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How Can I Do It All?

We tend to want to do a lot. Those of us who are overachievers, go getters and want more out of life tend to get into too many things and we lose focus. Those of us who want to do it all will soon be disappointed because we can't but that doesn't take away the feeling we have and the desire to do it all.
There are many things we can think about and do when that feeling of wanting to do it all overwhelms us. There are many things we can do that are good and some that are bad so we have to be sure we know what to do when we get the feeling we want to do it all. Here are a few things to do:
FOCUS
It takes focus. Focus seems to be the topic that comes up a lot lately. If we want to do anything well, we need to focus. However, for those of us who want to do it all, we can't really focus on all of it, can we? No. So what do we do? How do we focus on just that one thing that needs to be done right now?
POWER
It takes power of our mind, our thoughts and attitudes to be able to focus on just one thing. It takes strength to put aside those outside issues that keep coming up so we can do that one thing. However, it is attainable when we practice. When we practice, we become stronger.
MOTIVATION
It takes motivation. To stick with anything, we need motivation. Focus and power is good but motivation keeps us going. Our "why" motivates us. Our reason for doing what we are supposed to be focusing on is what should motivate us to continue on.
How can we do it all? We can't but focus, power and motivation will help us to do one thing well. Doing it all is not a realistic dream. Focus is. Focusing on what we do well, gaining knowledge on that one thing and finding others we can help by doing that one thing will give us a good feeling of knowing we have accomplished something. It will also take away the desire to do too many other things because we know that one thing we are doing is going to make a difference.
What is your one thing you have been called to do?
How can you stop desiring to do it all and stop being distracted by those who want to pull you into their world?
What are three things you can do today to begin to focus, to change your thinking and stay motivated to work on that one thing today?
"Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days." Zig Ziglar

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Frances Lucas has lived in Birmingham, Alabama for 40 years. She is a working mother with three children and has progressively improved her life through mistakes, persistence and a sense of humor. Her passion in life surfaced after a major setback in life which proves good things can come from bad experiences. Frances coaches in career and personal improvement, facilitates self-improvement classes and writes articles.
Website:http://www.francescopelandlucas.com 

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7 Days of Christmas – 50% off the price of "Take Control of Your Paper"

Take Control of Your PaperAs part of my 7 Days of Christmas promotion, this eBook, Take Control of Your Paper, is available for the special price of just $7.00 (Normal price $14.95)!

This eBook will show you how to control your paper flow.

Techniques to use to control the flow of paper in your life.

How to tidy your desk most effectively, make it attractive, and implement systems so that it stays that way.

How to create a filing system that works for you.

Ways to stay on top of the paper avalanche.

Set up systems so that you can find the information when you need it, and you can keep control of what has to be done and when.

This offer is only available until 5 p.m. Thursday 19th December. Get it here >> http://bit.ly/1bwjHHG

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File it to find it – create a filing system that works for you

Someone asks for a copy of that document. Where is it?

You know you have the information for that presentation somewhere.

Or maybe you are fighting a losing battle to make sure the bills are paid on time, or your children go to the right performance on the right day. Can you find that information? Can you keep control of what has to be done when?

If we are to stay in control, then "Find" is the key word here.

And if we are to be able to find what we need when we need it, our filing systems have to match our finding needs. My needs are not your needs and your needs are not the same as someone else's, so the system has to be designed to suit you - not me, or someone else and certainly not the person who held the job before you.

Where to start

The best way to start is to look at all of your finding needs. You will discover that these can be grouped according to all the areas where you have goals. List those areas and then create a place for the material that relates to each. Think about the size of the material to be filed - its shape and the quantity. Define how often you will access it, where and when. These will all help you to define the container, its size and where you store it. Be sure to label the containers, on multiple sides, if necessary.

These containers may range from tiny boxes and manila or drop down folders right through to a compactus, but choose what suits you and the nature of the material you will file.

What to file

Basically you need to file those things that provide you with motivation, reassurance and information for current projects and that allow you to predict future needs or trends. You will also need information that allows you to manage things like finances.

Sorting

Your system will be your own, customized to your finding or retrieval needs, but some possibilities include

? By client and then by "current" or "past"

? By project and then by chronology or client

? Financial

? By subject,then subheadings, or client or project

? Alphabetical by, for example, name or code

? Sequential by, for example, invoice number or code

You may have separate areas for separate categories and you might use colour coding.

But do label everything and name it very specifically. It is very easy to forget what is in a particular container over time, especially if you only access it infrequently, so labelling is vital

In the end, the whole system must suit you. Your finding needs must determine your filing system.

(c) Bronwyn Ritchie is a speaker, writer, librarian and trainer and she manages Pivotal Points - resources for the times in your life when you pivot - change direction - towards a better you, a better life. For more tips and articles on organising and improving yourself and your life, visit http://www.pivotalpersonalbest.com

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Maximizing the Space in Your Office

How should my office be organized so I can be the most effective? Two main ideas to consider when answering this question are: what is your vision for the space and what is the function of the space? What do you want the office to look like? What purpose are you using the office for? If it is an office, then theoretically the function should be business related.

Next, go through all the items in your office and determine if they are consistent with the vision and the function of the space. For example, should children toys be in the office? Should off-season clothing be stored here? Some offices serve multiple functions. In this case, try to divide your office into zones. Keep the bill paying portion in one section and the scrapbooking section in another section. Any item that is not consistent with your vision and function needs to be evicted to other areas of the house, the trash, or donated.

Once you have evicted all items that don't belong, take a look at what is left. Then keep this rule in mind, "location, location, location". Items you use often should be within reach (desk top or desk drawers). Items you use once a week or less should be further away (lower desk drawers or file cabinet). Items you reference once a month or less should be even further away (file cabinet or book shelves or closet storage).

When you are deciding on new homes for items, remember to keep like items together. Notepad and pens and pencils near the phone. Mailing envelopes, stamps, packing tape grouped together in a mailing center. All active files in one location. Reference book in another location.

At this point, when you grouped your items together, decide if you need any organizing supplies to keep everything corralled. I hesitate to advise clients to purchase any supplies until they have purged and sorted their items and looked at the various storage containers they may already have in their home. Repurpose your items before you purchase new. Also, before you purchase supplies, measure! There is nothing as frustrating as purchasing containers that do not fit in the space.

Finally, decide on a system to maintain your office. I advocate stopping in the doorway on your way out of the office, turning around, and looking back. If your office does not look the way you want it to, go back, put files away, and then leave.

The above ideas should help you maximize your office space. You probably have more space than you realize.

Lisa Crilley Mallis the owner of SystemSavvy Consulting and the creator of the College Success Initiative. She has assisted many students, solopreneurs, and busy moms, increase productivity and decrease clutter. Visit http://www.SystemSavvyConsulting.com for more helpful tips.

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Staying on top of the Paper Avalanche. – Have you grabbed this Pivot Box yet?

Are you having difficulty finding documents when you need them? Are the stacks of paper getting out of hand? Do you find yourself apologising for your untidy desk?

Then it’s time to get some ways to stay on top of your paper avalanche.

Too busy, you say, to even think about it? Let me reassure you that the time we save by not attending to it right now is being wasted in looking for that document, shifting stacks of paper to make room for more and in explaining or maybe justifying, why things got out of hand.

http://bit.ly/p6iZYw

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13 small things to simplify your workday

One of the best things I did when I decided to simplify my life was to simplify my workday — first at my day job and later, by quitting my day job, in the work I do now as a writer and entrepreneur.

I’ve eliminated most of the routine, boring, administrative tasks with a few simple principles.

These days, I have eliminated the non-essentials, and can focus on what I truly love: creating.

Not everyone can make such drastic steps toward simplicity, but if you have some control over your workday, you can do a few small things that will simplify things greatly.

If you don’t have control, or if you find yourself thinking, “I can’t do these things”, I’d start to ask why not? Is it possible to change things, if not today then over the long term? I found that often I thought something wasn’t possible (working from home, for example), but in the long run they were.



You don’t need to do all of these things — pick just one, and try it. Then try another and see if it works. Experiment to find what works for you.

And enjoy the simple work life.

  • 1.  Start early. Going into work early was one of my favorite tricks — it was quiet, before the phones and chatter and meetings started, and I could get a lot of work done in peace. By the time everyone else was getting started, I’d gotten two or three big tasks checked off.
  • 2.  Limit your hours. It’s ironic, because so many people work long hours and think they’re getting more done and being more productive. But they’re throwing brute hours at the problem. Instead, cut back on your hours and set a limit — say 6 or 7 hours a day — and get your most essential work done within that limit. If you know you’re only working 6 hours today, you’ll be sure to get the important tasks done first and waste less time. Limits force you to be effective.
  • 3.  Make a short list. Make a long list of all the tasks you need to do … then make a short list of 1-3 things you really want to get done. Choose so that, if you got only these tasks done, you’d be proud of what you did today. Start with the most important task, before checking email or reading online.
  • 4.  Batch distractions. What are your common distractions? Perhaps things like email, reading blogs, Twitter or another social network? Set a time for these, preferably later in the day: say, from 3-4 p.m. Don’t do the distractions before then. By grouping them all into one time period, you allow yourself to do other work first, but still get in your distraction time. Another approach might be to do them for 10 minutes at the end of each hour — but stick to that 10-minute limit!



  • 5.   Write shorter emails. If email takes up a lot of your day, the simple change of limiting yourself to 3-4 sentences per email will make a big difference. First, it’ll drastically shorten the time it takes to write or respond to emails. And second, it’ll shorten responses to your emails, which means you’ll spend less time reading email.
  • 6.  Limit meetings. The fewer the better. Some top Google executives just do 5-minute meetings — anyone who attends these meetings had better be prepared, and concise. If you can get out of meetings and just get the notes, or find an alternative way to communicate, it could save you hours per week.
  • 7.  Automate. The fewer repetitive and routine tasks you have to do, the more time you’ll free up for creating and important work. So automate wherever possible: have people fill things out electronically, or get info from your website instead of emailing or calling you, or use a service that automatically processes payments or ships your product, and so on.
  • 8.  Eliminate paperwork. I used to deal with a lot of paperwork, and even then I knew it was a waste of my time. If businesses and organizations could have paperwork filled out electronically, it would save a lot of paper, copying, filing, and duplicate effort. Whenever possible, eliminate paperwork in favor of digital. This might be more of a long-term move.
  • 9.  Clear your desk. This can be done in a few minutes. Clear everything off the top of your desk. Only put back a few essential items. Everything else should be: filed, given to the appropriate person, given a permanent spot in a drawer, or trashed/recycled. Make quick decisions and then get back to work.



  • 10.  Get away. If you can get out of your office, you can find a peaceful spot where you can focus on important work. Find a spot where you can work, turn off the Internet and do your work, and then turn the Internet back on so you can email or upload it to the appropriate spot. Working from home is a good option here. The more you can do this (it might be once a week, or an hour a day, or half of every workday), the better.
  • 11.  Take breathing breaks. Every 15-20 minutes, get up from your desk, and take a breathing break. It could be simply walking around the office, saying hi to someone, or even better, getting outside to get some fresh air. Walk around, get your blood circulating, perhaps massage your neck and shoulders if you feel tension. Do some pushups if you want to get fitter. When you get back to work, remind yourself what you want to be working on, and clear away all distractions.
  • 12.  Practice a focus ritual. Every hour or two, do a refocus ritual. This only takes a minute or two. You might start it by closing down your browser and maybe other open applications, and maybe even take a walk for a couple of minutes to clear your head and get your blood circulating. Then return to your list of Most Important Tasks and figure out what you need to accomplish next. Before you check email again or go back online, work on that important task for as long as you can. Repeat this refocus ritual throughout the day, to bring yourself back. It’s also nice to take some nice deep breaths to focus yourself back on the present. More focus rituals.
  • 13.  Schedule big blocks of creative time. Not everyone can do this, but when possible, put a big block of 3-4 hours in your schedule for creating or doing other important work. Make this time inviolate, and don’t allow meetings or other things to be scheduled during this time. Be ruthless about clearing distractions and doing the work you love during these blocks, taking breathing breaks as necessary. Rejoice in your creativity.

Author:  Leo Babauta. "Follow me on twitter or identica. If you liked this guide, please bookmark it on Delicious or share on Twitter. Thanks, my friends.
Read more about simplifying your work and your life in my book, The Power of Less.   http://zenhabits.net"

 

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20 Surefire Ways to Organize Your Life [this year]

Ah, organization. It’s one of those states/traits/qualities we all strive for, but can sometimes be quite elusive – or even an exercise in frustration. But you know what? It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, once you get your life organized in a way that works for you, it will be easy to keep it up, and in fact, you’ll find that you waste less time and stress a little less.

So what, really, are the best ways to get your life organized and keep it organized? Check out these 20 surefire ways to organize even the most hectic lifestyle. Implement them today and save your sanity tomorrow:

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Today's tip: the first of "10 Easy steps to blitz the paper problem"

Are you having difficulty finding documents when you need them? Are the stacks of paper getting out of hand? Do you find yourself apologising for your untidy desk?

Then it’s time to cut through the paper – blitz the problem. Too busy, you say, to even think about it? Let me reassure you that the time we save by not attending to it right now is being wasted in looking for that document, shifting stacks of paper to make room for more and in explaining or maybe justifying, why things got out of hand.

So let’s start with the first of ten easy steps

1. Visualise the rewards
• Time saved
• Feeling of wellbeing when we look at the tidy desk, shelves and cupboards
• No more lost documents
• The reassurance that accounts will be paid on time
• Always being in the right place for appointments and meetings

and you have your motivation!! Hold onto those images, they will support you as you go through the processes of decluttering.

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The Secrets To E-Mail Nirvana

You crank up your computer every morning, click to your e-mail and--whap!--a slew of messages demands attention.

E-mail can be a great tool, but many misuse it, turning what should be quick, easy communication into a laborious, time-consuming management chore.

"Many people use the inbox as a to-do list, calendar and filing system," says Mark Hurst president and founder of Creative Good, a consulting firm in New York. "File some messages and delete most of them, but without a doubt, don't let anything stay in your inbox permanently."

Hurst says effective e-mail management is built on filters, filing and ruthless use of the delete key.

http://bit.ly/dapIXy

Organise your desk – get motivated

Your desk means a lot to you. It may be the place of your greatest creativity, or your most decisive business decisions. It may be the place that is the hub of your home management systems. It may be a sanctuary, an engine room or a creativity generator.

But if it is covered in piles of paper and other bits and pieces; if it is overflowing and ugly, then all of that creativity, efficiency and productivity is jeopardised, stifled and just plain difficult.

You know that, I know that, and we also know that the solution is to tidy it so that we can find things; make it attractive so that we are motivated; and to implement systems so that it stays that way. But somehow action to create this solution is a bit slow in coming. We are so busy doing the things we do at the desk to find the time to tidy it and set those systems in place.

The answer lies in one simple motivation – focus on the advantages. Visualise the desk as it could be, should be. Focus on how smoothly you will complete your tasks there and what a pleasant experience it will be.