What does 100% look like to you?

Would you know it, if you saw it? When the dial is turned all the way "on," just what does that look like?


I had forgotten about this picture, so when I was scrolling through my iPad photo album and saw it, a big smile came to my face. Of course, looking at it I know exactly where we were...

That's Zuma, our Lab, and I took this while we were playing down in the river bottom, here in Ojai, California. It was quite some time ago, as I remember she could run a heck of a lot faster than she can now.

One of the things about watching her, either in some of the videos we have, in these kinds of still shots, or today, when she's lying on the floor next to the desk where I'm typing this short post is...

...she's always ONLY doing, what she's doing RIGHT NOW. Of course, I'm not a Lab. At any given time I've got to have "many irons in the fire." Yet, occasionally, I reflect on this concept of giving everything I've got, to what I'm doing right now.

Today's challenge: What could you do, and only do that for a little bit of time, from start to finish? Focus on it, work on it, and get that one done!

Take "shoulding" out of the project

Have you ever had the thought, "Someone should..."? I used to. Then, I started searching for the answer to this question: "Who is?"



Working here in new York, I do get to see a lot...and, I know I miss a lot too. This isn't a bad thing; in fact, it works in our favor! If you think about focus and productivity, you will quickly realize that there just isn't room in your mental or physical "space" to actually consider it all. So, we have to ignore some things.

So, how do you stop shoulding? Easy, notice what you're shoulding about! Begin by writing (yes, I always promote the process of "getting it out of your mind") down those things that you think really SHOULD be different. Now, what will wind up happening - if you're honest with yourself - is that you'll wind up with 20, 50 maybe even (I've seen it!) over 100 things you think "should" be different.

Included in that list will be things you think you should be doing, things you think you think you should have, or things you think should be happening. Start from there, and try out these three tips.

#1. Put it off...again.
Do you have a calendar (paper or digital) nearby? Good. Go get it and open up to a date AT LEAST 180 days from today. There, about a half-a-year from now, write down what you want to think about...then. Now, you have a reminder of that thing you will want to think about ... in a few months ... that you can just forget about for now. (That "for now" piece is a critical component of this tip.)


#2. Take an action, however small, to begin changing it.
"Jason," you may be saying, "I just can't put this off any longer!" Well, then, get started. Do something small. Buy a book, subscribe to a magazine, register for a class, join a local group/club. Do something with the double purpose of: "Informing" and "Actualizing." You can get the information in, and find some actions to take by looking through the resources you have nearby.

#3. Ask for help, seriously.
Here's a crazy idea: Ask for help. I can tell you story after story of how much time (and money...and energy...) I have saved over the years by letting a small group of people know what I'm working on! I do this via Twitter, my blog, my facebook wall...oh, and by phone, mail, email and in person!

With a little bit of action, you'll find out pretty soon if it's time to take action, or if it's time to let go of that should. Good luck!

Fall in love with the problem

I'm going to have a short meeting with a mentor of mine this morning, all because of something he said a couple of months ago: "Jason, do you love the problem?"

It got me thinking about this "chosen profession" of mine, advising the world's busiest business leaders, working together to create productivity and performance-based solutions to their pressing needs: Getting more done, faster, on a smaller budget, with fewer resources.

Sounds like an overwhelming problem, doesn't it? Well, not if I look at it from another angle... I love the problem. I can think of three reasons it's a worthwhile puzzle to solve:

1) I read the book by Mitch Albom, Tuesday's With Morrie, years ago and it had a profound effect on me. People will wish they spent more time on their MITs - their Most Important Things.

2) There are shortcuts - what a teacher of mind Russell Bishop calls, "Workarounds" - that we can implement to brigade the growing gap between "idea" and "action." In fact, in order to up level your game, you're going to have to do "more with less" and work much, much smarter.

3) Doing more is more fun. Bottom line, I WANT to solve one of the world's biggest problems 'cause it sets me up to work on the next big problem I identify.

Sure, this kind of hard work isn't for everyone. As I am reminded all the time, "Deep thinking is hard work." However, if you're looking for big, worthwhile, life-changing ideas, let's talk. Between the two of us, I'm sure we could come up with a new problem to love!

10 August 2011 - New York City, NY - Mastering Workplace Performance

Thanks again, New York, for the opportunity to share this information with you over a few hours last Wednesday. I remember earlier in the morning, about 20 minutes before we started, someone asked me, "Jason, do we really need an entire day for this seminar?"

Here was (and is) my question back when someone asks me that: "When was the last time your manager and/or team gave you an ENTIRE day to go off to another room and think about how you work ... instead of think about what you need to think about when you're working?"

I did promise I'd get anyone a copy of my previously published book for their iPad/iPhone. Just let me know, I'll email it to you right away!

Ok, so here's a bit of an overview of the information I presented. Of course, your workbook will have all of your notes and a lot of ideas that I discussed. Also, I'm you can see the SlideShow presentation I made for the day over at www.slideshare.net/JasonWomack.

I started off by sharing my perspective of the productive process, and what you can do to improve workplace performance habits and practices. Among some of the things we talked about was this "four-phase" approach to productivity:

1. Identify:
2. Define:
3. experiment:
4: Assess:

Again, we start by identifying something as possible. You set a goal, see an email, get invited to a meeting, buy a book...the list goes on. In a typical day, it might be interesting to keep track of just how many "options" present themselves; just how much do you have to consider doing (and not doing) to get all the work done you have to do?

Defining your work, your projects and the expected results you're aiming to achieve "may" be a full time job! I talked about the importance of Deep Thinking, the ability to get lost in a project, or to discuss around the periphery of an idea to see what you have not seen before. For those of you doing research as a part of your job, it's important to be able to see things from different angles, and to do that it helps to have some idea of the direction AND destination you think you're heading in so that you DO wind up seeing as much as possible.

I always write the word "experiment" with a little e. Why? It just takes a little experimentation to find out whether or not something is worth doing!

Did you consider signing up for reQall? Take just a few minutes and do that now. Then, when you're out and about this week, use it just 5 times. See if that service "might" help you out; I know it has helped me!

Finally, Assess what you're doing, what you've done, and what that is leading to. The last couple of pages in the workbook outline a very specific (and easy-to-implement) weekly debrief process. A "less formal" way to do this would be to stop for a minute or two each Thursday or Friday, and add a few thoughts to an ongoing list of things you've finished/worked on/been a part of lately. Just having this to look back on at the end of the month/year will go a long way in helping you Identify (back to step one!) what to take on next.

The first "group" activity was to discuss practices of effective and ineffective coworkers. Consider going back to your notes to reflect on the habits and behaviors of the people you know you can count on. Can people count on you to do those things? Also, review the way you're ending meetings, preparing for conversations and leaving your workspace at the end of the day. Are you capturing all the ideas, getting ready for tomorrow, leaving the office to head in to your life?

During the seminar, we looked at the different ways that people work. Some people think in terms of nouns and verbs, and we all work according to our Auditory/Visual/Kinesthetic preferences. Several activities throughout the seminar are designed to give you the insight and information you can use to change the way you work, and ask to work with others, so that you're as effective as possible. One of those activities was over on page 6 of the workbook.

Check out slide #61 on the slideshare.net site...

There were THREE workplace performance inventories you created during the course.

1. What do you do by about 10am?
2. What tools/systems do you count on daily?
3. What could you do about once a month to reset/refresh?

Each of these inventories was built up to give you "more objective" information about what you need to do, and how you need to be in order to do better work. remember the activity of coming up with your own "recipe" describing when you are "at your best?" That was also designed to give you ample information and plenty of time to think about how you think, so you can think about what you have to think about.

Make sense?

THEN, we dove deep into systems-thinking. I presented many ways you can maximize such tools as Microsoft Outlook and your BlackBerry. Of course, I'll always be researching different gear, so that I can always give you the most "up to date" material. If you'd like to see a lot of videos on some of the ways you can save time WITH your tools - often even getting MORE work done, faster - just email me. I'll send you some specific links. Or, of course, you can check out the YouTube channel dedicated to this topic: www.youtube.com/jasonwomack.

My question to you: "What did you implement?" What did you go back to your desk to try right away, and...how's that going? I look forward to hearing all about it. Please do let me know in the comments area below!

What would YOU do with an extra 61 hours and 18 minutes?

Ok, so here I go on one of my little rants.

When someone complains about not having enough time, and then proudly states they don't have time to learn how to save time - you know those people...they are THAT busy - I just smile.

I "learned" how to use text replacement on my BlackBerry, MacMail, gMail, Outlook and laptop computer, and wow, have I saved time. Here's one little app I use, just one, to gain time! (By the way, I've made some YouTube videos on these ideas... www.YouTube.com/JasonWomack.)





Yup, that's one million, three hundred seventy nine thousand, five hundred and ninety two keystrokes I've NOT typed.

What would YOU do with an extra 61 hours?

What I promise for my next book.

When do you get to talk about leadership?

Leadership: It's a big topic that people spend time, energy and focus studying, often hoping that the people around them do more of it themselves.


Whether you attend a formal "off-site, leadership development program," read books and think about it on your own, or get together with like-minded people and talk about ideas you all have, get out there and start your next journey.

And, I invite you to participate in the next luncheon here in Ojai.

Predictability: When I get it right

Setup, the less I have to think about it, the better. Whether I'm presenting a seminar or racing a triathlon, not having to think DURING the event is key to a strong performance.

But that freedom isn't free. I labor over the details, practice "off the field," wake up in the middle of the night with the next great experiment and ask mentors for advice all the time.

I'm always amazed by the amount of time I get when I'm prepared to do what it is I am planning to do. This morning, I actually had time to draft 3 pages of ideas into my new spiral-bound notebook (all about the chapter I'm writing this week on feedback and the process of career development).

If you can predict it, anticipate it. And, if you're that close, do something about it now so that it's easier then!

Why do YOU do what you do?

I wrote about this story in my book today (chapter 7!). Earlier this year, I met Tony, who started asking people WHY and documenting their answers with pictures. If you have a moment, visit his site!


When I saw this picture afterward, I sent Tony a handwritten thank you card. I was so happy that he caught me this way. Not just with what I wrote, but with how I was in that instant.

One thing I know is that I have lined myself up in a way that about every day I do get to live my purpose.

It's my hope that the more you read, and the more I share, you DO feel the senses of completion. Sure, some people are hoping to become more productive and develop their strengths and talents...but isn't that so they can experience more???

How about you? Why do you do...what you do?

Location:Rockaway Blvd,,United States

27 July 2011 - Midtown, NYC - Mastering Workplace Performance

Thank you so much for attending this MWP presentation. One of the most important questions to answer is: "When was the last time you took time to think of how you manage time?" For many people participating in our workshops, this was the first time...in a long time!




Remember, there are 96 fifteen-minute blocks of time in a day. One of the first activities I suggest you DO do is to create your "Time Management Budget." Do it with a piece of paper, write it on a white board, create a spreadsheet. However you're going to do it, do it. At the top, write down the number 96, and then start subtracting:

96
- sleep
- commute
- meals
- exercise
- meetings
- work
- relaxation
- other (whatever else you can bring to mind)

Now, most of the time our clients do this, they realize that one issue they are facing is that they often need 105 or even 110 of those fifteen-minute blocks to DO everything they think they need to do in a day. So, it's now crucial that we become more effective and efficient; that we become responsible stewards of our time.

How do you do that? At the beginning of the seminar, I presented to you the 4 "real" limited resources. Time is just one of them the other three are:

Energy: You're a morning person or an afternoon person or an evening person. You get overwhelmed or excited by deadlines. You need a lot of or a little bit of sleep. You can manage a lot in your head or you need to write things down as soon as you think of them. How you manage your MENTAL and PHYSICAL energy will immediately and significantly alter how you use your time. Later in the seminar, we discussed the importance of knowing when you're "at your best." The best reason I can give you for knowing (and following the directions you wrote!) when you're at your best is so that you can manage your energy more effectively.

Focus: According to one of my mentors, Allyson Lewis (author and investment manager), our attention span is about 7 minutes long. Now, that's not just how long we can hold our own focus, but it's about how long we can go before we're interrupted by someone on the desk. "Do you have a minute?" That question is NOT about time (resource #1), it IS about focus (resource #3). Oh, by the way, as you change your focus you will notice a dip or a lift in your energy. (Have you ever seen someone's name in your email Inbox and gotten stress? Have you ever seen the caller ID on your phone and smiled ear to ear?

Systems/Tools: Now, you're remembering, is the resource that affects them ALL! Yes, if you change how you use your systems and tools, you can implement the "Focus to FInish" mindset, you will free up energy by completing more tasks and having to remember less, and you will feel (or it will seem) like you're a better time manager. By the way, this is where it gets so interesting in the "app world." Why? Because inventor after inventor (and, of course, investor!) gets an idea of a new TOOL that will fix her or his system. The trick is to get you to believe in it enough to change your previous behaviors.

After I showed some of the tips and techniques on how to save time using your tools, I showed you how to do just that.

How stop the "bad" habits? How do you drop those habits that actually worked to your benefit for all these years? You know, the unsustainable habits like:

Arriving to the office an hour or so early, to work without interruptions of your coworkers.
Staying at the office late, to work without interruptions of your coworkers.
Logging in to your computer on the weekend or after dinner, to work without interruptions of your coworkers.
(By the way, are you catching the theme here???)
Scheduling meetings for an hour, even though you'll only need 45 minutes, knowing people will arrive and the meeting will start late.
Setting reminders on your desktop calendar/task management system that you continually "Dismiss" or "Snooze."


I've got good news, and better news.
Good: You don't have to stop any of these bad habits.
Better: You simply replace them with new ones that are equal or better in value!

Where do you begin? Start with the three inventories you created during the first half of the program. For the next 5 days, focus in on that page, and I'd even suggest making "the list." The entire inventory of what:

- you do by 10am each morning
- systems/tools/gear/technology you count on to get your work done
- brings you rest, relaxation, rejuvenation and reinvention


Those inventories are critical to the change process. For until you know what you do, you don't know what to do differently. If you can clarify exactly what you do out of routine between the time you wake up in the morning and about 10am, you'll have some information you can use to your advantage. If you want to be more effective, work more efficiently and act as a steward of your time, you get that inventory complete and then you decide what to:

Delete: Chances are high that you're doing something 5 days a week that IF you only did it 3 times you'd be just fine. One client I worked with recently realized she was spending 10-15 minutes a day reviewing her "Sent Items" in her email looking for items that she had to follow up on. For 5 days, we tried an experiment:

- 3 days (Mon/Weds/Fri) she set a timer for 10 minutes and reviewed her Sent Items (as per her normal). When she came across something to follow up on, she pressed CTRL+SHIFT+K on her keyboard and typed in something like: "08/2/2011 - Jason Womack - Productivity TouchPoint video program proposal" which she organized in a "task list category" called Waiting On.
- 2 days (Tues/Thurs) she set a timer for 10 minutes and reviewed the next two weeks of her calendar. When she came across something to act on, she pressed CTRL+SHIFT+K on her keyboard and typed in something like: "Call Jason Womack 805-640-6401 re: upcoming keynote advisory session at conference" which she organized in a "task list category" called Actions.

Within one week, she had Identified more work and Developed a more up-to-date system than she had seen in years. It only took a little bit of experimentation to realize that she could use a little bit of her morning planning time differently.

Delegate: Of course here it's a little tricky. If you're a manager, and have someone on your team who CAN help you with different pieces of work, I'd absolutely encourage you to "Call a meeting" immediately. Sit down once a week for the next 5 weeks, and simply come up with an inventory of what you could delegate. Don't try to delegate anything yet, simply come up with the list. Now, if you don't have anyone to delegate to (if YOU are your own assistant!) then I'd recommend you STILL make this inventory. I did. I have a running list of things I'd ask a staff person, intern or co-worker to do, if someone said, "Jason do you need some help?"

You can, however, begin delegating immediately to your "systems." Consider the examples I gave you of ReQall.com and using GoogleAlerts. Also, consider your own Microsoft® Outlook® Task system the ultimate personal assistant who tracks your reminders, meetings, agenda items and more. I've even seen people keep a digital "memo" pad on their iPhone, BlackBerry® or Droid. There, they continue to add things they need to see or think about later. You're delegating more than actions, you're giving the reminder to take that action to a system that can help you manage the task, the priority, the conversation and he project much more effectively over time.

One thing we didn't get to in our program is the how to and when to PROCESS the big "bucket list" you wrote. Remember I asked you to take just 7 minutes and write down at least 50 items that you could bring to mind while we were together in the seminar. Well, one thing you'll immediately notice is that your "thinking profile" showed up there. Did you write your list as a group of Nouns? Or Verbs? Not that one is right or wrong. One is not better than the other. People are not "normal" if they do it one way and not the other. But, there is some significant information in there. At least there was for me...

The first time I recognized a difference was when I was in a personal development seminar, as a participant, the summer that my wife and I were planning our wedding. We were sitting at a table, and had the experience I showed you...we wrote down a long list of what we were thinking. Well, I was amazed to see that after about 20 minutes (imagine if I had asked you to write for that long!) she and I had two very different lists going...mine, a long list of Nouns. Hers...verbs!

When I recognized the impact of this on productivity and performance (and, our upcoming marriage!) I knew I was on to something significant. Naturally, I think in terms of the big picture, she turns those thoughts into actions. She naturally considers the steps along the way, I easily see the finished product as if it's already done.

Now, how about you? You need to do both, right? So, go through the notebook, and you'll see some extra pages there toward the end. I encourage you to spend time turning your Bucket List in to actions and projects, with starting and ending points. Then, go through your email Inbox and apply the same method. Review your notebooks, and your sticky notes, get as much as you can to this level of "action." You'll see a difference as you practice this more and more.

I hope you got more than a few ideas from our time together. Oh, by the way, based on the questions during and via email and text message over the next day, I collected a total of 23 questions. I already funded more loans at KIVA.org, and if you'd like to join us please visit: www.OjaiKivaClub.com - you don't have to live in Ojai to be a part of the club!

Here are some links you may want to review, as you continue pushing on this information. And, of course I'm already looking forward to reading your comments below! (Leave a question, I'll get an answer to you ASAP...)

Here are some books I recommend: http://www.BooksWeRecommend.com
I just keep learning from http://www.TED.com
Here is a link to specific ideas you can use right away to work more effectively using Outlook (pass this on to your coworkers!)
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4A446D5899736F1F&feature=mh_lolz