Work-life balance can be elusive. But it’s not complicated. Here are 3 simple truths you must understand to take hold of it.
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4 Insights on the State of Productivity in 2022
Work has changed dramatically in recent years, as the pandemic accelerated trends of flexible work hours, remote work, and more. Here are 4 insights from a survey of 200 high achievers about how they’re getting their work done.
3 Ways to Create More Margin in Your Personal Life
Just like at work, we have long to-do lists at home. You can end overwhelm at home and create more margin by applying these 3 tips.
The Cure for Burnout
The costs of burnout culture are devastating, but the cure is within reach. Here are 5 steps to get you back to your best.
The Secret to Achieving More: A Good Night’s Sleep
Our bodies are designed to function best with sleep. The secret to win at work and succeed in life, sleep.
The Science of Sabbaticals
I used to take yearly sabbaticals. For three glorious months each summer my time was more or less my own. I did whatever took my fancy: running around the yard with my siblings, reading books, pestering my parents. You probably did, too. We were little, so the associated learning was not exactly productive. Luckily, sabbaticals […]
Sabbatical on a Budget
Picture this: you’ve been with the same employer for many years and they want to reward your loyalty with the recharge of a sabbatical. Typical sabbaticals can last anywhere from 1-6 months in length, for the sake of this article (and because I’m a teacher that is on sabbatical every summer) we will plug in […]
The Science of Naps
My two-year-old is asleep for the third time today. I thought I had developed a clever disciplinary method when I started telling him that cranky kids need naps, and sending him to bed multiple times. Turns out I was being more clever than I knew. Instead of being better behaved, he just keeps going to […]
Bouncing Back After Burnout
The intentions are noble: You want to buy a house with a backyard for your kids, pay off debt, or do something to actually justify the $50,000 worth of student loans that feels like a noose around your neck. You vow to work harder than everyone else on your team, to be the first one […]
The Importance of Play
This past weekend our family had to cancel a special trip to a friend’s lake house that had been circled on the calendar for months. Our initial weekend plans had play and adventure built into them to recharge the grownups, help us finish a busy season well and open our minds up to new possibilities […]
Get a Life!
For my first job in Washington, DC, I worked very long hours. One night, a rare dinner date was lined up. “What time do you get off?” my date asked to coordinate. A long, awkward pause followed. “It’s kind of a philosophical question,” I finally admitted. That was fine by me at the time, but […]
I Love Energy!
“Are you tired, run down, listless? Do you poop out at parties? Are you unpopular? The answer to all of your problems are in this little bottle!” This quote, from Lucille Ball on I Love Lucy, is both hilarious and timeless. Her Vitameatavegamin bottle made some pretty large promises that only required an alcohol content of […]
A Recipe for Self-Renewal
Time management is about scarcity, because time is fixed. You only have 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week, 8,760 hours in a year (tack on an extra 24 for leap years). Until someone invents a time-stretching machine, that’s all we’ve got. The thing that you can actually manage is your energy. […]
6 Ways to Meditate to Great
In corporate training, I use meditation to help teams to be mindful or present. It can really transform the workplace. Not only does it improve productivity and efficiency, but studies show that companies who have implemented meditation training and encouraged employees to take time out for meditation each day have happier and better-rounded employees. This […]
When Conflict is Brewing
How do you feel when there’s a difficult conversation brewing at work that you won’t be able to duck? Unless you’re a sociopath, the answer is usually “not good.” Most of us know the ill effects of dreaded discussions. A brewing conflict will make you more distracted and irritable, which has knock-on physical effects, which […]
Hobbies of Highly Effective People
Let’s play a word-association game: Toss out the first several words or phrases that come to mind when you hear the name “Bill Gates.” Don’t overthink it. Just say them out loud or write them down. Ready? From an informal survey I conducted, some of the terms you might have come up with include: a) […]
3 Lessons from a Monthlong Sabbatical
I began my career as a proud workaholic. I measured my contribution by the hours I clocked and the coffee I consumed. So the Michael Hyatt &Co. culture came as a bit of a shock. It was the best kind of shock, though. With a core value of radical margin and an unlimited PTO policy, […]
Winston Churchill’s Secret Productivity Weapon
One of the more unlikely museums in London is located in the basement of the Treasury, between 10 Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster: the Churchill War Rooms, the underground complex from which Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his ministers and generals fought World War II. The War Rooms is a large warren of […]
You Are Not the Energizer Bunny
One of the most important lessons I have learned about productivity is this: It’s less about managing time and more about managing energy. Why? Because time is fixed, but our energy can flex. Most people get this exactly backward. They cram their day with tasks, thinking they can get it all done. Instead, they end […]
The Problem with Whack-a-Mole Productivity
When I started my career, I quickly discovered that I had more to do than I could get done in a forty-hour workweek. So, I worked more hours. I got to the office at 5:00 a.m. and usually didn’t leave until 6:00 p.m. I often worked on Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings, too. It wasn’t […]
I’m Going on a Sabbatical, and You Should Too
I am about to embark on a sabbatical for the next month to get away, enjoy time with family, and do some long-range thinking. Americans typically don’t take all of their vacation days, much less go off on sabbaticals. The idea of an extended period away from work may sound like an exotic concept or, […]
Go Ahead Leaders, Take That Vacation
The days are getting shorter again, but it’s not too late to take a few days off before the end of summer. August is often the perfect month to take some time away from work. You should consider getting away for a bit because you probably need it. Vacations are vital for rejuvenation, especially for […]
What You Learn on the Way to Success
There comes a point in every story when you are ready to quit. It could be a relationship, a project, or your job. Regardless, you’ve had enough, and you are ready to “throw in the towel.”
How to Get Away From It All
Periodically, you need to reboot your spirit. But how? In a recent vacation I experienced five keys to renewal that I want to replicate in my future outings.