5 Ways Less Is More When Managing Your People
There is absolutely a time and a place for a pizza party in the office (particularly on May 20 which is National Pizza Party Day!) Unless, of course, you’re the kind of monster that puts pineapple on pizza.
And while pizza is a fun way to appreciate your people, sorry, the occasional pizza party isn’t going to cut it. Even frequent pizza parties won’t, and neither will any other lunch treat.
As a Business Owner, Can You Use The Force?
In case you’re an entrepreneur who wasn’t aware, May 4th is Star Wars Day (a takeoff on the saying in the first Star Wars movie, “May the Force be with you.”) Maybe you’ll take the 4th as an opportunity to watch a Star Wars movie, or any other kind.
So many of us business owners think it’s about hustling and grinding or putting our nose to the grindstone until we’ve ground it away completely. But if you look at the articles about what people regret on their deathbeds, “I wish I’d worked more” is never on any of the lists.
3 Ways for Small Business Owners to Slay the Follow-Up
Are you a business owner also struggling with lead generation? Many entrepreneurs I know tell me that they lose track of who they need to follow up with. Yet the saying is that the fortune is in the follow-up.
Do You Want to Be Productive or Do You Want to Be Busy?
Believe it or not, this isn’t a rhetorical question. Whether you’re a business owner or not, you have a choice. And many opt for “busy” over “productive.
However, if you’re looking for better work/life balance, or even to just avoid the feeling of sheer overwhelm, actually accomplishing goals (instead of doing a lot of meaningless tasks) is a better way to go.
Playtime for Business Owners: 3 Reasons You Need Games
OK, not THAT kind of playtime. (Though that kind of play is good for you too!) Games are helpful for entrepreneurs. And as the movie The Shining taught us, all work and no play make Jack a murderous madman. In honor of National Scrabble Day on April 13, let’s talk games!
Sparkling Clean is an Ad Slogan, Not a Standard
Whether you’re a woman entrepreneur or not, housework is a chore that many people dislike. And don’t have much time for!
April 7 is National No Housework Day. If you clean your own place, take the day off. If you have a housekeeper or cleaner, let them take the day off too!
6 Ways to Be Productive on Vacation
Many business owners, especially women, could use a break. March 30 is Virtual Vacation Day so how about taking some time off?
Originally Virtual Vacation Day was supposed to encourage people to “travel” online, without leaving home or even *shudder* taking time off work. But let me ask you… what kind of vacation day is THAT, where you’re still working?
Who Cares About Community?
As you know if you’re a woman business owner - or maybe even if you’re not - March is Women’s History Month. And I think it’s great for women, entrepreneurs or not, to reflect on the things that got us here.
Bunnies, Business, and Rebirth
If you're a business owner, you know business runs all year round - so you might not realize that March 20 is the spring equinox. Paying attention to the seasons in some way can actually be beneficial for entrepreneurs.
The Best Ways Bagpipes Better Your Business
Bagpipes are excellent productivity boosters for entrepreneurs. So start tootin’ on March 9 for International Bagpipe Day!
5 Ways Smart Business Owners Appreciate (And Retain) Their Talent
March 4 is Employee Appreciation Day. After the Great Resignation and the pandemic, it’s even more critical for entrepreneurs to let their talent know how much they’re appreciated and respected.
Multi-Tasking is a Myth, My Droogies (And What to Do Instead)
I realize that February 21st is President’s Day, which is a worthy holiday (and voting should be a holiday too, while I’m at it!) But an even bigger holiday, at least for us productivity consultants, is (or should be) February 22, which is Single Tasking Day.
Libraries Are For Lovers
Yes, it’s the 14th of February, when everyone’s thoughts turn to the heartfelt pleasures of … books and libraries. Right? I mean, that’s the only thing people celebrate on 2/14, Library Lover’s Day? I’m pretty sure it is. (Hi, I live under a rock where Hallmark can’t penetrate.)
Community and schmear
In honor of Bagels and Lox Day on February 9th, do you remember the first time you ever had it?
I do. It was a revelation. I grew up in the outer burbs of Northern Virginia, which at the time didn’t host a single decent bagel. Then I went to college at Rutgers in New Jersey, and I found so much good food.
Six More Weeks of Productivity
While Groundhog Day on February 2 is usually a bellwether for the … well … weather, I’m using it in the sense of the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray. He has to repeat the same day over and over again until he learns his lesson.
If You Liked It Then You Shoulda Put a Lock On it
Are you giving away your precious data for free? Letting faceless corporations monetize your data in ways you don’t even know about? As a business owner, maybe you’re being unintentionally careless with your data, or that of your clients.
Ditch Day For Business Owners
Did you make any resolutions this year? If so, great! Let’s ditch them in honor of Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day, January 17th.
Fewer Tools, Better Organized: The Brutal Truth About Time-Saving Apps
Do you find yourself checking out new app after new app in an attempt to get organized, or be more productive or efficient? Are you saving article after article about The Best Way™ to do whatever it is you’re doing? If you’re analog, how many notebooks are you using right now? Or have you followed the exact same tools that your online guru has decreed?
It’s All About That Balance, Bout That Balance, No Burnout
Is your New Year’s resolution to work yourself into burnout? Planning to work 12 hours a day until you get sick? Or maybe work out so hard you break something?