Are You Up for The Challenge?

By on March 26, 2012 in Productivity, Time

I challenge you to a race…

A race against time. A race against yourself.

What could you do faster? Where would a bit lower quality be OK if it saved you time? What is necessary, but you’d like to spend less time on it?

Perfection is the enemy of time. Distraction is the enemy of time. Overwhelm is the enemy of time. Mindless activities are the enemy of time.

We are often our own worst enemy of time.

In many cases, we can do something to save, recover, and take back that time.

Challenge yourself to a race.

I’ll be doing it along with you.

Great candidates for a TIME CHALLENGE:

Email –always at the top of the list

Social media – another top contender

Household chores – vacuuming, mopping, dusting, clean up

De-cluttering and purging – tackle those pile, closets, shelves

Organizing – rearrange, put items back, restore order

Filing – just do it

Phone calls – keep it brief, no chitchat

Meetings – agenda, timer

Writing – stop censoring and editing as you write; edit later

There are many others. Tasks you dread. Activities that are time wasters. Necessary, but tedious. Whatever may be on your, “Oh no, not again,” list.

Here’s the simple challenge.

Choose an activity. Decide the amount of time to allot. Settle on the acceptable quality. Set a timer. GO!

How many emails can you get through in 20 minutes?

How many words can you write in an hour?

Can you get the filing done in 15 minutes?

What can you cover in a 30-minute meeting if you stay on topic?

How many calls can you make in 45 minutes if you cut chitchat?

Dusting race – 10 minutes. Good enough is the key phrase.

Sort, purge, piles. 30 minutes. 60 minutes. When in doubt, throw it out.

So many options. So much time saved.

The best part. When you’re done, use some of that recovered time to treat yourself.

 

 

Share|
Comments { 0 }

Change or Die

By on March 23, 2012 in Creativity, Habits, Happiness, Personal Growth, Questions

Change is constant; you can either embrace it and move forward or resist it and get run over.

Do you fear change? A little uncertain?

The usual conversation in our head goes something like this:

“Well maybe it would be good, but what if it doesn’t work out. Things aren’t going that well, but at least I know what to expect. I’ve been doing, thinking, and acting this way for so long, I don’t know how to be different. People won’t like me if I change. It’s not worth the hassle. I’m not sure I can change anyway.”

We need to recognize that’s only our fear talking. We have been conditioned from birth to conform. We are creatures of habit. We live what we learn. We are mistrustful of new ideas. New ways of doing things seem uncomfortable.

Question that thinking.

It’s a knee jerk response. Look at the broader reality of history. The only way we grow both as individuals and as a society is through change. All of our pioneering inventions that improved our lives, our innovative solutions that solved major world problems, involved massive change. Changes in our technology, changes in our practices, and most of all changes in our mindset.

We would have no iPad, no apps; we might not even have the internet. Horror! 

We’d still be sending messages via telegraph instead mobile phones that allow us to call and text from almost anywhere instantaneously.

We’d still have to get up to turn the channel on the television, instead of using a remote that can operate all of our electronics in one handy little device (OK, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.) Worse yet, we might not even have televisions.

We’d still be using leeches instead of antibiotics. And dying from common viruses with no childhood immunizations.

We’d still be using iceboxes, waiting weeks for our mail to be delivered via Pony, pumping our water at the well. I won’t even mention going out back in the middle of the night. (OK, I mentioned it.) Shutter the thought!

Good grief, we might still think the world was flat and never get to visit Hawaii or Tahiti or Bali (or wherever we’d like to go.)

You get the idea. We cannot grow, advance, improve our lives, and change the world or our individual circumstances, without being willing to change. We would be confined to the life that we were born into, repeating the same behaviors over and over again, no hope for advancement, and a better life.

What do we have to fear? Success. Happiness. New friends and colleagues. Expanding our horizons. Learning new skills.

Those things don’t sound so bad, do they?

What do we have to lose? The comfort of routine. The familiar. The approval of those around us who are fearful of change. Pride if we make a mistake.

Those things don’t actually serve us, do they? Well maybe the pride, but usually it’s misplaced anyway…

Change. Be bold. Be daring. Be hopeful. Be creative. Be alive.

The ball is in your court.

It’s your turn. What do you think?

 

Share|
Comments { 1 }

Power Nap Like the Pros

By on March 21, 2012 in Energy

I had to share…this is going up on my office wall.

 

When you get tired at the office…go ahead, take a nap.

Share|
Comments { 1 }

4 Strategies to Overcome Any Obstacle

By on March 19, 2012 in Goals, Habits, Health, Personal Growth

There are few among us, who don’t have dreams, desires, projects or goals that we haven’t been able to achieve. Or perhaps it’s a nasty habit we want to break. Often we haven’t even been able to take the first step.

I Want….

For some it’s career goals; start your own business, change or advance your career, or continue your education. For others, it may be a health goal: quit smoking, lose weight, or exercise more. So many seem to struggle with disorganization and clutter (if you have piles, you know who you are.) Financial goals can be especially difficult, as can habits of procrastination and lackluster productivity.

The good news is, we can be successful in any area. The bad news is, we do have to put in some work. Simply deciding what we want or making the decision to change a behavior is not enough.

We first need to understand, that it makes no difference what we’re trying to achieve, the process, preparation and strategy is the same. The most important step is the first; START. Just take that first step, it the most difficult. As with anything, it gets easier as you gain momentum.

Overcome Obstacles

1. Be aware of barriers – Examine past failures. It’s important to gain an understanding of what has stopped you from getting what you want or making positive changes in the past. Look back at personal failures (failure is not a dirty word, just an opportunity to learn,) as well as professional aspirations where you just couldn’t quite hit the mark.

What got in the way? Why did you stop trying?

If you want a different outcome this time, you have to eliminate the obstacles, the barriers to success.

2. Examine patterns of behavior – We are creatures of habit, easily slipping back into behaviors we have learned and practiced in the past. Unfortunately, many of these behaviors are not helpful. In fact, they may be the biggest reason we are unable to change.

Do you have a certain pattern of behavior that keeps popping up and getting in the way of your goal? Do you self-sabotage, or make excuses? Do you keep so much on your plate that there is no energy left for something new? Do you tend to give up or refuse to ask for help?

All of these are common disruptive behaviors that stand in the way of change. As the famous saying goes, we are our own worst enemy.

3. Watch out for triggers – What situations are most likely to cause a relapse? Do you slip into unhealthy habits around particular people? Are certain surroundings more difficult than others are?

If you want to quit smoking, don’t take breaks with other smokers.

Trying to lose weight; minimize eating out, especially buffets.

Is the mall a temptation to spend money? Stay away or leave credit cards at home.

4. Plan ahead – The secret is to determine what has prevented you from succeeding in the past and to plan for a different outcome. Develop a strategy to overcome obstacles before they happen. Put a strategy in place before a problem arises. That’s much more effective than trying to use willpower at the time.

If you struggle to exercise with regularity in the morning, put your clothes out the night before.

Always wanted to start a business, but just couldn’t get started? Find a mentor to walk you through, to help identify pitfalls and suggest strategies that work.

Has procrastination become a habit? Or spending too much time on Facebook? Set a timer.

Finally

Whatever your goal, get help, enlist support, find a partner, or ask someone who’s already been successful at what you want to do.

You can do it. Change is possible.

Share|
Comments { 1 }

Review: Life is a Choice

By on March 16, 2012 in Books

Life is a Choice. I would certainly have to agree with that perspective. Dr. David Washington, in his new book, “Life is a Choice: A Guide to Success in Life,”, presents a concise compendium of best practices for success and life fulfillment. As a respected speaker and consultant,  he shares the strategies that he has used with his clients.

A quick read, “Life is a Choice,” is a handy guide to the basics of life success. Presented in a simple, conversational style, this book offers straightforward, fundamental strategies to improve lives. Dr. Washington is earnest and heartfelt; his desire to encourage others is evident throughout the book.

While the information presented may be basic for some of the more advanced practitioners of life success, it would be a useful manual for young professionals, especially new college graduates. Those just opening their eyes to the possibilities of life or those struggling to get on the right path, would also enjoy “Life is a Choice.”

In fact, I may pass my copy along to my college age children. They could certainly use a primer on life success, since they don’t seem to want my advice…

Share|
Comments { 0 }