Tag Archives: Freedom

Multi-tasking or “allowing interruptions”?

Posted on by

To me, multitasking is merely a euphemism to “allowing interruptions”.

One technique I use is the Sprints and Buffer technique.

  1. Divide your tasks into smaller mini-tasks with scheduled buffer time between the tasks.   This way you can make forward progress on a multiple of things — without churning from task to task.
  2. When an interruption enters the queue, simply schedule that interruption at the next available “buffer time”.  This allows you to complete several different categories of tasks AND handle the unexpected interruption.
  3. If you are a valuable component of your company or business, then you will be interrupted…you will be in demand. That’s the definition of an MVP.

The trick isn’t to turn-off that flow of influence and appreciation; the skill is to merely manage your time better. Planning for the unexpected is the key. We don’t know what will show up — but we do know something will show up. Therefore, it makes sense to actually schedule for those inevitable interruptions.

What would you do with 10 minutes?

Posted on by

If you were given an extra 10 minutes each day, what would you do with it?

Would you….

  • Fly a kite with the kids?
  • Help the needy?
  • Read an article?
  • Write a letter?
  • Ride a bike?
  • Kid a kidder?
  • Take a walk or swim?
  • Take a break?
  • Hug a friend?
  • Stretch?
  • Challenge yourself?
  • Laugh?
  • Organize your desk?
  • Sing?

 

Here’s your ten minutes. Do it NOW. Set your timer and indulge for 10 minutes in something that will propel you forward faster. 10 minutes a day can move mountains.

7 Tips to reduce paper BEFORE it becomes clutter

Posted on by

Office Organization Tips

By Laura Lee Rose, author of TimePeace: Making peace with time

 

Did you know that the 3rd week of April is “Organize Your Files” week?

Here’s 7 quick tips to prepare for this upcoming holiday…..

 

Office organization is an important step toward both releasing clutter and creating more time in one’s hectic schedule.  In this information age, many of us receive thousands of emails a day as well as dozens of snail mail packages and papers. Before drowning in this information, experiment with these 7 simple tips for both paper and electronic posts.

 

 

7 tips for paper and electronic clutter:

 

1) Don’t bring it in the house or office in the first place.

I do a quick elimination at the mail box. If it’s junk mail, advertisements, etc I note the ones I am interested in and toss the rest. The ones I am interested in, I look at on-line.

2) Once in the office, sort into three boxes/containers: TODAY, This week, later.

Once sorted in my time-sensitive boxes, I can prioritize my time appropriately.

3) Release the need for paper.

Acknowledge that everything is currently available remotely through the internet. There’s always ways to replace or get another copy.

  • There same ads are normally on the store’s website.
  • The magazine/newspaper/newsletter often have on-line version.
  • You can easily get replacement receipts and bank statements.

 Revisit your real need for the paper trail. If it is an imaginary dependency, then toss it and discontinue the paper subscription. Continually ask yourself “What’s the worst that can happen if I threw this away? Isn’t there a way to retrieve this if and when I really needed it?”

 4) Take on an On-Demand and Abundance mentality.

Instead of cursing the abundance of email and post mail, appreciate and use that knowledge. Realize that even better information will continually come to you.  Therefore, you never need to save something “just in case you need it in the future”.  There will always be an abundance of information exactly when you need it.  If you haven’t read or used it within a month, it is now obsolete.  Toss it. Release the old to make room for the better.

 5) Create email Message-Rules

Setting up Message-Rules allows you to presort your email, even before you see it. Investigate your mailer for the feature “Create Message Rules”.  Create different email folders and message rules for different subscriptions, subject lines, sender or from names, and topic headers.

6) Time-sensitize your in-box with “TODAY”, “This week”, “Later” action intentions.

Flag the items you need to “take action today” using your email message flag feature. Items that you can deal with later move to your email LATER folder. The only thing in your inbox should be things you need to deal with today or this week. Everything else is placed in its proper folder.  If stays in your LATER box over a month, delete it.

7) Block time to review your email.

Don’t interrupt your day every time an email, a phone call, or an instant message comes in. Allow your mail-rules, voice mail, and do-not-disturb features to do their job. Create automatic responders to initially respond to incoming email (i.e. announcing that you have received their email, that you need some time to review, and that you will have a quality response within 2 business days.  If it is an emergency, ask them to call you.)

Scheduling a block of time to handle the accumulated requested (instead of being interrupt driven) is a more effective use of time.

 

I am Laura Lee Rose, author of TimePeace: Making peace with time. I am a business and life coach with over 20 years of corporate experience, specifically in the software industry. I now use my time and project management skills in my own Rose Coaching business, to help people transform the life they have into the life they really want.

If you are interested in more organizational and time saving tips, check out my book: TimePeace: Making peace with time (at amazon.com) or subscribe to my newsletters and articles at http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/

 

How to Stay Focused While Working from Home

Posted on by

Laura Lee Rose is the Corporate Exiting Strategest for blooming entrepreneurs.
Laura helps others to easily transition into their next chapter whether it’s the next ladder of success within their corporate environment or into the entrepreneurial playground.

To sign-up for these tools, subscribe at  http://eepurl.com/gGZtP

 

Creating a “No Excuse” Zone ~ Part 3

Posted on by

Below is Part 3 of a 3-Part article designed to help IT and database professionals stay on top of their game in an ever-changing trade. Part 1 and 2 describe examples of how we inadvertently make excuses for our lack of progress in certain areas of our careers.

Part 3 offers several steps toward creating “No Excuse Zones” in our home, office and thinking. For more examples that fit your specific work environment, please feel free to contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info.

We all have “excuses‟ as part of our normal, default speaking and thinking patterns. It’s normal. It’s human. We often entertain ourselves with stories of how we got to where we “don‟t want to be”. We do not readily acknowledge these stories as “excuses” or blaming something or someone external to ourselves for our predicament; we’re simply “explaining” ourselves.  But the longer we stay in the “explaining” stage of the current situation; the longer we are stalled and not making forward progress.

As you can see in part 1 and part 2 of this article, there are endless ways to take control over your own calendar and time.  Using external people and event as excuses for your lack of progress is very natural but not very beneficial.  We won’t be able to totally avoid our very natural and human reactions to things.  But we can continually improve upon are recognition of what is more beneficial in moving us forward faster.

Beginning steps toward NO EXCUST ZONE thinking:

Step 1) Create several NO EXCUSE ZONES in your home, office and social environments.
These places will be designated as “NO EXCUSE ZONES”. These are places where you are deliberately on the lookout for excuses in your speech and in others. It will be in these places where “excuses” will no longer be acceptable.
You can place a “NO EXCUSE ZONE” sign to warn co-workers, friends and family that you have kicked-up your game. It will be at these places that you practice your new-found energy, focus, and purpose.
When you detect “defensive” speech from yourself and others, diplomatically challenge the thought as an assumption, a false premise or even an irrelevant truth. Just because something is factual doesn‟t make it beneficial or useful. There are lots of truths that are simply immaterial to forward progress or solutions.

Click here to read the rest of this article.

 

 

Creating a “No Excuse Zone” around your Home, Office and in your Thoughts

Posted on by

Below is Part 1 of a 3-Part article designed to help IT and database professionals stay on top of their game in an ever-changing  trade.  Part 1 and 2 describe examples of how we inadvertently make excuses for our lack of progress in certain areas of our careers.

Part 3 offers several steps toward creating “No Excuse Zones” in our home, office and thinking. For more examples that fit your specific work environment, please feel free to contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info.

Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose – Corporate Exit Strategist for the blooming entrepreneur – and I am a business and life coach that specializes in Time Management, Project management training and work-life balance strategies.  Over the recent weeks, I have met with several clients who got trapped in the ‘blame game’.  Oh, I’m not saying they were intentionally blaming other people or external circumstances for their current situation.  But they were relinquishing responsibility and ownership to feel better about their current lack of progress.  Therefore, today I am introducing the idea of creating “No Excuse Zones” in your home, work and life.

We all have ‘excuses’ as part of our normal, default speaking and thinking patterns.  It’s normal.  It’s human.  We often entertain ourselves with stories of how we got to where we ‘don’t want to be’.  We do not readily acknowledge these stories as ‘excuses’ or blaming something or someone external to ourselves for our predicament; we’re simply ‘explaining’ ourselves.  But the longer we stay in the ‘explaining’ stage of the current situation; the longer we are stalled and not making forward progress.

 

Thinking Like the Owner: Using Speaking Engagements

Posted on by

This is part 3 in a 3-part series.

Laura Lee Rose, who is a business coach and corporate exit strategist, shares how testers, developers and project managers can think like an entrepreneur in their current corporate position. She explains how “thinking like the owner” paves the way for advancement within the company and beyond.

 

In my recent interview with SSWUG.ORG’s Stephen Wynkoop regarding ‘thinking like an entrepreneur, in any position’, I had several viewers ask me for additional examples to illustrate points that were made.

Let’s play with these three typical development scenarios.
1) There is an unhappy client that you are working with in regards to a reported defect in your code area.
2) There is a happy client after you have delivered a fix in a quick and professional manner.
3) You have been using speaking engagements to gather sales leads.

Previously we explored scenario #1: Unhappy Client and scenario #2:  Happy Client.   Today we will explore scenario #3: Using Speaking Engagements. Continue reading →

Thinking Like the Owner Sets You Apart: Part 2

Posted on by

This is part 2 in a 3-part series.

Laura Lee Rose, who is a business coach and corporate exit strategist, shares how testers, developers and project managers can think like an entrepreneur in their current corporate position.  She explains how “thinking like the owner” paves the way for advancement within the company and beyond.

In my recent interview with SSWUG.ORG’s Stephen Wynkoop regarding ‘thinking like an entrepreneur, in any position’, I had several viewers ask me for additional examples to illustrate points that were made.

Let’s play with these three typical development scenarios.
1)    There is an unhappy client that you are working with in regards to a reported defect in your code area.
2)    There is a happy client after you have delivered a fix in a quick and professional manner.
3)    You have been using speaking engagements to gather sales leads.

 

Last week we explored scenario #1:  Unhappy Client.  Today we will explore scenario #2:  Happy Client.

Happy client

Every one encounters enthusiastic and happy clients from time to time.  We could meet them at a beta release, trade show, technical expo and speaking engagements.  We could meet them simply on the phone while we are downloading a “just in time” customized enhancement for them.  Whenever we meet them, take that extra step to think like the owner.

Taking that extra step and thinking like an entrepreneur: At this point, share information that your marketing team is looking for client stories on how our product was able to solve their issues.  Ask your happy client if they would be interested in sharing their story, advice or comments.  Most happy clients are open to sharing their success stories with others.  It’s just that it never occurs to them to offer.“What if they say ‘NO’?”  So what?  You are no worse off than if you didn’t ask.  And allowing them to give an anonymous testimonial or success story often resolves any official objections.

Next time we’ll explore scenario #3.

Defragmentation Isn’t Just for Computers

Posted on by

 

The video below is part of the Professional Development Series by Laura Lee Rose.

 

 

If you are interested in more detailed professional coaching or a professional coach to help you stay on target with those goals, please consider one-on-one coaching sessions to propel you forward faster.   Simply send an email indicating your interest to: LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

—————————————————————————————————————-

Corporate Exiting Strategies for blooming entrepreneurs.
Helping others to easily transition into their next chapter whether it’s the next ladder of success within their corporate environment or into the entrepreneurial playground.

Thinking Like the Owner Sets You Apart

Posted on by

By Laura Rose

Laura Lee Rose, who is a business coach and corporate exit strategist, shares how testers, developers and project managers can think like an entrepreneur in their current corporate position.  She explains how “thinking like the owner” paves the way for advancement within the company and beyond.

 

In my recent interview with SSWUG.ORG’s Stephen Wynkoop regarding ‘thinking like an entrepreneur, in any position’, I had several viewers ask me for additional examples to illustrate points that were made.

Over the course of the next week, we’re going to explore three typical development scenarios:

1)    There is an unhappy client that you are working with in regards to a reported defect in your code area.
2)    There is a happy client after you have delivered a fix in a quick and professional manner.
3)    You have been using speaking engagements to gather sales leads.

 

In today’s post we’ll play with scenario #1:  Unhappy Client

The primary goal of our clients is to “get their job done” accurately, efficiently and effectively.  Toward that goal, the customer isn’t necessarily to use our product the way it was designed to be used; but to use it as they see fit to accomplish their task.  So, sometimes the way our product was designed and the way the client chooses to use it do not match.  When this happens, defects are logged and unhappy customers are created.  This is the nature of our industry.  It’s not a big deal.

Normally when we meet with an unhappy client, we thank them for pointing out the hole in our design.  We acknowledge upfront that we didn’t foresee that the product could be used in this fashion.  And we compliment them on their ability to see beyond the conventional use.

Taking that extra step and thinking like an entrepreneur:  At this point, share with your client the opportunity for them to be a part of an elite group of design partners.  This is a group of hand-picked, insightful individuals that has access to early prototypes and requirement reviews.  This group is considered part of your design group.  As such, they have access to early releases of your alpha and beta releases.  They are part of regular focus groups, usability studies and have regular meetings with your business analysts and marketing teams.

 

Ask this client if they would like more information about this elite group.  Your “unhappy client” will be thrilled to be considered an expert in this field and a candidate for this program.

“But we don’t have a Design Partner Program!”   So what?  When you pitch the idea to your manager and executives, you will have several clients already to participate.

Next time we’ll take a look at scenario #2.