Category: Productivity & Effectiveness

As a long-time executive assistant and project coordinator, I continually search for ways to eek the most out of my time. This is my collection of tips and tools to master your time.

Reflecting on 2017 and considering 2018

Carl Setzer

​It’s been a mixed year for me. I started a new job, one that pushed me far outside my comfort zone. As a rather cautious soul, that’s been quite challenging at times to deal with. The frustration of too much to do with constrained time. 

I did get to recapture AutoCAD knowledge, then grow and expand that knowledge. I’m looking to continue this growth. 

Another frustrating element for me: learning a new job. It’s one thing to expand my knowledge, quite another to learn a new role, where a company depends upon my effectiveness. It’s a rather terrifying sensation. Permitting, working with consultants, governmental representatives and departments had presented a deeper challenge. These organizations often are opaque and arcane. Learning their rules and needs requires delving into Byzantine regulations, laws and opinions. It’s often been murky and confusing. My project management skill set has been helpful. Actually, critical. 

More positively, I’ve grown as a martial artist, and my family has done some great stuff. I’ve deepened friendships I valued, and grown to new ones. I’ve also spent the past few weeks studying myself, seeking to deepen my understanding of what brings me joy, what brings me success. 

There’s great emotional risk in this research. What if my self-concept, ideas I’ve invested so much energy on, turn out to be bad fits? I realize my internal counterpoint needs to be “why would I want  to invest time, emotion and energy into something that robs joy and beauty from my life?” But overcoming negative self-talk scripts is challenging.

So, exploring, growing, developing: that’s my theme right now. What about you? What were your favorite parts of 2017? What challenges will you be facing in 2018? 

Monday Motivation: Start The Week Right

Carl Setzer

I continuously need to recharge the positive side of my life. There’s so much negativity, which wears me done.

I appreciate this reminder to be bold, to have the courage to ask. Asking not only displays your desire, but also holds you accountable. Others now know your dreams, and, if they’re invested in your success, will hold you to your goals. Which is critical for attaining those goals, those dreams.

May your Monday be effective and affirming. And may your Christmas shopping be free of conflict and aggravation.

Quote of the Day: December 15, 2017 

Carl Setzer

​“in life, in the world, we are never given two known results to choose between, but only one result that we choose without knowing what it is.”

  • Wendell Berry

This is something I need to continuously remind myself about. I always want to know all the details around any choice I need to make. I want certainty. And it never comes. 

Because such isn’t possible. 

That reality needs to be absorbed into my mind fully. 

Do you struggle with this? With the intrinsic need to control the details, avoiding the “wrong choice”? 

How do you keep this under control?

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Ikigai: an idea to explore

Carl Setzer

Found this graphic exploring Twitter this morning

Check out @wef’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/wef/status/927159068413833216?s=09

A very clever Venn diagram displaying the importance of balance in life. Each of the four pieces bring value: 

  1. What you love
  2. What the world needs
  3. What you can be paid for
  4. What you are good at 

We find our best life, with the most satisfaction, where all these pieces intersect. And that neglecting any of these areas brings consequences. 

Ikigai is a new concept to me. One that bears exploring further. I appreciate the way it helps define key life management concepts:

  • Passion: what you love insects with what you’re good at
  • Vocation: what you can get paid for intersects with what the world needs
  • Mission: what the world needs with what you love
  • Profession: what you’re good at with what you can get paid for

I appreciate the reminder: look beyond my habits, my reflexes, and seek greater understanding. By dedicating energy to areas out of balance, I bring greater satisfaction, balance, and relive stress. That’s something I forget. 

Your Best Work Isn’t “Nothing”

Carl Setzer

As you may have noticed, I think very highly of Seth Godin. This blog post gave words to an idea I’ve been considering:

Money for nothing

Seth says “…your best work isn’t nothing…”. I adore that! A reminder that our work is valuable, that our lives have worth. Seeking shortcuts to accomplishment not only shortchanges the one seeking the easy path, it short changes us all. We need to see the value we add, embrace that, and, then, get to work!
I hope you have a marvelously productive Monday!
When searching for a “Featured Image” for this post, I came across this one. Reminds of my favorite things when working for Starbucks and Microsoft. 

Warren Buffet Quote: The Value Of Saying “No”

Carl Setzer

 Saying “No” to opportunities…a huge challenge for me. Mastering this provides key benefits. The biggest? Focus. The more time and energy directed towards the things that matter, that we value, the more we accomplish. Related to that: distractions. Saying “yes” too often ensures a distracted, unfocused, confused life. One with missed deadlines, people left hanging, and the burden of extra stress. Damage that community too much and you become branded as someone unreliable. 

Protecting our focus matters greatly. What else do we have? Life is just a collection of moments. We don’t get them back. It’s critical to spend our time doing things that we value. That’s the path to a satisfying life. 

Making The World Better: Thinking Positively

Carl Setzer

Currently, I find it challenging to deal with all the world’s negativity. Power, control and cache get granted to those who “pwn” the strongest. We relish the putting down, degradation and humiliation of those we deem “enemy” or other.

Long ago, I committed to living life the opposite way. Seeking ways to build up my community, even those I disagree with. Asking how we can find common ground, especially in this age.

After checking the news (inadvisable at times), I feel it important to re-commit to that path. Perhaps even more boldly, with greater energy.

“Let’s find the win-win in this life” I tell myself as the sirens pass by.

A Monday Motivational Thing

Carl Setzer

This flowed into my inbox moments ago. I like it!

Now, let’s be clear, it’s also uncomfortable. This speaks to me because, well, it IS me. I work hard to face mistakes, use them to make myself better. But fear plays a loud part. I hate looking/feeling incompetent. Really, though, that’s my label. My self-talk…talking. I need to remember to tell it to shut up. Often! At least always.

How do you deal with mistakes? How do you make such things positives? Let me know in the comments below.

The Lies of Impostor Syndrome

Carl Setzer

I love this one by Jorge Cham of PhD comics.

Reminds me of all the times that I’ve had anxiety attacks when asked to push outside of my boundaries. So, a few things to remember:

  • Prof. Jones has plenty invested in the success of his students/team. And a good leader will see things in you that you can’t see. And such a leader won’t let you sit mired in fear and insecurity, but push you past your self-imposed boundaries.
  • Mentors like the above are one of the most crucial elements to pushing past mediocrity into greatness.
  • Impostor Syndrome = LIES!!!

Alrighty, back to your regularly scheduled Thursday.

An Element Of Efficiency: Slowing Down To Speed Up

Carl Setzer

Eienstein Quote.jpg

With all the work I’ve done studying organization and productivity systems, a common element: taking time to thoughtfully consider actions. In today’s day-and-age, it’s easy to get caught up in stimulus:response, on reactive reactions. Or, as the adage goes, “running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off”.

Taking time to:

  • Determine the scope of the problem
  • It’s nature
  • What really is the causality
  • Reviewing our priorities

These are all critical to developing the correct solution for a particular challenge. There are always multiple responses and actions one can take. Knowing which one corrects the situation without creating a worse one requires considering all these elements.

It’s so easy, especially in today’s hyper-sped world, to lose sight of the time necessary. The urge to “do something NOW” is so powerful, and it often creates more damage than solution.

Our progress moves faster when we aren’t spending time repairing damage our inattention to details creates.