Windridge Reflections

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...

I’m currently re-reading (actually skimming) the book The Procrastinator’s Handbook – Mastering the Art of Doing It Now by Rita Emmett . It’s not a book I have ever read straight through, but it’s one that I pick up from time to time and use as a refresher whenever I feel like I’m beginning to be pulled away from what matters most to me. Life can sometimes feel like a constant balancing act of fulfilling opportunities — or dare I say: “I want you to like me” moments — that compete for my time. When this happens I find it healthy to stop for a moment and ask myself, how much can I really take on, enjoy and handle well? Here’s a pop quiz from the book to help evaluate the tendency to over commit: Do I put off things important to my life because other people’s priorities always come first? YES / NO Do I commit to so many things that there’s not enough time to do any of them and I always feel overwhelmed? YES / NO Do I think I don’t need to do all the things others need to do to manage th...

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...

It can be difficult to remain focused when we are bombarded daily by good – bad news, our hopes – fears, positive – negative feelings and so on. How do you maintain your focus? How do you not get pulled this way or that due to the emotion of the moment? First, focus by setting measurable and attainable “end goals.” Do some personal development work to discover / uncover who you are, your strengths and what you want your life to be about. After you have an idea of who you are and where you are heading the next challenge will be in developing the ability to shift the seemingly unrelated or even distracting events of this world into positive outcomes that move you toward your identified goals. And remember, there will be times when you cannot shift the unsettling event, but must learn to sift through the situation and take the good, glean any “learning” you can extract and then let the rest fall to the sand below to be washed away by the sea of time. Ask yourself these questions: What do ...

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...