How to Choose What to Work On, and When to Work On It

Former president Dwight Eisenhower lent his wisdom — and his name brand — to the all-important practices of decision making and time management. Using the Eisenhower Matrix, pictured here, you can evaluate every decision to manage your time based on two elementary questions: (1) How important is it? (2) How urgent is it?

Featured on Shane Parrish’s Farnam Street blog, the matrix has made something of a comeback in recent years. (There’s even an app for it, which you can find at Eisenhower.me.) “We often focus too strongly on the ‘urgent and important’ field, on the things that have to be dealt with immediately. Ask yourself: When will I deal with the things that are important, but not urgent? When will I take the time to deal with the important tasks before they become urgent? This is the field for strategic, long-term decisions,” writes Parrish.

Here at The Build Network, we wanted to know: How did Eisenhower himself assess urgency and importance? When you’re the president, isn’t everything urgent and important, at least to someone? Yes — but there are degrees. Mary Burtzloff, archivist at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas, helped us sort through them:

Urgent and important: In 1957, Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and called in parts of the 101st Airborne Division to ensure the integration of an Arkansas high school after the governor defied Brown v. Board of Education.

Urgent but not important: In 1953, Eisenhower chose to break tradition and not wear a top hat to his inauguration. “He had to make a decision by the [inauguration] date, but it was a relatively inconsequential one,” says Burtzloff.

Important but not urgent: In 1956, Eisenhower signed The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law. Two years earlier, he publicly shared his “Grand Plan” for upgrading America’s highways. The idea first gripped Eisenhower back in 1919, when as a lieutenant colonel in the Army he took part in an arduous cross-country military convoy. During that trip he saw firsthand the poor condition of U.S. roads.

Neither urgent nor important: Deciding whether to respond to notes from concerned citizens fell into this category. “Tens of thousands of letters came to the White House,” says Burtzloff. “The staff responded to the vast majority, but on occasion one would be forwarded to his desk, and he might choose to send a personal response.”

What's Not To Like about a 600 MPH Pneumatic People Tube?

Elon Musk has a plan to build a high-speed transit system that would let you go from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 30 minutes -- and which would cost one-tenth as much as California's current high-speed rail plan.

Musk initially called his "Hyperloop" concept a cross between a “Concorde, a railgun, and an air hockey table." Then he announced, a few days ago, that he'd publish more detailed Hyperloop plans in August and that he would be seeking feedback.

But you don't have to wait until August. We now have a pretty good idea what Musk's plan might look like thanks to an enterprising, self-taught "tinker" named John Gardi.

Gardi's plan -- which he sketched out in Microsoft Paint and posted to Twitter -- is basically a pneumatic tube with magnetic accelerators and decelerators. (Illustrator Brent Couchman prettied up Gardi's sketch, creating the version you see in detail below.)



This is a shining example of how independent thinkers can come up with brilliant technological ideas that outstrip the best plans that any government bureaucracy can create.

But without that bureaucracy's consent, it will never be built.

Here's Gardi's plan: You'd climb into a sealed pod along with other passengers and strap yourself in, and then the magnetic accelerator would inject the pod into a compressed column of air moving at 600 miles per hour. The air would propel you -- and any other pods in the tube -- down the length of California. Thirty minutes later, the system would shunt your pod into a decelerator, which would use magnets to slow your pod down until it reaches the station at the other end, where you'd disembark.

Connecting pipes would be between the northbound and southbound segments, with turbines to pump the air, making the entire system into a "loop" of air moving at extremely high speeds in a continuous circle.
"Your guess is the closest I've seen anyone guess so far," Musk told Gardi via Twitter after he published his sketch.

Musk also gave Gardi an important clue: He is planning for pods that are about 2 meters (6 feet) in diameter.
"The 2-meter diameter pods tells us that #HyperLoop will be an 'ultralite' transport system," Gardi told me via Twitter. "This means the pods, tubes, pylons, and trusses can be made of light, strong materials. This makes elevated construction much easier.

"It will also use less energy, but the biggest plus to lightweight construction is it can be built to withstand earthquakes better."

One thing's for sure: It beats the current plan from the California "High Speed" Rail Authority (CHSRA).
I put "High Speed" in quotes because, while California's $69 billion plan is called that, it would actually be one of the slowest high-speed rail systems in the world, as Musk correctly pointed out a few months ago.
According to the CHSRA, the system -- when it's complete in 2029 -- will make the S.F.-L.A. trip in about three hours, at speeds "over 200 miles per hour." But at three hours for a 380-mile trip, that's an average speed of just 125 miles per hour. Parts of it, such as the northernmost segment from San Francisco to San Jose, will go only slightly faster than the existing commuter rail system.

[Disclosure: I'm no fan of the California plan. In addition to its high cost and low speed, plans call for a giant, concrete, elevated structure that runs through one of the most densely populated parts of the state, the San Francisco Peninsula and Silicon Valley -- and it would loom over my backyard. So yes, I have a personal stake in this.]

By comparison, the French TGV train system has segments with average speeds over 175 miles per hour, and its maximum speed has hit as much as 350 mph. (France started construction on the TGV in the 1970s.) A Chinese bullet train regularly averages 186 mph, making the 630-mile trip from Wuhan to Guangzhou in under four hours.

I'd like to think that someday I'll be able to ride the Hyperloop for a short day trip to Los Angeles. But the practical side of my brain is extremely skeptical. No government is set up to embrace innovation at Musk's speed (witness all the legal trouble Tesla is having just finding a place to sell its electric cars).

It's doubtless that Gardi's plan doesn't take a host of factors into account, such as making sure that the tubes don't leak air and figuring out how to make them safe in case something goes wrong.

And then there's the issue of securing the right-of-way to install these pneumatic tubes. Even with lightweight construction, you still may not want a 2-meter pipe containing pressurized air and pods moving at 600 mph running through your backyard. (I'd prefer that to big concrete overpasses, but that's just me.) That means you'd still need to secure the right-of-way, deal with political issues, ensure that there is mitigation for sound and safety issues, and so forth.

One of the reasons the proposed bullet trains will be so slow is that they make a lot of stops, which lowers the average speed for the full journey. The Hyperloop, by contrast, has just two, speeding it up and simplifying the plan. Reality is likely to be a lot more complicated.

So building the Hyperloop for just $6.9 billion seems like a pipe dream.

But as pipe dreams go, it's a pretty good one. If the idea does nothing more than pressure the California government to rethink its basic assumptions, it will be successful. Why settle for 200 mph when you could go 600 mph?

We need more visionaries like Musk and Gardi who are willing to think about the big picture, and tackle tough problems with audacious imagination.

Top photo: fhirART

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Dylan Tweney

How to Make Better Phone Calls in Business

Many first-time entrepreneurs have grown up digital natives so have a really good intuitive feel for technology & design but don't yet have the business basics down.

This shows itself when people try to do an elevator pitch, send concise, actionable emails or have a quick phone call with you to ask for help.

I'm not talking only about a sales call, getting past the assistant or anything like that. I'm talking about simple and quick calls to your business peers, VCs or other players in your ecosystem.

How Can I Help?

Angels, entrepreneurs, VCs, bloggers and the like all get a ton of requests for "just 15 minutes" phone calls.
I'm OK with this. One of the more rewarding parts of my job is being able to help other people. It's high in the gratification quadrant when somebody comes back and says that our chat made a difference in their business.
The truth is I think that it's part of human nature to want to try and help others so you'd be surprised how many people will find ways to help if asked appropriately or by the right person.

So when a person calls me and we're 10 minutes into the call and it's not clear why they're calling I'm usually thinking to myself, "what was the reason they wanted to call me in the first place? What are they hoping to achieve?" and mostly, "How can I help?"

Most people don't get to the point and since the distance between my random inner-head mutterings and my mouth are too small and my ADHD too great, it often just blurts out of me like Tourette's syndrome, "Let me just stop you there. How can I best help you?"

It's what we want. It's what you want. Let's be explicit about it.

So here's my advice:

1. Prepare! Write your set of bullet points on paper before the call. Write out the reason you're calling, your key points and "the ask" in advance and your time allotment so you can always refer back and make sure you're tracking to your plan.

2. You can start informally with banter - If I'm calling somebody I know a bit I usually try to start with a little friendly banter. If I know they like a sports team that might be a good start. If I saw their company in the press, heard that they saw somebody at an event that I know, they live in a town where a storm just rolled through - whatever. I think trying to humanize the call from the outset is good. When you jump straight into "sales pitch mode" it feels a bit strange.

Two things to watch for: 1) if you're trying banter to build rapport but not "feeling it" then quickly shift to business. Some people just aren't "chit chatters" and prefer to get on with things. I find that kinda boring, but I know some people are just wired that way. 2) some callers take this banter too far It starts to border on disrespectful of the person's time or wasteful of your 15 minutes. Don't be that person.

How long you go for is really a judgment call because there's no right answer. If it's somebody that I know really well and I confirm that they're not rushing to do something else I might even take 10-15 minutes just to "catch up." If it's a general acquaintance it's probably more like 3-4 minutes. If it's a first time call you might try to keep the banter at 2 minutes or less.

So even if the person you called is really chatty don't be undisciplined and let them talk too long. You have limited time on the call, presumably you called for a reason and you're chewing up your valuable clock.

3. Let them know why you're calling - When you're ready to pivot the conversation your next line should be some derivative of, "listen, the reason I'm calling is ... blah, blah, blah" 25% of people or less actually do this. They just talk and I'm not really sure why they called.
If you're calling for a reason, the sooner the recipient knows the sooner they can help. If the clock runs out they're not going to be able to help. Even if you don't have a single "ask" I recommend saying something like, "listen, I'm going to make this call short. I don't have anything I'm asking for, I was just hoping to get 10 minutes of your time to tell you what we're up to so that the next chance we get to meet down the line you've got more of an understanding."

4. Don't hang yourself - One of the other big mistakes callers make is going "off to the races" talking about their business without getting any feedback from the recipient of the call. This is bad enough in person but I promise you if you do it over the phone the recipient will start to tune out. If you listen closely you'll probably even hear the tapping of a keyboard. You can talk for a bit but then seek feedback and make sure the other person is "with you." When I used to do a lot of recruiting we used to call it "hanging yourself" because people who talk for long periods of time without seeking feedback are generally not self-aware or good at human interaction. Don't be that person.

5. Ask questions - The best trick for creating a two-way conversation is to ask questions. You can do this too early in the call and you can't be an interview factory, but polite questions relevant to your topic are appropriate. It will help ensure that you don't do all the talking. Plus, when you listen you learn more anyways.

6. Know what "the ask" is - If you're set up a call with somebody then know in advance why you're calling and what you plan to ask for. Don't ask for four things or you'll get none. Don't ask for big favors unless you have a tight relationship. Don't assume that this will be the one and only time you'll ever talk to the person. If you cultivate a good long-term relationship through patience, persistence and reciprocity there will be many more occasions. So by all means have an "ask" but make it: obvious, easy for them to achieve and of a limited number - preferably one.

6. Stick to your budgeted time - maybe less - When you think of your relationship with the individual as a relationship you'll build over time and over many calls, discussions, chats at conferences or whatever you'll realize you need to be known for being respectful of other's time. If you're known as the person who's always long winded you're less likely to get the next few calls on the calendar. Less is better, I promise.

A Step-By-Step Guide to Stop Procrastinating

How many times each day do you try to work yourself up to tackle some undesirable task? If you’re like me – several. Nothing is more exhausting than the task that is never started, so I’ve come up with some tricks to use on myself:

1. Put yourself in jail. If I feel pressure to jump in and finish something in a rush, and therefore can’t bear to start, sometimes I put myself in jail. If you’re in jail, you have all the time in the world. You have no reason to hurry, no reason to cut corners or to try to do too many things at once. You can slow down, concentrate. You can take the time to get every single detail right.

2. Ask for help. This is one of my most useful Secrets of Adulthood. Why is this so hard? I have no idea. But whenever I have trouble getting started because I don’t know exactly what to do, and I ask for help, I’m amazed at how much it…helps.

3. Remember: most decisions don’t require extensive research. I often get paralyzed by my inability to make a decision, but by reminding myself that often, one choice just isn’t that much different from another choice, I can get started. Also, I try to identify a knowledgeable person, and just follow whatever that person does.

4. Take a baby step. If you feel yourself dismayed at the prospect of the chain of awful tasks that you have to accomplish, just take one step today. Tomorrow, take the next step. The forward motion is encouraging, and before long, you’ll probably find yourself speeding toward completion. In the same vein…

5. Suffer for 15 minutes. You can do anything for fifteen minutes, and fifteen minutes, day after day, adds up surprisingly fast. That’s how I finally dug myself out of my crushing (if virtual) load of digital photos. Fifteen minutes at a time.

6. Do it first thing in the morning. The night before, vow to yourself to do the dreaded task. Get everything ready — any phone numbers of information you need, files assembled, everything ready to go. And the next day, at the first possible moment – as soon as you walk into work, or when the office opens, or whenever – just do it. Don’t allow yourself to reflect or procrastinate. This is particularly true of exercise. If you think you’ll be tempted to skip, try to work out in the morning.

7. Protect yourself from interruption. How often have you finally steeled yourself to start some difficult project, only to be interrupted the minute you get going? This makes a hard task much harder. Carve out some time to work. Shut the door.

8. Remember, work can be one of the most pernicious forms of procrastination. Don’t kid yourself.

Note: Pay attention to the amount of time you spend working on tasks you dislike. No one enjoys getting invasive medical tests or preparing tax returns, but if you feel like your life consists of nothing but going from one dreaded chore to the next, you might be better off figuring out a way to avoid some of those tasks altogether.

On the other hand, novelty and challenge, as uncomfortable as they can be, do bring happiness. The chore that feels onerous today may give you a huge boost of satisfaction tomorrow, when it’s behind you. Keep that in mind, too.

What are some other strategies that you’ve found useful in trying to get yourself to jump some hurdle?

Join the Campaign to Prevent Falls

Falls are the leading cause of death in construction, accounting for one third of all work-related deaths in the industry. To stop these preventable tragedies, OSHA has partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Center for Construction Research and Training, kicking off a second year of the Campaign to Prevent Fatal Falls.

In a new blog post, OSHA Director of Construction Jim Maddux discusses the human and economic costs of falls, encouraging local employers, stakeholders and community and faith-based organizations to join the campaign to prevent falls. As he explains, "We know that the real difference to be made is in the communities where workers are getting hurt, and we can't do that alone."

To assist stakeholders in promoting the campaign and reducing fatal falls in their local areas, CPWR also has a new guide (PDF*) on how to launch a local initiative. The CPWR website has a number of campaign resources including an interactive fatality map, training guides and handouts, as well as information on how to sign on as a campaign partner.

To learn more about OSHA's Fall Prevention campaign, visit www.osha.gov/stopfalls, and order or download fact sheets, posters, and other educational materials—including a new wallet card in Portuguese—by calling OSHA's Office of Communications at 202-693-1999 or visiting OSHA's Publications page.

Atlas Copco Launches BUILD Magazine App

Atlas Copco Construction Technique Business Area launched its first customer magazine App for Apple (iPad & iPhone) and Android devices. The free-of-charge App comes in English and is available worldwide through the App Store and Google Play, using “Atlas Copco” keywords.

Following the success of the first three printing editions of BUILD customer magazine, the new App adds value through videos, useful links, campaigns, product information, “push” notifications, information request form and more.

“The idea is to have a state-of-the-art two way communication with our customers and readers across the world, providing them valuable information and interaction and strengthen our relations” says Nico Delvaux, President of Atlas Copco Construction Technique Business Area. 

BUILD magazine was launched in 2012 and is published worldwide twice a year to customers of Atlas Copco´s Portable Energy, Construction Tools, Road Construction Equipment and Construction Technique Service Divisions. The content is related to innovation and sustainable productivity in infrastructure, civil works and road construction projects.

Finding Your Passion In Work: 20 Awesome Quotes

Ask yourself: If you could do anything for 8 hours a day for the rest of your life, and money were no object, what would you do?

Holidays like Independence Day give me the excuse (and reminder) to reflect on what I'm doing with my life and what I've done since the last milestone, such as New Year. Am I excited to do what I'm doing every day? And if not, is it me, or something else?

One of the big blessings of living in a democracy is the ability to pursue one's own path, and the idea that anyone can pick him or herself up by the bootstraps and achieve great things. Of course, survival and success are inescapably connected to work, but we have the luxury of deciding how fun our day-to-day work is going to be. Sometimes that comes as a tradeoff for pay, but spending 1/2 your waking hours doing something you love is often well worth it. And I'm convinced that the people who are best at what they do tend to be the ones that love it the most.

The most important thing for me as a startup founder is knowing that every person I work with is excited to show up to work every day, that each is doing what he or she loves. The most amazing words I could ever hear one of our team member say (and I'm humbled to overhear it occasionally!), is, "This is the best job I've ever had." And if it's not, I'd rather help him or her find that job than help us do what we love at his or her own expense.

I'm not saying anything loads of great thinkers haven't already said. But sometimes it's important to remind ourselves why we're doing what we're doing, and to take inventory of our dreams.

As such, below are some of my favorite mushy, inspirational quotes about the intersection of passion and work:

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Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt

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Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

Theodore Roosevelt

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Hard work is painful when life is devoid of purpose. But when you live for something greater than yourself and the gratification of your own ego, then hard work becomes a labor of love.”

Steve Pavlina

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Never work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you sleep at night.”

Marian Wright Edelman

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Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”

John R. Wooden

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Dream big and dare to fail."

Norman Vaughan

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Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."

Farrah Gray

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It is never too late to be what you might have been."

George Eliot

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Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears."

Les Brown

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And in case you're a procrastinator like me, a bonus quote:

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Chinese Proverb