All posts filed under: Time Management

Are you losing your mind?

Published by Colin Nanka

Are you losing your mind?    In this great episode Dr. Michael Gervais interviews Nelson Dellis, a Grand Master of memory.   If you are finding it difficult to keep things straight in your mind these days, this episode is for you.   Since covid, and working a ton on zoom meetings (maybe from getting a little bit older), I find the memory recall is not as good as it used to be!   How to Master Memory   Nelson is a 5X USA memory champion. He’s an athlete of the mind! He has remembered up to 907 digits and 9 decks of cards!   A very unique dialogue and I think you will enjoy it. Defeating Average. Colin

This is a story that is just beginning 

Published by Colin Nanka

50 percent of people are re-examining there lives    40 percent of people are experiencing some sort of mental health impact from the Pandemic    Employees satisfied with their work life balance attend 25% few meetings    We are on a long journey that is just beginning.    How can we all help one another?   Listen Be curious a little bit longer when people are sharing with you    Learn Be willing to relearn how to live in this environment  Ask more questions  Be more selfish with your well-being    Live  Focus on what is best for you and your family  Find the best way to recover  Answer: what is something that would bring me joy today?   Be well

Here’s the rarest type of employee—and why they outperform everyone else

Published by Colin Nanka

It was after two years of really great success for me and then two years of failure that had me look in the mirror and reevaluate how I approached business. My secret sauce of being a great hardware seller hit a wall in 2008 when every purchase by customers was scrutinized to the nth degree. I realized I need to learn more…myself, from my peers and other people in the industry. I had some solid skills and was not sharing what I knew freely with other people. One day I decided I was going to give away my best ideas to my peers (and who I somewhat saw as competitors), pay it forward, and ask for help in the process. What I quickly realized is my two hot pieces of secret sauce were dwarfed in a good way by the 10 nuggets of wisdom I quickly got back. From that day forward #growthmindset was my number one focus. I believe we are at this inflection point again. The world is too complex and companies are …

Are you an imposter?

Published by Colin Nanka

I think we all are at some point. This discussion has been coming up more and more recently. Are you handling the pandemic ok? Yes, I mean nooo! How are you handling the scope of your new role? Great, I mean, ugg flailing! You seem to be onboarding your new team well and meeting customer expectations. Yes, I am! Noooo, I am struggling to keep up! Does this sound like you at all? We all have a lot on our plate right now and may feel like an imposter balancing our job, our pandemic life, and our family. It’s ok to say, woe, it’s a lot right now and sometimes I am on the struggle bus. People appreciate honesty. Personally, some days I feel like I have it nailed and the next day, I don’t at all! What is important during these times? Be gentle with yourself, it’s ok to admit…even to others. Partner with other people who can help you get over the hump. Remember each day is a new day and with good …

Are you languishing AND flailing?

Published by Colin Nanka

I was listening to a great podcast from Dr Michael Gervais on Finding Mastery and he had a great guest Dr. Katie Milkman, who’s a behavioral scientist, and wrote a book recently with her focus “that optimism comes when you have a fresh start”.  Maybe it’s from a life event, or for something you’re striving for. Maybe it comes from pain, or you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. It can come at any time, it can be from different chapters in your life.  It can be after a rough quarter, a challenging month, a surprising week, and or sometimes daily focus.  I like to think I have fresh starts of some sort on a daily basis.  Optimism, even if you’re not always optimistic, we all have that ability to find it.  It can be that pivot point or that first timely start. I encourage you to think about that, think about the science, and be on the lookout for the opportunity.  Sometimes when you’re looking for it you find it or when …

Your Morning Checklist

Published by Colin Nanka

We are skipping ahead a little bit to what your Daily Metrics of Success and Habits of Resilience could look like! Early in the pandemic of 2020, I started to get micro-focused every day. Groundhog day was real…and still is! I got laser-focused and clear on what my morning routine was going to be and how I was going to set my day up for success. Here is the list in text below in case it gives you a starting point to copy: Morning 1. Did I complete 5+ minutes of morning meditation or mindfulness? 2. Did I get to sleep by 930pm? 3. Morning Questions What brings me energy and life? What are you happy about? What are you excited about? What does success look like today? 4. Daily Intention What are your intentions in 3-5 words? 5. Movement and Nature? Did you get outside for fresh air three times today? Did you move your body (walk, yoga, run, cycle) for at least 20 minutes today? Evening 1. What are two things I am grateful …

What Turns Goal Setting Into Action?

Published by Colin Nanka

I have long been big on setting new years goals. They didn’t always happen. When I started sharing them with other people to get feedback and asked if they could check in on how I was doing or contribute ideas, I started to get better on execution. Here are your chances of following through on your goal: *Set the Goal – 6-8% Write Down the Goal – 25-30% Set, Written and Shared – 55-60% Set, Written, and Shared with an Accountability Partners – 85%+ Which begs the question? Who are you sharing your 2021 plans with? Who will you give permission to hold you accountable? To a much better year than 2020! Colin *Adapted from Goal Setting, A Motivational Technique that Works (Locke & Latham)

Sleep is the new status symbol

Published by Colin Nanka

In these times sleep has never been more important! We are all worn down, looking into screens or strained, each on our own personal journey. Quoted from a great NY Times article “studies upon studies have shown how bad sleep weakens the immune system, impairs learning and memory, contributes to depression and other mood and mental disorders, as well as obesity, diabetes, cancer and an early death.” “Sleep is the single most effective thing you can do to reset your brain and body,” Dr. Walker of U.C. Berkeley said. “We have a saying in medicine: What gets measured, gets managed.” “I can see sleep being another weapon in competitive parenting and career-building,” Ms. Salzman said. Some top reminders from a recent podcast appearance of Dr. Walker. Reduce Blue light from all devices. Leave them out of the room or put in a drawer Wear an eye mask to blackout light or use blackout blinds for your room Wind down an hour before bed and turn off the TV Read a book before bed If you …

Question of the Decade

Published by Colin Nanka

Saying 2020 has been a strange year is an understatement. When you are looking back from the eve of 2030, how do you want to look back on how you showed up in 2020? I will take it one step further for those who have kids. When your son or daughter while studying this strange year in school asks you, what did you do to secure my future in 2020, what will you say? It’s never been a more important time to think ahead into the future while standing firmly with both feet planted in the present moment. Wishing you a great week ahead. Defeating Average. Colin

How to build trust in meetings

Published by Colin Nanka

Don’t waste people’s time. You will lose trust and it impacts your brand.  In the last month, I have been talking to a number of leaders on how to run productive meetings. One thing they all agreed on was it’s never been more important to use people’s time well.  People are stressed. They have less time. They need to focus on family and mental health.  What is the criteria for good meeting management: Set clear meeting agendas  Be clear on why you are holding the meeting and why people are there (include in the meeting invite) Tell people what you will talk about ahead of time and what the outcome of the meeting should be  Run the meeting on time and have a call to action in the last 5 minutes  Respect people’s time and do not run over. If you make people late for their next meeting they will blame you. 🙂 Defeating Average in meetings.  Colin