Sharpen Your Critical Thinking Skills for 2026: Part 3
Let’s flash back to the years 1999/2000. I’m working in a private bank, watching the dot-com businesses suck up lots of money. I personally have been on the ‘net since I graduated college in ‘95 (yeah I’m old), primarily on the bulletin boards which functioned as chatboards. Using the keyboard to type emojis, listening to the robots scream when you use your dial-up modem.
I’m noticing that some of these businesses are stupid.
Sharpen Your Critical Thinking Skills for 2026: Part 2
Not only does thinking critically help you be more effective in your business, so can thinking critically about effectiveness.
Sharpen Your Critical Thinking Skills for 2026: Part 1
Use it (critical thinking) or lose it (be at the mercy of those who do think).
Are You a Robot?
I’m not talking about whether a program thinks you’re a bot for failing to recognize stoplights.
I’m asking how much of your life is on automatic pilot?
How often do you go from bed to emails to “social” feeds to work to emails to working out to “social” feeds to emails to bed?
Too Many Apps… Or Not Enough?
The 11th of December is National App Day. I just realized this would be a totally different conversation if I thought “apps” referred to “appetizers” as they do in a restaurant. I hate apps or any meals, really, with corn kernels in them. FIGHT ME.
But I think the day is really about software apps. And here’s the nuance: some apps for business can be extraordinarily helpful, some are neutral, and some don’t help at all. Both not having enough apps and having too many can be detrimental.
Here Is Your Holiday Permission Slip
I like to give permission for overachievers, especially business owners, to let them know that it’s OK to ignore certain cultural assumptions that don’t work for them.
Remember What the Dormouse Said: Feed Your Head
How are you nourishing your brain today?
The most powerful tool in your arsenal as a business owner is your mind. You might think it’s your computer, but without you (and your brain), the computer is just a hunk of plastic taking up space on your desk.
Paying It Forward for Women Entrepreneurs
November 14th is International Girls Day, and though we might not know exactly what kinds of jobs will be available when they’re ready to work, we do know what pressures they’re likely to face.
It’s a great opportunity for women business owners, including those who don’t have children, to pass knowledge on to the next generations. And if anyone helped you on your path, it’s also a great time to pay it forward.
Productivity On The Pale Blue Dot
“We are made of starstuff.” - Carl Sagan
When was the last time you looked up at the stars? Or the moon, if you’re living in an urban area where stars are in short supply.
What Kids, Kittens, and Puppies Know About Productivity
“In short: Hard work works; smart work works better; smart play works best.” - Steven Kotler, p. 238, Gnar Country.
One Step to Reduce Business Owner Overwhelm
If being more effective and productive seems like a lot of work and your plate is already full, then think about one small step.
If you think you’re ready for the work and you’ve made room on your plate… think about one small step.
As they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Small steps lead to quick wins, and staying on the path takes you to your long-term goals.
If You Could Take Back Time… If You Could Find A Way… (To Focus)
As a business owner, does your “thinky time”/”working ON the business time” get moved all over the calendar? You find yourself canceling or “rescheduling” (in order to cancel later) this time more often than not.
Improve Your Office For Productivity
When I’m on Zoom calls, everybody loves the blue wall behind me (that I painted myself!) Despite this talent (ha ha), I would never consider myself an interior designer. But you don’t need an interior designer when you focus on improvements for the sake of productivity.
This past weekend was Improve Your Office Day, but if you missed it, don’t worry! I’ve got some ideas you can use. And no, you don’t have to paint your walls blue if you don’t want to.
Whether your office is at home or not, you can upgrade your environment to get more done in less time – and leave early without guilt.
Efficient Is Not The Same As Effective
Sometimes I’m asked if I’m an efficiency expert, and I always say no.
I’m a productivity expert. My LaserBrainTM method isn’t about efficiency, but effectiveness.
Ultraprocessing Ruins Your Ability to Be Effective
What’s your poison – cakes, cookies, chips, candy…?
You probably eat healthy most of the time, making sure you get enough protein and so forth. (I hope.) But from time to time you indulge in your poison of choice. All things in moderation, etc.
What happens when you overload on your poison?
Envelopes For Your Mind
Do you believe that time is money?
That if you’re not making money, you’re wasting your time?
Are You on the (Productivity) Spectrum?
How far are you willing to go to actually get $hit done?
One Trick to Power Up Your Workweek
What if I told you that doing this even for a half an hour a day could reduce your stress by two-thirds, help you live two years longer than people who don’t do this, help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, make it easier to fall and stay asleep, increase your empathy (a key trait for leaders in the 21st century), and develop your thinking skills?
Give Yourself a Break Today And Boost Your Productivity
You can’t have it all, at least not at the same time. You can’t be a great mom, great businesswoman, and champion housekeeper all at once.
So let yourself off the hook.
Birthday 2025
As I like to do each year around my birthday, I look back at the previous year and see if there’s anything to learn. (There’s ALWAYS something to learn.) If you’re on my email list, I sent out a special birthday offer.