Posted on February 11, 2019
By Nan Russell
In this month of hearts and proclamations of love, something that happened a decade ago, captured like a digital photo with its image held in my memory until called up, was triggered for me by an observation on a recent wintry weekend.
While waiting for our lunch order to arrive, I noticed a mother and teen daughter, seated at an adjacent table, attempting a conversation. The daughter started to tell her mother about school, but with each holding a cell phone and responding to incoming sounds and vibrations, the conversation was frequently paused. Eventually their attempt at conversing stopped, replaced with phone immersion by both as they quietly ate their salads
That brief encounter triggered a memory I didn’t know was stored, about me and my mother at our breakfast table. At the time, we were living in Montana and my mother, then in her late 80s, spent summers with us. Like a movie trailer, the memory offered a glimpse of me cajoling, enticing, encouraging, and coaxing her to take her pills so I could get to my “real work.” Lyrics from a Stephen Stills song, performed by Crosby, Stills, and Nash, “love the one you’re with,” played with a different take in my mind from the song’s intended theme.
The snapshot is clear that I wasn’t particularly engaged, nor loving. I was annoyed at (continue reading →)
Posted in: In the Scheme of Things, It's Not About Time, Life |
Tagged: being with people, connections, In the Scheme of Things, life, love, memories, Nan Russell, perspective, showing up, time, what matters |
Posted on September 23, 2018
By Nan Russell
Once upon a time, a prince and princess lived in stressful palace, surrounded by a stressful village, inside a stressful land. They knew it was stressful because everyone said it was. Their parents, the king and queen, worked from sunrise to sunset hearing issues from their kingdom, weighing the requests, and appropriating the collective harvest to the people of their land.
The people also worked from sunrise to sunset, doing their assigned tasks, completing their logs, filing their reports, and seeking an audience with the king and queen to request their needed resources. So it went, year after year after year. And the land became known as Stressland.
When the princess and prince grew up and took over the responsibility for the kingdom from their retiring parents, having watched and listened and learned the process for years, it was second nature for them to share responsibilities according to their talents.
But it happened that the young royals grew tired of their inherited routine and began to feel the stress they had only heard spoken of, but never experienced personally. “Enough of this,” said (continue reading →)
Posted in: Winning at Working |
Tagged: efficiency, ideas, Nan S. Russell, productivity, stress, thoughtful questions, time, what are we busy about, winning at working; too busy, workplace stress |
Posted on January 23, 2018
By Nan Russell
After the completion of Walt Disney World, the story goes that someone went up to Mike Vance, Creative Director for Walt Disney Studios and said, “Isn’t it too bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see this?” Without pausing, he replied, “But he did see it, that’s why it’s here.”
If any outside figure influenced my life early on, it was Walt Disney. Maybe it was because when I was five, my favorite uncle took me to a wondrous new place called Disneyland; or because I grew up in Southern California, visiting it every year or two, watching a man’s vision come to life and grow; or because I believed that “when you wish upon a star, it makes no difference who you are.”
Growing up on the Wonderful World of Disney, I learned how to dream. But as I got older I realized it wasn’t just the dreaming and wishing that made the dreams possible; it was the doing.
Wishing and hoping are poor strategies for making dreams come true, yet that’s (continue reading →)
Posted in: It's Not About Time, Winning at Working |
Tagged: acting and doing, determination, focus, hard work, It's Not About Time, life dreams, making dreams reality, Nan Russell, passion, persistence, time, Winning at Working, wishing and hoping |
Posted on December 18, 2017
By Beth Pelkofsky
Gifts of time and love are the best during this time of year. Wishing you a bright 2018!
From our homes to your homes — Happy Holidays!
Posted in: Life |
Tagged: bright, family, holidays, love, time |
Posted on October 19, 2017
By Beth Pelkofsky
I’m a colleague of Nan’s. I sometimes post on Current Musings about work, life and the blending of the two. Last week I found myself driving the winding back roads on the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania. It was that unique time of day when the moon is descending and the sun is rising. It felt eerie and tranquil at the same time. As I pulled into a local diner for breakfast, I saw a few groups of men having coffee through the window. I opened the door and was greeted with “Good Morning what’ll you have, coffee is hot.” In the next hour, I was reminded again and again of the benefits of living in the present. I guess you could say I had one of those ‘ahah’ moments.
So, here are a few of my favorite reminders of how to live in the moment:
- Think of time for what it is – a human concept. The watch on your wrist and the clock on the wall mean nothing to Mother Nature. To her, life is one evolving moment – a perpetual cycle of interdependent impermanence.
- Pay attention to the small things – notice the world around you. Be thankful for the small things like eating ice cream, listening to music, or realizing you have more time to sleep.
- Smile – look in the mirror and smile; it can influence how you feel. It will make you happier and help you appreciate the moment.
- Perform random acts of kindness – selfless acts that help others. One of the easiest lessons for how to live in the moment is to do something for someone else without expecting anything in return.
- Give thanks – Be thankful. Every now and then take stock of just how good you have it. Express your gratitude in the moment when you feel it.
- Don’t worry – much harder to do than it sounds. Worrying today won’t change what happens tomorrow. Every second you spend in worry about the future is a second of the present wasted.
With the constant 24/7 noise bombarding us, sometimes we become weary and distracted without knowing it. Reminders are a great way to get unstuck and moving in the right direction. Whatever that is for you. I know I needed one that morning!
Until next time take good care and be safe out there.
beth
Posted in: Tips |
Tagged: Beth Pelkofsky, don't worry, give thanks, living in the moment, pay attention to the small things, perform random acts of kindness, smile, time |
Posted on January 9, 2017
By Nan Russell
WHAT DO YOU WANT? Do you want to halt the busyness commandeering your life? Replace overwhelmed with control and balance? Or maybe you’d like to have more time with the people and endeavors that matter to you? Perhaps you’d like to explore, discover, and embrace life’s wonders? Or, write that book, coach your child’s soccer team, volunteer in the community, reach career aspirations, go back to school, start your own business, or exercise more?
Think hard. What do you want? Do you want to be engaged in your life’s work, live well, feel great, share joys with the love of your life, raise wonderful children, contribute to your community, change the world or at least your part of it, and live your life’s potential? Don’t we all!
Sure, in the big scheme of things we do want those things, or ones like them. But in a world-of-overwhelmed, that seems too lofty. Maybe what you want, right now, is just more sleep, a walk in the woods, or an uninterrupted conversation with a friend? Or maybe it’s time to organize that closet that’s bugging you, read the novel you got for your birthday, or experience two unscheduled hours to do whatever you’d like?
The reality is our wants and our time demands collide. Like the ebb and flow of life, the time we have (continue reading →)
Posted in: It's Not About Time |
Tagged: choices, empower your life, It's Not About Time, life's currency, Nan Russell, not enough time, passenger or driver, productivity accomplishing dreams, self-management, time, time management, too busy |
Posted on May 18, 2015
By Nan Russell
“Remember, the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running.” Those words from Olympic swimmer and author Sarah Connor capture the essence of a skill those wanting to thrive in the new world of work need.
We live in a world with constant interruptions, interesting internet rabbit holes to explore, and mobile apps to try. There’s more information than we can possibility absorb, consider, and read; more activities than we can ever do in a lifetime. Thriving in today’s world requires us to self-manage, or we can drown in a sea of busyness, with our time used up and our results minimal.
There is plenty to keep us busy – we know that. But, people who are winning at working know how to self-manage that busyness from the inside-out around their (continue reading →)
Posted in: Tips, Uncategorized, Winning at Working |
Tagged: busy, choice, Nan Russell, progress over time, results at work, self leader, self-managment, time, Winning at Working |
Posted on May 8, 2015
By Nan Russell
“Why are you always working?” My mother’s voice echoes now in my head. It was a question she frequently raised over the years about my career, especially when she felt I was overstressed or losing my work-life balance. “I like working,” I’d always answer. And that would usually be that. At least until she asked again.
When I was little, my mother was the only woman on our block who worked outside the home. She started out of necessity during difficult financial times for our family, when I was four, continuing past my college graduation. She worked beyond when she “had to,” finding satisfaction in contributing at a job she liked. Still, for her, work and life were always separate, and her “life” was what happened outside of work.
That’s not the case with me. Maybe it was because (continue reading →)
Posted in: In the Scheme of Things |
Tagged: balance, choice, life, life vs. work, Nan Russell, Nan S. Russell, time, work |
Posted on August 5, 2014
By Beth Pelkofsky
“Take your mind out every now and then and dance on it. It is getting all caked up. ” Mark Twain
As a colleague of Nan’s, I often post here when things grab my attention about today’s workplace and sometimes, life. This past week, I was fortunate to spend time at the beach with my niece and her young family. If you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or so busy you are simply moving from one thing to the next without having time to think. It is time to play – Yes! I did say play!
May we all have the playfulness and elation of kids for the rest of our days, said my 25 year old son, Eric
Playing is a great way to replenish your energy, nurture your spirit and open your heart. Think of it as a well-deserved recess, a refuelingof creativity or cleansing your mind. Think of it as renewing your energy, enhancing your well-being, or getting refocused. However, you think of it, do it.
You need downtime. You need play. You need fun. You need to recharge creative juices and reboot your determination. So,whether it’s playing in the sand, hiking in the mountains, playing your favorite video game or lunch with friends make time to play.
If it makes you feel better schedule it on your calendar. Bring play, laughter and curiosity into your day. You will notice the difference at work and in your life.
Posted in: Tips |
Tagged: Beth Pelkofsky, creativity, play, time, tips |
In this month of hearts and proclamations of love, something that happened a decade ago, captured like a digital photo with its image held in my memory until called up, was triggered for me by an observation on a recent wintry weekend.
