June 30 is National Social Media Day, and you’ll find the less time you spend on “social” media, the more you’ll get done – and likely you’ll be less stressed too. Not to mention all the time you get back in your life for what brings you joy.
Joy to the World
The 25th of June is National Joy Day. That’s… kinda weird, right? Why do we need to have a day set aside for joy? Kind of implies that people aren’t getting joy in their lives on a regular basis.
Do you?
Healthy Lunchtime, Healthy Business
I think a lot of people, including business owners, will try to speed up everything to try to outwork AI. That’s just not possible. That’s an express road to burnout.
Instead, maybe it’s time to focus on the human things that will still be necessary. Identify what in the business really needs a human touch, and focus on that. Instead of trying to work at AI speed, work at human speed. That’s how you get off the highway to hell, and start building yourself a fulfilling life.
One way to do that is to eat like a human being. Most people do this in other countries around the world, because it benefits business as well as people. The 20th of June is Take Back Your Lunch Break Day, which can get us all on the path back to humanity.
What’s the Right Amount of Hermit for Your Business?
You’ve probably noticed there are all kinds of weird themes for days, weeks, and months. June, for example, is both Zoo and Aquarium Month and LGBTQ+ Pride month. This particular week has the intriguing theme of… hermits. Yes, it’s Hermit Appreciation Week.
One Hunnert Nazi Scalps
In the movie “Inglorious Basterds”, World War II ends slightly differently: members of the Resistance (including an American bunch of basterds) incinerate Hitler and the Nazi high command in Paris. This revisionist history movie is incredibly satisfying, at least to those of us who prefer when Americans were fighting Nazis, not kowtowing to them.
Why Business Owners Benefit From Taking Time for Creativity
I can’t draw. Well, I’m pretty good at stick figures, so I’ll give myself that. I do okay with paintings if I go to one of those paint ‘n sip places, but my painting doesn’t usually have a strong resemblance to the instructor’s.
Like a surprising number of financial planners I know, I enjoy writing. (I even wrote a book on productivity – more here!) That’s my creative outlet, as it is for lots of people.
Can Meditation Work For You?
Some of us logical types have a hard time with meditation. It can seem pretty woo-woo, especially when you take a look at some of the people who practice it daily or those who call themselves meditation gurus.
Night at the Museum… for Your Business
What’s your favorite museum? Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you have to give up museums.
Want To Be More Effective In Your Business?
I’m very excited that my book is coming out on Kindle in a couple of weeks!