Read Mauldin, Watch The Bear, Stop Trying to Remember

Read, watch, stop:

• From macroeconomics to geo-political, subscribe to the Thoughts from the Frontline by John Mauldin.

• The Bear on Hulu is an enjoyable watch of a chef running a restaurant.  It stars Jeremy Allen White, who was in Shameless.

• Stop trying to remember and use Evernote.  Evernote stores notes, pictures, and files.  It has add-ins for popular programs and an email alias to make it simple to forward anything you want to store and find later.

Read Dirt Nap, Watch Who is America, Stop Touching Things More Than Once

Read, watch, stop:

• If you want a contrarian view of your investment advisor’s thoughts, check out Jared Dillian’s Daily Dirtnap.

• A follow-on for comedian Sacha Baron Cohen spoofs is “Who is America.”

• Stop “touching” anything more than one time.  For example, when getting a call or email for a customer meeting, I will make the decision once.  I include if/then/else logic in my response to any of these.  For example, if working with an admin looking to book a date with a customer, “If they can’t meet Monday at lunch, then try for a happy hour on Thursday.  If neither of those works, ask for two alternatives.

Read Play Nice but Win, Watch Ali G, Stop Phone Interruptions

Read, watch, stop:

• Play Nice but Win: A CEO’s Journey from Founder to Leader by Michael Dell is an interesting story of the highs and lows running Dell Corporation.

• Ali G, created and played by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen spoofs, delivers hilarious interviews like this science roundtable.

• Stop letting others access your phone when you want no interruptions.  Use the “Focus” setting to define when you receive calls with an iPhone.  Here’s a tip, for family members or those on your short-list, create exceptions so they can reach you at all hours of the day.   

Read Principle Centered Leadership, Watch the Moth Joke, and Stop Worrying

Read, watch, stop:

• Principle Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey, the 7 Habits author, has good insights for life and business.

• I’m a fan of the late Norm MacDonald, and his moth joke is safe for all ages.

• Stop worrying about what other people think.  I had a friend who was in a tough spot.  He was concerned about perceptions of himself and his business.  I shared most of us have enough going on in our own lives and families that we’re not that judging others.

Read Barking Up the Wrong Tree, Watch Air, Stop Personal and Business Tasks

Read, watch, stop:

• Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Eric Barker has solid insights in his books and blog on behavioral science, relationships, and business.

• Air is a fun and fascinating docu-drama on how Michael Jordan, or his mother, revolutionized the athletic shoe business.

• To simplify your life, list all the things you could stop doing that aren’t that important, sort from worst to first, and pick.  What personal items could be done by someone else (e.g., cleaning your house), not done that isn’t too important (e.g., attending a high school graduation party), or delegated business tasks?