Blog Archives

My experience journaling. how it will help you become more productive!

3/22/2021

Get your tasks done, one then three...maybe five.

3/14/2021

Fill your spirit...with souls.

3/12/2021

I have begun to get my weekend effectiveness back. Sometimes that includes time to do "nothing". Or whatever you or I want to do. Last week I met with some friends who are writers. It was amazing and we had an authentic conversation about writing and the trials and tribulations of our days in this era. We chatted about everything from race, to politics, to our common struggle and shared experience. These topics are usually "Third rails" or "off limits" in some groups. I really appreciated the candor and the being in the "now" with these friends. I love being a creative. My mind speeds up. My emotions heighten. I feel words more acutely. It and I felt and feel marvelous. This weekend, you probably have a list of items that you or someone else created. Get those things completed but don't beat yourself if it all doesn't get done. The point of a productivity system is to capture what you need, want, and wish to do. It is not to do it all on any given day. Take a moment, an hour, or half a day to just be with another soul. Really be with them. I guarantee you will feel your own spirit filled and energy replenished.

The day..., and prayer

3/8/2021

One of the key things I've incorporated into my productivity life is prayer. Prayer not for myself but for this world (I know, I'm in the world). I do share the gratitude for all things and those who are on this spinning globe. I also hope to have an open mindset as the day commences. You never know what it will bring you. I was in a borderline argument with someone early in the morning. It wasn't pretty. Shortly thereafter, I had a senior executive give me recognition on a call with thousands of people. People were hitting me up most of the day, but I kept thinking about the morning. I prayed (got on my knees) for the person I had a disagreement with. I dug deep (detective work) to find out that there was a hidden X (look for a future post on this topic) that had stressed them out and they were reacting. Most of us do some type of prayer or meditation each day. Doing it early and often gives you the foundation for a productive day. It allows you to weather your ups and downs and stay focused. Remember, hit me up at info@winstonawilson.com if I can help you in any way.

The war on paper. part two

3/7/2021

I shared last time about how I scan papers and why that is important. You might have be asking about what do I do with the scans? I categorize everything by time and title. For example: A file could be called " 030721 TBT War on Paper 2". I recommend categorizing by months first. In the old days, I had a ticklar file that I used to put physical papers in to get them off my desk. For me it is easier to remember things by time and title. Using a storage system that is online is a great idea. You may already use some the below examples:

Dropbox: it costs a bit over a hundred bucks a year for two terabytes. I recommend this is you have lots of videos you want to archive.
Office 365: If you a subscription it comes with and I think about one terabyte. It does keep your files within the Microsoft ecosystem (mostly).
Apple: Apple comes with a small amount if you have a phone for free (and email address). They have tiered pricing for storage. I believe you get about 20GB free. This adds up fast if you have an Iphone with a bunch of apps, podcasts, backups, and pictures.
Google Drive: If you have a Gmail account you get 15GB free. I recommend as a starter that this amount of storage can hold a ton of documents. Photos used to be unlimited and free. I think that is only true now if you have a Google phone.

I know others like Yahoo and other email accounts have free storage plans. In a nutshell if you have a device, you have some storage. Like I shared in the last post, most phones and tablets will scan papers in a way that is searchable. Another bit of advice is to get a shredder. Do not have old sensitive documents or cards lying around. ID theft is real. So any paper that is something with information on it (like an insurance policy for example), should be shredded. Other papers I put in the recycling bin.. You will be amazed hope paper you can recycle once you start to segment. In the final part on the war on paper, I will talk about is becoming a dreaded word, "Printers".

Does you or your organization need a productivity makeover? Email me at tbt@winstonawilson.com.

"Your time is your life!" -Winston

the war on paper, part one

3/1/2021

THE WAR ON PAPER

For me one of the biggest time sucks, is the clerical life that many of use when it comes to paper. These next few posts, I will share some of the ways I try to combat the mountain of paper that can accumulate in our lives.

Scan it! I use an app called "Scannable" for critical papers. When I scan it, it can become searchable in tools like Evernote. I believe Apple Notes, Bear, and Google Drive have similar abilities. I could just say scan everything and it will solve everything. It won't, but it's start. I recommend scanning documents you may have to reference or access via a device. I once scanned the warranty for battery for car. The battery died. I took it back to the store (short period of time, a couple of months). They had no record of me or my warranty that I purchased. I shared my clear image and they honored it. I know it's a bizarre example, but it was better than having a file folder draw (The old Winston), that I would have to dig through to find a piece of paper.

Next I will tell you a thought (or two) on what to do with the images.

Finding ways to save you minutes at a time, it adds up -Winston