90% of the time, what is on your computer screen is not resulting in a positive ROI. Learn to focus on what truly matters in your business. Then, do it consistently.
Inbox Zero
Beware of your inbox, it’s nothing but a convenient organizing system for other people’s agendas…
I’ve kept my inbox zero for a few years now, which has helped me to focus more on “getting things done” and essentially giving me a “mind like water” – free to space to focus on other things.
Basic Move: Have more than 1 email address:
- I have two email addresses: one that I use for conducting general business & for signing up for various web applications, and one for more important conversations. The first, I don’t check all day long unless I need to activate / cancel a subscription to something. Because things that you sign up for on the web have a habit of sending you plenty of ad / junk / useless mail after that, and I like to keep this mass clear of my main email account. I check that email account just once a day, scan through it, don’t delete anything, and respond to anything that needs acting on.
- On the second email, that’s the core of my life. And so I check it once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Everything there I open and act upon either by:
- acting immediately on the task presented (usually replying to the email or doing something that it asks for – only if it takes less than 2 minutes to handle)
- archiving the email if I think that I may need it again someday
- make a task note in evernote related to the email (you can also send the email direct to Evernote for automatic task creation)
- or simply delete it
…until the inbox is empty.
If You Have 1000+ Old emails in the Box
Go through them 100 or so at a time with the above process. Don’t read the new ones. Just try working through 100 here and there. Schedule time on an egg-timer to take a whack at them. (If you want lots more advice on this area, check out You Are Not Your Inbox, which I really loved.)
Here’s some useful “no-nos”:
Turn off all notifications
Social networks have a habit of sending you notifications if someone friends / likes / connects / mentions you. Switch them all off! Whenever you choose to visit those sites, all those notifications will be there anyway and you can deal with them all at once. For some people, this already cuts down their inbox flow by half.
Don’t be interrupted, distracted by incoming mail while you’re actually getting things done. You decide when to process your inbox (I do it 2 times a day), but I’d advise checking email in the afternoon where possible so that you protect the peak energy hours of your mornings for your best work.
Do not mark as unread
To-do items are hereby banned from your inbox, you should move them to your “to-do” list, folder, anywhere else. (For me it’s into Evernote).
Do not use priority inbox.
Turn it off; you don’t need it any more. Classic inbox all the way. Those little yellow “important” markers? Turn those off too. They’re nothing but a distraction.
What about you? Any ideas and advice?
Note: I use Skitch to do screenshots. It’s cool.
How much interruption do you allow?
How much interruption do you allow? How much choice do you have in that? Is your answer different after you read this quote?
“There are no interruptions. There are only mismanaged inputs.” —David Allen
You can’t get much done…
if you only do you best on the days when you feel your best…
Read more here about how get things done
You Can Do Anything, But Not Everything
“You Can Do Anything, But Not Everything.”
– David Allen
Heavens Shore – The Kick-Ass Celtic Music Band
This was simply “kick-ass Celtic music”. Raw power, energy, and band chemistry ignited and united our group of international friends wherever we performed as the band “Heavens Shore”.
However unlike a typical commercial music production, by fusing a combination of fast, rhythmical Celtic jigs & moving ballads with a fresh, memorable sound, we attempted to leave an impression on the hearts of the audience that endured long after the show was over.
And I think we succeeded at doing just that. As for our 7 years of existence as a band, audiences at Rock, Pop, World Music & Folk Festivals throughout Europe thankfully called us back to play the next year…and the next, and the next to entertain audiences of all ages.
We also visited many schools along the way to inspire & educate.
Supporting my lifelong friend James with vocals & acoustic/electric guitar, James lead the way as the lead fiddler/acoustic guitarist/singer, with Kexo following with his unique drum & bass sound, supported by various host musicians.
From 2000 to 2007, 4 albums had been produced along with a DVD “back to roots” documentary with rare acoustic recordings.
Summary
The core band was formed by:
- James B. Evans (GB) – Vocals, Violin, Acoustic Guitar
- Daniel G. Coulton-Shaw (GB) – Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
- Marian Uhrinak / Pavol Smolka / Honza Beran (SK) – Bass
- Marian Uhrinak / Johnny Uhrinak (SK) – Drums
- Milos Humenik (SK) – Electric Guitar
- Ivana Kútniková (SK) – Keyboard
Tours
- Czech & Slovakia – 2001
- Croatia, Slovakia, Czech 2002
- Germany, Slovakia, Czech 2003
- Germany, Slovakia, Czech 2004
- Germany, Slovakia, Czech 2005
- Germany, Slovakia, Czech, Poland, Luxemburg, England 2006
- Germany, Czech, Poland, Slovakia 2007
Discography
- Celtic Lands Demo (2000)
- Heaven’s Shore (2001)
- Antiquariat Duši (2002)
- O2 Pop Single (2002)
- Sure Of Heaven (2003)
- Heaven’s Shore On Tour (2004)
- Life without borders UNCHR single (2007)
- DVD Pure Acoustic (2007)
Media Coverage
During this time, Heaven’s Shore was covered on national radio & television in Slovakia, Czech, Germany and Croatia.
Host Musicians
(in order of appearance)
Bass
Lukas Kolivoška (SK)
Michal Šimko (SK)
Percussion
Robo (SK)
Jozef Litavec (SK)
Stano Bakalár (SK)
Peter Rimák (SK)
Drummers
Jakub Krátky (SK)
Brano Jelen (SK)
Marek Hrdinský (SK)
Keyboards
Tomas Florián (SK)
Tomas Kelemen (SK)
Peter Lipa Jr. (SK)
Slavo (SK)
Igor Baar (SK)
Guitarists
Palo Bereza (SK)
Vocalists
Katka & Veronika Koscova (SK)
Martina & Lenka Ostatnikova (SK)
Alena Suderova & Barbora Kršiaková (SK)
Managers
Pavol Kysucky (SK) & Pavol Segedy (SK)
Igor Plz (SK)
Stagehands
Danka Soltesova (SK)
Sabine Knaak (DE) Doro Knauz (DE)
Daniela Maijer (DE) Antonia (DE)
Talibanka (DE) Stephanie (DE)
Suzanne Lange (DE)
Suzanne Teilmann (DE)
Dusan Havrilla (SK)
Rassty Horvat (SK)
“Just wanted to let you know that your music and your stories really touched my heart. Its your way of “living with passion”, like James said, that gives me new inspiration.
Often my life is full of other things that seem to be so important and days go by without doing the real important things. Having you here in Germany again gave me the opportunity to be “On fire” again.
Thank you so much for this evening. God bless you, the band and your families”
Cordula
“Co upútalo predsednícku prípravného festivalového výboru? “Najviac ma zaujali záverecné piesne chvál sprevádzané videoprojekciou, ktoré predniesol Anglican Daniel Shaw zo skupiny Heaven’s Shore,” vyznáva sa zo svojich pocitov Lubica Cechová. “Naši mladí sa spontánne pripojili k spevu v anglictine, on zasa ústretovo uplatnil slovencinu, ktorú si osvojil pocas pobytu v našej krajine. Pódium a hladisko sa v tej chvíli zmenilo na jednoliaty celok.”
Orava – Regionalny Tyzdennik
“Heaven’s Shore, skupina, ktorá sa prezentuje netradicnou hudbou a má za sebou vystúpenia nielen na Slovensku i v zahranicí, zavítala do nášho mesta,
aby sa predstavila všetkým študentom a žiakom našich škôl. Koncert žiakom daroval primátor mesta k sviatku študentov.
Skupinu si vybrali samotní študenti, ktorí navštívili primátora a požiadali ho o pozvanie tejto hudobnej skupiny.
V zaplnenej športovej hale sa mladí ludia výborne zabavili pri tomto koncerte. Skupina Heaven’s Shore im zo svojho bohatého repertoáru zahrala pesnicky s podtextom írskeho folklóru i iných hudobných štýlov, co sa mladým velmi pácilo.”Tvrdosin – Noviny
“chcem sa Ti podakovat za velmi krasny vecer. Na dnesnom koncerte bola skvela atmosfera a mnozstvo pozitivnej energie. Je uzasne Vas vidiet, ako skutocne zijete pre to, co robite. Robite to naozaj dobre, len tak dalej, drzim palce!”
Jarka