While most adults aren’t going back to school this fall, many of us are adjusting to new work schedules, and new work styles too. It’s always a good idea to think about how we can work better.
So this episode of Best of Both Worlds is focused on making the workday more efficient and effective. First, I share my top ten work time management tips. Then meeting expert Helena Weiss-Duman joins me to share some ideas for improving our work gatherings — including what you can do if you are in charge, and if you aren’t.
Finally, Sarah and I answer a question from a listener who wants to run through her pregnancy. What is reasonable to expect? Basic answer: slow is fine. If you want, you’ll get the speed back later — as some Olympians have shown us is possible over the past few weeks.
Please give the episode a listen, and as always we welcome ratings and reviews.
My biggest pet peeve is pointless meetings that have been recurring for so long that I don’t feel I can say “where is the agenda?” after a year+ of not having one! I have some ‘around the horn’ meetings where people talk about what they are working on and they annoy me as nothing really gets accomplished!
Great episode, as usual. Some thoughts on the running while pregnant for the person asking (caveat: these are my own experiences through two pregnancies, which obviously don’t apply to everyone but they do demonstrate that some things are possible!):
1) Yes, slow down. Maybe by 2+ minutes per mile (or even more, if you incorporate walking). It still counts!
2) By about 20 weeks, I felt significantly more comfortable running with a pregnancy support band…it just felt like it held everything in better. There are several different kinds available on amazon (and I had three different kinds for various activities during pregnancy and postpartum!) and it made a big difference in my ability to run up until delivery. Maybe something to try?
3) YES to being in better shape = easier recovery. I had two extraordinarily easy (planned) c-section recoveries and I am 100% convinced that aside from luck, my fitness played into ease of recovery.
4) It is possible to maintain fitness even if you have to take a break from running due to illness (morning sickness or otherwise). With my second, I had a 6-7 week break from all running in third trimester due to a cough but was able to come back slowly and still get to 7+ miles the week before delivery. I was sure my fitness would be totally gone, but it wasn’t. Just had to come back slowly and consistently and with the blessing of my OBs.
5) If running doesn’t feel right, either on a specific day or generally, then don’t do it. There were a few days that I quit early because things just felt off. If I’d had several of those days in a row, I probably would have stopped running entirely, but for me they appeared to be one-offs and the next run was fine. However, pregnancy is not the time to ‘power through’ and so if you are feeling like the running just isn’t happening, then don’t push it!
Your comment about putting a constantly-postponed meeting “out of its misery” and just cancelling it made me laugh out loud. Can we do this for certain friend dates as well?
Also, for all the pregnant women out there, I am so impressed by any of you exercising at all. I laid on the sofa like a beached whale for the latter parts of my pregnancies.
Great episode! loved the interview. I think it was missing a love of the week? Now that you’re doing separate interview times, could you guys start doing a love of the week together before the listener question segment? I miss hearing both of yours each week!