Category: habits

Meaningful Breaks

by EvieBurke, posted in habits, planning

Girl_taking_breakMeaningful breaks.

What does that mean?

And why are they important?

Meaningful breaks are when you get up from wherever you’re doing your work and you go and do something else. Something not related to work.

This does not mean you watch TV or check your email.

This is not the time to return that business call you’ve been meaning to get to.

This could be sitting down for a bit with a good book (outside, generally my preference, or somewhere inside and comfy).

It could be playing with your kids.

Going for a walk around the neighborhood.

Walking or playing with your pets.

Playing some of your favorite songs and dancing.

Heck, it could even be taking a really quick nap.

The point of the meaningful break is to give your brain a break from your work. Letting it focus on something completely different for a bit.

Give yourself a couple of 10 to 30 minute meaningful breaks each day. I bet you’ll be even more productive when you return to your work.

Share your meaningful break in the comments below!

photo credit: Silvia Sala via photopin cc

It’s Not Working…

by EvieBurke, posted in habits, Tools

Evie's DeskI’m wondering what you think my desk looks like.

Do you think it’s completely clear? Clutter has been ruthlessly eliminated and only a sparkling desktop remains?

If you’ve ever lived with me (Hi Mom!), you probably have visions of piles of paper, stacked precariously.

Like many things, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

While I aspire to have the sparkling and clear desktop, I rarely do. That picture above is what my desk currently looks like. Most of it is a result of not taking the time to put things away at the end of my day.

I remember something my previous mentor said about the state of her desk. She said something to the effect of: It only says something about me if I decide it does. Meaning she wasn’t judging herself based on the state of her desk – clean or messy.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I prefer a clean desk to a messy one. I can find things on a clean desk. The stacks of paper generally happen when I don’t have somewhere to put them that’s convenient to my desk.

So, generally anytime I find myself with a really messy desk with stacks of paper, I know it’s time to look at how my desk is organized and adjust.

The process looks something like this:

  1. Notice somethings not working for you.
  2. Review the possible reasons why it’s not working.
  3. Brainstorm possible solutions.
  4. Determine the simplest workable solution from the brainstorm session.
  5. Create a plan.
  6. Execute the plan.

What does this look like in action?

  1. I have a piles of notebooks and paper on my desk (which I noticed when I couldn’t find a specific notebook or piece of paper).
  2. I don’t have a good place to keep my notebooks. I tried the stackable desk trays, but it was just as bad there and I never wanted to put anything back because finding it again was a pain. And I don’t have a good system for the paper.
  3. Well, I could file the notebooks vertically. They still need to be on my desk though. And the papers could be grouped by like topic and kept in labeled file folders.
  4. I tried setting them up between book ends, but it didn’t do a good job of keeping them together. Hmm, I think I have some crates in the basement that I bet they’d fit in. And the file folders could sit in there too.
  5. I’ll go get the crates tomorrow, clean them up and then clean up my desk.
  6. Do work in step 5.

And what does this mean for you?

Well, the thing that’s not working for you might be the state of your desk or something else entirely. The process is still the same.

Don’t judge yourself because something isn’t working quite right. It’s not good or bad, it’s just the way it is right now. And when you’ve identify what’s not working, you can take the steps to change it.

Sometimes having another person to go through this process with is extremely helpful. Their not emotionally involved in the situation and processing things out loud with someone can help you answer the questions quickly.

I’d love to know how you’ll apply this to your business or life. Share in the comments below!

Do You Need Seasonal Habits?

by EvieBurke, posted in Changes, habits

summer girlIn the past, summer has been one of my least productive times. With the sun shining and the weather being so nice, my office (which seems so nice and cozy in the winter) feels too warm and not sunny enough.

This used to lead to me doing a lot of work on my laptop at various locations around the house. With piles of whatever I was working on being left at the most recent “work” location. That was fine, until it was left on the kitchen table or on the couch my husband generally watches TV from. Because he knew he couldn’t move it and I didn’t always get around to moving it very quickly.

There’s nothing wrong with working on a laptop, I did it happily for a couple years. However, the traipsing around with it generally meant my posture wasn’t very good. So I’d end up with a sore neck or back. And I would quickly develop terrible habits, usually involving a computer game, Facebook or watching TV.

No wonder summer wasn’t productive for me! If I wasn’t trying to find a new spot to work, I was sidetracked with something else.

This summer things have already started to change. It was time to replace my seasonal habit of being a wondering worker. I decided to stay in my office, it’s where I’m most productive and have fairly good habits.

And, with that decision I realized I needed a new seasonal habit or two. Here are the two habits I added to my day:

  1. I adjust my environment daily.
    My office is on the east side of our house, making it pretty warm in the afternoon. So, after lunch, the window shade goes down and the ceiling fan goes on. Those two small adjustments make a big difference in the feeling of my office.

  2. I take regular breaks.
    One thing I’ve learned about myself is if I’m spending a lot of time on distracting websites, I’m probably not taking quality time for myself. So, if I take a break, I make it count. Meaning I leave my office for at least 15 minutes.

    Generally, this break involves a book (I’m always reading something) and sitting outside on the deck enjoying the sun when the weather is nice. I grab a light snack, set my timer and read.

    My brain gets a break from whatever I’m working on and a change of scenery. And, amazingly, I’m less likely to spend a lot of time on those distracting websites.

Do you have problems staying focused during the summer? What are a couple of small seasonal habits you can adopt?

Share your ideas in the comments below!