Big Picture - May 2020 - 2

insight

Be Present

few months ago I was taking notes at a conference (remember those?) when I stopped and

scribbled a personal note: Be Present. I was doing what I normally do: capturing quotes from
speakers, editing text to fit Twitter's 280 character limit, snapping story-telling pictures,
scrolling through the event's tagged posts on Instagram, and checking emails to ensure
smooth production of this magazine. But, in my world of controlled chaos, I wasn't present.
My job as editor is to curate information from industry events and share it with those who are unable
to attend. Unfortunately, I sometimes get lost in doing so - and I'm not the only one. I recall looking
around the room and realizing the majority of attendees beside me were lost in their work, too. I spotted
one designing a graphic to be printed. Another responding to emails on her laptop. A third getting up
from his seat to answer a call from his sales rep back home. The list of us who weren't present goes on. It
seemed we had all spent money and invested time in traveling to the event, only to be in two places at
once. And research shows that multi-tasking actually hinders human productivity.
So, when we do meet again in hotel ballrooms and conference centers (see you at ISA Expo in
Orlando?) I'll strive to be more present. I'll give more attention to the speakers (while still capturing
important notes; don't worry). I'll check emails less and only post to social media during breaks, instead
of during a session or Q&A. I'll better communicate my schedule and my priorities with my team, so they
know not to interrupt me unless there's an emergency. While this approach won't be easy, it's something
to work on. And what better time than now, in this new world of uncontrolled chaos, to practice?
So, what's your strategy for being present today? Are you watching important webinars at full screen
without distractions? Are you taking video calls that require your complete attention? Are you reading
this magazine without checking the notifications on your phone? Use these small changes to continue to
be present in the future.

bigpicture.net
EDITORIAL
Adrienne Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
adrienne.palmer@stmediagroup.com
Alex Marcheschi
Associate Editor
alex.marcheschi@stmediagroup.com
Kathleen DeZarn
Art Director
kathy.dezarn@stmediagroup.com
Marty McGhie, Rachel Nunziata,
Matt Richart, Kathryn Sanders
Columnists
Brian Adam, Ryan Clark, Terry Corman,
Scott Crosby, Michelle Gobert,
Diana Herrera, Brian Hite,
Hayes Holzhauer, Kerry King,
Robert Kissel, Chris Laniak, Stan Lucas,
Craig Miller, Nicole Piach, Carmen Rad,
Gary Schellerer, Elaine Scrima,
Jon Sherman, Reed Silberman,
James Swanson, Mark Taylor, Luis Vivas
Editorial Advisory Board
SALES
Lou Arneberg
Senior Market Strategist
East and Midwest US, E Canada
800/654-5169
lou.arneberg@stmediagroup.com
Jim Karwowski
Senior Market Strategist
West and South US, W Canada, Europe, Asia
630/474-4038
jim.karwowski@stmediagroup.com
Vernita Johnson
Directory and Classiﬁed/Account Executive
513/263-9313
vernita.johnson@stmediagroup.com
Linda Volz
Production Manager
linda.volz@stmediagroup.com
Kelly Cotes
Marketing Manager
513/263-9313

Murray Kasmenn
President
murray.kasmenn@stmediagroup.com

BIG PICTURE

May 2020

Christine Baloga
VP Marketing Operations and
Customer Acquisition

BY ADRIENNE PALMER

Michael Pence
Director of Technology

Editor-in-Chief

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Big Picture - May 2020

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