Tips

Rescue your time with Rescue Time

Posted on Mon, May 13 2013

By Cristina Sinclaire

Tags: apps, productivity, technology, time management, tips

Feel like you're constantly behind, but not sure where the time's going? If you spend a lot of time online at work, go install Rescue Time right now. This app has increased my output drastically, even when I didn't think that was possible. It helps you to manage your time and maximize productivity. The app automatically records your time spent on websites and in different applications.

Is your resume working against you?

Posted on Fri, May 10 2013

By NOI

Tags: job hunting, resume, tips, Work Forward

You need your resume to work for you, as it's likely the only first impression you have to give a potential manager. Here are five ways it might be working against you. It's more than a page long. I'll just say this: I haven't yet dismissed a multi-page resume completely, but I've wanted to. Is that the first feeling you want a potential boss to have about you?

Be a bowl first, not a knife

Posted on Thu, May 09 2013

By Evan Sutton

Tags: conflict management, management, tips

When something goes wrong or someone messes up, it's easy to jump to "correcting" the situation immediately. Years ago, one of my mentors taught me a lesson that I try to remember as a manager: be a bowl, not a knife. (I'm still working on this.) What the heck does that mean?

Adding a carriage return in Google Docs

Posted on Sun, May 05 2013

By Tiana Epps-Johnson

Tags: data, google docs, technology, tips

Okay, okay, I know it's not a best practice to create lists in a cell in a spreadsheet. But let's be honest -- Google Spreadsheets are used for a wide range of things, and sometimes the easiest format for the document on hand is one that isn't a very good data practice.

Remember the purpose, not just the goals

Posted on Fri, May 03 2013

By NOI

Tags: organizing and leadership, teams, tips, volunteer management

When you're organizing, it's critical to keep your staff, volunteers, and supporters motivated. I always come back to the research that shows that a sense of purpose is one of the primary things that motivates people to do work. (Daniel Pink explains the research in this animated talk.)

Use group bus rides wisely

Posted on Thu, May 02 2013

By NOI

Tags: events, organizing and leadership, tips

We often take long bus rides in groups to unite our voices and show our combined power. These are great opportunities to build relationships and strengthen organizations. Here are some suggestions for group, one-to-one, and solo activities that organizers and leaders can do to add to the quality of the experience and help build for the long term. Pick what works for your group, and tell us your tricks for getting the most out of long rides on the way to events.

Moving? Update your info!

Posted on Wed, May 01 2013

By Whitney May

Tags: operations, organizing and leadership, personal time, self care, tips

People who work in politics and advocacy tend to move a lot. Moving is no fun. While the grass on your new pasture may be greener and free of pesticides, moving requires a huge amount of work. Tricking your friends into helping, scrubbing your tub, figuring out exactly the last minute you can leave your new place and still get to work on time, etc. Moving is not only a physical endeavor but also an emotional one.

Bad days happen

Posted on Tue, Apr 30 2013

By Jamie McGonnigal

Tags: management, organizing and leadership, self care, stress, tips

Sometimes it's ok to have a bad day. Look, we can't control everything that's happening outside our own little bubble, and sometimes something happens that can knock you for a bit of a loop, whether it's a major event or something small and personal.

Do you really have time to help?

Posted on Fri, Apr 26 2013

By Katie Ellis

Tags: organizing and leadership, productivity, self care, time management, tips

A friend wrote to me recently with this problem: she frequently gets asked for informational interviews, and as a result finds herself staying late in the office to complete her own work after the interviews are done. She asked, "How should I balance prioritizing my own work with wanting to be helpful to job seekers?"

Make your site feel alive

Posted on Thu, Apr 25 2013

By Carlos Odio

Tags: new media, tips, web content

Organizing is, at its core, about people. Yet I often see campaign websites and emails from advocacy organizations that lack any kind of human connection. Thankfully, it's a problem that can be easily fixed with one simple element: Photos of people.

Dealing with all those handouts

Posted on Tue, Apr 23 2013

By Amy Drummond

Tags: organizing and leadership, personal improvement, time management, tips

After meetings and conferences, I often bring home folders full of agenda documents, presenter bios, activity summaries, FAQ sheets, and other items. Some of them I will want to use in the future and some I won't. Regardless, the take-homes manage to sit on my desk for months, causing clutter. Once in a while, I throw myself at my piles, all the while wondering why I kept most of this stuff in the first place. (I'd like to say that this is restricted to my office, but it affects my home too)

Tips

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