I was talking to an Academy member the other day, who was needing some help figuring out how to chunk and sequence her 12-week project. Instead of focusing on a "work" project, she made the excellent and hard choice to focus on "getting herself together" (her words), since the last year has been a … [Read more...] about Your Morning Routine: Start Small and Stack
Productivity
4 Practices to Balance Your Solo and Collaborative Work
Over the last few weeks, I've felt that I was in an "I've fallen and can't get up" spiral when it comes to writing. I was on a great streak of drafting posts every day and then I stopped. This isn't the first time a daily blogging stint has expired after about a month. In fact, it's actually more … [Read more...] about 4 Practices to Balance Your Solo and Collaborative Work
How Many Projects Is COVID-19 Creating for You?
In Start Finishing, I defined a project as anything that takes time, energy, and attention to complete. Too many of us are only counting our work or business activities as projects, but the reality is that they only make up a fraction of all of the projects we're carrying. Weddings, backyard … [Read more...] about How Many Projects Is COVID-19 Creating for You?
Three Little Things to Get the Day Back on Track
This morning got on like the start of a country song. I stayed up too late last night, got up late this morning, misplaced things I just had in my hands, and lost twenty minutes in a social-media-and-news clickhole when I was getting my laptop hooked up to my monitor for the day's work. In the … [Read more...] about Three Little Things to Get the Day Back on Track
How to Use Your GATES to Make Your Project Easier
A few years ago I got an email from a reader — let’s call him Arnie — seeking advice on how to grow his (written) blog. In his email he mentioned that he wasn’t good at writing and didn’t enjoy it. A sentence or two later, he mentioned how much he loved talking and creating videos. Being distant … [Read more...] about How to Use Your GATES to Make Your Project Easier
WFH Conversations with Your Partner: Different Work Hours
Over the years, one of the areas that Charlie and I have had to navigate is what our work hours look like, whether they were the same or different, and what impact that had on us as individuals and on our relationship. Before my natural rhythms, and thus my work schedule, shifted in the … [Read more...] about WFH Conversations with Your Partner: Different Work Hours
3 Questions to Triage What Needs to Be Done
The last few weeks have thrown up in the air a lot of our rhythms, plans, and confidence. But it's not just that those things have been unsettled – it’s also that new stuff has been added on top of what we had before. What I've been reminding folks (who are open to it) is this: while a lot of new … [Read more...] about 3 Questions to Triage What Needs to Be Done
Making WFH with Your Partner Work for You Both
Since Charlie and I both have home offices and already work from home a majority of the time, the changes that many couples are currently facing with both partners being in the home for work are a bit different for us. Over the years (actually decades if you include when we were both in academia … [Read more...] about Making WFH with Your Partner Work for You Both
What Matters Now?
Rather than just jumping in and talking about how we're updating our plans and adjusting to COVID-19, I've been making sure to ask my clients "What matters now?" first. It's not that the goals we set and plans we put in place a few weeks ago are all irrelevant – it's just that now some of them are, … [Read more...] about What Matters Now?
Do It for the Love
A common thread I've heard in my conversations with clients, colleagues, and friends is that they're hesitant and more than a little guilty about wanting to keep at their best work. Doing their best work during a pandemic – and, gasp, enjoying it – feels wrong. Here's the deal: many of us need to … [Read more...] about Do It for the Love
How to Stay Sane and Productive While Working from Home
We know a lot of you are looking to be as productive and balanced as possible in your new work-from-home situation due to COVID-19, which is why we hosted a webinar on “How to Stay Productive and Sane While Working from Home”. You can watch the recording of the webinar above or over on … [Read more...] about How to Stay Sane and Productive While Working from Home
How Success Packs Push Your Project to Done
In my experience, the chief reason people don’t finish their most meaningful projects is because they’re trying to do it alone. Given that the more a project matters to us, the more we’ll thrash with it, it’s even more important that we build a team of allies around us, yet it’s the fear of having … [Read more...] about How Success Packs Push Your Project to Done
How to Apply Time Blocking in a Corporate Setting
Editor’s Note: In an earlier part of his career, PF team member Steve worked in corporate America for a dozen years, both as an individual contributor and as a manager. He still remembers the struggles to apply time blocking to carve out productive time amid the onslaught of meetings and … [Read more...] about How to Apply Time Blocking in a Corporate Setting
The Five Projects Rule: Defining Your Best Work
A common challenge I help people work through is figuring out how much work they’re doing and whether they’re going to be able to finish the projects they have on deck in time. Most people have committed to too many projects — especially when we add in their personal projects — and they’re … [Read more...] about The Five Projects Rule: Defining Your Best Work
How Do You Prevent Project Fatigue?
On our February 2020 Monthly Momentum Call, someone asked a great question about project fatigue. Shortly after the call, I had a hit that it’d be a great topic to share publicly, too. Before I jump into that, though, if you’re unfamiliar with our Monthly Momentum Calls, they are free Q&A … [Read more...] about How Do You Prevent Project Fatigue?
20 Practices to Amplify Your Happiness and Productivity in 2020
Who wouldn’t want to be happier and more productive in 2020? Chances are... no one. So this year, instead of setting the standard, short-lived New Year’s resolutions — you know the ones — why not be resolute in amplifying your happiness and productivity with some simple practices. (Tweet … [Read more...] about 20 Practices to Amplify Your Happiness and Productivity in 2020
Core Conversations on Start Finishing: How to Overcome FOMO and Finish More Projects
Editor’s Note: This is a continuation of our core conversations on Charlie’s book Start Finishing. In our last conversation, Kerra Bolton talked about the practical magic of rewriting the stories we tell ourselves. In today’s conversation, Steve Arensberg talks about overcoming FOMO to finish more … [Read more...] about Core Conversations on Start Finishing: How to Overcome FOMO and Finish More Projects
4 Creative Myths That Are Keeping You From Your Best Work
It’s more than just “the system” that makes it hard for creatives; the stories we have about what it means to be a successful, productive creative person are askew. Here are some of the most common creative myths: Creatives must be solo players. Since many creative people have been outcasts or … [Read more...] about 4 Creative Myths That Are Keeping You From Your Best Work