Edward Hallowell has an article in Associations Now’s "Volunteer Leadership" supplement this month. It talks about finding balance and managing time so you don’t get "crazy busy" (Hallowell wrote a book by that title). There are lots of great points in the article. I blogged on one over at the Association Renewal Blog (since it ties into issues of strategy). But here are some other good points (in no particular order):

Positive emotion is not a frill. In the brain, emotion is the on/off switch for effective mental function. The best way to create a positive emotional environment is to work on keeping up positive relationships and connect with those around you. This will create a safe environment where you will think better, work better, and help others better.

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Once you pass a certain point, the more you try to gain control, the less control you have. This is because the process of trying to gain control takes so much time and energy that you have little left with which to exert the control you worked so hard to gain.

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Your brain is not wired to multitask effectively except in very specific cases that require virtually no thinking. Give what you are doing your full attention.

Of course, having made that last point, I should probably encourage all of you to close your browser/reader and get back to work!