One Easy Way to Fail

I enjoyed an article in INC Magazine recently titled, “How Hard Could It Be?: Five Easy Ways to Fail” by Joel Spolsky – The article mentioned five reasons technology projects go wrong. In line with the message of Juggling Elephants was Mistake No. 5: Work till midnight. Some highlights from the article are:

• “There's a whole body of literature establishing that working more hours doesn't produce software any faster. Edward Yourdon, the software entrepreneur and author, dubbed this kind of project the ‘death march.’”

• “Software development takes immense intellectual effort. Even the best programmers can rarely sustain that level of effort for more than a few hours a day. Beyond that, they need to rest their brains a bit.”

• “Compelling employees to spend even more hours sitting in front of a computer won't really translate into more output--or if it does, it will be the wrong kind of output.”

• “Running a death march is not the only way to make a project late and a budget buster. But it is a surefire way to do so.”

I think the same concepts apply to “non-programmers” as well. A lot of times we feel that if we work longer hours we will be more productive and get more done. The reality is that the law of diminishing returns applies. We need to take daily intermissions and “rest our brains a bit”. We need to maintain a good performance in all the rings of our life. A good, focused, 8 hour day will deliver better results in the long run.

The Value of the Quad Pen

One tip that I have found to be simple but helpful in managing my 3 ring circus is to use a quad-pen on a master calendar. A quad pen has 3 colors of ink (black, blue and red) and a pencil all built into the same writing device. I write all of the activities going on in my life on one calendar but I use the colors from the quad pen to differentiate the three rings of my life. I use black for my business appointments, blue for my personal activities and red for the activities that relate to my relationships. I use the pencil for appointments that are tentative and have not yet confirmed.

This method keeps my calendar organized but also gives me a great visual way of seeing what is going on and where my rings are having conflicts. A real danger is having multiple calendars that are not in sync (like a work calendar, a pocket calendar and a family calendar). One organized calendar will reduce the stress of wondering what ring I should be in and when. If you use an electronic device or PC for your calendar, the same concept works using color labels.

The Happy Employee

I usually see myself as a “the glass is half full” type of person or at least I try to be. I think that optimism and enthusiasm go a long way toward creating quality performances – especially at work. I like this quote my Norman Vincent Peale, “Think enthusiastically about everything; but especially about your job. If you do, you’ll put a touch of glory in your life. If you love your job with enthusiasm, you’ll shake it to pieces. You’ll love it into greatness.” We spend a lot of time and a good deal of our lives working. We might as well spend the time chasing greatness, being passionate and creating a love for the work that we do.

Little Things Mean A Lot

I was recently listening to the radio when the oldie but goodie song, “Little Things Mean A Lot” came on. For some reason, the lyrics reached out and grabbed me:

Give me your arm as we cross the street

Call me at six on the dot

A line a day when you're far away

Little things mean a lot

Give me your hand when I've lost my way

Give me your shoulder to cry on

Whether the day is bright or gray

Give me your heart to rely on

A little sappy? Maybe. But I was reminded of how important doing the “little things” can be to building our relationships. Simple things such as speaking kind words, reading to a child, doing something without being asked and a simple phone call to just say, “Hello.” Small things that can make a big difference.

Simple Reminders

A 3x5 card in your pocket, on the wall of your cubicle, or on your bathroom mirror can act as a great tool to help keep you focused on what matters most. Write your goals on a card and attach it to your mirror - you will start your day reminding yourself of the things that you should be working on. Write an inspirational thought on a card and hang it on your wall for when you need a little boost. Carry quotes on a card that you want to memorize for when you are stuck in traffic or waiting in a doctor’s office with nothing to do - you will find you will have them down in no time. These simple reminders will help improve the quality of your circus.