DRIVEN Newsletter Aug 2, 2022
A New Cadence of Work.
Where did July go? Despite paring down my calendar to attend to the details of our big move, time still got away from me. If you feel like the summer is flying by, you may be feeling the same way I do. (I've posed an invitation, below, to actually slow down time!)
Despite the stress and anticipation involving the move, all went surprisingly well, and still, weeks later, Michael and I are not settled in (We finally received phone service this past Friday!)
While I’m excited about kicking back in a fully made home, I’m embracing the baby steps as we move toward that status and remain in awe of all of the firsts at our new house.
As a productivity coach, however, I was humbled by my lack of output during move-in month. One of my aspirations for July had been to perk up DRIVEN’s website to reflect our current workshop offerings. I proceeded to spend exactly zero minutes on this in July. Many clients face similar challenges, with too many “urgent” tasks to do, not leaving enough time for the important work that ultimately advances a career.
Many employees voiced this frustration in the organization with whom I am now wrapping up a 9-month initiative called Co-Create Culture. In our final round of facilitated squad meetings, the consensus was that while the importance of the initiative was acknowledged, competing priorities kept participants from deriving the most from their efforts.
This response was not unexpected. We intentionally designed the project with a long runway. This was a simulation of what these motivated professionals juggle each day! By these closing meetings, squads completed successful projects that directly contributed to employee engagement. During the retrospective, squads shared the ways they would use their learnings to be more effective in the future.
Looking forward to August, as I continue to settle into our new home, I WILL make the time to acclimate to a new cadence of work. I’m excited to:
1. Reconnect with network colleagues.
2. Refresh DRIVEN’s website to highlight what clients are finding most valuable and helpful.
3. Create a strategy to re-engage with social media (yikes!)
Why the yikes? Back in January, I loosened my dedication to social media, and I fell out of rhythm with it. Upon reflection, I have learned that I need a plan plus a tracking method when it comes to performing tasks that don’t light me up.
I may not love all aspects of my “job”, but I get to choose to embrace tasks that are a challenge to enjoy and recognize the benefit of the discipline.
What about you? How are you balancing work and play this summer? And what are your aspirations to maximize the rest of the summer?
Cheers!
-Deborah Goldstein
DonorsForum.net is Here!
I’m doubly excited to introduce to you the Donors’ Forum website, newly launched on the web! This discussion platform is both educational and inspiring for those involved in the NFP sector. For me, the web project was like pasta— it didn’t look at first to be as voluminous as it became when fully cooked. We unveiled the site yesterday, so we’re still “unpacking boxes”. But if you’re curious, take a peek. We’d love your feedback!
Be Fulfilled.
Are you Living on Purpose? If your answer is even close to “no”, stop reading right now and invest in a very special book. In the pages of Living On Purpose you’ll discover five deliberate choices you can make to realize fulfillment and joy. Author Amy Eliza Wong, my cherished colleague, lives by example, and it’s a joy to watch her share her wisdom with the world.
Give Yourself a Smile!
Summer is already flying by! This is a good moment for each of us to pause and start to reflect each day. Contemplation is an act of mindfulness and I encourage you to start now! Try the “counting game” or reflect on three activities you did today that contributed to your career goals, your well-being, or simply resulted in a smile. Today’s list for me includes sitting by my little pond and watching the frogs. I laugh as the scene brings my favorite tee shirt to mind: “Time’s Fun When You’re Having Flies.”
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