I'm terrible at sticking with productivity hacks. I hate them, in fact.
They've always felt like confining myself to some mental jail cell and then rewarding myself for sitting still. Like…why? If I'm going to do anything, I need to feel free emotionally and mentally to get it done or anxiety will claim any progress I might have made.
At my former job, my email dinged with back-to-back emails all day. Each email seemed to be bursting with urgency (that's another post – "How Not To Take On Co-Workers' Poor Planning As Your Personal Emergency" – for another time). Nothing I tried worked to keep me up to speed. My sleep cycle was thrown off, I wasn't eating regular meals and the time I once spent after work relaxing with a good book, good music, or good friends was sucked into the vacuum of take-home work.
One day, I finally zeroed out my inbox (Hallelujah!), a feat I hadn't accomplished since I began. With almost thirty minutes to spare at the end of the workday, I started jotting different things I'd figured out on my own and answers to questions I had asked. About 15 minutes later, a new kind of to-do list was born.
Instead of a never-ending list of things to get done, I have three short lists I write on one sheet of paper at the end of each day:
1.Things I Learned Today
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Starting with what I've learned forces me to pay attention to everything around me during the day instead of mindlessly grinding away at a To-Do List. I take in what I hear on the radio. I listen to understand more intently when in conversation. I *look* for new words, facts, or procedures throughout the day. This list also helps me to feel a little more grateful. If it's been a particularly eventful day, I jot down the top learning moments that made the most impact.
2.Things I Accomplished Today
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The problem with the traditional To-Do List is that we obsess over crossing things off the list. We prioritize an "all-or-nothing" approach when half the things on our lists aren't even urgent. When the end of the day comes and everything on that list isn't crossed off, we feel that we've failed in some cosmic way. We add stress to our lives while thinking we're erasing it.
This section helps me to reflect on how I was successful – not to revel in getting it all done. It doesn't have to be output-based either. Some days I record accomplishments such as, "I sat down and mindfully enjoyed the sunset with a glass of iced tea" or "I finished the book I've been reading for a year."
Celebrating your wins, large or small, is the goal – not beating yourself up for only completing 4 out of 5.
3.Things To Do/Complete Tomorrow
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This takes the aggravation and stress out of getting started every morning. Why? Because all you've got to do is consult the list you made the evening before.
I purposely add no more than five items to my to-do lists. It forces me to stop making EVERYTHING urgent. Because it's not. Everything is not urgent and I'm not going to develop an ulcer just because everybody else is rushing.
Using this list is something I'm most proud of lately. It's made me more aware of myself, what happens throughout my day, and the progress I'm making. I don't put such an emphasis on how fast things happen – unless it is truly urgent. I focus on quality and treating myself like a human, not a machine and that's making an incredible difference.
Article originally published on Medium.
Featured image by Getty Images.
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Now, with more than 20 years of experience in professional aviation, starting with American Eagle Airlines and then on to becoming a captain at American Airlines, she has continued to pay it forward. In 2022, she made history as the first commercial airline captain to lead an all-Black, women-led flight crew. She has also written a biography on Bessie Coleman, the first African-American and Native-American woman to earn a pilot’s license, and produced and directed, Discovering Bessie Coleman, working alongside the family to get the project completed. Add to that her role as a founder of consulting firm LadyAv8rBeth, which offers a guide of pathways into aviation, and as a podcast host covering all things aviation.
For Women’s History Month, xoNecole caught up with the busy pilot, in between flights, to talk about her career journey, her role in a Bessie Coleman documentary and book, how she balances self-care and safety, and how other Black women can add to the aviation legacy:
xoNecole: You’ve built an successful career in aviation. And you were only 15 and already had your first flight. Were you afraid at all, or did it feel like second nature to you?
Beth Powell: It felt completely natural. There was no fear, just excitement and curiosity.
Now, it’s what they call STEM, and my teacher at the time thought that I was really good at numbers. He recommended three career paths, and I tried the first one.
I didn't understand why it made sense back then at 15, but as I grew up and met other pilots, I recognized that the reason I liked math and physics was that we were technical learners. So we like to break things apart and put them back together. We like to check procedures. We like to write manuals. We were technical artists.
xoN: That’s such an important message. Many young women and girls are often discouraged from pursuing careers in STEM or aviation, so it’s incredible to hear your story. Now, fast forward a bit—how did you transition into your corporate career with larger airlines?
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BP: After that first discovery flight, I quickly finished my high school classes and graduated at 16. By 17, I had earned my private pilot’s license, and by 18, my commercial license. Then, I moved to the U.S. to attend flight school in Florida. While working on my degree in professional aeronautics, I began working for American Eagle Airlines at just 21. Over the years, I’ve built my career and have now spent 25 years in the airline industry, including 14 years at American Eagle and 11 years at American Airlines. In terms of leadership, being a captain is key.
As a captain, I’m responsible for the aircraft, the crew, and the passengers. It’s a huge responsibility, and you learn a lot about leadership when you’re in charge of so much.
Being a captain definitely teaches you leadership. You’re in charge of every aspect of the flight from the moment you sign in to the moment you sign out. From overseeing the crew to managing the safety and well-being of passengers, you have to make quick decisions and take responsibility. Even when you’re starting out as a first officer, you’re learning vital leadership skills that prepare you for the captain role.
xoN: There's a lot going on with airlines right now that might make someone feel afraid in terms of some of the tragedies that have recently happened. How do you sustain your self-care balance and your resilience in the aviation industry when those sorts of things happen?
BP: I truly believe that aviation is still the safest and the No. 1 safest means of transportation. I say that proudly. For any airline, any pilot, any air traffic controller—anyone who works in the industry—safety is our number one priority. However, of course, we see things happening in the news, and it is concerning to passengers.
What I'm telling everybody to do right now, including myself, is that it's very important to have your source of strength. I'm a Christian, and one of my sources of strength is prayers. I go deep within my prayers every morning, and I pray to God, giving things that I can't control to him, and the rest— I can do my best to deal with.
No. 2 is meditation on the Deepak Chopra app. Ever since COVID happened, that was the first time I thought that I needed something more than just my prayers to help me go through to calm down the noise around me.
And last but not least, I'm really big on self-development. I read, I read, and I read. If your foundation is strong, you have something to build from. And so, when I read, I learn a lot about myself. I learn about what triggers me and when something triggers me. I literally hear the Kendrick Lamar song, "TV Off" in my head, because sometimes you need to shut the noise off.
xoN: That's amazing—the combination of faith and just being excellent at what you do. Now, how did you get involved with the Bessie Coleman project?
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BP: I sit on the board of advisers for an organization called Sisters of the Skies, and was at a gala celebrating with all our Black women of our achievements. At the end of the night, Dr. Sheila Chamberlain walked up to me. She was the first Black woman U.S. combat intelligence aviator in the Army. So, if she's walking up to me, it's very serious. She said, ‘I have a favor to ask.’ I said, ‘Yes.’ I did not hear what the favor was. I didn't know what she was going to ask me, but somebody like that walking up to you saying, ‘a favor’? The answer is yes.
She told me [the project involved] helping the Bessie Coleman family elevate the story. ‘I'd like you to ask your company if they will do a flight in honor of Bessie Coleman.’ I went to the different departments at American Airlines, and the rest was literally history. We did that flight on August 8, 2022, and it became a historical flight because everyone on that flight, from the ground up, was a Black woman.
Gigi Coleman, Bessie’s grand-niece, was also on that flight. We started chatting at the end of the flight. Another night, we were hanging out—Sheila, Gigi, and I—and she kept telling me she wanted to write a book, that she wished there was a movie, and that people approached her about it. Nothing had been done as yet. And I thought, sounds like another mission.
I literally took it on. We do have a documentary with the family sharing their perspective of who Bessie Coleman is. And we do have a book called Queen of the Skies.
xoN: For the young women who are looking for career paths in aviation, what are some skills they need to thrive?
BP: While you don't necessarily have to love math to be a pilot, technical knowledge is important. You’ll need to understand aircraft systems and aerodynamics. This includes weather patterns and instrument training. It might seem daunting at first, but the great thing about flight training is that it builds on itself. The more you learn, the more it all clicks. Also, aviation is constantly changing, and you need to be adaptable.
It’s a field where you need to be ready for anything, from unexpected weather to technical issues. Being open to learning new things and adjusting to change is crucial.
My daughter, who has her private pilot’s license, once said, “This journey is both challenging and rewarding. I feel like I’ve grown so much since starting.” It’s important to keep going, even when it gets tough.
To help others, I’m outlining how they can go from “zero to hero” as a pilot. I offer this information freely on my Instagram account, and it’s something I’m passionate about sharing. I want everyone to have access to the resources they need to follow their dreams.
For more information on Beth Powell, the Bessie Coleman documentary, and aviation career resources, visit LadyAv8rBeth.com.
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