Productivity
Keeping Your Focus On The Journey
In life, in business, in everything, there comes a time when you need to start setting goals, and the journey to those goals must be started; remember the first step is always the hardest. Most people who are striving for success in their lives choose to focus on the goal instead of the journey towards that goal but in doing so, they truly miss out on the myriad lessons to be recognized along the way and are missing out on the joy that comes along with their growth.
When you begin a journey toward a goal, there is always a period of excitement, of renewal, of momentum and motivation. And when you accomplish the end goal, there is a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment. The starting point and the ending point are to be celebrated, but so is the journey in between!
To ensure that YOU don’t miss out on the many lessons along the path from start to end, here is a helpful little technique for you to use:
Depending on the goal you have set, whether it be weight loss, business-related, better relationships…it really doesn’t matter…keep a journal of the process you are going through.
Keeping a written journal of some kind (this may be paper and pen, or online) can really help you identify thought and behavior patterns, positive and negative habits, and can help you discover things about your thinking and the actions you take. Some of these things will be obvious to you – no surprise there. But you may learn some things about yourself that will come as a complete surprise, and herein lies those valuable lessons.
By learning what works, what doesn’t work, how you tend to react to when things go well and when they do not, you begin to learn to adjust your course based on where you are at that moment. And being “in the moment” is a life lesson that can’t be underestimated!
When you really take the time to sit down and analyze the how and why of your journey, you can learn some incredibly valuable lessons about your action and reaction. And once you have learned these lessons, they can be used in all areas of your life to help you create and achieve even higher, stronger, more important goals. Once you have identified your strengths and weaknesses, you can use that knowledge to your advantage and ensure that you always try to play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses. This will skyrocket your chances of success now and in the future!
But, the thing is, if you are blissfully unaware of the intricacies of your journey, you will never know this as you will be missing these incredibly valuable insights and lessons.
So, if you can keep your eye on the goal while you are on your journey, this will help you to reach those successes that you are after much quicker! So, go and set your goals, and keep one eye on the journey and enjoy the process!
Cultivating a Positive Environment
One of the most important steps that you can do in the goal setting process is to give your mind a positivity makeover. You know that being positive is important right? So doesn’t it make sense to create an environment of positive thougth and feelings that surrounds you every single day to move you forward and also make you feel great?
But this can be easier said than done and how exactly can you surround yourself with positivity? Well, I have some good news for you; it isn’t really all that difficult at all! If you just follow a few simple steps you will boost your feelings of posititvity and this will support you on your journey towards your goals. Here are just a few of the steps you can use!
Remove Any Obvious Negativity Immediately
What do I mean by this; well the answer is twofold. It could be the things you surround yourself with but it could also be the people you surround yourself with. They are both equally important to the larger journey you’re on. If you have things around you that instantly conjure up negative emotions, get rid of them, or at least get them out of your immediate surroundings.
If you are surrounded by negative people, it can be very difficult to break free from that mold and live a positive life. This takes some deep introspection, and you must be willing to remove these people as much as possible from your immediate surroundings. Now, I do understand that this can be incredibly difficult, especially if some of these people are your close friends. But be honest with yourself and ask “what are they really bringing to my life; do they enrich or impoverish it?” You need to find the courage to remove these negative influences fast and, believe me, the reward you will immediately gain will be very obvious once you’ve accomplished it.
Ban Clutter
Clutter stresses most people out, and the last thing you need when trying to cultivate a life of positivity is negative stress. So get rid of the clutter!
Clean off and organize all “horizontal surfaces” – tabletops, desks, counters, windowsills. These are generally problem areas in the battle against clutter.
But how do I decide what gets thrown away? Easy! Hold the object. Does it evoke a joyful feeling, a happy memory? If it does, great but if it doesn’t it is time to get rid of it. Your life is far too short to hold onto things simply because you feel you “should”, or because someone bought it for you and you feel obligated to keep it.
Those areas that typically house a lot of “stuff” should be organized, with a place for everything, and everything in its place. Your desktop is a perfect example – it’s much easier to sit down and work when you have a clear, positive space in which to do so!
Stack The Positivity!
The final part is to start adding in positive things to your environment. Art, music, living plants, or maybe even a small, calming aquarium! By adding things to your surroundings that you love and enjoy, you’ll have a much more positive experience when in those surroundings. Your productivity will increase, and you’ll be well on your way to those end goals!
5 Ways To A More Balanced Life
We all know that it can be difficult to have a good work-life balance. It isn’t always easy to strike a balance between a happy boss and a happy family, but there are some simple things that you can do both at home and work to enable you to find that balance.
Because this is so important, it has been covered by groups like Mental Health America, Web M.D., Forbes, and Business News Daily. Now you could Google all this information yourself but this article will condense all this information into 5 quick and simple tips that will enable you to create a more balanced life.
1. The Power Of Routine
One of the first things you should do every day is produce a to-do list and order things in priority. Doing this allows you to focus more of your energy on the most important tasks for the day and by using a simple checklist that you can refer to, you can quickly see what you have managed to accomplish druing that particular day. Having a daily routine can ne a quick way to reduce work-based stress and you will accomplish more so your boss will be happy too; a win-win situation.
You can also use the power of routines at home as they are a quick way to let everyone know what’s going on and when. But don’t forget that you need time to unwind and relax, so don’t be afraid to give yourself and your family some valuable downtime just to chill out and unwind from the stresses of the day. And this downtime is the perfect time to come together as a family and bond, so you will all feel even closer, so pleasae don’t neglect adding this to your routine; it is critical for your family relationships and will bring you all closer together.
2. Make Use Of Technology
Technology is so smart these days, so if you are sick, your children are sick, or the commute will be extra-long due to weather or outside circumstances, then make use of it to work remotely from home. Use Skype for conference and video calls, and this way you can still provide your employer with what they need while giving you some breathing room.
3. Learn to Say No
Most people are just downright uncomfortable with saying no at work but the problem with this is that it results in you taking on too many tasks, working overtime, and becoming increasingly stressed about not being able to get it all done. If there’s a job you know that you won’t be able to get done on time or that you are not suited for, be prepared to say no. You may be surprised at how well this is received by your employer.
You also need to be able to say no to social and home life events that could end up being too taxing as well. Do you have social obligations that are just too draining? Perhaps they don’t allow you to spend enough time with your family in the evenings. Cutting back on these social engagements will help you to have more family time and restore balance.
4. Learn Your Employer’s Policies And Know Your Rights
Learning leave, vacation, sick, and disability policies are paramount. Also, learn what telecommunication systems your company has in place. If there aren’t any, you may need to ask. This will alleviate any stress if you need to use vacation or sick days or if you need to telecommute.
If you have children, it may be beneficial to learn their school’s policies too. Knowing the procedure for turning in sick notes, calling out for the day, or showing up late can save a lot of headache for all of you!
5. Communicate
Let your employer know what’s going on. Let them know where you’re at on individual projects, if you’re going to be on time, ahead of deadline or behind on schedule. Communicating these vital elements to your employer will help you both as they know where you are and can allocate assistance if required and this can reduce stress for you too; just be honest.
Communication at home is probably even more critical than at work, especially if you are married with kids! Make sure you that everyone knows what is going on with you. And conversely, it is good to know what is going on with everyone else.
Why not have a family meeting once a week to discuss upcoming events, anything that is causing stress or friction, things that may need planning and other elements of life that could cause stress if not well planned? This simple act alone may help you to find that balance between work and home.
OK, so there you have it;these five simple steps can really help you find some balance in your busy life. Do you have your own ways that you use to strike work-life balance that weren’t on the list? If so, good for you and keep to them if they are working for you and your family.
Is Your Time Management Is Out Of Control?
“Waste your money and you’re only out of money, but waste your time and you’ve lost a part of your life.” – Michael LeBoeuf
Do you usually feel overwhelmed with all the tasks included in your to-do list?
Are you struggling every single day to meet your deadlines despite putting in a lot of hard work? Do you end up double booking or forgetting appointments because you never had the time to go through your schedule first?
Were there important projects that were overlapped by the smaller “fires” that need your attention? These, my dear friend, are symptoms that your time management is going out of control.
At one glance, it might seem like all tasks listed on your list have equal importance and urgency. But with just several minutes of your time, their differences will quickly become clearer once you learned how to determine your priorities then start organizing and executing around them.
There are many cases when people are all too excited in managing their time in the hopes of allotting enough for everything that they end up neglecting the more vital things and putting more effort and time on those that are not of great importance.
Identifying and deciding what is the most essential is one skill that you can develop with a mindful practice. Every person in this world has his or her own unique set of goals, responsibilities, and duties and no single formula is working for everybody.
To have an effective setting of priorities, you need to understand first your personal dreams and roles. What are the duties of your job? What kind of commitments do you have to the community and your family? What are your long term professional and personal aspirations? How do you plan to move toward them? Once all these things have been clear to you, it will also become easier for you to define your life’s priorities and set your time to make the most out of it.
Because of all this I’ve been on a time management and prioritization drive lately. Poor time management and a lack prioritizing tasks costs money yet I think it’s also one of the easiest things to fix in your business. You just have to open your mind!
Why make running your business or life any harder than it needs to be, right?
So, what you really don’t have the time for these days is NOT GUARDING your precious time. Each minute you waste is a minute you’ll never get back. As a small business owner, I don’t always know where to go to get the best resources or to find the best answers; does any of this sound familiar? Because if it does, you really need to listen to the team at NAMS. They are some serious time hawks. They get more done in an hour than most people do all week long.
How do they do it? Well, luckily for us, they have recorded a video presentation explaining exactly that and right now we can get access for free. This was a special presentation given to their membership group so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it go away very soon so take the time to have a look before they take it down and let’s make 2018 our most productive year ever.
To watch the presentation, click here: http://warr.us/4TTAff and let’s become more productive this year 😀
The Advantages of Behavior-Based Goals
When you think about the advantages of behavior-based goals, a few things come to mind immediately. You may be excited to get more done, or get promoted, or increase your leadership skills, or just lead a happier life in general. All of these things are possible with a little hard work and dedication, but setting the right goals makes it much easier.
Increased Productivity
Being a goal-oriented person means making the most of your time. When you start to act on behavior-based goals, you’ll naturally find yourself getting more done. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that people seek change in the first place is to increase their productivity. With a few simple changes, you can stop procrastinating and accomplish a lot more with a lot less stress.
Behavior-based goals like cutting down on procrastination, managing your time more effectively, and concentrating on the task at hand can all help to increase your productivity. Instead of making explicit goals like finishing a report in record time, focus more on staying positive and motivated. You’ll get more done and find yourself experiencing less stress while you do it. You may even end up enjoying the process.
Win Friends and Influence People
Other people are drawn to motivated, goal-oriented individuals; they just appear to be more naturally charismatic. Use behavior-based goals to make the people around you feel valued, and you’ll find yourself making friends and effortlessly leading others. Set out to be the sort of person you want to have around, and friends and coworkers will give you their respect and seek you out for advice.
Making Yourself Marketable
Employers love people who set goals and, more importantly, act on them. They routinely promote people who have a clear idea of what they want to accomplish. Behavior-based goals can make you more marketable and help you rise to the top of your profession. When you think about the sort of people who are leaders rather than followers, you’ll start to see that behavior-based goals are key.
In order to make yourself more marketable, set behavior-based goals that encourage positive interactions and improve your ability to manage stress. Tell yourself that every time you talk to a client or coworker, you’re being given an opportunity to prove yourself competent, valuable, and trustworthy. Before you know it, you’ll see yourself grow into the leader you’re capable of being.
Living Your Best Possible Life
One of the biggest advantages of behavior-based goals is increased personal satisfaction and self-worth. When you’re killing it at work or interacting in a positive way with friends and family, you’ll find yourself becoming happier and more self-assured without even trying. Use behavior-based goals to become a better listener, set aside time to relax, and connect with the ones you love. Your quality of life will improve practically overnight.