Zzzzzzzz

The inspiration behind this post should be obvious... 

From the Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1e0kRg8

It has been a busy summer: adjusting to the new job, several big work projects, lots of weekend adventures and never-ending yard work. A nap how-to really resonates with me today!

Get To Work

What is your strategy for managing big projects? This is a weakness of mine: not procrastination, per se, but psyching myself out to think that projects are bigger than they really are (and thus, avoiding them).

Thankfully, Bob Pozen comes to the rescue with a few tips on how to tackle big to-dos. (Full disclosure: I have a little enormous crush on Mr. Pozen with his Harvard creds, financial know-how and dreamy hair.)

1. What's the hold up? Identify the stumbling block that keeps you from starting in the first place. Is it fear of difficulty? Worries that you don't have the necessary resources to succeed? Perhaps success is not clearly defined? Figure out what holds you back, brainstorm or research your way around it and MOVE ON.

2. Contrary to Julie Andrews, don't start at the very beginning. Spend time thinking about the ultimate outcome and work backwards. Keeping the endgame in mind allows the project's strategies and tactics to be focused and efficient at all stages of development and implementation. There is nothing worse than realizing you've been chasing a red herring that leads you nowhere...

3. We've all heard it before: perfection is the enemy of the good. I am especially susceptible here. I want the best every time, even to my own detriment (and insanity). Mr. Pozen also shares my spirit of Sanity with a Paycheck and he says STOP! If the opportunity of time or additional resources is there at the finish, you can always go back to tweak or edit. In the meantime, stay on task and keep moving forward. Chances are no one will notice the wobbles anyway.

4. Teamwork. Every successful big project needs a successful team. Every person should play a role and every leader should delegate according to the skills and assets of his or her teammates. Mr. Pozen suggests another important benefit of teamwork that I never thought of: accountability. If everyone is emotionally invested in the outcome, chances are far greater that they will contribute in equal measure to achieve success. 

5. Carrot>Stick. Deadlines motivate some, but usually in a negative way ("OMG! IT'S DUE TOMORROW!") Reward-based motivation spurs action early. Identify milestones in advance and properly reward yourself when you get there.

Want to learn more? Check out Mr. Pozen's book "Extreme Productivity: Boost your Results, Reduce Your Hours" here and also Inc.com's feature on big project productivity tips here.

Change is Good. Now Where to Start?

We all know that change is good for us: trying different foods, making new friends, mixing up our workouts and rearranging our office space  But, it's easy to place "changing careers" into another category altogether. It seems too hard, too far of a leap, maybe even too risky. 

Below is an excerpt from a new blog series by Mark Turcek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. Mr. Turcek used to be a high-rollin' Wall Street big shot until he realized he was ready to make a change. He gives some great advice (advice that I've used in the past and found helpful personally) in this piece posted on LinkedIn:

"My advice for those looking to make a change: Start now. Don't wait. Get engaged immediately..."

Instead of being paralyzed by a fear of change, Mark harnessed it to his advantage and took action: "There was no time to waste." 

Sometimes you have to jump from the deep-end and take comfort that your body will float to the top. Oh yeah, and it will feel really good.

To read Mark Turcek's entire blogpost, head over to LinkedIn.

Travel Tips

Here are my top tips to keep your Joie du Travail mindset while jet-setting around the world:

Pack Snacks. Pre-washed, pre-cut, finger-friendly food. Berries, grapes, carrot sticks, hummus and pitas, granola bites, nuts, cheese cubes, apple slices, whatever*. Throw them in a tupperware with a napkin and you're ready to go. You'll be so happy to munch away on good food while the masses around you suffer through Sbarro or Mandarin Express. *Exception: bananas... they do not travel well and nobody wants to dive into a brown one.

Download the App. Say goodbye to standing in line at customer service. I cannot tell you how many times the Fly Delta app has saved me in a pinch. You can use it to upgrade your seat, find and book other flights when yours is delayed, search old itineraries, book a last-minute hotel, you name it. In addition to Delta, I highly recommend Kayak, Southwest, Hilton Honors, TripAdvisor and XE Currency apps.

Do Yourself a Solid. Solid shampoos, conditioners and detergents save space and sanity when traveling through security with a carry-on. For travel-friendly, non-liquid body care products, I recommend Lush and I cannot live without Wash and Stain bars from The Laundress. You'll never come back to a hotel room that smells like your morning workout clothes again!  Speaking of which...

You Really Should Work Out. Hotel gyms ain't what they used to be. In fact, I am constantly amazed at how nice some are compared to the gym I actually pay for at home. There is nothing worse than sitting in meetings all day, eating out for most meals and returning back to the hotel late at night feeling like a tired old slug. Even 20 or 30 minutes in the morning will give you energy and a positive outlook for the rest of the day. Traveling is taxing - so don't expect to set a PR - but putting on your sneakers will break up an otherwise monotonous schedule and leave you feeling positive. Bonus: You'll be glad you packed tennis shoes when stuck in the airport and want to take a concourse walk instead of watching the same CNN loop for hours.

Photograph Receipts. It is hard to keep up with those pesky crumpled slips of paper. Take a quick photo of your receipt with your phone right when you receive it. It takes 30 seconds and can save you so much hassle on the phone with Finance when you get back.

Business Travel: A Poem in 12 Lines

Don't take your shoes off, please.

Would you do that in a client meeting?

Don't answer that.

Crushing push toward the gate agent

Who you know cannot help you

Even if he wanted to.

Blue screen of death means something different here.

Reflected in the eyes of weary travelers

Gazing up at delay announcements.

"It's not all bad," you repeat to yourself

How else will you rise to the top?

Don't answer that.

First Month Report Card

With one month under my belt at the new gig, it's time for my first self-imposed performance evaluation.  I am considering grades in the following categories: 

Orienting to new office, colleagues and internal politics: B

Communicating with my new boss: B+

Performing well in crucial situations: A

Handling the traffic to/from the office: C*

Making good use of the mega coffee machine in the office kitchen: A

Overall, I feel great about my new position. That's not to say there haven't been bumps in the road as I get used to the new team, issues and practices. A missed conference call here, IT problem there... I think those challenges are to be expected, though, and I'm doing my best to go easy on myself in terms of self-criticism. It can be daunting to completely change your daily schedule and work focus, which is what I've done with this move. Breaking out of routine is hard. Creating a new routine is even harder. However, I cannot advocate making the shift enough: my life is happier, calmer and more satisfying than it has been in years. 

Taking a small step reaps giant rewards.

   *I was so spoiled working from home.

Wasting Time at Work

The following hits a little too close to home: "Top Work Related Distractions: Fixing other people's work (54%)."
Guilty as charged.

This awesome graphic came from Tempo: www.tempoplugin.com