Welcome back! It's good to see you again. Please note that I am now publishing all new material at my hub site: In Context Blog

Today’s post is from Mike St. Pierre of The Daily Saint

Collaboration is hot once again, but this time for more dire reasons.  People are fighting to keep their jobs and scared of losing their livelihood.  With a down economy, collaborative folks have an advantage.  With each act of collaboration, they add value to themselves and expand their sphere of influence.

Here are 10 ways to collaborate in a down economy:

1. Prepare more thoroughly for meetings.  This may seem basic (and it is) but too many folks simply show up and forget that they also have to show out.  By reviewing meeting minutes, asking insightful questions and being nice to colleagues, the collaborative guy/gal gets more done via meetings.
2. Follow up wherever and whenever needed.  Think of all of the areas at home and at work where you can follow up.  The next time you promise to do something (”let me get back to you” or “I’ll send you that email contact”), write it down and then process your notes later in the day.
3. Go the extra mile, especially when it’s not expected.  Do the small things that separate you from the average worker.  Make the call, write the note, do the research.  Surprise others with your exemplary customer service.
4. Reach out to those who are struggling.  Few things are remembered more than when a person reaches out to someone in need.  Attend the funeral, viewing or memorial service.  Aid someone who is having a tough time.
5. Line yourself up for a hot project.  What new endeavor at work can you be a part of?
6. (Work) outside the box. You’ve heard of thinking outside the box?  Now try working outside your own facility by doing freelance work on the side.  This is a great way to stay fresh in your field and earn some extra income.
7. Social network with people you’ll never meet. Experiment with Twitter if you do nothing else in the next year.  David Allen has been on Twitter for nearly two weeks and has 100,000 followers.  That’s a wow in my book.
8. Publish for people you want to meet.  Volunteer to write an article for someone or some organization that you enjoy.  Many articles that I’ve published have come as a result of me reaching out to the publisher.  Don’t wait for someone to discover you- become discovered through your own ingenuity.
9. Blog because you can.  Blogging expands the creative capacity and gets things off your chest.  Try it out via Wordpress.com or Typepad.com.
10. Listen empathically when you’re tempted to give up. Above all other steps, be a listener. As someone who wants to collaborate, it’s critical that you actually care about those around you.  People can spot a phony.  Dig in, get to know those around you and let your listening be a vehicle to care for them on a deeper level.

Today’s post is from Mike St. Pierre of The Daily Saint

There are so many reasons why it makes sense to live close to where you work.  Whether it’s saving on gas, being closer to those you love or decreasing stress, it almost always makes sense to live within 25 minutes of work.

Unless of course you’re like most people who simply cannot do this.

Consider the data:

• Americans spend approximately 100 hours commuting to work each year (US Census)
• The average commute is nearly 87 minutes (ABC News)
• More Americans than ever before are commuting from suburb to suburb (Management issues)

I spent nearly a decade driving to work a distance of over 20 miles each way.  That’s not so extreme in the big picture and there are certainly some huge benefits to a commute of that distance.  These include:

• Learning via audio books; this is a tremendous advantage to commuting as you can consume vast amounts of information in no time.  Drive time becomes learning time.
• Decompressing; depending on what kind of driving you do (backroads, public transit, highway, etc.), commuting more than 20 miles can serve as a kind of decompression system.  Many people arrive home with the day already put into perspective.
• Your personal life is really yours; when you’re not that close to where you work, you’ll run into folks you know less often and feel more able to be yourself and enjoy your family.  For teachers, this is especially helpful.
• Prayer; no I’m not talking about praying for the guy who just cut you off (although that’s not a bad idea!).  Rather, commuting can be a great time for the Rosary or even for just talking with God about your day.  Try this one out.

I’m someone who makes the best of it, whether I’m commuting a long distance or, as I do now, living closer to work.  What would be my ideal commute?  I would live about 10 miles from work, using scenic roads as my primary route and with a few backup routes in case of traffic.  Most of all, I’d be able to get to my family in the case of an emergency in less than 30 minutes.  Now that would be ideal.

THE GTD PERSPECTIVE

If GTD teaches us anything, it’s that getting things out of your head is an important step within productive living.  During the commute, it’s vital to have a capture tool at hand.  If a pad and paper is doable (public transit users can relate), then have these on hand.  I’ve found the pad of paper that sticks to your windshield is a nice idea but leaves a mark on the glass and can be difficult to reach.

Other capture devices which may work for you: audio recorder, iPhone or cell phone equivalent, or even a laptop computer.  The key: find something which works for you and then use it often.  Get things out of your head.

The follow up is then as important as the initial series of brain dumps.  Be sure to take the time to process your reminders and to-dos.  Some good resources for this include Jott which allows voice recordings to be transcribed into email.  I’ve been using reQall for my iPhone which seems to do about the same thing.

I don’t think that a GTD practitioner is really an either/or kind of person: either a short commute or long one.  Rather, it’s about using your time in a way that clears your head so that you can focus on higher level thinking.  A thorough follow up can then make all the difference.

Today’s post is from Mike St. Pierre of THE DAILY SAINT

Sarah wakes up 15 minutes later than she wanted to.  The baby is crying and Tim, her older child needs to get ready for school.  Bob, Sarah’s husband has already left for work and leaves a note that says, “Hon, don’t forget to get a birthday gift for Clark.  Tomorrow is his big day.”  More stress.  30 minutes later, with baby in tow and Tim partially ready for school, Sarah heads out the door, only to realize that the bus has already come and she must drive Tim, yet again to school.

Does this sound like anyone you know?

Look at Sarah’s demands: childcare, waking up late, a husband’s requests, clothing, busing, parenting.  Not an easy plate to maintain and yet a reality for so many folks.  What could she have done differently to minimize her stress?

• Get more rest. By going to bed earlier the night before, Sarah would ensure that the following morning, at the very least, would leave her feeling rested.
• Practice a morning ritual as if it was religion. Getting up at the same time eases stress and provides what Stephen Covey calls the “private victory”
• Prepare clothing the night before. By taking 5 minutes to lay out clothing, iron wrinkled clothing and hanging things where you want them to be, the morning can run that much smoother.
• Use an on-line calendar to remind you of gifting ideas and deadlines. With such free and easy tools like Google Calendar, anyone can remember a holiday or deadline before it happens.

What Sarah is experiencing is the polar opposite of what GTD practitioners call “clean edges”.  What is a clean edge?  An aspect of a system which keeps things in check and allows you to function at a more productive level.

Examples of clean edge productivity:

1. A voice mailbox that is checked regularly and doesn’t leave 15 messages in “in”.
2. An email in-box which gets to zero regularly and is a tool/resource rather than a constant annoyance.
3. Social commitments which work for you and are reasonable.  A clean edge is not rushing from one social event to the next, barely connecting with any one on a deep human level.
4. Physical space which is uncluttered and organized.  Excess ‘junk’ is tossed regularly or donated to charity.
5. List systems which capture “errands”, “someday maybe” and whatever else comes into your mind.  I recently added an “items to buy” list which is handy because whenever I seem to be in a store and need something, I forget what I needed, etc.

Why not practice a clean-edge philosophy starting today? Better yet, why not put it into practice?  Like Sarah, I am confident that your mornings will be less stressful as well as the rest of the day.

Today’s post is from Mike St. Pierre of The Daily Saint.

What follows is very GTD.  Ok, so its sort of GTD but I think you’ll appreciate it nonetheless!

I first stumbled upon Dan Pink a summer ago at an educator’s conference in Louisville, KY.  His book, A Whole New Mind, was groundbreaking for me as it pointed to a new reality in the workplace.  His latest book, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need does not disappoint.

Bunko is described as “America’s first business book in the Japanese comic format known as manga – and the last career guide you’ll ever need.”  As my son is big into comic books these days, Bunko was right up my alley and proved a quick read.  It essentially follows a man who lives in cubicle nation and discovers six secrets to doing well at work and at life.

Aided by the sort-of-attractive Diana, who appears only when Johnny activates his magic chopsticks, Johnny goes from depressed to top dog in his workplace, The Boggs Corporation.  The story line is full of dips and turns and Johnny is joined by several pals along the way.  Think of it as a road trip via the office and its myriad deadlines.

So what are the six secrets that Diana reveals?

1. There is no plan.
2. Think strengths, not weaknesses.
3. It’s not about you.
4. Persistence trumps talent.
5. Make excellent mistakes.
6. Leave an imprint.

I’m not going to detail each of these because the book is just too darn good and you’ll want to read it for yourself!  I loved it not only because I dig the author’s points (and they are not just from the cuff- each is rooted in research and experience) but because I am a graphical creative type who appreciates a new form of writing, I mean, drawing.

FOR FOLLOW UP

Once you’ve picked up the book, be sure to listen to some of Dan Pink’s talks and keynotes.  He is funny, down to earth and elaborates on many of the points found in Johnny Bunko.  Enjoy!