Leveraging our time is as much about getting organized, as it is getting clear on what’s important. Against the backdrop of complexity, ongoing change and disruption, getting ruthless with our time management can be so important to many.
As a business owner, or remote worker, this is especially true. We can’t get our time back. So, when we go down a rabbit hole (whether it’s doing too much research online, following a shiny red object or thinking we just need to learn “one more thing”), the costs can be tremendous. Not just in NOT getting things done, but in terms of our focus, our motivation and also our profit line!

Discernment is about getting clear on what’s important and what’s not. It is about being clear of what’s going to provide impact now, later or never.

As a remote worker or virtual business owner, we are do often have greater control over our time. Our colleagues and/or superiors may be hundreds of miles away, or several time zones ahead. As remote workers, it’s not always about how we manage our time, but how we get our results. Those who feel the crunch in getting something over the finish line is usually only us (and those loved ones around us!).

With this in mind, what is the cost of not being discerning around where your time goes, or how clear your projects are, or what is a more important priority than another?

As we embark on new projects, or start a new week, it can be useful to ask ourselves, and our stakeholders:

• What’s most important today?
• What are the top 3-5 things I want to get completed?
• What are the MUST Dos?
• What will success look like with this project/task?
• As it relates to this project/task, what’s important?
• Have I considered the short-term, medium-term and long-term in making decisions?
• What would my colleague/boss/peer/customer say is most important to focus on today?
• What impact will this activity have? And that one?

 
What questions do you want to ask as you decide one priority to another?

Let us know using the comments below!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
Author of PlanDoTrack (2019),  Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013). Pick up a copy of any of her books at Amazon
Book Jennifer for a coaching session to explore productivity, teamwork and business issues.
Contact her by phone at (416)996-8326
Check out the new 19 Productivity Tips on-demand program. Explore this video based program at  your own pace, and join Jennifer for bi-weekly calls as part of your course.
Follow the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series on Instagram

Continuing in the theme of this month around time management and productivity, today our attention turns to Organizing Your Remote Workspace.
​As a virtual or remote worker, having an organized workspace can be challenging. Sometimes we may be working out of a space that serves many more people (think – the family or room mates), sometimes we may be on the move, and other times we may be needing to work off-hours.

Getting organized in your virtual space is key to productivity success. This may look different for each one of us. Three areas you will want to consider getting organized around includes:
·         Reducing Distractions
·         Files
·         Email
 
#1 – Reducing Distractions – Take note of the workspace you have and the distractions which are common. If you are working in a shared space, what can you do to minimize interruptions from others, or enhance privacy? Could this mean changing your working hours, or flow of work?
There can also be many visual distractions, from clutter to the pull of what’s around our periphery. Investing in regular time for clean up and decluttering can do a long way. This could also mean investing in a screen or other item that could serve as a barrier.
Consider other elements which will add to your workspace including lighting and a clear and comfortable space to work at. Power sources and chairs may round out the list.
 
#2  - Files
Files and materials take all different shapes and forms. From digital to paper based, what are the files you are needing to keep at hand?
How can you access them?
What can you do to ensure they are secure?
What organizing do you need to complete with them?
 
#3 – Email – Email can become an all-consuming entity. While some jobs require that you are on a significant part of the day, can you experiment with windows where you shut down email? Dr. Gloria Mark found that when distracted, it could take us upwards of 22 minutes to get back on task. When you need to focus on “deep work” (reports, analysis, creating, thinking) what windows have you created for yourself?
What else is going to help you focus and thrive in your remote work-space?
Share with us the one thing that has made all the difference in your working remote.

Have a great start to your week,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Author of several books including: PlanDoTrack (2019), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), Effective Group Coaching (2010)
Potentials Realized  - Specializing in support to virtual and remote teams, leaders and entrepreneurs
Award-winning Coaching Skills Training
Book a call with Jennifer

As virtual and remote professionals, we often work interpedently and autonomously, with colleagues miles away and/or many time zones away.

Having the motivation to do great work can be critical for success. Also key to remote work, is generating the momentum it can take when we are often a “one stop shop”, given that we are often responsible for many different facets of our work. We may be the face to customers, as well as a designer and book-keeper, all in the same week.

Creating an annual theme and/or intention can help us lean into what’s important in our work. It can also be something we return to again, and again, throughout the year.

I thought it would be interesting to have you experience a little bit of what I do in the PlanDoTrack Virtual Retreat which is take people through a series of reflective prompts and exercises. I've created a short 2 minute video which you can view below.

Carve out a few minutes to view this video, noting the photos which resonate most with you, and how you want them to connect with your focus this year.
​
After you have watched the video, take a few minutes to note what photos or images connected most.  What theme can that point to you to for 2019?
​
Having a theme for the year can create a powerful framework for Virtual and Remote Professionals. Just like a vision, they help us through the ebbs and flows of work.

Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized 
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder 
Now Available – PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner – Pick up a copy today on Amazon
Join us for a year-end virtual planning retreat!
 
Is 2019 your year to move things forward through group learning and accountability? Join me for one of our annual groups -
The Teams365 Leadership Lab (focusing on team leadership, virtual teams)
The Learning Lab and Design Studio (focusing on program design)
or the Coaching Biz Growth Lab (focusing on  business development)

Happy New Year!

Thanks for joining me at the PlanDoTrack blog. This blog is geared for professionals of all kinds - leaders, entrepreneurs and team members. We focus on all things related to personal productivity, teamwork, leadership, impact and efficiency!

Where do you really spend your time? What impact are you getting from your efforts? What’s your vision?

These are some of the big picture questions I’ve been asking as part of the 19 for 2019 Productivity Tips.
​
For the last month over at the Teams365 Blog, I’ve been including twice a week productivity tips over the last month, to gear us up for 2019. I thought it would be useful direct you to them, in case you have missed them.
Be sure to check out the first six in the series: 
1. Have a clear vision (December 4)
2. Where are you getting your results (December 5)
3. Consider your 80/20 (December 11)
4. Be ruthless with your time – it’s a non-renewable resource (December 12)
5. Know where your time goes (December 17)
6. Chunk it! (December 18)

Best,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized 
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder 
Now Available – PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner – Pick up a copy today on Amazon
Join us for a new year  virtual planning retreat on Tuesday January 8th from 1-5 pm Eastern (on zoom)
 
Is 2019 your year to move things forward through group learning and accountability? Join me for one of our annual groups -
The Teams365 Leadership Lab (focusing on team leadership, virtual teams)
The Learning Lab and Design Studio (focusing on program design)
or the Coaching Biz Growth Lab (focusing on  business development)
 

It’s the last day of 2018 and time to turn the page (metaphorically) to a new chapter. Before we do, try to grab a few minutes today to wrap things up and wind things down.
Here are some of the questions I like to include at the end of the year. I’ve taken them from Teams365 Blog – post # 1091, at the end of 2016.
Here are ten questions to support you in taking a look back at the last year:
1. What's been your biggest success this year?
2. What are you most proud of accomplishing? OR What were your greatest results?
3. What habits have most supported you this year?
4. What three adjectives sum up the year for you?
5. What were key relationships instrumental to your success and experience this year?
6. What has been your biggest, and most important, learning this year?
7. If you were to give this year a book title, what would it be?
8. What do you want to make sure you keep doing in the new year? What do you want to stop doing?
9. What do you want to acknowledge yourself for?
10. What and how will you celebrate the successes of 2018? With whom?
​
Have a wonderful last year of 2019 and I look forward to stepping through 2019 with you, with regular blog posts and ongoing calls to support you in becoming more focused and intentional in your work.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized 
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder 
Now Available – PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner – Pick up a copy today on Amazon
 
Is 2019 your year to move things forward through group learning and accountability? Join me for one of our annual groups -
The Teams365 Leadership Lab (focusing on team leadership, virtual teams)
The Learning Lab and Design Studio (focusing on program design)
or the Coaching Biz Growth Lab (focusing on  business development)

​At this time of year, a lot of our focus shifts to year end planning, but what about planning for Q 1?
If you have taken time in the last few weeks or months to capture your annual plan, now is the time to pull it out again, and open it up. What had you highlighted for Q 1 – January, February or March?
What are the:

• Key projects and activities you have planned?
• What relationships are important to take note of?
• What opportunities exist?
• What is important for you to prioritize?

For those that have a copy of the PlanDoTrack Workbook, you’ll note that there are four sets of Quarterly Planning Tools. Each of the quarterly planning tool sections includes:

• Space for you to note key projects and activities.
• Space for you to reflect on past learning you want to carry forward, opportunities you want to focus on for the quarter, as well as space for you to note opportunities and key learning.

Another segment of the Quarterly Planner gets you to break down the key priorities for each week of the quarter (usually about 12 or 13 in total) so you can get a “big picture” view, and then flesh it out further in the monthly calendar sections.
With the launch of the Coaching Business Builder in Summer 2018, a sibling edition of PlanDoTrack (for professional coaches), I’ve been intrigued to see different people’s affinity to planning at different levels. Some professionals first turn to the quarterly view, and others to the monthly view. What do you prefer? What’s the window that helps you plan?
As you go about your planning for Q 1, be sure to reflect back on the last blog posts around Winter Planning Questions. 

Best,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized 
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder 
Now Available – PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner – Pick up a copy today on Amazon
 
Is 2019 your year to move things forward through group learning and accountability? Join me for one of our annual groups -
The Teams365 Leadership Lab (focusing on team leadership, virtual teams)
The Learning Lab and Design Studio (focusing on program design)
or the Coaching Biz Growth Lab (focusing on  business development)

I'm very excited to announce the release of the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner for Virtual and Remote Professionals. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon and will be released on December 14, 2018. Check it out and pick up your copy now!

Perhaps you are:
* a full time remote or virtual team member, connecting with team members across the country or the world
* a professional who works from home several times a week, connecting physically with the office 1-2 times a week or month
* the owner of a virtual business, enjoying the #laptoplifestyle OR
* in the process of creating a side-gig that embraces the freedom of a non-brick and mortar environment

Part workbook, part planner, it’s geared for virtual and remote team members, leaders and virtual businesses. Based on the success of the release of the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner I launched in July, I’ve customized the workbook for the virtual and remote team space.  As many of you may know, I'm a former virtual team leader and program manager myself, operating and leading teams remotely since the 1990s (pre-internet days!). Direct and indirect support through coaching, training and consulting to virtual and global teams and organizations has been a mainstay of my company, Potentials Realized, since I opened the doors in April 2004. I'm so excited to finally have a resource I can offer for those working remote and virtual!
It’s an analog, desk sized calendar, 288 pages in length, to reflect the importance of having one “Go to” resource to place your “To Dos”, project ideas, content plans and monthly reflections.
Divided into four sections, the workbook  (100 pages) covers:
Virtual and Remote Business Foundations – for teams and also businesses. This includes a series of skill checks and some of the latest stats on virtual and remote work.
The Primer – A dozen practical and tactical tips and focus areas which you can integrate into your work,  business and/or share with  your team.
Marketing Essentials – Whether we are sharing what our virtual team is doing, positioning our services, or going out to promote on social media, the marketing essentials section covers the foundations of business planning, and covers 9 promotional vehicles virtual providers may use to get the word out about what they do. Given the virtual space, it's likely that leaders and team members may also be the "Face" of their organization, locally. While it's termed "marketing", advocacy is a large part of what we do in representing the brands we work for.

The Ecosystem – At the heart of a successful virtual team, business or leader is ourselves. The Ecosystem section focuses on who YOU are as a leader – your strengths, values and opportunities. This section has evolved out of the Inner Business leader Virtual Retreats I have hosted for years.
 
The planner section covers Annual, Quarterly and Monthly planning resources, along with a robust content planning section. Including more than 28 resources you’ll find:
·         Monthly Trackers – to track different elements for your business
·         Annual project planners
·         Quarterly Reviews
·         Monthly In Focus
·        Content Creation Resources

I look forward to hearing how you, and others you work with, enjoy the planner. Do share your comments and reviews, please!

For more support in these areas, do check out the PlanDoTrack Virtual Retreats I run on a regular basis. These 4 hour hands-on productivity virtual sessions are geared to get you planning, doing and tracking your most important business projects. Click here to learn more and join us. Upcoming dates include December 20, 2018 and January 8, 2019. Click here to learn more and register.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized 
Author of multiple books including Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), Coaching Business Builder (2018) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013)
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder 
Join us for a year-end virtual planning retreat!
Pre-order a copy of the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner for Virtual and Remote Professionals on Amazon (Available December 14). Check it out here.​