How's this for ironic: I've worked about 13 hours today, and now I'm attending a Continuum Navigate session focused on... Life-Work Balance. Yes, I think it's worth it.
Scott Spiro, CEO of Computer Solutions Group Inc., shared a few "a-ha" moments that trigger the life-work. In Scott's case:
- His wife sent him a "good night" note from tablet to tablet... they were in the same bed.
- He started having trouble focusing on really lengthy tasks.
- And the Internet delivers repetitive, intensive and addictive sensory and cognitive stimuli.
- "The Internet seizes our attention only to scatter it."
- We are losing the ability for "deep thinking" because online technologies reward cursory reading, hurried thinking and superficial learning.
To break free you must: Acknowledge the power of the Internet on your brain -- and then exercise your freedom.
- Tip 1: The No. 1 think super successful people never do in the morning: They don't check email -- because it's a reactive activity. Don't let email control your agenda for the day. Instead, they pre-schedule email processing.
- Tip 2: Turn off desktop and most mobile alerts. Only the most important things should interrupt you from work.
- Tip 3: Have daily themes.
- Tip 4: Outsource items like scheduling, note taking at meetings, follow-up on takeaways, NOC, help desk and on-site support.
- Tip 5: Disconnect to reconnect. Disconnect from work to reconnect with your family. Scott goes to Disneyland once a month; quarterly weekend away with his wife, no screens for Friday to Saturday nights; no screens at meals; focus on interpersonal communications.
- Tip 6: Check out the Pomodoro Method. Basically, if you have a two-hour project you break it into 20-minute intervals, with breaks and then your achievement. Make the rest of the desktop disappear while you're immersed.
- Tip 7: Pursue morning rituals -- something that starts out the day right.
- Tip 8: Exercise. It has a direct impact on mindset and state of being.
- Tip 9: Stop multitasking.
- Tip 10: Get sleep.
- Things to Read: The shallows by Nicholas Carr, and Getting Things Done by David Allen.
- Help: Asian Efficiency, PriAlto and My Own Molly are great experts and services available.
Bonus (from attendees): You don't walk in or out of a house on a smartphone because you miss hellos and goodbyes.
