Tag Archives | personal development

Invest in yourself

By on May 4, 2010 in Uncategorized

Invest in Yourself is one of the most important Golden Rules of Productivity.

Investing in yourself will yield the highest returns of any investment you have ever made. If you want to stay competitive or be at your most effective you need to keep learning and growing on a regular basis. In today’s world with the constantly changing technology, concepts and guidelines if you aren’t improving your knowledge and skills, you will be out-of-date in mere months. You have to stay current if you want to be the best – and I am assuming that you do or you would not be reading this blog.

What does investing in yourself look like? It does not mean that you need to be perpetually enrolled in higher education, though that is an option if it appeals you. Learning and growing can take many forms. It may be as simple as having subscriptions to trade publications – either in print or online – to stay up on new trends. The caveat there is that you must actually read them! You may attend conferences, workshops or other forms of training, take online webinars or read current books in your area of expertise. You may work towards an advanced degree or certification. Any knowledge or skills that you can acquire can help you grow.

This is not just limited to your business skills either. If you want to take a writing course at the local college or learn photography that’s fine. Maybe you want to hone your musical skills or become a gourmet cook. All of these skills help you to stretch and grow as a person and can be easily transferable no matter what you do in your “business” life. Your mind stays sharp, your comprehension of current trends and conversations increases, your confidence rises and your proficiency in areas such as analysis and problem-solving also improve. Knowledge and growth will help you become a more valuable commodity in any area.

To read more about the other Golden Rules of Productivity click here.

Share|
Comments { 0 }

How to be a Productive Communicator

By on April 21, 2010 in Uncategorized

Communication is an integral part of any work or life situation. Learning to be an effective communicator is a valuable productivity tool. It is one that is unfortunately commonly overlooked. The consequences of poor communication can be disastrous; wasted time, hurt feelings, misunderstandings, unproductive meetings, ineffective teamwork and lack of progress towards goals. In order to be successful communicators we need to keep in mind some basic guidelines that are applicable in most instances of work, social or home environments.

Thank you up front:

  • Express appreciation for the persons time
  • Offer thanks for the work or contribution the person is making

Engage the other person

  • Find some common ground  – weather, sports, news or whatever is appropriate(avoid controversial topics)
  • Inquire about children or projects the person is involved in

Stay positive:

  • Find something positive to praise
  • Only offer constructive criticism or ideas

Monitor your tone:

  • Be assertive, not aggressive
  • Stay calm and cooperative

Be clear about your objectives:

  • What is your desired outcome?
  • Look for win-win solution

Be an active listener:

  • Seek to understand the other person’s perspective
  • Make eye contact
  • Don’t interrupt
  • Keep an open mind

Watch non-verbal cues:

  • Pay attention to body language
  • Notice yawns or sighs

Request feedback:

  • Make sure the other person understands what you are saying
  • Ask for the other person’s input or thoughts

Determine follow-up:

  • Summarize the agreements in oral or written form
  • Clarify any actions that will be taken
  • Confirm commitments and time-frame if any

Perhaps most importantly, always end with another thank you and a positive note!

Share|
Comments { 0 }

Are Your Goals SMART?

By on April 14, 2010 in Goals

Specific: Goals must be very clear, not sort of vague ideas. We often set goals that are so generic, it’s nearly impossible to measure progress or successful achievement. You need to know what has to be done or what specifically the desired end result will be.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to lose weight – Well who doesn’t? What does that mean?

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to lose 20 pounds by September 1st. I will perform a half hour of cardio and half hour of strength training per day, 5 times a week.

Measurable: Goals need to be measurable. They should be well-defined, concrete goals and must be in qualitative or quantitative terms. If your goals are not measurable, you will never know whether you are making progress toward their successful completion. Choose some unit of measurement that will allow you to see exactly how far you have come and how far away from the completion of the goal you are.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to be rich.
  • I want to be successful.

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to gross 1 million dollars and have a team of 5 within 3 years.

Attainable: Goals need to be realistic and achievable. Time and again, success or failure depends on setting practical goals. The best goals require you to stretch a bit to achieve, but they aren’t out of reach. Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting goals that are too high. You should consider your skills and resources available to help you achieve your goal. Creating goals that are not attainable is very disheartening and will only serve to discourage you in life.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to become a millionaire in 3 months (don’t we all!)

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to make an extra $500 per month.
  • I want to increase my savings account by $10,000 in 3 years.

Relevant: Goals must be relevant to your purpose (or your company’s.)  Relevant goals ensure that you are directing your effort towards goals that are focused on your mission statement, business objective or overall strategic long-term plan in life. The goal also has to be relevant or consistent with your responsibilities, knowledge, skill set, and access.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to network more – Why? What does that get you? How?

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to build a charitable foundation that helps feed the homeless.

Time Sensitive: Goals need to have a time frame, milestones and a deadline. Having a set amount of time will give your goals structure. It also helps you monitor your progress. Not having time constraints attached to your goal triggers procrastination. Without an end date there is no sense of urgency, no impetus to take any action today. Without this component we are tempted to put the goal off for a later time and never get around to it; or it simply gets overshadowed by the day to day grind.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to write a book.
  • I want to start my own business.

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to write a book on financial planning and submit it to publishers 1 year from today.
  • I want to have a retirement account with at least $500,000 within 5 years from this date.

By spending some time towards making sure that your goals fit the SMART criteria, you will make your success much more likely.

Share|
Comments { 0 }

Have You Discovered Your Gifts?

By on April 13, 2010 in Personal Growth

We may not be aware of it yet, but each of us has a unique set of gifts and talents that enable us to fulfill our special purpose and contribution to the world.  Some of us discover our talents early in life in the more obvious ways as an athlete, artist, storyteller or natural teacher.  Others tend to bloom later and their gifts are less obvious; they may be great in supporting people through excellent listening skills and empathy, they may be terrific organizers and project managers, they might be great fund-raisers,  or patient with the elderly or disabled.

Innate gifts come in a wide variety of forms. You may realize that you are a gifted mother, wife and household manager; or you may be a natural visionary for a charity board; or possibly the creative idea person who develops new concepts.

Are our distinctive gifts those talents we are innately good at or are they the things we naturally love to do?  Most likely it is a little of both, but the gifts that come from our passion, our creativity or inspiration are the ones are ultimately the most powerful. Giving a gift that we all have readily available –the gift of love –is perhaps the most wonderful of all.

So, how can you identify what your gifts are?  Ask your friends and family to help you discover them.  What stands out about you may be blatantly clear to others, but may not always be as apparent to you.  Follow your heart.  Whatever your gifts are, don’t discount them, each one is valuable: all are equally important to each of us in fulfilling our individual purpose, as well as learning our own life’s lessons.  There are so many gifts people share that may seem invisible or inconsequential, but that have a lasting influence on those around them.

Once you uncover your special gift, share it with the world! In addition, mentor others, either directly or by example. That is a magnificent gift to give.  Share what you’ve learned and help others along the way, so they can turn around and do the same thing. It’s a kind of “pay it forward,” circle of support that  contributes something valuable to the world and at the same time provides satisfaction, growth and joy to the giver.

Share|
Comments { 0 }

Improve Performance by Joining a Group

By on April 8, 2010 in Energy, Life Balance, Work

For the next two days I will be away from my office, first attending the WISE Symposium and then in an all-day team meeting with two groups of very inspiring peers. Though the settings and formats, even some topics are different, the result is the same. Every time I come out of one of these sessions, I am completely energized; overflowing with ideas and information, ready to try out new strategies and different concepts. This started me thinking about the value of learning from and building relationships with other members in your industry, mentors and newbies as well as complementary products and services. Especially if you are a small business owner, an entrepreneur, work at home or even stay at home with children(that’s work too) you may not take advantage of these types of opportunities. You really are cheating yourself out of an entire set of valuable resources!

Research what groups, events or organizations exist that you can network with and gain information and support from. Places to look:

  • An industry or trade organization(local or national)
  • A career specific support group(i.e. writer’s forum)
  • A mentoring group (like SCORE)
  • Sign up for a class to further or refresh your skills
  • Find a non-career networking group(book club, play group for SAHMs)

Any forum or setting where you can exchange ideas and get honest feedback is definitely a good investment of your time. I might just come back with some new productivity strategies to share! Stay tuned….

Share|
Comments { 3 }

Observe Successful People

By on January 27, 2010 in Uncategorized

Observation can be so educational if you really pay attention. Watch those around you who are getting the results they desire.  If you know the person well enough ask them!

  • What are they doing to get those results?
  • What strategies or systems do they use?
  • Maybe more importantly ask yourself what beliefs they might have.
    • Do they seem to think that success comes easy?
    • That they are talented?
    • That they are lucky?

 Often “luck,” success or good fortune are more a matter of the beliefs you hold than the methods you use….

Share|
Comments { 0 }

Top 5 Health Needs You Have Been Neglecting

By on January 20, 2010 in Energy, Life Balance

Which of your health needs have you been neglecting?

Doctor appointments, tests or other health checkups? Lifestyle changes?

These are the top 5 crucial health requirements that may be preventing you from being your most productive.

1. Sleep – Get good quality sleep in sufficient amounts (needs vary by individual, but studies show that most people need 7 -8 hours to operate at full potential.)

2. Doctor appointments –This includes dental and eye exams and even that chiropractor who eases your back pain.

3. Clean up your diet – You don’t have to be perfect, just make better choices most of the time. You know what you should be eating…..

4. Some form of activity or exercise – can be walking, swimming, tai chi or whatever gets you moving.

5. STRESS RELIEF – Anything you can do to lower your stress levels will benefit your health in particular and your life in general. Try meditation, yoga, journaling, vacation or maybe just a daily walk with your dog.

Pick just one thing or all 5, but these health concerns can have more of an impact on your productivity and personal development than any action you can take in your business.

Share|
Comments { 0 }

Why You Should Play to Your Strengths

By on January 14, 2010 in Uncategorized

I first learned the concept of working on your strengths from Marcus Buckingham, author of “Go Put Your Strengths To Work.” In a nutshell, he contends that spending our time trying to improve upon our weaknesses is actually, well a waste of time. I am not saying don’t try to better yourself, but instead focus on the things that you do well. That is where you will see the greatest improvement anyway.

That is the beauty of working on a team, or delegating out some of your tasks. If you know that you are very creative, but not very organized, then fine work with that. Don’t keep beating your head against the wall. Hire someone to take care of the details or get you organized so that you can keep developing concepts, innovations or marketing your product.  Conversely, if you are a detail, planning and money person, then team up with a creative genius!

This works both at home and at work. For example, I dislike making phone calls and my husband is spelling and grammatically challenged, so we have worked out a system. He makes the phone calls and I write the emails and correspondence. I pay the bills, but he does the painting (I am spatially challenged and cannot color in the lines!)

Think about everything that you do in conjunction with your business (or at home) and see what you can delegate, trade or hire out. You will be so much more productive and much less frustrated.

Related articles
Share|
Comments { 0 }