Cheryl Richardson

Professional Development Books Keep Me on Track

One of the ways I know if I’m on track is by checking the number of books I read each year, both for pleasure and for my profession. I don’t have a set number that I have to read, but I do know that if I’ve gone months without reading then I need to realign my priorities.

River

Professional development books help with one’s career journey. (Photo by Cynthia Price)

I decided to review the books I had read for my professional development, in part, because the stack that still needs to be read remains quite high. I did finish several and thought I’d pull them together in a list in case you have anyone you’re still shopping for. I included links to the original posts.

Most of try to do too many things at once. All that multi-tasking makes it difficult to focus. A great book about getting yourself set for the day is 18 Minutes. Written by Peter Bregman, it is based upon his weekly Harvard Business Review columns. Step 1 takes 5 minutes and is about setting the plan for the day. Bregman says that before turning on your computer, we should sit with a blank piece of paper and decide what will make this day highly successful. In Step 2, we refocus for one minute every hour. At the end of the day, we review for five minutes. It sounds simple. I’m fairly consistent with Steps 1 and 2. Step 3, not so much.

I’m an introvert, althoughI’ve learned to function in many settings as an extrovert. I even enjoy it. However, at the end of the day, I need to allow for quiet time, which is why at conferences I prefer to room alone and why I build time into the day for a peaceful walk in between meetings. These become my “restorative niches” as described in Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. It’s a great book for understanding the value of introverts.

In Marshall Goldsmith’s book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, he recommends making a list of the 25 people most responsible for your career. But he doesn’t stop there. He then wants us to write a thank you note “to confront the humbling fact that you have not achieved your success alone.”

Most of us need routines and order in our lives. If you’re like me, though, you struggle to do so. It’s about finding “the power of rhythm and routine” at work. That phrase comes from Cheryl Richardson in her book, The Art of Extreme Self Care. Creating routines “creates a sense of order that gives the mind a much-needed rest,” she writes. One of the best routines I’ve developed is printing my daily calendar for the next day before I leave the office at the end of the day. That way I already know if I have to pack a lunch or if I have an early meeting for which I must prepare. If that’s the case, I know to schedule my training session for a different day or only plan on a 30-minute morning workout. I also know what healthy snacks to pack.

Jason Womak, author of Your Best Just Got Better, warns that we are often forced to sacrifice quality for quantity. Because there is so much information to take in, he says, we’ve become a nation of skimmers. The downside of that, Womak says, is we miss essential details that could “help us improve our productivity, build better relationships and live more gratifying lives.” His book offers several suggestions, several of which I’ve implemented, including carrying a camera.

What books did you read this year that you would add to the list?

Routines Help Create Order at Office

I really enjoy long weekends and stay-cations as I return to a rhythm that works for me. I find I am able to accomplish much and still have to visit with friends and relax. When I return to the office, I was often frustrated because I always felt as if I were “a day late and a dollar short.”

For the past year, though, that’s changed because I realized I need to find “the power of rhythm and routine” at work. That phrase comes from Cheryl Richardson in her book, The Art of Extreme Self Care. Creating routines “creates a sense of order that gives the mind a much-needed rest,” she writes.

What works for me, may not work for you, but perhaps you can find some inspiration in what I’ve tried.

I print my daily calendar for the next day before I leave the office at the end of the day. That way I already know if I have to pack a lunch or if I have an early meeting for which I must prepare. If that’s the case, I know to schedule my training session for a different day or only plan on a 30-minute morning workout. I also know what healthy snacks to pack.

I abhor voice mail so I’ve given myself permission to only check it at day’s end. In this technological age, if someone really needs me, they’ll find me, usually by email. I’ve never missed an important call. The benefit is that I return all calls at a set time. Most of the calls are salespeople, who also send an email.

At the start of each year (for me that is both January for the calendar year and July for the fiscal year) I review all standing meetings. I either continue them or delete them based on current operational plans. Having the meetings set makes it easier for me to manage my schedule.

I block my calendar on Friday afternoons. No, I’m not going home early. What I am doing is giving myself a few hours of undisturbed time where I can progress projects, clean up emails and organize my desk for the coming week. If I don’t block the time, someone will request a meeting. My team knows that Friday meetings should be avoided at all costs.

I spend too much time sitting, so the executive assistant who sits outside my office now tosses a rubber ball at my glass wall reminding me to get up and move around. After my walk – usually just around my floor — I return to my desk energized.

What will you do to create a sense of order?

TV as a Distraction Makes My ‘Absolute No’ List

I’m halfway through my month of self-imposed no television. Fortunately, the opening ceremony of the Olympics occurred in July. I may be the only person who was not bothered by NBC’s tape delay of the coverage since I didn’t watch any of it. I read about it in the morning paper, followed events on Twitter and learned of medals on Facebook.

Books

By not watching television my pile of books is decreasing. Really! (Photo by Cynthia Price)

I didn’t miss the TV viewing. In fact, I’m not missing it at all. The first day or two was rough because my habit was to come home from work whatever the hour and turn on the television. I viewed it as background noise. What I didn’t realize is how much of a distraction it was.

Without television, I’ve cooked more, read more and gone to the gym more. I also have enjoyed the quiet of my home.

One of the books I’ve been reading is Cheryl Richardson’s The Art of Extreme Self-Care. Ironically, I’ve had it for a few years and now that I’m not watching TV, I have more time for reading.

One of the chapters focuses on creating an “Absolute No List,” which is a list of activities that I won’t tolerate in my life. As a result of my experiment, I’ve decided I won’t tolerate using television as a distraction.

What’s on your Absolute No list?

Stress and Meeting Challenges

Stress is a feeling that’s created when we react to particular events. It’s the body’s way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation. Given that, I’m ready for just about anything!

Like many of you, I’m feeling pulled in too many directions. Some of the pulling I can control; some I can’t.

But in my so-called wiser years, I have learned to observe the signs that I’m stressed so that I can take appropriate actions to minimize the impact of stress on my body – physically, mentally, emotionally and intellectually.

In her book Life Makeovers life coach Cheryl Richardson challenges readers to list their “early warning signals.”

Mine are forgetting to pay a bill, not putting on my seatbelt (yes, I know it’s the law, but when I am over-the-top stressed, I often don’t put it on) and visiting Starbucks daily and sometimes twice-daily.

Now that I know my triggers, I know it’s time to slow down and practice some “extreme self-care,” according to Richardson. That means saying “no” even to fun activities for a bit. I also de-stress by –

  • Sipping hot tea that I brew at home, waiting patiently for the tea kettle to whistle, letting the tea steep and then sipping my hot beverage slowly.
  • Going for evening walks because fresh air clears the cobwebs and exercise is always good.
  • Turning off the TV. I don’t need any more distractions.

So when your world is spinning too fast, take a moment to identify your stressors and, more importantly, identify what you can do to make yourself feel sane again. You’ll be ready for anything!