Colleagues,

My friend and long-time reader, Chris Stuckey, asked me what my ideal day looked like. After sharing, he encouraged me to write about it. I hope you will be able to do two things after reading it:

1. Tighten your daily routines
2. Incorporate quadrant 2 work into each day

 
Remember, this is an ideal day, not a typical one!
 

• Wake up early
• Meditate
• Yoga
• Read (spiritual)
• Read (professional)
• Check calendar, scan email, and to-do list
• Create the day’s MVP. The day will be a success if I get these three things done. My MVPs are usually quadrant 2 tasks.
• Communications: Reply to simple emails, engage in collaborative workspaces, tweet
• Shower, dress, etc…
• Begin working on MVPs
• Between MVPs, take care of quadrant one tasks

 

1. My MVPs should not consume the entire day. They are just the big rocks and everything else (the to-do list) will fill in around them naturally. 
2. My quadrant 2 work focuses largely on developing content (trainings, programming, emails, etc…).

 
For your Friday reflection:

1. What kind of work constitutes quadrant 2 for you?
2. Which parts of your day are usually unscheduled?
3. How can you use those times to focus on quadrant 2 work?
4. What sequences of tasks can build momentum?
5. What tasks break your momentum?

 
Sharing is caring, so please either reply to or forward this email!
 
Do good and be well,
 
Frederick

Colleagues,

This is the last of three emails on cell phones and productivity. In case you missed it, you can find the first message here and the second one here. I’m trying to be better at avoiding multi-day email sequences, but I couldn’t figure out a better way to help us all reflect on our relationships with our phones. 
 
Today is for your reflection.
 

1. Did you accept my 24-hour challenge?
2. If you did, why?
3. If you didn’t, why not?
4. How did the challenge impact:
   1. Your concentration?
   2. Your presence?
   3. Your energy?
   4. Your productivity?
   5. Your happiness?

 
Here are some rules I’m now trying to follow:

• All alerts on my phone are off, always, except for texts and calls.
• In the morning, I only to use my phone for the meditation and yoga apps, nothing else (my microwave has a clock on it).
• I am on a news blackout until 5 pm each day (this goes beyond the cell phone).
• I will not use my phone for anything except texts and calls until 5 pm.

 
So far, my rules are working for me. That does not mean they will work for you or for anyone else. 
 
Are you considering developing your own rules? Would you be willing to share them with me? You can click here to open an email to me. Type and send, then we both have copies!
 
Do good and be well,
 
Frederick

Colleagues,
​
How long is 24 hours? I ask because I have a challenge for you.
 
Yesterday, I shared my reflections on my own cell phone habits. Based on those reflections I changed the way I interact with my phone for three days and I am shocked at the magnitude of the impact. It has been a game-changer.
 
So today, I have a 24-hour challenge for you.
 
Do these four things for 24 hours:

1. Turn all alerts off on your phone.
2. Do not look at your phone unless you are making a call. This includes while you are in the bathroom, while you eat, etc… Better yet, leave your phone behind when you use the loo, get something to drink, eat, etc… No scrolling!
3. Replace your phone with your computer for as many functions as possible (email, calendar, etc…) 
4. Identify a specific segment of time during your workday that you need to be very focused and put your phone on “do not disturb.” 

 
Number four may be particularly traumatic for some of you, so just try it for 10 or 15 minutes. It doesn’t need to be a long time. The point of the exercise is to shut everything out long enough for you to have a meaningful chunk of completely uninterrupted time. Fifteen minutes is enough.
 
Twenty-four hours. What have you got to lose?
 
Do good and be well,
 
Frederick

Colleagues,
​
“Fields back in the shotgun. He looks over the defense. This is a big third down and… wait. What? The quarterback has his cell phone out and he seems to be… texting?!?”
 
Young William’s brow furrows in concentration as he composes his masterpiece. “To be, or not to be, that…” He pauses as his vibrating phone signals breaking news. Later he wonders, “What was the question?”
 
Ayshe takes a final deep breath. “That is why, ladies and gentlemen, today we are unveiling… wait…” Pulls out cell phone and mumbles to self, “three new guitar tabs just dropped... awesome!” Returning gaze to crowd, “What was I saying?”
 
Are any of these scenarios reasonable? 
 
**Wait time for reflection**

Colleagues,

I am so excited!
 
I had a consulting call last week with the leadership team of the Early Childhood Center in Lexington School District 4 (South Carolina).  Principal Lisa Evans, Assistant Principal Gina Stevens, and Instructional Coach Melissa Redd made my day.
 
They want to grow a specific group of teachers who are all teaching virtually. These teachers are “rock stars” and likely future leaders, so Lisa and her team asked if I would be able to train these teachers in the principles of strategic leadership and strategic action cycles.
 
That alone is exciting, but as we talked about the process and a timeline, Lisa shared, “This isn’t an emergency. We have as long as we need. This is for the future.”
 
This is a powerful example of a strategic leader operating in quadrant 2!