Tidying Odd Spaces

April 30, 2023Leave a comment

This weekend I got into the tidying zone. The target was my home and office work desks. Paperwork and other items had gotten out of control and required dedicated attention to resolve. The cleanup also included the desk drawers, which contained all sorts of strange items.

Marie Kondo has through a lot about how to tidy up odd spaces in the house. On her website, she shares tips on how to get those spaces under control. One of the most important steps to clean a drawer or closet is to take everything out.

Taking everything out of junk drawers and other komono hot spots and laying it out provides a fresh view of all the contents. You may find something that was once missing or something you forgot you owned. It is an opportunity for re-acquainting yourself with the objects that live with you and recognizing those that spark joy and those that don’t.

The rationale for this is simple; it takes just as much energy to put the item back in the original spot as it would to simply toss it or place it in a more appropriate location. However, that leads to the question of how to organize these miscellaneous items so that they remain functional and not lost in an out of the way space. Marie’s approach is to compartmentalize.

Komono is hard to contain when not carefully thought through. Organize the contents of a komono drawer by category. When you open it to reach for your scissors or letter opener, have those sharp items live together. Matches and lighters can live together as fire-starters. Grocery list paper and your favorite pencil should be neighbors.

Small items that live in these kinds of komono drawers tend to jostle around every time the drawer is open and closed. Junk drawer organizers and small compartments within help keep like-with-like and protect the drawer from becoming jumbled again.

Review all the steps to tidying odd spaces on the Konmari website.

Right to Read Day

April 24, 2023April 24, 2023Leave a comment

It is a sad but true fact that some people consider reading to be a dangerous activity. Of course, history is full of examples where repressive regimes have sought to prevent their citizens from reading certain books, even going as far as burning them! (The books usually, but sometimes the reader as well.) When this takes place, it is essential that all who value learning and literature fight for the freedom to read.

The American Library Association has been America’s leading champion in the fight against censorship. This year for National Library Week, they have declared today to be the Right to Read Day. As they explain on their website:

The Monday of National Library Week – April 24, 2023 – will mark one year since the launch of the Unite Against Book Bans campaign. To honor the occasion, we’re calling on readers, advocates, and library lovers to fight back against censorship in a national day of action to defend, protect, and celebrate your right to read freely. We’re calling it Right to Read Day.

On the same day, the American Library Association will release its list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2022. The list follows ALA’s recent unveiling of data showing record-shattering attempts to remove books from school and public libraries, and it shows us what types of books are being challenged the most and why.

It’s also a call to action.

Join us on #RightToReadDay and beyond by participating in the actions below to support your library and defend the freedom to read in your community.

Do you want to help protect the freedom to read as an essential human right? Learn the five steps that you can do today or any day to fight for the right to read.

Every Choice is Fatiguing

April 16, 2023Leave a comment

What if choices are actually traps?

We tend to want more choices in our life. The general feeling is that more options are better. However, this may only be true to a certain point. After that point, the exhaustion of too many choices may lead us to stop making any! This is known as decision fatigue. It is defined in Healthline as:

Coined by social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister, decision fatigue is the emotional and mental strain resulting from a burden of choices.

“When humans are overstressed, we become hasty or shut down altogether, and that stress plays a huge role in our behaviors,” says Tonya Hansel, PhD, director of the Doctorate of Social Work at Tulane University.

In other words, when your mental energy begins running low, you’re less able to override basic desires and more likely to go for whatever’s easiest.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

According to the article, decision fatigue can lead to these types of outcomes:

*Procrastination. “I’ll tackle this later.”
*Impulsivity. “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe…”
*Avoidance. “I can’t deal with this right now.”
*Indecision. “When in doubt, I just say ‘no.’”

To learn more about decision fatigue and how to avoid it, read the rest of the Healthline article.

Team Knowledge Management

April 9, 2023Leave a comment

What is the best way to share knowledge within an organization?

Most organizations have never thought about this problem. Those that have often use solutions such as virtual discussion forums or open office spaces that they hope will naturally bring people together. However, these attempts seem to rarely create the sharing synergy needed to move the organization forward. What can be done about this?

Tiago Forte has studied this challenge and believes his PARA system can be used to address it. In a recent posting on the Forte Labs website, he shares that a bottom-up approach is more likely to succeed.

All of this leads to my conclusion that modern organizations need to take a “bottom-up” approach to knowledge management instead of a top-down one. It can’t be about “extracting” knowledge from their people; it has to be about empowering them to do their absolute best work.

He then shares five recommendations on how to create this team knowledge management environment. The first step is getting clear on the organization’s flavor of PARA.

Even if you’ve decided you’re going to follow my advice to the letter, there is always a “flavor” of PARA that makes sense for your culture. This can include decisions such as:

What is our definition of a “project,” “area of responsibility,” “resource” and “archive”?
What needs to happen when we kick off a new project for it to be considered “active”?
What needs to happen when a project gets completed, put on hold, or canceled (for it to be considered “inactive”)?
Who is responsible for maintaining the standard for each shared area of responsibility?
What are the officially supported platforms on which PARA will be used?
What are the strict rules, softer “rules of thumb,” dos and don’ts, and cultural norms that govern how people will use PARA?
Who will be the “PARA Champion” who oversees its implementation and makes sure the guidelines are being followed?

Learn the other four recommendations at the Forte Labs website.

Finding Your Leadership Pathway

April 2, 2023Leave a comment

When was the last time you thought strategically about your leadership pathway?

Recently, I wrote a two-part article for ALA’s Learning Exchange Newsletter Volume 38, Number 4 & Volume 39, Number 1-3 breaking down steps to map out multi-year leadership journey. The article was based on a 2022 PLA Preconference that I presented as part of the Public Library Association’s Leadership Development Committee called Finding Your Leadership Pathway.

Read the opening section below and then read the full article on the Efficient Librarian website.

What is your leadership pathway?

Developing as a leader is a journey. Much like a real life trip, professional development passes through five steps:

Personal Assessment
Selecting a Destination
Navigating Roadblocks and Detours
Following a Plan of Action
Reflecting on the Journey

Leadership Assessment

Before starting any trip, you must know your point of origin. A leadership assessment identifies your current position, skills, and responsibilities. Knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses is essential to consider before setting out. To ensure the assessment sticks, write down the responses on a real piece of paper to make it a physical process.

After orienting yourself on the here and know, there is something deeper to consider: values.

What is a value? The Google dictionary definition states amongst several things that it is: a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.

With that in mind, what are your five top values? Write them down to see if they resonate with your way of life. If they do not, you may be accepting the values of those around you at face value. Reexamine the list and go deeper with another round of listing values. Keep going with more rounds until satisfied that you have found your firm foundation.

Read the full article on the Efficient Librarian website.

Choosing What To Do

March 26, 2023Leave a comment

It’s Monday morning – how are you going to start your week? What is the most useful task to get done first? How will you ensure the most important parts of your upcoming projects will be done? Also, how will you ensure that nothing is missed along the way?

Following the core concepts of GTD can help anyone prioritize their day. In a recent blog post, the folks at Getting Things Done shared the five fundamental steps to successful workflow. They also took time to explain the limiting factors affecting the abilty to engage. Below is an excerpt from their article.

The five steps of GTD workflow are Capture, Clarify, Organize, Reflect, and Engage. When it’s time to Engage, people often ask how to choose from what may be long lists of tasks to do. That’s when it’s helpful to use the criteria for choosing:

Context – What place, tool, or person will the action require? This is the first limitation for choosing–it has to be. If you’re not in the right place, don’t have the right tool, or access to the required person, you can’t take the action.

Time available – How much time do you have to take the action? If you have 20 minutes, only consider actions that you think will take less than 20 minutes.

Resources – What is your energy like to take the action? Have you been in back-to-back meetings all day and you’re tired? Or are you just finishing your morning coffee and feeling alert and enthusiastic? You’re probably already considering this more than you realize when you choose what to do.

Priorities – What’s the most important one to choose based on your roles, goals, long-term strategy, and purpose?

Read the whole post and learn more about how the Horizons of Focus can be a great guide to engage effectively.

Strategic Willpower

March 19, 2023Leave a comment

Why is that some days we can keep to good habits, such as exercise and eating healthy, while on other days we sit on the couch all night and eat cookies? It seems that our willpower varies from day to day, if not hour to hour. Therefore, how can we avoid falling to temptations and keep to our intentions?

Recently, Darious Foroux wrote an article that explored the idea of strategic willpower and how it can enable us to keep to our intentions. He put the problem very succinctly:

The thing about staying consistent is that life always finds a way to get in the way, no matter what you’re trying to achieve. So we’re better off expecting that things can always go wrong.

Foroux goes on to share studies that appear to demonstrate that our willpower can fade when we are forced to expend it. He then explores how stay true to our intentions even when tired or emotional.

To live a good life, every single one of us needs to know how our willpower works. Do you find it difficult to make decisions late at night? Avoid it!

Finally, he sums up the topic as such:

To simplify, willpower is your ability to follow through on all your little and big goals. If you say you’re going to stop eating junk food and you eat a muffin for breakfast, there’s something wrong.

It’s up to you to figure out what the problem is. Strategic willpower means we’re aware of this concept. We don’t go through life like a mindless robot. We take the time to look at our actions and we do things when we’re at our best.

Read the entire article on Foroux’s web site.

How to Get to Inbox Zero

March 12, 2023Leave a comment

Text of a talk given at the PLA 2022 National Conference on the “How To” Stage.

How many emails do you have in your inbox right now, read or unread?

In my informal polling, most people have anywhere from dozens to hundreds or even thousands of messages. Keep in mind that a 2019 study by DMR estimated that the average person received 121 emails a day. Without a fast and efficient system to dispatch these messages, inbox backlog will slow down work and increases stress. While one could declare email bankruptcy by deleting the entire contents of the inbox, this is hardly practical. Instead, with the application of a few simple best practices the stress of email management can be vanquished.

David Allen, author of the bestselling book, Getting Things Done, has thought deeply about workflow. He developed a system of best practices that revolve around managing workflow in an efficient manner. This approach can be used by any level of knowledge worker. It starts with a basic premise, so please repeat after me:

My inbox is not a storage location. It is a processing station.

Learn more by reading the rest in the articles section of this website.

ChatGPT Guest Post – How to Reduce Stress at Work

March 5, 2023Leave a comment

Today I decided once more to test the ChatGPT AI to see how it reacts to writing a blog post with references to recent articles. The topic I gave it was to: write a blog post using recent article references on the topic of how to reduce stress at work

Below is what it generated. I’ll provide my thoughts at the end of the post.

Start of Blog Post:

Stress at work is a common problem that affects millions of people worldwide. From deadlines to heavy workloads, it can be challenging to manage stress levels when working. The good news is that there are practical steps you can take to reduce stress at work and improve your overall well-being. In this blog post, we’ll explore some recent article references on how to reduce stress at work.

Take breaks regularly

One of the most effective ways to reduce stress at work is to take breaks regularly. According to a recent article by Harvard Business Review, taking short breaks throughout the day can help to reduce stress levels and increase productivity. Research has shown that taking a 15-minute break every 90 minutes can be highly beneficial for both mental and physical health. So, make sure to schedule regular breaks throughout your workday.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for a good reason. According to a recent article by Forbes, practicing mindfulness can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. There are various mindfulness practices you can try, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga. These practices can help you to stay calm and centered when faced with stressful situations at work.

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential for reducing stress levels. According to a recent article by Sleep Foundation, lack of sleep can lead to increased stress levels, decreased productivity, and impaired cognitive function. To improve your sleep quality, try to establish a regular sleep routine, avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime, and create a comfortable sleep environment.

Communicate with your colleagues

Effective communication is crucial for reducing stress at work. According to a recent article by Psychology Today, communicating with your colleagues can help to reduce misunderstandings, resolve conflicts, and build stronger relationships. When you feel stressed, don’t hesitate to reach out to your colleagues for support. Discussing your concerns and sharing your workload can help you to feel less overwhelmed.

Prioritize self-care

Finally, prioritizing self-care is essential for reducing stress at work. According to a recent article by Harvard Business Review, practicing self-care can help to improve your overall well-being and reduce stress levels. Self-care involves taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Some self-care practices you can try include exercise, healthy eating, spending time with loved ones, or pursuing a hobby you enjoy.

In conclusion, reducing stress at work is crucial for maintaining good mental and physical health. By taking regular breaks, practicing mindfulness, getting enough sleep, communicating effectively with colleagues, and prioritizing self-care, you can reduce stress levels and improve your overall well-being. Remember to make these practices a regular part of your routine, and you’ll soon feel more relaxed, focused, and productive at work.

End of Blog Post

My Thoughts:

The post did indeed generate a simple blog post focusing on stress reduction techniques, which was created in under ten seconds. Along with the quick turnaround, a few things caught my eye.

First of all, while it made references to recent articles, it did not provide a link or notation about the date the articles were published. Therefore, the reader has to do the legwork to track them down.

Second, three of the five tips were not specifically work related. “Taking breaks” and “Communicating with Colleagues” were the only two workplace specific items. The other three were broad suggestions, that while useful, did not exactly match my initial prompt.

Third and final, none of the stress reduction tips had in-depth steps on how to do them. For example, the section on self-care provided basic ideas, but was entirely generic. This could be a function of my initial prompt. Experimenting with the instructions to the AI could guide it to fix the problems encountered above.

Go over to ChatGPT to give it a try for free.