Left behind

Getting things done by David Allen.

Do you ever get overwhelmed by your To Do List before the day actually arrives?
Or am I the only one?

As I read this book I can't help but feel it's highlighting all my current to do tasks and outstanding projects (oops) in big red capital letters. It's making me feel anxious and sort of guilty like a kid being found out.

But what's really happening is that I am being confronted with the reality of what I can potentially accomplish today or not. I know when I truly focus on something the possibilities are HUGE. I know we've heard this before.

In the last 24 hours I have created my avatar on Second Life, replied to a lot of business people around the world through Ecademy (so excited about it! but it's been on my one day to do list for a while) and do my day to day tasks.

Where do I find the time? This book will show you how to tackle these things below. Like anything in life we've got to apply effort (sorry :( no magic potion but stick at it and I'm sure you'll notice your unleashed creative potential for an uncluttered mind).

1.Do it now
2.Delegate it
3.Defer it
4 Reassess goals and stay focused in changing situations
5.Plan and unstick projects
6.Overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety and being overwhelmed
7. Feel fine about what you're not doing

You become what you think!

Ecademy

When was the last time you wanted to work on your business or take time out to do a "vital" to do? I'm going to boast because I did it today!

I decided to work from home, tune out completely and sign up to a very cool global business network website Ecademy.

I'm passionate and curious about social networking and how it's evolving and transforming the way we communicate and do business online. As I was setting up my profile on Ecademy, Mustapha Amnay Bouga from Casablanca read my profile along with 2 other people. I sent a message to say Hi. A bit later we exchanged skype address, we found out about each other's businesses and he introduced me to another kiwi business owner here in Auckland. Crazy? Apparently Normal!

They say there's 6 degrees of separation between us and other people. Is it less online do you think? This website has the potential to connect your business to other like minded business people. I joined today for the first time. Great feeling!

If you invest the time I totally and absolutely recommend it. It's free and it's global. Why wouldn't you?

Do me a favour. If you sign up, drop me a line and I'll make sure to say Hi.
Visit ecademy

Human touch

We were at the Media Relations conference held by Conferenz last week. They kindly put us up for the night at the Duxton Hotel. The next day we decided to check out and try the Booklovers bed and breakfast in Mt Victoria because we love books.

We arrived fuming at the taxi driver for almost driving us to Haitaitai instead of Mt Victoria despite desperate efforts to spell the street name 3 times, repeating the street address etc (? go figure). We were cold, tired and it was getting late we just wanted to get warm.

Once we opened the door, we were greeted by this sanctuary. I instantly knew we made the right decision; the taxi experience was already a distant memory.

Jane Tolerton (owner, author, journalist, talented lady) has thought of everything down to the little details: home made chocolate chip cookies in jars placed along the hallways (which i loved and needed at the time) extra tubs of milk, assorted teas and coffee were available in and outside the rooms. It was just wonderful.

In the morning Jane had the table set out so nicely for a choice of a cooked breakfast, continental breakfast, muffins... you name we had it.

Everywhere you looked was yesteryear in the best possible way. Over the 2 days we met the other guests. We exchanged stories, took photos, they even dropped Simon and I off in town for our morning appointment. Jane could write a book about the interesting people she's had breakfast with. You never know who you'll be talking to.

I can go on and on and you obviously can tell that I really enjoyed staying at the Booklovers b&b. I was telling everyone I came across in Wellington that if you love books then you've got to sample the warm and generous hospitality Jane offers.

What a difference! The Duxton Hotel and Jane's booklovers bed and breakfast.

Why do you think I'm raving about booklovers instead of the Duxton? If you've noticed, I haven't said anything negative about the Duxton hotel. But I believe the booklovers had the "the human touch!".

At the end of our stay we exchanged business cards, took photos of each other and I ended up borrowing a wonderful book called Life's a Pitch by Stephen Bayley & Roger Mavity. I will always stay at booklovers bed & breakfast. It shouldn't be a best kept secret!

A young English man once came to live in the community led by Ghandi. When assigned to clean toilets, he protested, "Don't you know who I am? I have great things to do." Ghandi replied, "I know you can do great things; what I don't know is if you can do little things."

The next time you offer your clients customer experience, look for ways to "WOW" them. It's often the little things that matter the most.