12 Days of Apps: TIMER

Welcome to the 12 Days of Apps from Envision Success Inc!  We are reviewing 12 apps this month that we like, and that help our clients, friends, and colleagues be more productive.  

The first is an indispensable product!  Fortunately this is a piece of hardware (or software) that everyone has, either around the house, on their mobile device, and easily accessible at their nearby Target or grocery store:

A Timer
As in, a standard kitchen/household timer...  Yep, this is a critical tool for getting the most focus when you really need it. 

Risk of Summer Plateau?

I call it "Summer Mode" and I see it every year with clients, professional connections, and yes- myself.  It usually manifests as a combination of decreased focus and productivity, increased procrastination, and even some laziness.  My theory is that it stems from the school year we were conditioned to; it's so ingrained in us and our culture that we take a break, that we deserve time off, plus we want to be outside soaking up the sunshine.  This tendency, coupled with more outdoor social gatherings like graduations, golf tournaments, and sporting events, means lots of us are spending less time in the office. Are you at risk of a summer plateau?  (Do you care right now?)

Toilet Talk Needs to GO!

The Public Service Announcement could be "Just DON'T Do It."

I was in a restaurant's public toilet last week and a woman in the next stall was discussing specific data and spreadsheets with a coworker on her cell phone.  Not only was it obvious the conversation would have been more productive in person, it was awkward for several people within earshot, and may have been a data breach.  Wow.

Sure, the urge to multitask is strong.  We are all feeling the time crunch in our modern work environments.  However, other than brief conversational comments with colleagues in passing, the bathroom should be off-limits for work, especially for phone calls!   Here are 5 reasons why talking in the toilet is bad for business: