How to Structure Your Day so That God Shows Up

As my seminary professors turn over in disgust at this post's title, I fully acknowledge that (theologically speaking) God is already everywhere.  No need to await His arrival and yet our mindfulness of God is at times lacking.

So how do you structure your day so that an awareness of God is more consistent?  Here are some tips:

  • Cultivate Am quiet time.  Grab your coffee and a solitary spot and just be.  Read the Scriptures, do your journaling and get centered for the day.  Invite God into your concerns and hopes for the day.

  • Hit the road with prayer.  A good practice before commuting is to say a little prayer- for safety, for others on the road, for a good use of time.

  • Take a break.  I always ask my wife after a busy day, "Did you take some time for yourself today?" Whether it's a walk around the block or an afternoon cup of tea, a break is a little way of practicing Sabbath wherever you already are.

  • Examine your conscience.  At the end of the day, take stock of how well you did as a person and as a worker.  Was mediocrity the norm or were there some moments of excellence?


God's already there.  Now it's our turn to show up and show out- for His glory.

4 Can't Miss Reads for the Spiritual Worker

A Look Inside my Lists

For better or worse, I chaperone a number of dances each year.  These usually leave me feeling old, somewhat disheartened and wondering where all of those slow-dance songs of my own childhood have gone.  Things are different now, including how young men meet young women.

The aquisition of phone numbers occupies a great deal of attention nowadays at dances.  Instead of a handsome pad of paper (very professional, no?), kids have cell phones which serve as the collection bucket for phone numbers. Before you roll your eyes at teenage behavior, let me suggest that their methods reveal a sophisticated method of list keeping.

CAPTURE THE INFO

Capturing information in a trusted system (see my post on lists) makes sense.  The mind can only remember so much at one time so any number of "buckets" become necessary.  Post it notes, pads of paper, iPhones, PDA's, voice recorders- the list goes on.  For teens, the cell phone is the capture tool of choice.  It's quick, allows for instant follow up and has a trendy vibe.  Who can forget the first Moto Razr phones?  You just wanted one even if you already had another cell phone- it was that cool.

A GTD CONNECTION

David Allen's GTD methodology is big on list keeping and capturing data into trusted systems.   I've been listening to his GTD Live! audio set and my motivation to cultivate lists has only increased.  The goal of this is not only to be able to touch the data at a later time but to clear the head so as to focus on more important things.  A 2007 Wired interview put it this way,
"Allen says his goal is to be free from worrying about anything he has to do. His techniques allow him the pleasure of having, much of the time, nothing on his mind. 'People are afraid of the void, afraid of negative space,' he says. 'But having nothing on your mind is one of the most awesome experiences.'"

MY CURRENT LISTS

Which lists am I currently maintaining?  Here are a few:

  • Around the house- 2 hour projects

  • Around the house- more than a day projects

  • Blog post ideas

  • Books to buy

  • By summer's end

  • Computer tasks

  • Craigs List/Ebay

  • Errands

  • Hardware store

  • Library- books to check out

  • Magazine subscriptions

  • Nice to have

  • Office

  • Online sites and articles to read

  • Phone calls

  • Someday/maybe

  • Supermarket

  • Why Catholic invites


I check these lists about once a week, some more often.  I've found a tremendous freedom in knowing that I have a system that I can trust for idea incubation, triggers to remember things, and blue-sky thinking.

APPLYING THE PRINCIPLE

As you consider your own life, it's a good time to evaluate your own list-keeping system.  How much do you trust your own lists?  How often do you check them?  If you're like me, I bet that an increased dedication to list-keeping will pay off and move you closer to a clear mind.  List-keeping is very contemplative and helps to appreciate the many blessings of daily life.

*Photo by sunshinecity

Introducing the Theological Virtue of Hope

It's amazing how something small can boost your spirits.  My wife and I have an annual tradition of watching the HGTV dream home presentation on New Year's Day.  Something so small captures a bit of our attention and makes that one day somehow more memorable.

There might be small milestones in a given week that, in and of themselves add a bit of encouragement to your schedule.  A family might gather each Friday for popcorn and a movie.  A single person might visit with friends each Wednesday for breakfast before work.  Ordinary events that can add something helpful to any given week.

INTRODUCING THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUE OF HOPE

The Christian tradition has long held that three main virtues rule over all the rest- faith, hope and love.  St. Paul, in 1st Corinthians 13:1-13 even gives his thesis on love.  Who can forget Robert DeNiro in The Mission who recites these same verses as a symbol of his changing life.

There's just something about hope which instills positive vibes, even in a community that has been down of late.  I recently met a man who serves on the board of trustees at a prominent high school in Manhattan.  He told me how the board had spent nearly two years on a head of school search process.  Nearing the end, the community can sense that something good- someone good- is about to bring the community to a higher place.

Just this past week, I knew that a sample copy of Margaret Benefiel's new book was in the mail.  When Soul of a Leader arrived in the mail, my waiting (my hope) came to fruition.  Hope's follow through now rests in my own reading of what is sure to become a classic for faith-and-work folks everywhere.

THREE STEPS TOWARD GREATER HOPE

How can you insert more hope into a given week?  First, I would inventory what you currently look forward to each week. Take note and enjoy that simple thing.  For years, I would visit a Dunkin Donuts on my way to work- but only on Tuesdays.  That ordinary, mundane ritual added a little something into my busy schedule.  Whether it's a special meal, a simple habit or a place you like to visit, practice that routine over and over again.  It's adding hope to your spirit and to your schedule.

Second, I think that it's a good idea to pray for an increase in hope. Ask the Lord to cultivate more positive energy in your life and more things to look forward to in your calendar.  Remember what Dale Carnegie said about hope, "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

Third and finally, consider each struggle as an opportunity to grow in hope. What's going badly right now that you can let God step into?  What communication gap is causing you to be stressed?  It could be that your stress and struggle is just what God needs to inject hope and optimism.  The next time you are about to blow your stack or utter a cuss word, take a breath and let hope carry the day.  Or at least the moment.

Here's to a hopeful week.

*Photo by Cobalt123

10 Ways to Collaborate in a Down Economy

Collaboration is hot once again, but this time for more dire reasons.  People are fighting to keep their jobs and scared of losing their livelihood.  With a down economy, collaborative folks have an advantage.  With each act of collaboration, they add value to themselves and expand their sphere of influence.

Here are 10 ways to collaborate in a down economy:

  1. Prepare more thoroughly for meetings.  This may seem basic (and it is) but too many folks simply show up and forget that they also have to show out.  By reviewing meeting minutes, asking insightful questions and being nice to colleagues, the collaborative guy/gal gets more done via meetings.

  2. Follow up wherever and whenever needed.  Think of all of the areas at home and at work where you can follow up.  The next time you promise to do something ("let me get back to you" or "I'll send you that email contact"), write it down and then process your notes later in the day.

  3. Go the extra mile, especially when it's not expected.  Do the small things that separate you from the average worker.  Make the call, write the note, do the research.  Surprise others with your exemplary customer service.

  4. Reach out to those who are struggling.  Few things are remembered more than when a person reaches out to someone in need.  Attend the funeral, viewing or memorial service.  Aid someone who is having a tough time.

  5. Line yourself up for a hot project.  What new endeavor at work can you be a part of?

  6. (Work) outside the box. You've heard of thinking outside the box?  Now try working outside your own facility by doing freelance work on the side.  This is a great way to stay fresh in your field and earn some extra income.

  7. Social network with people you'll never meet. Experiment with Twitter if you do nothing else in the next year.  David Allen has been on Twitter for nearly two weeks and has 100,000 followers.  That's a wow in my book.

  8. Publish for people you want to meet.  Volunteer to write an article for someone or some organization that you enjoy.  Many articles that I've published have come as a result of me reaching out to the publisher.  Don't wait for someone to discover you- become discovered through your own ingenuity.

  9. Blog because you can.  Blogging expands the creative capacity and gets things off your chest.  Try it out via Wordpress.com or Typepad.com.

  10. Listen empathically when you're tempted to give up. Above all other steps, be a listener. As someone who wants to collaborate, it's critical that you actually care about those around you.  People can spot a phony.  Dig in, get to know those around you and let your listening be a vehicle to care for them on a deeper level.


Photo by Challenge Business

Why Now is the Best Time to Get Things Done

SCENARIO

A grad student had only two days to complete his thesis and decided that he would get everything in order before launching into his work.  He first made sure that no one would disturb him so he created a sign for his door which read, "Work in progress, do not disturb".  Once this was done, he brewed a pot of coffee and tidied up his desk.  With java in hand, he settled in to work on what would be his masterpiece.

Except that his laptop battery wasn't fully charged- better put that on the list of items to complete before getting things done.

Then there was the call from his mother, inquiring about his progress.  10 minutes later and he was back at his desk, ready to work.  Sadly, the thesis would not be done by deadline and our beloved grad student was left scrambling for an extension.

Our friend had succombed to the age-old pitfall of perfectionism.

BEWARE OF NIBBLERS

When it comes to productivity, perfectionism can be a deadly bedfellow.  While it's not quite as dangerous as procrastination, it comes in a close second.  Our grad student caved to what Julie Morgenstern calls the "productivity nibblers".  These are the little actions that can easily sidetrack even the most productive person.

What kinds of well-intentioned actions did our friend give in to?

  • Making a sign for his door

  • Making some coffee

  • Charging his laptop

  • Talking to his mom on the phone


None of these are, on the surface, dangerous.  Who could argue that talking to mom on the phone isn't a good thing?  But if mom prevents you from getting your thesis done, drop the phone and get to work.

THE JUST DO IT MINDSET

A key to Getting Things Done thinking is to put yourself in the right context for productive work.  By keeping an up-to-date list of your agreements with self and others, you can bang out some useful tasks when the moment hits you.  It also means that you can put aside, even if just temporarily, some well-intentioned items in order to focus on what's really important right now.

Our grad student wanted to set the mood for his work to get done.  Nothing wrong with that.  The problem was that he put "mood setting" ahead of truly doing.  Before he knew it, hours had gone by and we can all relate to the thought of losing vast amounts of time to seemingly trivial actions.

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

What could our grad student have done differently?  First of all, starting is very important.  I would suggest that any task needs to get some momentum under its belt in order to really reach "done".  Our friend could have skipped the elaborate task of making a sign for his door and just closed the darn thing.  If someone knocked, just ignore it.

By using some preventative maintenance, his laptop could have been in charging mode.  Something as small as charging a cell phone or laptop can go a long way.  That's a behavioral action that anyone can learn.

One final suggestion- don't wait for productive energy to hit you.  Sure, the mood is important but if you're feeling like you have some want-to for cleaning the garage, know that it won't be with you for very long. Jump right in and enjoy your desire to get things done.

This awareness of your own productive psyche is what usually separates the champs from those who wished they had more time to get things done.  Set yourself up for success by always having a capture tool on hand- a notebook, a smartphone, a voice recorder, etc.  That way, when inspiration hits, you're ready to handle just about anything.

Photo by Ayalan