Stay In Sync On Holiday Shopping

Well, it's that time of the year - holiday shopping time.  Maybe it's just me, but one of the challenges of shopping is coordinating the "divide & conquer" approach with my wife.  

We have 3 kids, grandparents, nieces, siblings, etc. that we want to buy gifts for and we have busy schedules, so we want to make sure everything gets covered, we don't duplicate efforts, etc.  There are a couple of tools we've evolved that make this easier and I wanted to share them here in case they'll help you, as well.

Part 1: Gather ideas during the year

The first method is pretty easy - I create a note on my smartphone for each person I want to buy gifts for.  I call them "Gift ideas for <name>" so I have a separate note for each person.  Then, during the year, when I hear them mention something they want or I see something that might be a good gift, I add it to the list.

The list gets replicated on all my devices (iPad, computer, phone, etc.) so I can add items (and URL's if appropriate) to make it easy to shop when the time comes.  You can use notes in Outlook, iOS, Google Notes, or Evernote - it's your choice.  I'd pick one that can be replicated across all the devices you use - that makes life a lot easier.

By the way - these lists work for birthdays and anniversaries, too - not just holiday shopping.

Part 2: Stay in sync with your shopping partner(s)

When we get into the shopping season, I create a shared spreadsheet in Google Docs.  You could also use Office360, a cloud storage location, or something similar;  I like Google Docs because it is free and multiple people can edit simultaneously so there are no versioning problems.

The tool is pretty simple.  As you can see from the screen grab above, you just make a list with one column for each person you want to shop for, along with a Status column.  You farm your "Gift ideas…" lists and add them to this spreadsheet, then you share the list with your shopping buddy (my wife, in my case) so they can get to the list.

In the status column, you can enter things like "Have," and "Ordered" to indicate which things are already covered.  You can also enter someone's name so you know who is expected to handle the shopping for that item.  Don't forget that you can add comments and notes to the items - this is a great place to elaborate, add URL's, specify colors, etc.

The only caveat:  don't share the sheet with anyone who's in it, otherwise they'll know what you're getting them!  For my wife, I just stick with tracking things in the "Gift ideas for…" note - including tracking what my kids have gotten for her. (That reminds me: when we hear what other people in the family are getting our kids, we track that in this spreadsheet, too - that helps prevent duplicate gifts.)

If you have your own tips and tricks for holiday shopping, please share.

Travel Light: I've got the power [Updated}

Update:  When I last reviewed this travel gadget, it was about 6 years ago.  Recently mine broke so I started looking for another one.  It was then that I realized that the one I was linking to on Amazon was no longer available.  Fortunately, I found an alternate item - it is the same product, just with a different label.  I still love it and just bought another one.  The original review is below, with a few tweaks and updates.  Enjoy!

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I was in the UK last week, and got some "Ooh's and ahh's" over my latest Travel Light gadget:  A Universal Plug Adapter. This is the second time I've used it, and I'm very pleased with it.

The APC adapter is a "McGyver" looking device that packs flat so it's easy to stow in your laptop bag. It can be reconfigured to fit just about any power plug combination you'll find in the world (input or output). In other words, it's great for any traveler - not just those from the USA.

Note that this device doesn't convert power, but it does make the plugs compatible. Since all of the devices I travel with (laptop, iPad, iPhone, Nintendo DS Lite, Kindle,  etc.) have chargers that can handle 110v or 220v AC, all I need is a way to make the plug fit. This adapter fills the bill perfectly.

In the picture at right, you'll see what it looks like in its "default" mode, which is the most streamlined for travel (and can be used for central European, 2-pronged outlets).

By separating the two sections of the adapter and connecting it in different configurations, you can use it for other countries' adapters. For example, in the picture at left, you see the configuration I used last week, so I could plug into those big, honkin' UK dryer plug outlets.

Note that there are two prongs sticking out of the top in the photo -- have no fear, they aren't "hot" in this configuration, and have no current going through them when you plug this into an outlet.

I used to have a different kind of power adapter, but it was a bit thick and bulky for my tastes, so I moved to this new, lighter adapter. If you travel internationally and want to be prepared to power up in any country in which you may find yourself, then I highly recommend this Universal Plug Adapter.

Your Best Just Got Better - A Review

I've been reading Jason Womack's book, "Your Best Just Got Better," on my Kindle for the past week or so.  I just finished it and the verdict is in: It is so well done!

I met Jason a few years ago when he still worked for the David Allen Company, and have been impressed with his perspective from day one, particularly his ability to provide insightful suggestions to improve your skills no matter what your current situation.

Expand your perspective to improve your outcomes

This book is very interesting, practical, energizing and I highly recommend it.  Throughout, Jason offers hands-on exercises to get you into a more active mode of driving your own future.  I read the book cover-to-cover, but now I am planning to go back and conduct the exercises step-by-step (I skipped some exercises because I was on planes, or my energy / attention levels weren't where they needed to be) because I can see just how powerful they can be.

One pervasive theme throughout the book is to think beyond your "normal" perspective so you can stretch your goals, drive different and better effort, and get more assertive in pushing your life where you want it to go.  For example, the book begins with an interesting visioning exercise called "Your Ideal Day," which gets you to begin imagining how things could be if you had a magic wand.  If you want a taste of this, be sure and check out Jason's web site for a sample, along with a contest that goes through the end of 2012.

One of the things I like about Jason is that he uses a lot of models and constructs that make sense to me (I'm big on finding models that I can apply in different situations.  For example, I like the I.D.E.A. model that shows up throughout the book:

I: Identify a very specific area you want to improve. Focus your attention on making the best better in one area of your life, and clarify what that will look like when you get there.

D: Develop strategies to engage in specific actions and techniques to direct your professional improvement and personal development. Acknowledge the process—remember, you’re just getting started! An important aspect is that the most sustainable changes people tend to make usually start small, are repeated with consistency, and often result in a payoff greater than anyone could have hoped.

E: Experiment by planning for and taking actions that generate bursts of momentum. Experimenting gives you the freedom to stop at any time to try something new. It also provides a more objective framework so that you can determine whether you should stop or continue moving forward. When you take actions to make your best better, it continues to get better.

A: Assess the value the effort has created. Here is the question I consistently ask myself, my friends, my family, even my clients: “Is what you’re doing worth the effort?”

Womack, Jason W. (2012-01-05). Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More (p. 5). John Wiley and Sons. Kindle Edition.

 Shape your own outcomes

Jason also provides some great advice in shaping the results you get in your life - one involves adjusting the words you use to create more positive, future-oriented results; the other involves taking inventory of the people you hang out with, and distancing yourself from those that have a negative or counter-productive influence on you.  Truly great advice.

You'll find some familiar concepts (including some I've written about in the past, like time audits) and they're always presented with solid step-by-step methods to help you apply the concepts.  For example, you'll find some great techniques for more effective "chunking" (aka time boxing) your day to get more out of each 15-minute block in your day.  You'll also find good techniques to track how you're doing on your goals, as well as how well you're using your energy to get there.As someone who's always looking for ways to become more productive, I eat this stuff up.  

This book is that it isn't just about getting more done, Jason also coaches you on methods you can use to make more money - that's something we can all use, particularly in this economy.  And Jason's advice on how to build and leverage your network (business, social, etc) is excellent.  Very cool.

A great book for "now"

Lately, I've noticed that a lot of people I know are taking hard looks at their lives - either to increase their success, make more money, or fig our out what's next for them.  If that sounds like you, this book is perfect for you right now, and I encourage you to pick up a copy and get started going through the exercises.

If you aren't sure, or you want to get a feel for Jason's writing style, why not start with a free e-book from him called, "7 Keys To A More Productive Day," from Jason Womack's web site.

If you're convinced and ready to jump in, grab a copy of "Your Best Just Got Better," today.  By the way - I think this book will be a great gift for some recent graduates I know, as well as great gifts this holiday season for some of my good friends.

Leave a lasting Impression: How to Crush it at Your Next Networking Event

Whether you're running a small business, or involved in an "outbound" role in your company,
you'll inevitably find yourself networking to make connections with potential clients or partners.
Making a connection at a networking event is challenging for a number of reasons:

• If you're an introvert like me, you may have to fight the natural inclination to keep to yourself;


• The size of the crowd can make it difficult to know where to start;


• Maybe you don't think you're good at introductions or small talk.

Despite the complications that might arise in a crowded event, as a business owner or representative of your company, you can make an impact with the right strategy.

Pay Attention to Others

Attempting to build a network requires a real connection with the other party. According to Keith Ferrazzi on his website, it is important to pay attention to one individual at a time. Allowing attention to wander and spending only a short time with each individual will show a lack of appreciation for others.

Take time to connect with each individual for a reasonable length of time. Pay attention to the concerns, comments and information that the other individual is offering in a conversation. It will show an interest in their business and provide valuable insight into potential partners or clients. Find things you have in common, and use them to keep the conversation going.

Offer a Business Card

A business card provides a reminder of the conversation and offers a connection to follow through with ideas offered at the event. It is possible to obtain professional business cards through Overnight Prints that are appropriate for any company. Overnight Prints offers cards in small or large quantities, making it ideal for small-business owners. According to the company website, it is possible to order 50 or more business cards at a time. I've also seen people use "Moo Cards" from Moo.com to stand out from the crowd and make more of a lasting impression.

During an event, offering a business card plays a key role in maintaining a connection. According to Ned Smith on Business News Daily, small business owners are still using business cards to make profitable connections. Smith states that business owners often make around $5,000 for every 100 cards passed out during networking.

When offering a business card at an event, wait until after making a connection. Hand a card to the other individual when they ask for contact information, details about the company or before closing the conversation. It is impolite to hand out a card without making any connection beforehand.

Ask Questions

Every individual likes talking about their company, goals or ideas. According to Melissa Cassera on AOL, asking questions about the other person’s reason for attending an event will provide an opportunity to break the ice and obtain some information about other attendees.

Asking questions allows the other individual to talk about their company, interests, ideas or the information they hope to learn at the event. It also provides the opportunity to share as a conversation develops.

If you read about my questions for "genuine curiosity," you might get some good ideas on how to get people talking.

Follow Through After the Event

Obtaining a lasting connection requires a follow through with the individual. Following up with the other party can be as simple as sending a note, making a phone call or sending an email. A polite follow through will remind the individual of the conversation and provide the opportunity to talk in the future.

I carry around a small notepad to write down follow-up items. Some people write on the back of cards which can work -- just keep in mind that some cultures outside the USA see writing on someone else's card as a sign of disrespect. In Asia, there are a lot more rules to be aware of, so you might want to familiarize yourself with Asian business card etiquette. Which leads me to the next point...

Treat Every Individual with Respect

Respect is a key part of making an impression at any event. Even the individuals who are currently in a low position in a company can provide valuable insight or ideas. According to Keith Ferrazzi, treating every individual with respect will prevent uncomfortable situations in the future.

It is possible that an individual in a supposedly low position might become the head of a department or the CEO of a large company in the future. By treating every individual with respect, it is easier to prevent resentment or ill-feelings that will ruin a company.

Building a network and encouraging the growth of a company is not as hard as it might seem. With a few simple tricks, it is possible to create lasting connections that improve the quality and reputation of a company.

What's in your networking playbook? If you have any tips or tricks to share, I'd love to hear them - especially if you have any good stories!

How can you boost your productivity?

In the past, I've written a lot of things relating to personal productivity here, since efficient & effective throughput is a big quest for me. I recently ran across an article on the Industrial Space blog, called "7 Websites That Can Boost Your Productivity" and I found it worthy of sharing.

The post refers to a couple of familiar tools that I've written about before, such as Toodledo, which I use in conjunction with the Manage Your Now methodology; and RescueTime, which I use to track where I spend my time on my computer.

But wait- there's more!

Eric Thompson, the author of the post, also brought several additional web-based tools to my attention -- ones I'd never heard of before. Specifically, he shares info about Bitrix 24, PickyDomains, Yugma, JetRadar, and Vyew. I won't link to them here - instead, I encourage you to head over to the article on Industrial Space, read Eric's descriptions, and follow the links from there.

I will tell you that I've already added JetRadar to my toolbox - it is a great resource if you travel as much as I do!

And one more from me...

And while I have you, I'd like to mention one other website that has really helped my productivity: Buffer. Buffer, (aka BufferApp) is an easy-to-use tool to allow you to create a reservoir of things you'd like to tweet, and have them go out at scheduled times. I have a schedule set up to send out tweets several times a day, which I like because I can schedule 30 minutes to catch up on my blog and RSS Feed reading, then queue up a bunch of tweets to go out over a longer period of time.

For me, this helps keeping me from "tweet storming" a bunch of posts at once (I find that a bit annoying myself), and creates the illusion that I'm online and tweeting a lot more than I actually am (shh- don't give away my little secret). Buffer integrates with a lot of apps including the Twitter web site, Tweetcaster, the Google Reader feed, and others. Most of the time, I use the BufferApp Safari add-on, which lets me push a button to add a page to my buffer:

As you can see from the dialog, you can post the tweet now, add an image, and/or add it to your Buffer. Once it's in the buffer, it gets added to the list of items to go out on your assigned schedule. I just added the post in the screen shot to my Buffer, and it is scheduled to post Monday at 5:42pm Pacific time.

However, it may not go out at that time, after all… and why not? The answer lies in a cool feature of Buffer: You can edit your buffer - the app provides a web page to manage your buffer, which makes it easy to re-order items, edit them, elaborate, etc. so you can adjust when specific items get posted.

So if you like to tweet, check it out. And, once again, don't forget to check out the "7 Websites That Can Boost Your Productivity."