by Susan on July 17, 2010
It’s been a busy week. Understatement. But busy isn’t bad…it depends on what you’re busy doing!
I classify busy-ness into two categories: 1) Productivity, and 2) Accountability.
Productivity comes from really getting things done. Head down, focused, crazy progress that you feel really good about. In the zone.
Accountability includes updating reports, meetings, letting other’s know what you’re doing. This is key when there are multiple resources working on a project, or if you have a boss or board of directors. Oh, and let’s not forget about the client!
The key is finding the right balance between the two. If you have a lot to get done, you will get frustrated if you have to spend lots of time updating about what you’re doing rather than doing it. Long meetings are the worst! But it’s critical to keep certain people in the loop, and feedback is imperative (unless you happen to know everything!)
So instead of scheduling lots of update meetings, why not find a more creative and efficient means of cross-communication? We’re sitting right in the middle of an amazing technology era – surely there are better ways than conventional meetings! A marketing partner and I are using something as simple as an igoogle dashboard to keep our project moving forward.
Now what about the solo entrepreneur? Is it possible to be sooooo productive that you forget to document for accountability? Do you refer back to your original business plan to make sure you’re staying on track? Do you get feedback from anyone outside your brain as you move forward at lightening speed? It can be rather lonely, and it’s easy to second guess yourself without others to bounce ideas off of.
Bottom line, whether you’re working on your own, or for a boss in a J.O.B., the right balance is still critical. You’ve got to be accountable to someone – especially to yourself. And you’ve got to get stuff done.
Good luck!
by Susan on July 14, 2010
So we’re now a couple weeks into our hodge-podge summer schedule. So far, not bad. But I’ve found flexibility to be a necessary character trait for success. As lovely of a plan as it is {visual: me patting myself on the back}, not everything has gone to plan. Illness, forgotten doctor appointments, and miscommunication have wrecked moderate havoc on my schedule, but nothing we can’t work through.
Today was one of those “amateur hour” days. I dropped the kids off at camp, only to be told that camp ends at noon rather than 3pm today. Huh? Seriously? I was not called with this valuable information prior to drop off. No worries, I told myself as I shifted my day around to accommodate. “Think flexible thoughts” I repeated to myself. I had nothing to gain by venting, so I let it roll off my back. Yea, life is a little messy sometimes.
So I drive back at noon, only to be surprised with the news that it’s back on til 3pm again. Apparently my daughter had called me, but I didn’t get the voice mail. So I had one of two choices: 1) take them home there and then (not the popular choice for the kids), or 2) schlep back again at 3pm.
I opted for the schlepping option since I have more work to do and didn’t want the kids to hate me. When I got home, I checked my messages. While the info part of my phone didn’t alert me that I had a new message, when I dialed in, sure enough…there it was. Hmmm, wonder how many other calls I may miss by depending on that part of my phone’s feature!
At the end of the day, the kids had a good time and I still got some work done. And because I didn’t waste any energy on anger, I’m actually not stressed out about it.
Next time something “unfair” happens to you, rather than venting and stating your rights, try letting it roll off your back. Sort of a pay-it-forward forgiveness concept.
We’re back from a week-long vacation at a condo on Amelia Island, and I learned a few things about myself:
- I care deeply about how a vacation rental unit is decorated
- Cleaning a poorly decorated space is highly unsatisfying
- I like my big, fancy mattress with crisp white sheets
- I don’t really like painted decals on my pedi – my toes felt “cluttered”
- My hairstyle is better suited for the north and less humidity – don’t even try hairspray (makes it worse)
- I prefer to eat in rather than dine out
- I need some alone time – more than 5 minutes, please
- There really isn’t anything good on TV
- I don’t view my work as work when it has momentum
- I am capable of just checking in online just two times per day – the world did not stop (whew!)
- I find it difficult to maintain a relaxed balance between crazy-busy and napping – perhaps I need more practice
- I love my family
Technically, we’re still on vacation since Monday is a holiday. After I get all the unpacking and laundry done, pay bills, clean the house and go to the grocery store, maybe I’ll be able to squeak in some quiet, productive “me” time. Or not. 
by Susan on June 29, 2010
Now this is interesting. We’ve been at the beach for a couple days now, and I haven’t worked…at all.
I miss it.
I’d like nothing better than to listen to a podcast while walking the beach, going on a photo shoot to build my blogging inventory, or adding a promotion to a website.
Is that wrong?
Or is it a sign that I’m on to something?
Meanwhile, the kids are asleep, the coffee is hot, and I’m watching the sun rise over the veranda. And somewhere out there my husband is jogging on the beach. I’m guessing I’ve got about 30 minutes to work under the radar.
I think I’ll go create some new graphics for one of my sites. It will be our little secret.
by Susan on June 27, 2010
We’re at the beach this week. It’s lovely! Tonight the power went out during a thunderstorm. It stayed off for about an hour.
During this time, I observed that I had two options: 1) try and predict which direction the storm was going and when the power might come back on, or 2) enjoy the show. It comes down to being able to turn off that little voice inside my head that wanted to be in control.
After assuring the kids it was ok and to go back to sleep, we sat out on the veranda overlooking the ocean. A harvest moon was trying very hard to peak out from behind a storm cloud. From our forth floor balcony we had a spectacular view of the beach-front homes across the street. With every lightning strike the entire town lite up and looked more like a crisp painting that a real beach town.
It also made me think about a podcast I’d listened to on the plane ride down here for the 30 minutes that the kids didn’t actively need me to remind them to share the armrest between them. They were talking about how launching a new Internet based company is chaos. There’s a plan to it, and you try to do the right things, but by the nature of the beast, you end up making up some of it as you go.
Then tonight (prior to light’s out) we were watching a TV documentary about Pixar. Yes, they’re a powerhouse, but they had a lot of uncertain ups and downs along the way. Their best path was not always obvious. They worked hard and took risks – the classic recipe for success.
My nugget of wisdom? Don’t be so hard on yourself. No one else knows what they’re doing anyway. Keep your eye on your goal and keep working towards it, even if the path that gets you there is crooked and so dark that you can only plan 10 feet ahead of you at any time. Just keep rolling forward.
Embrace the chaos, and enjoy the storm.
by Susan on June 24, 2010
School is over. Great if you’re a kid. Summer’s were not designed with working mothers in mind, however.
When I was a kid, we actually had “down time” in the summer to play with our toys, neighbors, and just hang out. These days, kid’s seem to spend their days at structured camps with no chance to pause and unwind. How can that create independent, expressive kids? When will they squeeze in time to exercise their imaginations?
So, as the anal-retentive mother that I am, I sought a schedule that included both down time at home and new camp experiences. This summer my kids will experience tennis, gymnastics, performance arts, swimming, and robot-building. But they’ll also hang out at home with an in-home sitter while I work. I’m only going in to the office one day/week for meetings over the summer which will enable me to orchestrate and execute this maze of color-coded activities.
It will be exhausting, I know. I’ve already had to make two schedule changes to accommodate sitter schedules and sick days and we’re just one week into it. But hey, flexibility is where it’s at, right?
If anyone knows of an online tool to better manage a summer schedule than my color coded table in a Word Doc, PLEASE let me know!
Happy summer everyone!
by Susan on June 17, 2010
I read a blog post by Seth Godin this morning about the difference between “this better work” and “this might work.” Geez, that guy is insightful!
Anyway, got me thinking that for “this might work” to be most effective, ya gotta have a muse! A muse goes beyond a friends role – they not only listen to your rambling ideas, but they inspire and participate. They share enthusiasm for what you’re doing and help you think of new ways of looking at things. They give you a realistic confidence that success is possible.
And most likely, that person won’t be in your immediate circle of family and friends. They may love you, but that doesn’t mean they “get” you and what you’re trying to do. Don’t take that personally.
Before you ask yourself who your muse is, think about who you muse for. Remember, it’s a two way street! Now go muse (and amuse) and have a great day!
p.s. – I’ll leave you with Erma Bombeck’s take on dreamers:
- Dreams have only one owner at a time. That’s why dreamers are lonely.
- It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.
by Susan on June 13, 2010
When you’re a kid, you tend to make decisions on what you try based on if your friends are doing it too. That’s my test for summer camp selections. If my 3rd grader wants to do something even if none of her friends are, then she really wants to do it and I will do whatever it takes to make it happen. This summer she’ll be building robots, and learning Performance Arts (think mini-Glee camp).
As an adult, I notice the same thing still tends to happen. Example. When I first wanted to try Dream Dinners, I tried to piggy back on a trip with someone who already goes. After a month or two of trying to make that work, I just signed up and went on my own. Yea, I’m a grown up, I can do this!
Same thing tends to be true when attempting to schedule social events, or coordinating kids events. If you try to get everyone’s schedule together, nothing will happen. It’s like painfully waiting for someone to make the first commitment.
Lesson learned? If you want to do it, just do it. Then tell other’s what you’re doing and invite them to join you. Trust me, they’ll appreciate your initiative!
by Susan on June 10, 2010
I am aghast. I actually reached 800 unread emails in my gmail account. That’s out of the 2,194 emails still residing in my inbox (36%, if that means anything).
In my defense, there are 4 or 5 email address that feed into this box, and gmail is lousy at using labels instead of folders for storage. But that’s no excuse.
I’m not neglecting the important emails, what I’m doing is holding on to emails that look interesting enough to read when I get some down time. If I delete it, I might lose a critical nugget of information that could change my life.
I’m seriously in denial. Time to purge…when I have a moment.
I have some strong opinions about a new product launch I’m working on. But I seriously doubt they’d be popular opinions because they’re grounded in reality. There is no shortcut to success, but smart decisions sure speed things up. Organic growth makes for a strong foundation on which to soar.
How many great ideas were abandoned because they weren’t easy enough?
Nuff said.
I heard a great analogy in a podcast whilst stuck in particularly bad traffic today…would you rather have to hunt every time you wanted to eat, or would you rather grow your crops to produce food on a perpetual basis?
To go for the big, hyped quest for sales NOW may be productive for the moment. You’ll make money. But what about tomorrow? Do you run your hype campaign again? How effective will it be 2 weeks from now? What will happen to your credibility?
Now consider the farmer patiently growing crops in field. He may go hungry for awhile, but once the fruits of his labor start to pay off, he will never go hungry.
Patience. It’s THAT important!
