10 Things You Could Do Better Today

February 26, 2009 · Comments

Consider this to be a list of friendly suggestions. I could use these, as well. Can you?

10 Things You Could Do Better Today

  1. Improve your response time to requests.
  2. Improve the brevity and simplicity of your email correspondence.
  3. Connect with five new people and seven existing colleagues or friends each day.
  4. Inspect your business process cycle from start to finish for improvements.
  5. Rethink your approach to helping others succeed.
  6. Increase the amount of times you connect others together to build new relationships.
  7. Resolve three pieces of unfinished business, no matter how painful.
  8. Live closer to your goals and your main points of focus, and less by reaction.
  9. Take time to thank the people who make your life possible.
  10. Rest and unplug.

Like I said, the list is every bit as much for me as for you.

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  • You are so right, Leam. When I look back on my life, it seems like some of the times when things have most blown up, so to speak, is when I failed to follow my own intuition about what I should do. The times when things seem to have worked the best are when I did.
  • What does it take for some of us to listen? I've been on a job search for 6 months and am just now really understanding, again, the value of staying true to my talents. How much time helping and listening to others has been lost while I chase something well outside my nature?

    Thanks Chris!
  • Chris, you are a shinning example of how one can maintain humaness while working/navigating in a cyber/tech world. Thank YOU!
  • Great idea! Especially number nine.
  • Love the list, and many of the add'l suggestions in the comments, but: (1) it's overambitious; reduce very plural number to "1" and you'd still make great strides; and (2) related: it's a little Facebook/LinkedIn-centric, isn't it, w/ the emphasis on making and enabling lots of interpersonal connxns? Harder to do in analog, but maybe better.

    But not griping - a wonderful list, and I'll retweet!
  • Jeremy LeRay
    I like #10. Almost accomplished that this weekend.
  • Thanks Chris, This was well timed for me ;) I just might make my own list this week !
  • The adds people have made are all great. It'd be fun to see people do their own 10 lists. : )
  • Great list! This is going to be posted on my homepage so I can remind myself of these things every morning. Thanks!
  • Thanks Chris

    I'll be adding this to my list of list of things I need to do.
    Now where did I put that list of places where I put all my list of things I need to list

    Gary McElwain
  • Maybe we could add, write your goals out and have them in front of you so they are your number one focus...
  • Thanks for this Chris.

    May I add:

    Try to add value and give value to everything and everyone you interact with ...

    Embrace random-ness - you could never imagine what might come out of this.

    Remember that the people furthest away from you in your network are the people who have the biggest influence on your success.
  • #2 is one of the hardest for me. I'm pithy-challenged. #3 and #6 combined will best benefit me personally, as well as my business. Good news, though, is that they're also the most satisfying.
  • Can 1 and 10 coexist?
  • Great List Chris! However could you elaborate on #3 to what depth do spend catching up and how much time seeking 5 new? Catching up with old work chums has the potential to consume the rest of my day. And I think there should be a #11 Rinse and Repeat. Again great post as usual.
  • Well that was simply put. This list is something I can confront. I loved rethink your approach to helping others succeed. Sometimes I go plugging along at "helping" with out checking to look at the results. Did I help? Was I effective?

    Thanks
    Sheila
  • Great list! I sometimes find myself feeling guilty for the time spent on building the relationships because it takes me away from other work. However, it is the one thing that has paid off the most.

    I would add one thing - Do something fun everyday, no matter how small, because life is just too short.
  • #11 - thank others for giving you the inspiration to work on #'s 1-10 :)

    http://www.twitter.com/cfine
  • I am amazed at how universal your 10 are and how they can be applied to any business or endeavor. Thank you eformanator
  • Re 7. Thank you, Chris, for being someone I truly look forward to reading every day.
    Re 4. Made an improvement to business plan by learning a good lesson about who NOT to work with in SM.
    Re 3. Must get out of my cave.
  • Neha
    ever since i saw this post yesterday, i have been looking at it over and over again... I'm going to print it out too...:)
  • Jessica
    "Connect with five new people and seven existing colleagues or friends each day."

    What for?
    That will never work out.
  • What, everyone does't just do those naturally? Great list Chris. I love #8 "Live closer to your goals and your main points of focus, and less by reaction." It is easy to get caught up in the day to day demands on your time and become reactionary - never really accomplishing your true goals in life.
  • Chris,

    Excellent list! I'm up to number two, and plan on implementing the rest of the items by next Thursday.

    When you wear all the hats in this web-marketing space, you sometimes forget the important tasks, amongst all of the 'busy-work'. My challenge is learning how to launch profitable PPC campaigns without losing too much money!

    I appreciate your brevity, clarity and focus, attributes I intend to obtain more with every passing day!

    Respectfully,

    Nicholas Chase
    www.twitter.com/nachase
  • Thank you for taking time to put this list together. This is the kind of a program you want to print out, hang over your desk, and try to live up to it daily. Simple yet absolutely brilliant.
  • Kristie
    Great list. I've just returned from the Keller Williams convention in Orlando and this is the perfect extension to all we have been discussing. #9 is my favorite.
  • Marvelous! Simple yet powerful - and these things will lead to better success as well. #4 is a must, yet I don't think I'm alone in the realm of not doing this as often or routinely as it really demands in my business.

    Kudos my friend, you never cease to amaze.
  • Great thoughts, Chris. We can sometimes get lost in the day to day crisis mode and forget about some of the simpler relationship details necessary to grow.
  • Great suggestions. Twitter has been helpful to me in doing #3.
  • Bravo to you, Chris. six of the ten items you list have to do with adding value to others. That's the best way to increase your success and fulfillment!

    Best.
    William
    www.williamarruda.com
  • Great list. I would like to add:

    Try to learn at least one new useful thing a day.
  • Thanks for the great list - I can definitely do more of #10.

    A hybrid step between #2 and #3 would be great, too: listen more. If I do #1 and #2, that will free up more time for me to listen to the people around me - and that segues into #3, because I find there is no better way to connect with my peers and colleagues than to simply hear them. Knowing where they're at would help execute the rest of the list more efficiently, too.

    Thanks again, this is a great launching pad.
  • "1-Improve your response time to requests." I might add respond period! I am flabbergasted at the lack of response from individuals in the professional and personal levels. I have MUCH more respect for an individual if they respond with not so good news than an individual that doesn't respond at all! Don't you? I can honestly say that 90/100 opportunities for a response just doesn't happen. RESPONSIVENESS is such a rare trait, yet it has to be one of the most easy to apply and effective actions. Not to mention it is inexpensive...yes? So why the lack of? My never ending search for answers continues along my crazy journey......

    Thanks for this Chris!
  • Chris, thanks for the reminder to walk the talk. Each one of the items on your list can enrich/improve our participation in social media ... I always appreciate your posts that strengthen the foundations of social networking, since they give real substance to the tactical advice.
  • Yea, rest and unplug is something I should probably do. It's reading week for uni's in Quebec...I've certainly been reading...
  • 5. Rethink your approach to helping others succeed.

    Number 5 usually helps. Usually people will help you if you help them.
  • Love it. Simple, perfect and excellent advice - for everyone!
  • That's the kind of list that you need to have hang in front of you nose in waking hours...thanks for the nudge with this Chris...cheers @MolsonFerg
  • Nice list! This one is getting printed.
  • Im currently using brevity and simplicity on my email correspondence and blog. There's so much power and clarity in simplicity. Thanks Chris!
  • #9 is my favourite. And the one I most often forget to do. Thanks for the reminder. :)
  • Thanks for this Chris but shouldn't #1 be to decrease your response time so that things people are attended to faster or did you really mean to take longer to respond to requests.

    If it's the latter, how can making people wait be better?
  • In addition to #9 I try - daily, and sometimes hourly - to be grateful for big things and little things. Unexpected blessings, tender mercies, big and little favors. Before sleep, I try to remember to review the day and note those things; helps me to unwind and do #10.
  • Simple add to this list

    Respect differences: cultural, management, history. Be honest with yourself when you are reaching out to others. Hence transparency works in wonders yet remain guarded to a degree. Continue to promote others that empowers you despite differences.

    Now I think of it, pretty complex point to add but I value this highly.

    Thanks again.

    Best!

    Susan @pinkolivefamily
  • Chris,

    You read my mind! I have been thinking of all of these things especially No. 5: Rethink your approach to helping others succeed. and No.8 : Live closer to your goals and your main points of focus, and less by reaction. I have been extending myself definitely little too thin and time management & juggling my priority list task has been a bit of a struggle for me. In an ideal world, I think things can be managed better however in a lack of a better term this will not happen over night. Work/Family balance will be always a challenge. If only I can prioritize No. 10 : Rest and unplug that would make my day.

    Following your No.9 - Thank you Chris for this post ~ simple list yet very effective! :)

    PS No.7 cracks me up! how painful? LOL ;)

    RT@
    10 Things You Could Do Better Today
  • Chris, I'm feeling all the gratitude in this post brother. And by the way thanks for reminding me to track and resolve my unfinished business . . . no matter how . . . painful.

    LaRon | @laroncarter
  • Great list Chris. Here's another one:

    Learn something from a customer. If the goal is to learn and not to sell, you'll listen better and add more value for them in the long run.
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