A change of pace to boost productivity

Time management is a lifelong challenge for most of us.  The exercise of getting organized is often a knee-jerk reaction, and in practice taking charge of our own calendar is a process, not an event.  While blocking off calendar time is a good first step, I've found that literally changing the pace and focus of my work throughout the day helps to generate some monumental productivity gains. 

As a runner, we know that in order to optimize our performance we need to employ a number of different workouts.  Running at the same speed is a recipe for burnout and diminishing returns.  We mix up our workouts to help keep us sharp - physically and mentally.  There is a place for those long, slow runs, but there are reasons why we amp it up with a tempo run, or when we really want to take it up a notch, some intervals on the track. 

There is a physical and mental aspect to work, so why can't we create similar exercises for getting things done at the office?   Here are some time hacks you use to mix things up, borrowing some of our lessons from running:

• The Interval Session.  On the track, we're running at a fast target pace for a defined distance and/or time.  Think in terms of running an 800 meter sprint.  There are few distractions, our mission is clear, and our focus is sharp.  All of our energy is focused on what it takes to get to the finish line.  Transfer this mentality to the office, and you will love the results.  I read about a time blocking idea called the "Pomodoro Technique", which involves setting a timer for 20 minutes and focusing only on that one task.  I literally set a kitchen timer on my desk and allow myself to only focus on one thing.  For me, my interval workout at the office is cleaning up email at the beginning of each day.  Most often, I've got my email box organized and down to one screen, all before the timer rings.  Sometimes that used to take me all day!

 

• The Tempo Session.  This is a longer run than an interval run, but as the name suggests, at a spirited tempo.  It's focused, timed, and done with a purpose – to help lock in a faster pace, or for work purposes, knock out a list of to-do items.  I've employed this technique with external-focused tasks, such as setting appointments and client follow-ups.  I schedule an hour for myself to fire up my CRM and calendar and shut down my other windows to get my schedule set.

I've kept these sessions focused and distraction-free, and I've been pleasantly surprised at the outcomes.  Running at the same pace all of the time won't make you a better runner, and working at the same pace without structure and boundaries won't make you more efficient and effective at the office.  With a little creativity and discipline, your goal of being a better time manager just got a whole lot easier!

Find more articles and updates at http://runningatthespeedofbusiness.blogspot.com/ and http://businessaccelerated.blogspot.com/

Running for good

Martin Luther King Day is a celebration of the life and work of generations of people, recognizing how far we've come, but also how far we have yet to go. It's more than a day off work – it's a day to remember, pay tribute to a great American, and get out and do something positive for the community.

On my Monday run this week I ran past a few kids picking up trash in the neighborhood. Normally, they would be at school, and I wondered if the community service was part of a MLK-inspired spirit. As I often do, I started thinking about the opportunities we have every day to make a difference in our community, and I started thinking about all of the things the running community does to strengthen the neighborhoods we live in.

I've participated in dozens of races, from the tiny school fundraisers to giant marathons. In between, I've raised money for playgrounds, preventing human trafficking, First Responders, cancer research, AIDS projects, animal welfare, housing for Veterans, and pool safety awareness, just to name a few. Almost every race out there donates some of their proceeds to charity, and that adds up!

As distance running became more popular and race bibs became tougher to get, race directors decided to reserve a few coveted spots for charity runners. In exchange for a fundraising, an aspiring marathoner could gain entry to Boston, Chicago, New York.  A 5-hour marathoner won't qualify for any of these, and without a little bit of luck in the lottery, they may not otherwise have a chance at running in these events. Today there are thousands of runners that gain entry every year to races, each raising thousands of dollars each.  Depending on the race, a charity runner may need to raise anywhere from $500 to $4,000.

Think about how much money runners generate for our communities. Sure, our races shut down a few streets for a few hours every now and then. That may be an inconvenience for a few bystanders and nearby residents, but they probably have no idea what good is being done for the communities they live in. According to the New York Marathon, the 2014 race included 8,500 charity runners who raised $34.5 million – all of that money goes directly to dozens of accredited charities. The marathon also donated approximately 26 tons of discarded clothing from the race, and they sent that to Goodwill.

As a runner, I am proud that my hobby and passion can generate some good for the communities I live and work in. There's more to the story, however. The dedicated race organizers and volunteers – not to mention the Police, Fire, and EMT's that work the events - that make these events a reality never seem to get the credit they deserve. On this special week when we honor a great American, I'm grateful for those in my community who work hard to improve our neighborhoods each and every day.

Find more articles and updates at http://runningatthespeedofbusiness.blogspot.com/ and http://businessaccelerated.blogspot.com/

Breaking through plateaus with cross training

In my years of running I have learned one of the most important realities of personal growth - where there is progress, there is likely a plateau ahead.  Whether it be physical, mental, or some of both, our body does a great job of adapting to what we ask it to do, and we're not seeing the net gains we became accustomed to.  What can we do to avoid the dreaded plateau?

As runners, we want to "raise the bar", and early returns (often leaps and bounds) in our training provides a sense of confidence and raise expectations.  Shaving minutes off a race time is not uncommon at first, but we soon learn, our training efforts do not necessarily produce linear results over the long term.  Our results feel like a series of peaks and valleys, rather than a steady climb.  Those minutes we shave off our times reduce to seconds, and further incremental gains are even tougher to achieve.  The training "plateaus" we experience are common, and in many cases, we see performance declines during the plateau stage.  That can be frustrating, and often leaves us wondering what we are doing wrong.

I've had the opportunity to work with a number of coaches over my years of training, and there is a reason why investing in coaching works.  Simply put, doing more of the same won't always help take my training to the next level.  I've had two significant breakthroughs in my running career - the first was breaking a 3-year decline in marathon performance, and the second was bucking the trend once again and breaking through the 4-hour marathon mark.  After a ho-hum 2015 marathon, I realized that I was on another plateau, and I wanted to change things up a bit.
 
My current coaches, Simon Escorcia and Tristan Mitchell at Denver-based RunColo Training have helped me integrate a number of time-tested workouts over the past two years, and now we've added some non-running exercises into my normal routine to help me find the "next gear" of personal performance.  I've seen gains already.  From a physical standpoint I feel great, and perhaps more importantly, it's helped my mental outlook.  It's 15 degrees and snowing as I write this, and I'm headed out this afternoon for yet another winter "dreadmill" workout.  The WOD's I'm doing during the week break up the monotony of the treadmill, and provide a dose of the feeling of progress that we all strive for.  I'm hopeful that my winter cross-training will change the trajectory of my training in the spring when I add more mileage.

Our bodies are amazing machines that are great at adapting to new challenges.  What worked last year may not be the recipe for success this year.  Don't be afraid to mix a few new things to your weekly schedule to strengthen your body, physically and mentally.  Hopefully that extra work today will give you that "next gear" at mile 20 this fall!


Find more articles and updates at http://runningatthespeedofbusiness.blogspot.com/ and http://businessaccelerated.blogspot.com/

Resolutions - improve your chances of achieving success!

The New Year resolution – is it a fresh start, a new goal, or just a fleeting dream?  We are all guilty, at one time or another, of swinging and missing on our lofty New Year goals. 

 

Running was once a New Year resolution for me, and it's one that I've actually followed through on (we won't discuss the countless ones that I did not!).  Way back then, my goal was to run the Bolder Boulder, a 10k race.  I finished, but the goal itself was not the reason why it worked.  It was the structure - my online training program - that helped make the goal a reality.  Credit the Hal Higdon beginner 10k running program for that helping me achieve that goal!  The races and distances have changed over the years, but making sure that I had the structure in place has always been there.

With that in mind, I asked myself this: why can't I employ the same structure for all of my goals?   If I want to earn more money, then what do I need to do to make that happen?  If I want to spend more time with family and friends, then how do I plan to do that?

 
We have big goals, and we set them for a reason.  It is important to invest time and energy into how we can make those goals achievable.  I have resolved to follow three simple rules:
 

1.      Set goals that are meaningful and identify how they will directly enhance your life and relationships.  It's one thing to want to lose weight.  It's another to want to surprise your doctor at your next physical, or commit to health for the sake of your children.  Tying goals to meaningful events and/or people create a deeper meaning and level of personal responsibility.

2.      Break down large goals into smaller, measurable goals.  This is your path to success.  For example, to build my personal brand in 2016, I need to make sure I'm connecting with a certain amount of people per week, per day, per hour, etc.  Little things add up!

3.      Write it down!  Commit to it, and post it where you will see it every day.  Tell people about it, and ask them to help you stay accountable to yourself.  Make it your source of daily inspiration.

 
Allow your goals and checkpoints to be the "training program" to help you achieve your goals, and refer back to it early and often.

Here's to a healthy and prosperous New Year!