Windridge Reflections

The ice machine in the refrigerator was not working. The water dispenser in the refrigerator was not working. Two very convenient features, which when one looked at the control panel, there was no reason why they shouldn’t be working…all systems should have been: “GO!” First step: Empty all ice out of icemaker. After all, it could simply be jammed. It wouldn’t explain the “no water” situation but, oh well. No luck. Push a few buttons, open and close the door (like that is going to somehow help), converse about who pushed what button and why (a polite blame-game), open and close the door again. And then from my vast experience of sitting in front of computers that have a tendency to sometimes stop working for no apparent reason (I’m sure you all have experienced that frustratingly frozen screen), I suggested: “Let’s turn it off, unplug it, let it sit for a moment, plug it back in, and see if it reboots.” Worked like a charm—ice and water flowed freely. Lesson learned: Som...

The article below by Jim Rohn clearly defines the attitudes, motivation, and actions I want to focus on - Enjoy! “You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. ” Mary Pickford Cultivating Your Enterprising Nature by Jim Rohn Enterprising people are those people disciplined and dedicated enough to seize opportunities that present themselves ... regardless of the current situation, struggles, or obstacles. Think of a few people you know who are enterprising. Think of people in the news, in your office, in your neighborhood, who manage to succeed regardless of the obstacles. What do these people have in common? They're probably always on the go, developing a plan, following a plan, reworking the plan until it fits. They're probably resourceful, never letting anything get in the way. They probably don't understand the word no when it applies to their visions of th...

Zite Here are a few of the productivity tools I find handy in my online, “keeping track of everything” life… CalenGoo – On my iPhone and synced with Outlook. I like colors—thus I love my CalenGoo calendar :) (I also have a paper Franklin Covey “workhorse” daily planner—pen and paper are good things.) Time Tracker – For days when I want to know (at the end of the day) how I spent my hours. Plus this is a great tool for tracking coaching calls and / or social media time. Word Document – Pretty standard I know. I keep an opened Word document minimized on my computer. Whenever I want / need to capture something from the net, a website, quote, name, etc…I simply copy and paste it to the document, then minimize the document to the side / bottom of the screen. At the end of the day, or after a few days, I can review and file the things I want / need to refer to later, use in a blog post, forward to a client and / or delete when I find at second glance that I’m no lo...

“Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping–into the future." Steve Miller / Steve McCarty Have you ever thought to yourself, “I only have an hour, oh well, not enough time to begin …..” I have, so has my closest friend... and apparently we are not alone! “Sometimes people think that because their time is broken up and they have no long, uninterrupted swatches of time for working, they may as well not begin. My advice? Pretend that you will never have such time again. Tell yourself that all of your days will be as crowded and as pell-mell as those you have had lately, and then figure out how to work in them.   You have heard the bromide “if you want something done, ask someone busy to do it.” That holds water.... Limited time can increase our focus, making us make the most of the time that we have got.” Julia Cameron Live What projects are you putting off because you think you don't have enough time to start? Image: istockphoto

Of late, I’ve had the feeling that my mornings or afternoons have been swallowed up. I don’t have a clue about what has been accomplished or completed. I’m not sure whether this is from being too busy or not busy enough, but no matter, I’ve got to get a handle on it! In the past I’ve always turned to paper time sheets etc., but this time I’ve decided to go “cyber” and so I searched for an iPhone app that would track tasks, and more importantly in “real” time. The reason for using an iPhone app versus a web-based system is mobility. During the day, I may go from point A to point B and I don’t want to have to constantly login, logout, go to a different room or computer to enter my data. I want my system to move with me and be quick and fairly easy to learn. What I found was a cool little tool appropriately called the Time Tracker by Nonlinear Ideas, Inc . I originally downloaded the “free” version, but today I upgraded because the pie charts are pretty nice plus it offers more control ...

I usually find myself reading three to five books at a time. These books range from devotional / reflective to business related, with a novel thrown in once in a while. Most of the time my bookmarks consist of simply grabbing the closest scrap of paper, or latest “fall out” piece from a magazine (typically a subscription notice) and jamming it in as a place holder. Not long ago, it dawned on me, how uninspiring this habit is. I mean, scraps and subscription slips—how boring! A few days after this revelation as I was straightening up my kitchen, I decided to update my “fridge photos” to keep life relevant. I replaced a couple of older photos with more recent shots and then looked at the three or four photos in my hand and wondered, what should I do with these outbound photos?  Aha! I now take the outgoing "fridge" photos and use them for my bookmarks! They are wonderful reminders of the people or places most precious to me, and add color and depth to my reading time.

I am a firm believer in ongoing learning. It doesn’t matter if you are securely employed or looking for your next career opportunity, it is always wise to stay relevant in this fast changing world. Lynda Gratton brings forward 10 ways to future proof your career: 1. Don’t be fooled into walking into the future blindfolded – the more you know what’s in store, the better able you will be to meet the challenges and really capitalize on your options. So keep abreast of the forces that are shaping work and careers in your part of the world and think about how they will impact on you and those you care for. Making wise choices will in the end come from your capacity to understand – don’t rely on governments of big business to make the choices for you. 2. Learn to be virtual – we are entering a period of hyper technological advancements – avatars, holographs and telepresence are all just around the corner. If you are a young “digital native” you are already connected to this – but if you...

Today I set up Google Calendar on my computer, syncing it with Outlook (which moving forward may not be that necessary) and added CalenGoo to my iPhone. This is all in an attempt to manage my time and appointments more efficiently. There is also the possibility that I’m simply bored with my current Outlook format. Here is the link for the iPhone CalenGoo app.... It's pretty cool!

Not to start on a negative, but this is one of my pet peeves...people who send condolences or RSVPs, a written invitation or congratulations or any other such personal communications in an e-mail. I mean really, how sincere is it when the receiver knows that this is something you popped off on your iPhone while waiting at the dentist? As Alan Weiss points out in his Balancing Act Newsletter, “Texting ‘I feel 4 U’ is not the same, somehow, as writing four sentences of sympathy and support. We can all afford the ten minutes.” In this day of “instant” everything, have we forgotten how to pick up a pen and a piece of paper? Here’s an easy way to make sure this type of “never have time for” correspondence doesn’t happen to you. Purchase five cards or post cards. Purchase stamps. (These first two steps are honestly the hardest part of this!) Put your favorite music on, settle in and think of five people you love and “never” write because you “never” have the time. Possibly one of your five ...

Peter Bregman starts out with “ An 18-Minute Plan for Managing Your Day ” post like this: “Yesterday started with the best of intentions. I walked into my office in the morning with a vague sense of what I wanted to accomplish. Then I sat down, turned on my computer and checked my e-mail. Two hours later, after fighting several fires, solving other people's problems and dealing with whatever happened to be thrown at me through my computer and phone, I could hardly remember what I had set out to accomplish when I first turned on my computer.” I can relate too well to this as many of my days seem to silently and swiftly become pulled off my intended course. Sometimes it’s simply amazing to me where the time goes without me being aware of its passing or cognizant of what was accomplished! To help us all stay on course, here are Bregman’s three steps for keeping focus throughout the day. Step 1 (5 minutes) Set Plan for Day. Before turning on your computer , sit down with a blank piece...

There may be “ 100,000 apps for that ,”but recently I added four new apps to my iPhone that I truly find helpful for my day to day life, and business. Give these four iPhone apps a try: 1. Lose It! I have always been a huge Weight Watchers (WW) fan (and I mean no disrespect to that fine program) but this app is awesome! For some reason having over 1300 calories to consume feels like so much more than 23 WW points…plus the app instantly adds exercise calories and recalculates your daily intake accordingly. 2. Go Pedometer : I have only used this app a couple times and I really like it. I wish it would measure in “miles” versus “feet,” but there is a slight possibility that I just don’t know how to program it yet. 3. Pandora : Creates really nice music mixes for you on your iPhone or computer. 4. Awesome Note : Love it! I already have several folders titled To Do / Shopping / Windridge / Music / Travel Diary / Etc. Extremely helpful and the graphics are fun. On Another Note This is not a...

As fall begins what a great time to reevaluate your overall strategic "plan" and reflect on some of the lessons learned through the past nine months.... As the Economy Improves: Analyze some things you’re doing without to see if you really need them, even in better times. Start to treat yourself more. That’s a high priority. Learn the lesson, and assume this will happen again some time. How can you prepare better in good times? (Our economy has always had recessions, and every single one has ended. I’m fearless in that assessment.) In your business, focus on those segments which have stayed strong and also those with the greatest “catapult” effect for rapid growth. There are big expenditure periods arriving: year-end holidays, next semester school payments, taxes, and so on. Create an intelligent, managed plan to deal with them now. When you’re able, no matter how modest, resume or increase charitable giving. You’ll feel better, and it’s desperately needed (ev...

Every year I choose two “themes for the year”... and I find it ironic that this year my two themes were Energy and Enthusiasm! I gotta tell you, seven months in and this year has not been filled with either energy or enthusiasm - more like hang-on-for-dear-life and don’t lose hope.... Thankfully Brian Tracy came to the rescue in his e-Newsletter just in the nick of time! He reminded me “why” these two traits are important for all of us right now, and how to re-connect with and even increase them! Most successful people can be characterized as having very high levels of energy. Since energy is the fuel with which everything is achieved, there seems to be a direct relationship between energy levels and levels of accomplishment. Physical Energy is Basic We have been led to believe that there is basically one kind of energy. We supposedly replenish this energy by sleeping at night, and during the day, we use it up again. It is as though we are machines powered by batteries, and...

Most days I keep a minimized Word document open on my computer for copying website addresses, articles I want to use or read later, etc. It's a great way to grab (copy and paste) something when I don't have time at the moment to read, but want the resource/reference for later. At the end of the day I can review, save what I want and delete the rest.