Relax! You'll be more productive / Valentine's Day Special Delivery / We can learn from everyone

Relax! You’ll Be More Productive

My son Brian forwarded me an opinion piece that appeared in the February 10th, 2013 edition of the Sunday New York Times.  Written by Tony Schwartz it’s titled  “Relax! You’ll Be More Productive.”  The following conclusions, supported by research statistics, are taken directly from the article.

• “The best way to get more done may be to spend more time doing less."
• “Strategic renewal — including daytime workouts, short afternoon naps, longer sleep hours, more time away from the office and longer, more frequent vacations — boosts productivity, job performance and, of course, health."
• “Time is finite, and many of us feel we’re running out, that we’re investing as many hours as we can while trying to retain some semblance of a life outside work.”

More than just a fascinating concept it’s an approach that is game-changing. This article may get you to think differently.

Valentine’s Day Special Delivery

On February 14th the world celebrates Valentine’s Day.  An idea came to me this week that I want to bounce off you. What if we started thinking about Valentine’s Day as simply a day to love and appreciate our fellow man and woman? What do you think of this simple conceptual shift? 

On this topic, NBC’s Today Show on February 14^th featured a segment about a growing movement across America: children are making hand-made Valentine’s Day cards for senior citizens.

From the Foxborough, Massachusetts PatchNetwork website, “This project was special.  Usually, the children’s art creations are displayed proudly on their family’s refrigerator. Our hope was that these cards would bring a smile to someone’s day who normally wouldn’t receive a young child’s artwork. It shows that little hands can make a big difference,” said Laura Feeney, Owner of Butterfly Landing Family Child Care in Foxborough.  

How thoughtful!  How special!

To all my cherished readers, consider yourself loved this Valentine’s Day!

"We Can Learn From Everyone"

“We can learn from everyone – we just need to put our egos aside and listen.”  Said to me by Fabrizio Bona, a New York City-based real estate investor / broker with MNS Real Estate.

This quote reminds me of something I have been saying for years: When two real estate people get together they’re doing one of two things - talking or waiting to talk.  Of course, commercial real estate people don’t have an exclusive on this; it’s endemic of our society today: Too much talking; not enough listening. My storytelling-self sometimes slips into this mode. But with a newly discovered awareness, and reflection on Fabrizio’s comment, I continue be more mindful of the role I play in conversations.

  

Two feet of snow in New York!

Hidden Gem of the Week

Plant House, 249B West 29th Street, New York (212.244.1333).

A wonderful experience.  Plant House supplies greenery for the television industry, runway shows, hotels, you name it. If you love to be surrounded by beautiful flora you owe it to yourself to stop by and talk with the owner, Michael.

Congratulations!

• Jon Thompson joined MCR Development as Managing Director
• Andrew C. Holmberg now Senior Associate – Investor Relations at The Davis Companies
• Roberta Waxman-Lenz started as Investment Officer at The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund.

On The Road…

Feb. 20 – 21: IPD (Investment Property Databank) U.S. Real Estate Investment Forum (Launch of PREA / IPD U.S. Property Fund Index), New York, NY (Invitation only)

Mar. 14-15:  PREA (Pension Real Estate Association) Spring Conference, Washington, DC 

Mar. 14 – 15: IMN’s Bank and Institutions Conference on Workouts, New York, NY 

Mar. 17 -19:  NAREIM (National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers) Spring CEO Meeting, Santa Monica, CA (Invitation only)

Apr. 9 -10:  PERE (Private Equity Real Estate Magazine) Global Investor Forum, Los Angeles, CA 

Apr. 28 – May 1:  CRE (Counselors of Real Estate) Mid-Year Meetings, New York, NY (To include jamming with the CRE Rock ‘n Roll band, Sound Counsel).  CRE members only

May 29 – 30:  IMN (Information Management Network) U.S. Real Estate Opportunity Fund and Private Fund Investing Forum, New York, NY. 

June 4 – 5:  PERE Summit (Private Equity Real Estate Magazine), London, UK 

Disclaimer

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