Tag Archive for: Productivity

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How to make more time for your life

Do you wish you could work less and play more?

Are you so stuck in the rut you can't see a way out? Have you ever said I wish I had more time for me?

Well there is hope. First of all you have to be aware of your situation, have a strong desire to change and then take action.

Jackie's Story
Jackie is 31 yrs of age and the Business Development Manager for an insurance company.

She always arrived at work at 8.00 a.m. and never left the office before 6.30 p.m. most nights. She bemoaned the fact that work took over her life.

Through the process of coaching we discovered that the only reason Jackie didn't have a personal life was because she never planned to have one.

She realised she buried herself in her work needlessly. She avoided going home as she had nothing to look forward to. Jackie lived on her own, she wasn't in a relationship and had no hobbies. So she defined her purpose in life through her work. It made her feel worthwhile and wanted. Although her career was blossoming, Jackie was unhappy. In fact, she was lonely.

We worked on getting Jackie on purpose in her personal life.

Through the coaching process we concentrated on three key goals which would be achievable and realistic over a six month period. Why? Because that timeframe is long enough to achieve measurable results and make long term changes.

Jackie's main goal areas related to her career, health and fitness and relationships. This is what she came up with:

Career
Leave work by 5.00 p.m. each day.

Health and Fitness
To be able to wear my black skirt. (Jackie had put on so much weight that she couldn't do the zip up.)

Relationship
To be in a loving relationship.

There were a number of secondary goals, however these three were the key ones that Jackie was the most passionate about and was prepared to take action on.

Define the Goal

Once the goals were defined we then worked out the strategies to reach them and then the actions to take to achieve them.

Career - Leave work by 5.00 p.m. each day
We looked at Jackie's time management. I had her fill out our Weekly Planner which also can be used as a time sheet. We discovered she wasted at least two hours a day on unwanted interruptions and being unable to say 'no'. We showed her simple ways to plan her day more effectively and get more done.

Health and Fitness - To be able to wear my black skirt.
Jackie had no exercise routine and her diet was inadequate. Together we worked out the best solution for her physical activity which was to join the gym near her work. By attending the gym at 6.00 a.m. each morning she was able to bounce into work instead of dragging herself in.

In fact the gym was a double bonus as there were a few good relationship prospects who attended at that hour.

Jackie never planned what she would eat. In fact she didn't shop regularly and therefore would often grab fast food for lunch and dinner. By showing her healthier alternatives and planning time to shop, it was easy for her to improve her diet and overall well-being.

Relationship - To be in a loving relationship
Through the coaching process Jackie realised she would have to be proactive in this area and needed to meet more people. She had always wanted to do photography and enrolled in a TAFE short course. By doing this not only did she meet a nice unattached guy but fulfilled a deep seated need to do something creative in her life.

Once Jackie realised that she wanted to have a life and was focused on her goals, everything changed. On her own she would most likely not have made any significant changes as it would have been too overwhelming and require her to move out of her comfort zone.

The fact that she was investing her own money in herself and had someone to be accountable to, made a huge impact on the results she achieve.

5 Simple Ways You Can Make More Time For Your Life

#1 Learn how to manage your time so you can be as effective as possible.
You can read books on time management, attend courses or the most effective way is to have a coach to work with you.

#2 Say "no"
You don't always have to say yes to everyone else’s requests. You can say 'no'. Perhaps you need to learn how to be more assertive.

#3 Lighten your load
Wherever possible look at ways of delegating or outsourcing tasks to free up more of your time, i.e. at home have a cleaner or gardener. At work see who else can help to lighten your workload.

#4 Do similar things at the one time
Do all your errands in one trip. Visit clients on the one day. Allocate a block of time to return phone calls or respond to emails each day.

#5 Timetable Your Life
Plan in your diary when you will take time out for you. Maybe every lunchtime you'll go for a 30 minute walk or attend the gym three mornings a week, have a facial or massage fortnightly. If it's not in the diary chances are it won't happen.

The Final Word
Many people often float through life with no particular purpose. They'll make the excuse "I haven't got time". It's easy to say "I haven't got time" or "I'm too busy" to avoid having to change and stretch themselves. However, what is the alternative? Continually do the same thing and getting the same results or making changes and getting different results?

The choice is yours.

Lorraine Pirihi is the founder of Relaunch Your Life  , a consulting and coaching practice where she specialises in helping baby boomer professionals who are tired, worn out and over it to get their mojo back in business and in life.

 

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Not All Distractions Are Bad

Though we often think of distractions as inherently bad, that's not always the case. There are some instances where a distraction can be helpful or even healthy. Unfortunately, we all know that there are plenty of distractions out there that can lead us astray.

But what about those times when a distraction can be a good thing? Here are a few examples:

 

Taking a Break

 

If you notice that you are experiencing additional stress or feelings of anxiety, a mild but healthy distraction will relieve your mind and offer some relief. Examples of good distractions, in this case, include reading a book, listening to music, or going for a walk.

 

Refocusing Yourself

 

Sometimes, if you can't focus on a task, taking a brief break might help you get back to work. This is usually the case when the task is quite difficult or boring.

 

Eating, Drinking, and Nourishing Yourself

 

Sometimes, a healthy distraction can help us avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating or drinking. If you feel tempted to engage in one of these behaviors, try to find a positive distraction to focus on instead.

 

Other Self-Care Actions

 

Anytime you notice that even with your normal interventions, you can’t seem to get your focus together, it may be time to take some time out for more self-care. It may simply mean working on sleeping better at night so you’re at your best each day, but it will take self-reflection and honesty to ensure you find the right issues. It’s not wrong to take care of your needs before anyone else gets their wants seen to.

 

Helping Your Child Refocus

 

Helping your child switch from a frustrating task to a more enjoyable activity can be an excellent way to reduce their stress levels and prevent them from becoming overwhelmed. While this may seem like a distraction as it happens, taking you from your task and helping them will teach them to soothe themselves better, and over time interruptions will slow down as they learn what to do by your example.

 

As you can see, there are actually quite a few instances where a diversion can be helpful – when you're feeling stressed or anxious, your child is having a tough time with a task or situation, or you need more healthy self-care. Sometimes shifting attention to something helps everyone.

 

Of course, it's essential not to let distractions get out of hand. However, if you constantly get sidetracked and not getting anything done, it's time to reassess your priorities and find a better way to focus. For example, maybe you need to work more on the setup before starting a new task.

 

Perhaps being more mindful about your current feelings, your child’s issues, and so forth will help you avoid problems. But in moderation, distractions can be helpful. In addition, you may build stronger relationships with yourself and your loved ones if you handle them well. So next time you're feeling stressed or struggling to focus, don't be afraid to give yourself a break and find a healthy distraction.

 

Exercises to improve your concentration

Read more

Why Everyone Needs Downtime

Read more
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Can you really be too busy?

Read more

Three Obstacles to Reading and How to Overcome Them

Obstacle Number One: I Can't Read Very Fast

Solution: Be Realistic

I personally cannot read extremely fast, but I have noticed that after years of reading consistently my reading speed has increased exponentially. One thing that helped me to even begin a reading habit was starting with books that interested me. If you are reading a book just for reading's sake you will not establish a lifelong reading habit. Start with books that you actually enjoy. Another action step is to start with books that are less than 100 pages. Do not start with your great grandpa's "Chronicles of World History." You can normally finish a book of 100 pages in just a few days of reading for 20-30 minutes. The thrill of closing a book having completed reading it makes you eager to start another one.



Obstacle Number Two: I Can't Find a Quiet Place to Read.

Solution: Be Intentional and Communicate.

Some of you reading this have multiple children and a small home. I very much know this obstacle. One way to overcome this is to schedule reading time into your day. Make this a time when you are naturally alert and awake. Thirty minutes of focused reading time will yield much more profit than three hours of distracted reading. I find that mornings are the best time for me. Be sure to communicate with your family, spouse, roommates etc. when you are going to hide away to do some reading. This will keep you from getting frustrated when they come in the room to ask you a question or to discuss the new Star Wars movie. You may be thinking, "I can't ask them to leave me alone for thirty minutes. That's selfish." Believe me, men, our wives do not want ignorant, boring husbands. Just imagine actually having something to talk to our wives about other than politics and the latest ESPN stats. Our wives won't mind us taking some time for intellectual stimulation. Ladies, take advantage of the times of the day when the kids are doing homework or taking a nap. Another strategy is to make your kids read with you. Some mornings my wife and I make our boys read a book (or look at the pictures) on their own while we have our reading times. Ask your husband and tell your kids to do the dishes while you slip away to enjoy a few minutes of quiet reading.

Obstacle Number Three: I Don't Have Time.

Solution: Remember that Quality Time is More Important than Quantity Time.

Really? You don't have time to read. "I don't have time" is one of the greatest cop-out phrases of our day when it relates to commitments. The real issue is that we have made too many commitments to the wrong things. The biggest time-waster for all of us is the television. I promise you. Turn off the TV, and you will find that you have a lot of time that you could use to read a book. Start with cutting out just one thirty-minute show and focus on a book. You will find your appetite for good reading to begin crowding out the appetite for mindless television shows. Oh. One more thing. Be sure to turn off your cell phone while you read too. May your reading become easier and your appetite for good books grow stronger as you begin this great lifelong habit.


What time of day do you set aside to read?

What time of the day are you most alert?

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Read more at [http://www.mikecwatt.com]

 

Organizing and Decluttering Electronics

 

Do you have a drawer full of used phones and adapters? Do you hide old computers and cords in a closet? Are you afraid to get rid of these cords, adapters and old phones for fear that you "might need them"? Or, is it a matter of just not knowing what to do with them? Should they be recycled, donated or thrown in the trash?

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the average life expectancy for smartphones is 4.7 years and for computers is 4 years. I think that's being generous.

What it means for you is less space in your closet or drawers. It's time to do something about it.

To tackle decluttering the electronics on your own, read on to get the electronic clutter out of your home and become e-waste-free.

Steps to Getting Rid of Unwanted and Used Phones and Electronics



1. Sell them. A lot of phones, tablets and laptops can be sold, even if they are no longer working.

  • Gazelle.com will give you a quote, ship it for free and pay you cash for your electronics.
  • Use Amazon's trade-in program and trade used electronics for Amazon gift cards. Like Gazelle, they will give you a quote and ship it for free.
  • Local Target, Best Buy and Game Stop stores also purchase used electronics. Ask at the customer service desk.

2. Donate them. There are people in need that will benefit from your electronic donation.

  • Cell phones for soldiers is a national non-profit dedicated to serving troops and veterans with free communication services and emergency funding. Each donated device valued at $5 will provide troops with an estimated 2.5 hours of FREE talk time. Simply print a free label to send your old phones or find a drop-off location near you.
  • Through a partnership with Dell, many Good Will stores now accept cell phones and computers to be recycled free of charge.

Related ...

An Easy Method To Keep Your Desk Clear Of ‘Stuff’

3. Recycle them. Electronics contain things that are not good for the environment and should be recycled rather than thrown in the trash.

  • Dcal Services, LLC, located in St. Louis, recycles most electronics for free and charges a small fee for a few items.
  • Call 2 Recycle is nationwide and allows you to search for a drop off location near you and will tell you exactly what that drop off location will accept.
  • Many cities offer free electronic recycling days at least once a year. Check with your city to see when these events are scheduled.

Susan Stewart is a professional organizer and the founder of Perfectly Placed Professional Organization and Design in the St. Louis area. Perfectly Placed specializes in bringing peace and order to busy families through organization. You can find out more about Susan and Perfectly Placed at her website: http://www.perfectlyplaced.org

 

Time management – are you making this fundamental time management mistake?

We're all so concerned with "time management." (more on why the quotes later). The "better" you manage your time, the more effective you are, and the better life is, right?

That would be true, if time existed.

What!

Bear with me. Let's take a little journey to the land of measurements.

The Mythical Inch



Does an Inch Exist?

Can you touch it, feel it, smell it, taste it, hear it...

An inch does not exist in the physical world except as an abstract concept. It is a unit of measure, it can be marked off on something, but by itself it is just a construct by which we measure things physically in this world.

The Mythical Moment

Does time exist?

Can you touch it, feel it, smell it, taste it, hear it...

Time also does not exist in the physical world except as an abstract concept. It is a unit of measure, it can be marked off on something, but by itself it is just a construct by which we measure the sequence of events in the world, and their speed in relation to one another.

An inch does not exist.

Time does not exist.

You cannot manage what does not exist!

Can you imagine a carpenter being asked to "manage inches or feet or yards"? He would laugh at you! He can only control how he cuts wood in relation to those measures. Inches cannot be managed, because they have already been defined. They have already been managed.



Can you manage minutes, seconds, hours, days, and control them somehow and bend them to your will? They are unyielding, unbending, because they themselves are simply regular intervals of life. They cannot, and never will be, manageable.

Yet this is exactly what we somehow expect of ourselves when we refer to "time management." Time management itself is a misnomer, as if something that did not exist could actually be managed!

If you cannot manage time, then what can you manage?

The Trick: Activity Management

You can only manage your activities, measured against the backdrop of time.



From now on and forevermore, forget the term "time management" because it cannot be done.

There is only activities management.

Putting the subject on proper footing makes all the difference!

If we change the definition to Activities Management, a whole new array of manageable possibilities opens up!

When managing activities, you can control:

* What activities you do
* Why you do the activities
* Where you do the activities
* When you do the activities
* How you do the activities, including:

- Speed
- Quality
- Interactions with others
- Dependency Level
- Perfection Level

There is simply nothing else possible to manage when it comes to "time management."

These may seem like simplistic distinctions, but most people miss them precisely because they are so obvious. They never connected time management with activity management. Now go and be productive!

Michael J. Phillips is an author, management trainer, and technology guru in the Orange County area of Southern CA. He has been teaching technology since the word "email" was born. Take advantage of his expertise and book corporate computer and soft-skills training which gets real business results, guaranteed. Visit PC Training Experts.com.

(c) 2009 Mike Phillips. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Work-At-Home Hacks For People Just Like Me

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There are rules of thumb but there are no hard and fast rules. The 'things people do every day to become successful' in what they do has so many variables.

Some swear by morning coffees, others a 20-minute nap. Give or take, that's almost always the story. Like I said, variables.

Routine, or better yet, discipline is what makes people successful. I will never claim to be a 'successful person' but what I HAVE been doing is working from home for the past 18 years. I hope you can share YOUR story about how you soften the rough edges off of your everyday work week too because it helps. Every little bit of advice helps, actually, because most successful people listen.

1. No Emails - Most people start their days off by rolling off their beds with everyone screaming at them. Your alarm is screaming. Your boss is screaming, your kids are screaming, your email is screaming. So, one of the things that I DON'T do early in the morning is to check my emails. People who know me know not to expect an instant reply from me early in the morning. That's when I am trying to sort my shit together so that I can get stuff done for you throughout the day. So, no emails in the morning. Only coffee is allowed.

2. Stay Dressed - This one is for those who work from home. One of the things that I've noticed in nearly 2 decades is that I dress for work (even if I will be in my home office or living room) the whole time I am going to be working. I don't know about you but the moment I slip on my cutesy 'lil comfy clothes, my zest for life and roaring enthusiasm to get things done slithers off from me like a layer of dead skin cell.

3. Meditate -Oprah's said it. So did Deepak Chopra and Cameron Diaz. It's not the woo-woo-woo stuff, trust me. It's more like sitting there in complete silence or with soft music gently caressing my ear, or just sweeping the floor (the movement is meditatively repetitive, try it!). Instead of thinking of it as a 'new age fad', think of it as Loading Your Gun Ready to Kick Down the Doors of the World. Badass when reworded, huh? I use an app to 'help me along' - Insight Timer. It has music, guided meditation, and... well... complete silence.

4. Don't multitask - It's something I was really proud of and multitasking was the only way for me to move the needle forward when the list of things-to-do was just way too long. I don't do it anymore. Instead, I think doing things in spurts is far more productive. One example would be that if I found vacuuming the floor THE daunting task of the day, I would mindfully vacuum the living room and leave the rooms and kitchen for tomorrow.

Silly example, I know, but when applied to work, it's pretty amazing when you give the tasks at hand short bursts of active, productive attention. When I am tired, I will come back with a whole lot more to contribute AFTER I've dealt with my brain fog instead of muscling through it. I mean, who am I to argue with the chemicals in my brain?

5. Coffee - I am just going to leave this right here. Explaining it any further is going to make me angry if you don't understand it. It's my survival poison.

6. Laugh a Little - A sense of humor provides a buffer against the build-up of stress and anxiety in your system. So, occasionally, load up your Tumblr or Twitter (where you are encouraged to follow people like 9gag - just a personal preference, of course) and just laugh a little.

Experts say that humor provides a powerful buffer against stress and fear. "Humor is about playing with ideas and concepts," said Martin, who teaches at the University of Western Ontario. "So whenever we see something as funny; we're looking at it from a different perspective. When people are trapped in a stressful situation and feeling overwhelmed, they're stuck in one way of thinking: This is terrible. I've got to get out of here. But if you can take a humorous perspective, then by definition you're looking at it differently - you're breaking out of that rigid mind-set."




7. Being understanding - I know this doesn't fit into the normal mold of 'things people do to be successful' but I think it's pretty important. Because most of us work with others, whether in the office or remotely, we often assume that people are being evil of mean when they're being a little less than nice to us. Sometimes, it's because they're tired just like you, exhausted just like you, overwhelmed just like you, have to pay bills just like you, are worried about their kids/parents just like you, or simply had an argument with a friend/spouse just like you.

I think this point is particularly important in the digital world. With the digital divide, we sometimes forget that we're dealing with human beings. Just like you.

 

Marsha Maung is a mother, writer, social media consultant, internet marketer and human. Her mission, as far as her work is concerned, is to bring brands, products, services and companies exposure. Find out more about her life from her personal blog (cooking, life, sense, parenting, writing, etc) or her professional WordPress blog MarshaMaung.Me. Hope to see you and connect there.