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​​How many times have you said, "I'm always busy, but nothing seems to get done"? Maybe you feel like there are too many things to do, and not enough time to do them. All the while, you're missing out on what's important to you because the only apparent solution is to work more hours.

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​For many who work in a traditional corporate office, coronavirus has created a new norm – 100% remote work.  Sometimes there are two members of the household trying to work remotely, now with school-aged children home all day.

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​​The world is unsettled. As I write this, Illinois is ending its first full day of "shelter in place" to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). For the same reason, other parts of the US and the world have been under similar instruction.

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​We're often asked, "What are you grateful for?" particularly around the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States. Our answer to this “pop” question is typically honest and straightforward - family, friends, and health. But, how can giving even deeper thought to your response help your productivity?

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​Location, location, location. It isn't just about the real estate market.

Is your desk intentionally arranged? Or is everything strewn about wherever it landed the last time you used it? Like it or not, your personal productivity is significantly impacted by how you arrange your desk. With studies indicating an hour a day is lost looking for things, time spent thoughtfully organizing your work surface is time well-spent.

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When was the last time you put something off because you didn't want to face it?

For me, pick any random Sunday in the past, oh I don't know, five years. Sunday is the day I designated for my weekly review. The purpose of my weekly review is to look back on what happened in the prior week, update my task list, and look ahead to plan the upcoming week proactively. I can't even remember the last time I did a full weekly review.

(4 Minute Read or Listen Below)

​We are creatures of habit, drifting through our days on autopilot. But what happens when our patterns get disrupted?
 
Sometimes, when we initiate the change ourselves, we accept it more willingly. (Not a guarantee, but at least the odds are better.) But most frequently, change is thrust upon us, and our immediate reaction is resistance. Whether the change is significant or minor, we resist.

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​Prompted by a recent article from Barbara Hemphill regarding the overwhelm of our "to read" piles, I did stop and think about it.

So many information sources surround us - television (and all its forms, i.e., Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc.), radio (broadcast, satellite or streaming), videos, emails, podcasts, smartphones, tablets, magazines, newspapers, social media, instant messaging, etc. We live in a fantastic age of information.

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​Have you ever faced a challenge alone, believing you were the only person experiencing such a predicament? Or, perhaps, you were too embarrassed to share your difficulty with others.
 
Recently, my husband and I attended the funeral of his Aunt Mary, who served 62 years as a nun. We witnessed the dedicated care she received from her fellow Sisters as her health declined. And as we celebrated her memory, I felt a heightened appreciation for the sense of community she experienced throughout her life of service.

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"​It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change."
​- Charles Darwin​

(3.5 Minute Read or Listen Below)

​We love to hate change. Most of us make new year resolutions, only to abandon them by the middle of February, if not sooner.

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​​Have you ever thought "If I just had a bigger office, all my problems would be solved"? I have thought this many times. 
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The office of my dreams was a private, dedicated room with a real door. Desk surface as far as the eye could see. Walls lined with file cabinets and shelves. That was my ideal. I knew I could do anything if only my office looked like that.