Bullet Journaling for Relationships is the second installment in our bullet journaling series. In this session, Cori and I focus on our shared journal. This is a journal in which we track and document together-stuff such as things to get done around the house, a health log for our cat, Noodles, and a list of "hikes" we've taken together. ("Hikes" is quoted because we like to call our pleasantly moderate nature walks, "hikes", but if we're being really honest, these are glorified walks in nature, which are fun, but not very uphill-y.)
In this session we go over some bullet journaling basics; we talk about monthly and weekly spreads, collections and habit tracking; and the conversation is framed around communication and togetherness in relationships.
Check it out on YouTube.
Also, download this quick reference that lists the basic supplies needed for getting started. It also provides a list of books, websites, makers and a cheat sheet.
We've proven that remote work is possible. Couple that with the economic advantages of remote work such as reduced need for office space and supplies, it's likely that this is a very real future for many of us. That is, working remotely from home at least some of the time.
Before COVID, we all just kind of showed up to work and culture naturally occurred. Some companies were better at curating cultural experiences and team bonding experiences. However, for most of us, the important things were that we were working together in the same space, talking, bonding, lunching, learning about each other's families. Proximity just made that possible. However, without that proximity, workplaces now have to intentionally facilitate those relationships and team bonds.
https://www.condenastcollege.ac.uk/news-events/imagining-a-post-covid-world/
This is a bit of a tall order, but we watched our economy as COVID brought it to it's knees, and so many of us felt the crushing effects of that. Many of us lost our primary sources of income. Businesses went under. Massive legislation was passed. So, the question becomes, how do we make our economy resistant to these unforeseen, catastrophic anomolies? How do we prevent this from happening in the future, when another virus hits or a catastrophic meteorological event or a visit from outerspace even?
Hero Photo by My Life Journal on Unsplash
]]>We're big-time into bullet journaling over here. I mostly use my bullet journal for to-do lists, tracking my fitness habits and jotting down notes and things to remember. Cori on the other hand takes bullet journaling to the next level with beautiful monthly and weekly planning spreads, detailed habit tracking, lots of decorative stuff and much more.
There are a few others in our Morning Focus group that use journaling and bullet journaling in their home and work lives. So, we decided to host a session dedicated to sharing information and ideas about bullet journaling.
In the presentation, Cori and I walk through the basics and talk about how and why each of us use bullet journaling.
Check it out on YouTube.
Also, download this quick reference that lists the basic supplies needed for getting started. It also provides a list of books, websites and makers and a cheat sheet.
Hero Photo by My Life Journal on Unsplash
]]>When COVID touched-down earlier this year, we were all thrown for a loop. Some of us lost jobs. Some faced a new reality of juggling full-time remote work with full-time child care. Our essential workers could not not work. They heroically showed up every day in the face of risk and danger to themselves and their families.
My personal story is that I had just resigned from my full-time job at the very beginning of March 2020. My goal was to ramp-up this business, Great Day @ Work. I imagined bringng music to people at work and in academia. I imagined hosting Focus Sessions in co-working spaces and offices and cafes and industry conferences. The universe, though, had it's own ideas about how I was to start my new life and business. 😄
Without being able to provide in-person services, and without really being able to do much of anything, I started hosting focus sessions in Zoom every morning. My goals were pretty straight forward:
Fast-forward 6 months. The pandemic is still a thing. In-person events are still not-a-thing. Many of us are still trying to figure out how to work from home while simultaneously managing our homes, families and mental health.
...
Our daily Focus Sessions in Zoom are going strong. Our core group is supportive and dependable and talented and fun.
Here's my big take-away from the past 6 months of hosting Focus Sessions...
The real powers of our daily Focus Sessions are: The power of the group -- our companionship and accountability to one another. We are listening to and supporting each other through a challenging time. The power of habit and routine. We have created a daily ritual focused on productivity (hopefully 😂) and also on respecting our humanity. The power of commandeering our time. 1 We are advocating for ourselves by making deliberate decisions about how we spend our time. The power of self observation and introspection. We are compassionately noticing and validating how we feel - physically, mentally and emotionally. These acts of observation and introspection are catalysts for our personal growth.
Thank you Stacey, Steph, Erik, Jason, Olivia, Ethan, Nancy, Cori, Michael, Maria and everyone else who has regularly added value to our focus sessions... past, present and future.
Banner Photo by Karsten Würth on Unsplash
]]>When it comes to focus and productivity, one of the biggest challenges we face is balancing responsiveness with deep work. Many of us struggle with focus, and there is a tendency to drop everything and respond immediately to calls, e-mails and requests rather than first finishing up the task-at-hand. Even when immediacy is not mission critical, businesses still tend to favor and reward responsiveness over deep work and sustained focus. Here are a few reasons we tend to prioritize responsiveness:
The term Deep Work was coined by Cal Newport. He wrote a book about it, in case you're curious. The essence of "Deep Work" is that in order to excel at something, you must give it your full, uninterrupted attention for long stretches of time.2 "Long stretches of time" might mean days or weeks for some. For others, it might just mean dedicating a few hours a day to deep work. Cal Newport identifies writers, academics and computer programmers as some of the professions that require time for Deep Work, but the need for Deep Work is not unique to these professions. Most of us, regardless of our field, at some point, need time to sit and focus on writing a document, learning a new skill, researching a blog post or whatever it might be.
In general, responsiveness a.k.a. task switching b.k.a. multitasking comes at a cost. Studies have shown that quickly switching back-and-forth between tasks is less efficient than completing tasks in sequence.3 Studies focused on media multitasking have revealed negative effects on our cognitive functions including: attention and memory.4
Setting aside the science and research, though, observation and personal experience has taught me that when we don't get the uninterrupted time that we need for deep work, it has a negative impact on our work and happiness.
All of this leads to general discontent, unhappiness, loss of time (a.k.a. money), and a failure to spend time on important things like strategy...
]]>Make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and ease into your day with Focus Challenge #5. Rise and focus with these chilled beats.
What happened to focus challenges #3 and #4? Find more focus challenges on Mixcloud
Learn more about our Focus Challenges.
Listen on Mix Cloud
]]>This whole album from producer, Magmile, lays in the cut real nice. It provides a subtly funky, melodic backdrop that doesn't distract from the task at hand. Highly recommended.
Check it out on spotify or bandcamp
Photo Credit:
Koen Eijkelenboom
Focus Challenge #2 is a party vibe. Use it while working on things that don't require a lot of attention.
Learn more about our Focus Challenges.
Listen on Mix Cloud
]]>These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to focus on one thing at a time. Multi-tasking has become the norm and is often expected by our employers, families and society as a whole. Add to that a never ending stream of notifications from our phone, computer, tablet, refrigerator, etc and it becomes nearly impossible to focus on a single thing for more than a few minutes at a time.
The impacts of this are:
Focus Challenges encourage you to play a short music mix, and focus on only one thing for the duration of that mix. Avoid all distractions from your phone, email and co-workers during the mix. Most distractions can wait until the mix is over. Mixes are approximately 25 minutes long. This duration is inspired by Francesco Cirillo's Pomodoro Technique®.
When the mix ends you can take a break or attend to any notifications that came in during the challenge.
(Please end the challenge early for emergencies.)
Almost anything...
The possibilities are endless
Nope. All you have to do is commit to focussing on your goal. You might not achieve your goal during the challenge, but you will make uninterrupted progress towards achieving it, and that's really the goal of these challenges.
Listen to our first Focus Challenge on Mix Cloud
Great Day @ Work is not affiliated with, associated with, nor endorsed by the Pomodoro Technique® or Francesco Cirillo.
]]>Our Focus Challenges are designed to help you focus and be productive. Here's how it works:
Our Focus Challenges are inspired by Francesco Cirillo's Pomodoro Technique®.
Listen to our first Focus Challenge on Mix Cloud
Great Day @ Work is not affiliated with, associated with, nor endorsed by the Pomodoro Technique® or Francesco Cirillo.
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