If soccer practice is Saturday where will you buy fish food on Monday?
When you were a kid, did you ever do those logic puzzles? There would be a whole grid with boxes and you had to decide which task happened when and by whom with what supplies or some variation.
Then there were the math problems with words. If Katie has six beverages and she gives one to Joe (which would never happen, let’s be real), and dumps one on her dad (which would happen, accidentally, let’s be real), and one is in a thermos, how many can she take on her road trip? (That’s how I read math, anyway.)
Maybe Clue was your favorite game. Colonel Mustard in the ballroom with the candlestick.
Surely you’ve been to Cracker Barrel and wasted time playing the golf-tee-peg-board game.
At least he started.
In My Big Fat Greek Wedding, whenever he was confronted with a problem, the dad would yell, “GET THE WINDEX.” Warts, unwanted facial hair, a dirty window, an insect infestation. No matter the issue, Windex would take care of it. I mean, it might NOT take care of it, but that’s where he started.
“Katie, the first step is to google ‘how do you erase passwords from your Google account.'”
I learned something a couple of days ago when I called Steph, my unfailingly patient project manager and tech guru. I needed to get my ducks in a row since I’m leaving for 2.5 weeks with no email and she’s handling my email, but I didn’t want her to have the passwords to all of my bank accounts. (NO VACATIOx`N FOR YOU, STEPH!)
She told me, very patiently, the way you might talk to a screaming child, “The first step is to Google it.”
You might think, “Well, why didn’t she just tell you what to do, Katie?”
Few reasons:
- Have you heard that proverb about teaching a man to fish?
- She didn’t know what version of Chrome I was on. (This is valid concern since I tend to never update my iOS and just buy a new computer every 4 years, and sometimes I apply that philosophy to other technology and by sometimes I mean nearly always when it comes to my own stuff.)
- She’s trying to encourage me to solve problems in a realm where I’m not always that comfortable.
You might say, “Well why didn’t you think of that yourself, Katie?”
In the moment, I was so frustrated because I had 9,875 other things going on that I couldn’t think straight.
Steph is my Windex.
I instinctively reach for her when I have a problem because she’s so dang good at solving them.
I am often my clients’ Windex. (And I LOVE THAT about my job!)
Everybody needs a Windex.
Not because Windex will solve every problem, but because having a Windex will allow you to get started on solving the problem so that you don’t quit. You have to have an entry point so that you don’t bang your head against the wall for six hours and burn $600 worth of time or abandon all hope and just give up when you didn’t need to give up.
I’m working on mixing my own “Windex.” I have a post it note on my desk at my coworking space that says, “What is step one?” to remind me to think about it.
Before Steph, I usually need to:
- Ask live chat
- Google it
- Take a walk and calm down
Google is less expensive than Steph. But Steph is less expensive than me spending 8 hours trying to figure out something I know she can answer.
Find your mantra, the person you can ask, the trigger (What is step one?) — that will remove the frustration and let you get started on solving the problem instead of staring at your screen or throwing up your hands.
Find your Windex.
Next up: Step 2.
Bookmarks of the Week
Here’s a little something for everyone.
Phenomenal Read of the Week
This Tool Will Save Your Life
New(ish) Website Launch
I have to brag on my client, Ann, a little. Her new website is beautiful, and she worked hard to source pictures and content so that her template could really shine. We helped build this one and it launched in Januaryish. If you love herbs, you’ll want to check it out.
The Feedback Fallacy
I read this article in the HBR and found it to be really interesting. Read the whole thing and with an open mind before you decide what you think.
Headline Generator
Want to waste some time? Here’s my randomly generated garble of the morning:
Take the work out of marketing planning
Get the dexterity you need to provide the high-salary you’ve always aspired to have, and write novels which wizards enviously aim to trade for. >>>>> obvs. my life goal
My favorite instagram account
Abra keeps it real and talks about plants and pop culture, two of my favorite things.
See ya!
