WITH INTENTION BLOG

Here are three quick, easy things you can do to be more productive today.

1 – Unplug
2 – Work in increments
3 – Plan you work

Unplug – This is tough to do in certain jobs so you need to evaluate what you can do. For example, I manage accounts for a software company. I have customers. I can’t unplu...

I’m reading a great book called “Born to Run”. It’s about a tribe in Mexico, the Tarahumara Indians, that are secluded from the outside world and always have been. They are amazing runners and run extreme distances (100 miles plus) a lot. They also don’t wear running shoes, as many run barefoot. Run...

Do you want to develop a strength that will put you far ahead of the game? The ability to focus on what’s important is undoubtedly the most important core competency you can develop. It’s a game changer.

From a GTD perspective, one of the things I struggled with for a while was the time between d...

The GTD folks have put together a tremendous assessment that gives you some insight into your proficiency. It’s a series of a questions that ask you anything from basic daily management stuff (your runway) to much higher level stuff (your higher level horizons – purpose, vision, etc). For example, o...

I refuse to use the word “busy” because in this day and age we are all in the same boat. This year has been an enlightening one for me so far. Truthfully, I decided a couple months ago to take a step back from the constant search to improve. I found myself constantly reading books on getting bette...

You know those annoying emails you get for the upcoming sale at Target or the new concert coming up at your local venue. Well, it’s time to re-evaluate those. I’ve always simply deleted these and, recently, I finally came to the realization that I’ve probably spent more time sifting through and dele...

When was the last time you’ve written a thank you card or letter to someone? Probably a while for most. We live in an electronic world these days which, of course, is a great thing and makes us very efficient when communicating. That being said, don’t underestimate the power of a hand-written note t...

I just put up a new poll. I’m curious to know how often you review your goals. After all, your goals are what should be driving what you do on a daily basis. I review mine once a week. I keep weekly, monthly, 3 month, and yearly goals. I find this keeps me in line and focused on what I’m trying to a...

When the founder of Southwest Airlines was asked the secret to his company’s success, he simply said the following:

“You have to treat your employees like customers.”

Anyone in a customer-facing job aspires to some level of service. The best at what they do aspire to first class customer service. ...

Listening could be the most important habit to cultivate. We’ve all heard about Pareto’s law and the 80/20 rule. Maybe that’s a bit extreme to think you should listen 80% of the time and talk 20% of the time, but it’s not a bad aspiration. If you fall short and you listen 60% and talk 40%, you’re st...

The two most important things to know when accomplishing any task is what the successful outcome is and what the very next step is. In GTD terms this is the “desired outcome,” or “project,” and the “next action.” Stephen Covey says you need to “begin with the end in mind.” If you don’t know where yo...

Are you a perfectionist? I would say the majority of high achievers are, at least most of the time. We all want to do great work. We all strive to be great at what we do. Although an admirable quality, being great doesn’t mean being perfect. Whether it’s drafting an email, doing a presentation, havi...