Sneaky Ways to Get Your Act Together

You probably have at least one person in your life who always seems to be on top of things. They’re always prepared for meetings, they never forget your birthday…you know the type.  Not to brag – but my friends say this about me.  So what’s our secret?

The truth is we don’t have an endless memory, we just know where to get the right facts.  I can’t help myself — I’m a journalist after all.

Here are some slick ways you too can be on top of your game without trying:

Research People – Before you have a meeting with someone, whether it’s someone you know or someone new. Check their LinkedIn profile to see if they’ve gotten a new job or a promotion.

You can also use this cool new site that my husband just sent to me called Charlieapp.com.  It’s an amazing stalker…err research tool.  It compiles one page summaries of people to give you pre-meeting insights.  That way you can walk in all studied up and impress the person you’re meeting with.

Set Reminders – If a friend or colleague tells you about an upcoming important event, like a job interview – save a reminder in your phone to notify you that morning. I find it’s nice to send them a good luck text, as people appreciate when you take an interest in their lives.

Same goes for birthdays.  Take the extra time to plan ahead and set yourself a reminder to say Happy Birthday or send a card.

Miss A Deadline…Sort of – You have a deadline tomorrow and you don’t think you’re going to make it. However it’s possible to get away with this and not look bad. Email your boss and explain (briefly) that you’re struggling and offer to either stay late and do a rushed job or finish it the next day. Most people will be willing to wait for better quality and it gives the impression that your not technically late. Also offer to do something extra afterwards if you want to make sure your still on the boss’s good side.

What do you do to stay on top of things?

Listful Thinking is now ready for pre-order. If buying the book is on your to-do list, pre-ordering is a great help to me.  In the publishing world, pre-orders set the tone for a book and really create buzz with booksellers, media, publishers and book lovers everywhere.  Check “buy Listful Thinking” off your list today!