Right Attitudes

Ideas for Impact

Time Management

Did School Turn You Into a Procrastinator?

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The Academic Environment is a Breeding Ground for Procrastination for Many Students

Procrastination likely started as something you picked up from others. Watching people around you delay tasks felt normal, even harmless. As a kid, putting things off gave quick relief with few real consequences. Over time, it became your default.

School gave it room to grow. You postponed homework, studying—everything. Disorganization, fear of failure, and the myth that you “work best under pressure” fueled it. Deadlines made it worse. The thrill of cramming tricked you into thinking it worked. You got by. Decent grades hid the stress, mistakes, and half-baked work. That selective memory helped the habit stick.

Then came college. More freedom, less structure. The “perfect moment” to start was always tomorrow. Cramming brought excitement. Stress and mediocre results followed. Still, you did okay—better than expected. That made you wonder: why put in more effort if coasting works?

At work, procrastination still lingers. You meet deadlines, maybe even get praised. That feeds the illusion. But it comes at a cost. The constant rush strains your focus, saps energy, and stirs anxiety. It also hurts relationships as delays build frustration. You keep thinking pressure boosts performance, but that belief wears you down.

Idea for Impact: Last-minute adrenaline feels productive. It’s not. It spikes stress and blocks growth. Breaking the cycle isn’t easy—but it’s necessary. And worth it. Because it’s not just you who pays the price—it’s everyone else who relies on you.

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Challenge the Cult of Overzealous Time Management

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Reject Rigid Productivity---Embrace Purpose, Balance, And Spontaneity Without productive effort, purpose remains an untapped potential. Conversely, productivity devoid of purpose simply wastes time. Only when purpose aligns with action does boundless potential unfold over time.

While a life without coherent goals or aligned efforts may feel deficient, not every moment requires a grand purpose. Life is complex, and downtime or unstructured activities often foster creativity and nurture emotional well-being—even when they seem purposeless at first glance.

Embracing life’s inherent complexity means balancing structure with spontaneity. Approach daily routines with clear intention, yet remain open to the unpredictable moments that bring meaning.

Idea for Impact: Don’t let productivity overshadow the beauty of life’s unhurried moments. Keep purpose and action flexible. Evolve and adapt—don’t lock yourself into rigid patterns. Allow room for exploration; what seems “unproductive” today may be laying the groundwork for insights and growth tomorrow.

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Powerful Systems, Costly Upkeep

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'Getting Things Done' by David Allen (ISBN 0670899240) David Allen developed the Getting Things Done (GTD) system to help individuals manage tasks and commitments through a process of capturing, clarifying, organizing, reflecting, and engaging. His book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (2001,) gained significant traction in the mid-2000s, alongside the growth of productivity blogs and digital tools. However, the system’s high maintenance demands have discouraged many users.

GTD demands considerable time investment, beginning with the capture of all tasks, projects, and “open loops,” followed by organizing them into actionable lists. Consistent upkeep, especially the weekly review, is critical for the system’s effectiveness. However, this ongoing maintenance can become burdensome, particularly for individuals with demanding schedules, as the time spent managing the system often outweighs the productivity benefits. Consequently, most users adapt the GTD framework to suit their needs rather than strictly adhering to the original methodology.

Idea for Impact: Any system, no matter how powerful, requires you to balance its benefits with the time you spend maintaining it. Experiment with simpler methods—sometimes, complex frameworks create more work than they solve.

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Should Staff Be Allowed to Do ‘Life Admin’ at Work?

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Should Staff Be Allowed to Do 'Life Admin' at Work? Life admin—the endless personal tasks like making appointments, coordinating with kids or a spouse, switching insurance, paying bills, responding to personal emails, dealing with financial issues, and managing shopping returns. It’s the behind-the-scenes work that keeps life running smoothly.

Let’s face it: life admin will occasionally spill into work hours. Managers, accept it. A bit of personal errand here and there isn’t the end of the world. Allowing some life admin during office hours can actually boost productivity and engagement.

Some savvy employers offer personal assistants or concierge services to help with these tasks, improving work-life balance and boosting retention. You don’t need to roll out the red carpet, but don’t be too rigid about life admin during work hours.

Remember, your staff aren’t robots programmed to work non-stop. The cognitive load of keeping their lives in order is no small feat and can certainly impact their focus and productivity. The best teams are those where managers trust their staff and understand that a little flexibility can go a long way.

Just keep an eye on things. If personal tasks start to crowd out work, it might be time to suggest handling life admin at home—or at least outside office hours—especially if the office buzz is turning into grumbling. Balance is key to keeping everyone productive and content.

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Escape the People-Pleasing Trap

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Escape the People-Pleasing Trap You may believe that being kind, gentle, and agreeable will earn you love and acceptance. However, doing things for others that they should handle themselves only sets you up for disappointment. Ignoring clear violations of your boundaries and agreeing to commitments you’d rather decline only makes things worse. When you take on others’ frustrations and make their feelings your problem, you add to your own burdens.

Being a people-pleaser, under the illusion that it will win you affection, leads to a harmful cycle of neglecting your own essential needs. This flawed mindset fosters deep feelings of disrespect and disconnection from yourself. You endure constant invalidation based on how others treat you, making them dependent on you. Your relentless efforts to please will never be enough.

Idea for Impact: Shift your attitude. Elevate your self-respect. Take charge of your life. Prioritize your own needs. Don’t hesitate to say “no.” You deserve the same love and respect you freely give to others.

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How to … Overcome Impact Blindness and Make Decisions with Long-Term Clarity

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Overcome Impact Blindness and Make Decisions with Long-Term Clarity Many of us struggle to say ‘no’ and end up overwhelmed by tasks dumped on our laps. While busyness may be worn like a badge of honor these days, it doesn’t mean it’s good for you. In fact, being busy for the sake of it often just adds stress without yielding real progress.

The key to doing less and achieving more lies in overcoming what psychologists call Impact Blindness. This involves consciously evaluating the long-term effects of your decisions and shifting your focus from immediate tasks to outcomes that genuinely matter.

There’s a significant difference between being busy and being productive, and even more so between being productive and achieving the right results. By letting go of low-impact tasks, you can free yourself from unrealistic deadlines and idealistic expectations. It’s perfectly okay to drop a few balls—no one is going to take your job away or stop loving you for it.

Idea for Impact: Take a moment to reflect on the pressure you feel to be everything to everyone and to do everything perfectly. Are you creating your own stress?

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How to … Kickstart Your Day with Focus & Set a Daily Highlight to Stay on Track

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How to ... Kickstart Your Day with Focus & Set a Daily Highlight to Stay on Track Take a few minutes, whether it’s 10 or 30, after rolling out of bed to start your day intentionally. Ground yourself in what you want to achieve. In those moments, practice a little mindfulness—tuning in to your body and mind without rushing to fix anything.

Even a brief check-in with yourself can help you notice what’s going on internally, whether pleasant or unpleasant. Maybe your mind feels foggy or sharp, your body tense or relaxed. Just observe it all without judgment. When you do this, you’re practicing discipline by acknowledging your inner states without reacting. Are you tense? Excited? Your mind is like a clear, still pond, reflecting everything that passes without clinging to it.

This creates a space between you and your thoughts or emotions, allowing you to see them as fleeting sensations rather than who you are. This kind of awareness keeps you focused, without getting derailed by every little feeling that pops up.

Next, choose a “daily highlight”—a single priority for your day. As John Zeratsky and Jake Knapp say in Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day (2018,) picking one focus gives you clarity, helping you stay true to your intention. It can be urgent, important, or simply something that brings joy.

Idea for Impact: Start your day with a calm, clear mindset, understanding that it’s your choices—not your impulses—that shape your experience. As the day unfolds, take intentional moments to check in with yourself and adjust where needed. This practice of mindful discipline keeps you centered, enabling you to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively to the challenges and distractions of modern life.

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How to … Combat Those Pesky Distractions That Keep You From Living Fully

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How to Combat Those Pesky Distractions That Keep You From Living Fully

Distractions and interruptions have become so ingrained in our lives that we often overlook how difficult it is to maintain focus. Even President Barack Obama acknowledged this challenge, stating, “The hardest thing about the job is staying focused.”

The key to leading a productive and less stressful life lies in your ability to unshackle yourself from pointless commitments and to self-regulate your way out of mental fragmentation. Here’s how to combat mental chaos:

  1. Understand Your Limitations. Recognize what you’re not good at and identify tasks you should avoid. Investors Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway have a “too hard pile” for investment ideas they don’t fully understand. By eliminating concepts they lack unique insight into, they streamline their decision-making process.
  2. Declutter Your Space. Marie Kondo, the tidiness expert and author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (2014,) has inspired countless followers to discard anything that no longer brings joy or has outlived its usefulness. A tidy environment, she argues, fosters clearer thinking.
  3. Practice Mental Hygiene. Every item in your “inbox” demands attention, so it’s crucial to manage what you allow in. Clean out your email folder, reduce your to-do list, unsubscribe from unnecessary magazines and newsletters, and limit the flow of new commitments. Be selective about your friendships, too; prioritize quality over quantity.
  4. Eliminate Distractions. Top performers share a common trait: they accept fewer tasks and obsess over executing them well. As American crime fiction author James Ellroy once stated, “I’m interested in doing very few things. I don’t have a cell phone. I don’t have a computer. I don’t have a TV set. I don’t go to movies. I don’t read. I ignore the world so I might live obsessively.” Letting mundane concerns distract you leads to losing focus on your essential tasks.
  5. Examine Time-Wasting Habits. Avoid doing something simply because it’s been a tradition or habit. If you accidentally abandon something important, you can always pick it up again later.
  6. Focus on Your Goals. Your to-do list should reflect your true aspirations, not just a random collection of tasks. Be selective about what you add. Implement my three-step process—time logging, time analysis, and time budgeting—to align your efforts with your mission, values, and desired outcomes.

Idea for Impact: A Mind That’s Everywhere is Nowhere

To tackle that mental chaos, take back control of your attention. Set clear priorities on what you’ll focus on, and work on fewer things but dive into them more intensely. As Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, stated, “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”

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Don’t Keep Running Hard If You’re Not Making Progress

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Don't Keep Running Hard If You're Not Making Progress - Avoid Working Hard Without Progress Do you really understand how you’re spending your time?

A lot of folks think they’re putting more hours into strategic work than they actually are. Check your calendar from the past month. If you’re anything like the managers I work with, you’ll probably find it’s easier to justify your daily grind than to explain why you’re doing everything you shouldn’t be.

  • Make time audits a habit. Add up the hours you’ve spent on your strategic priorities. Was it enough? Most people end up scrambling with urgent tasks instead of focusing on what really matters.
  • Identify your top three priorities for the year and ensure you’re dedicating enough time to them each week. If you’re falling short, it’s time to cut back on other commitments, delegate more, and clear some space in your schedule for what truly counts.

Idea for Impact: Your time often drifts away from your intentions. Don’t just run hard without making progress. Get your priorities straight. Be disciplined with your time.

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If Mindfulness Meditation Isn’t for You, Try This Focusing Exercise

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If Mindfulness Meditation Isn't for You, Try This Focusing Exercise Many folks who could seriously benefit from a bit of contemplative meditation somehow never quite get around to it. Mindfulness meditation offers real, tangible benefits, but like any skill, it requires regular practice. Without it, you can only expect minor improvements, which is where many people stumble.

If Mindfulness meditation seems too elaborate, here’s a simple way to start:

  1. Pick a regular daily task.
  2. Perform it at half the usual pace—slowly and deliberately.
  3. Tune in to the moment by observing your sensory experiences.

That’s all there is to it. There’s no need for intricate poses, calming playlists, or scented candles. Forget about searching for a zen-like sanctuary. Just stay present and plod through a daily chore.

For example, during a shower, slow things down. Turn the faucet gently and savor the sensation of the water on your skin and the temperature change. Then, pick up the shampoo and apply it to your hair with a deliberate, calm touch.

Similarly, on a casual stroll, walk with purpose and at a slow pace. Pay attention to each step, listen to the birds, and appreciate the blooming flowers to stay grounded in the present.

By slowing down, you highlight the physical and sensory aspects of your actions. You’ll notice more details and experience the richness of even the simplest tasks. Slowing your pace shifts your focus, helping you become more aware of how you perform and coordinate your actions with intention.

When your mind starts to wander, slow down. Check in with what you’re doing. Refocus on the present. It’s surprisingly effective.

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