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$75000 Time Management Secret

Published March 15th, 2009 in Time Management Tips. 0 Comments

The ideas in this article are really great. I have heard of making a list, but prioritizing it and sticking to it… I think that is the answer. I see myself getting ending up doing what I want to do first and staying on that longer than I should. This is a great way to approach it. The key is however, in knowing which are the priority tasks to do….

Are you drowning in email? Is your mind filled with anxiety over an increasing number of tasks?

Each day that you put off accomplishing the tasks and assignments that are yours, creates more pressure for the next day, and the day after that.

Time management is a hot topic on the internet. The Overture search term suggestion tool indicated as of May 2003 that over 34,000 individuals were searching the keyword phrase time management. Experts predict that Overture is only capturing about 2% of the total searchs. This means there is a potential of approximately 1.5 million people daily searching for help with time management. Mind you this is only the tip of the iceberg. These are the individuals possibly seeking help! Many might feel they don’t EVEN have enough time to seek assistance!

I’m going to share with you a time management strategy that is the GRANDFATHER of time management strategies. This original technique sold for $25,000 nearly 70 years ago to top management. It was highly prized.

It will work for you, if you put as much energy into using it, as you would if you just paid $25,000 for it, or closer to $75,000 if you account for inflation.

Bethlehem Steel was willing to pay the amount in order to increase the productivity of their company. They consulted with Mr. Ivy Lee.

Lee’s advise?

“All you need to do, advised Mr. Lee, is take a pad of paper, this evening, and list the most urgent projects which confront you. Then, study the list and number them, assigning number one to the most important job, number two to the next most vital, and so on down the list.

Beginning tomorrow, tackle number one and stay on it until it is finished before you move on to number two. Work on down the list. When the day is through, prepare a new list, again assigning top priority to the most important task still undone and so on down the list. Do this everyday.” (University of Success, Og Mandino, pg. 219)

Of course it is up to you to make your list every single day. Why not try this $75,000 technique for one week. I’d love to hear about your success. (Donald@spiritualjava.com)

********************************************
Dr. Donald Schnell co- founded with Marilyn Diamond
of Fit For Life, the Spiritual Java Diet Coaching Program,
that is transforming thousands. The New Spiritual Diet,
Incredible Value, One on One coaching Amazing Results.
http://www.SpiritualJava.com or email:
Donald@SpiritualJava.com
Donald Schnell is the author of The Initiation. Free Motivational
Newsletter, The Buzz http://www.spiritualjava.com

Why Time Management Seminars Don’t Work - And What Does

Published January 17th, 2009 in Time Management. 0 Comments

This article talks about how time management seminars really don’t address the base issue of time management and how coaching is a more effective method because it is more individualized. It’s also about having a good plan of action during unexpected situations. Read on to see more about how time management should be approached.

They’re based on two assumptions that no longer work. The first is that you don’t know how to manage your time.

Let’s say you’re asked to attend a Time Management seminar at work. You’ll be given a method that’s designed to apply to as many people as possible, so it may have little to do with your type of job. Some jobs are routine, and we do the same thing every day. Other jobs feature constant variety

Coaching is the better method, because it’s individualized, and if it’s a good coach, they’ll be asking you lots of questions.

I would ask you things like this:

1.When DO you manage your time well.
2.When you are in charge of the project, how do you manage your time?
3.If you had 8 hours of uninterrupted time – no phone, no meetings, no knocks on the door – how do you think you would manage your time?
4.When you are planning a vacation you’ve waited for all year, how good are you at managing your time and being organized?
5.How would you tell someone else to manage their time?

Barring such things as ADHD, you’d probably discover that you know how to manage your time under certain circumstances, so it’s fallacy that you don’t know how to manage your time, and a group seminar is particularly unuseful to you because it will never bring this point to the surface. Nor will it tell you how to apply the strengths you have to the situations where your time becomes “unmanageable.” Bear in mind that your time becomes unmanageable not because of lack of skills on your part, which brings us to the second fallacy.

The second fallacy is that you can be taught to manage your time because it’s rests on the false assumption that your time can be managed. You can only manage yourself in reference to your time.

In today’s world where change, communication and information are accelerated, and responsibilities are exponential, there is no one “way” to manage time.

The skills you will need to rely on are Emotional Intelligence competencies, and they will cure the problem, not treat the symptom.

Emotional Intelligence covers such competencies as flexibility, creativity, intuition and resilience. This means that what you are building is not “time management skills”, but the ability to function amidst chaos, inadequate data, imperfect human beings, uncertainty and pressure.

We are as much trapped by technology and people as we are assisted by them. On a good day, your computer, cell phone, airline, team plan, and project team will make things run more smoothly than in the past, and you will accomplish your goals for the day.

But on a bad day, your calendar will be of no use if your server goes down, and neither will your email. Even though you keep a meticulous day planner, you’ll have to rearrange your schedule if your cell phone battery goes dead in the middle of a client call. If your airplane is late arriving, it won’t matter how many people you called to the meeting, or how carefully you planned the details. And if Harry has to have emergency surgery and be out of work for two weeks, he won’t be fulfilling his part of the project, even if he’s prepared, knows how to do it and highly motivated and you are left to cope.

What will help you in these situations is:
·Resilience – being able to bounce when confronted with obstacles;
·Flexiblity – being able to relax when things change, so you can continue to think and function at top speed;
·Creativity – so you can come up with a Plan B; and
·Intuition – which can give you the an early-alert system to warn you when things are starting to fall apart, and how best to get them back together again.

When you have these competencies developed, your personal power increases greatly. You will no longer panic (anger or fear) when things go wrong, or change. You will be able to move past blame, and start fixing the situation. And with highly developed Emotional Intelligence competencies, you will be able to access much more help from those around you because of your empathy, communication and interpersonal skills.

We can no more control time than we can control emotions. The best we can hope to do is manage our emotions and those of others, and manage ourselves and others when our well-laid plans go astray. This is Emotional Intelligence.

Next time you think about a Time Management Seminar, think about an Emotional Intelligence Seminar or Emotional Intelligence coaching instead. And ask your manager or employer for this learning tool. It will get to the root of the problem, and since it’s broadly applicable, it will help with a lot more than just time management.

©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . I offer coaching, distance learning courses, and ebooks around emotional intelligence for your continued personal and professional development. For free ezine, mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc. I train and certify EQ coaches. Get in this field, dubbed “white hot” by the press, now, before it’s crowded, and offer your clients something of exceptional value. Start tomorrow, no residence requirement. Email me.

Where Does the Time Go

Published January 13th, 2009 in Time Management Tips. 0 Comments

Ever find yourself wishing you had just a few more hours in the day to get it all done? Between work and family responsibilities alone, it can be challenging to juggle time for everything. Surely we were created for more than a life on a continuous treadmill where we never seem to catch up.

Futurists predicted that, in the 21st century, work would be done in virtual organizations and paperless offices. Some even said that the work week would drop to 35, or even 30 hours, and that too much leisure time could become a problem. Most of us are not quite there yet, are we? Actually, over the past quarter-century, the time Americans spend at work has continued to rise. Our world seems to be speeding ahead faster than our comfort level and creating effects like stress, exhaustion and other health problems, to name a few. In business, the constant pressure to reduce costs and to do more with less often leaves employees in an unending cycle of overwork and overwhelm which ultimately affects the productivity and efficiency of the organization.

What is the solution? Time management can help. Or rather, more effective use of time can help. When you think about it, we don’t really manage time, but rather manage ourselves and how we choose to spend each 24 hour day we are given. By having tools and support available, we can better manage ourselves and the choices we make.
Tips for Managing Use of Time…

1. TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE YOU SPENDING YOUR TIME. It may sound odd to suggest taking time in an already busy schedule to assess how you are using time. Try tracking your time for the next week and see just how you spend it. Becoming more aware of how you use time can help you identify opportunities for changes that may alleviate time pressures. Ask yourself: Is there a change I can make to spend time more wisely?

2. DISTINGUISH BETWEEN IMPORTANT AND URGENT. If you have 25 tasks for a given day, how many of them do you truly need to accomplish? An excellent tool for helping prioritize activities is Covey’s Time Management Matrix (Stephen R. Covey in his book “First Things First”). It is a simple and straightforward approach to determining importance vs. urgency when planning your activities. Most of the time, focusing on things that are important, rather than urgent, results in greater effectiveness. Ask yourself: Do I prioritize effectively?

3. PLAN YOUR WORK; WORK YOUR PLAN. There is a cost in time and energy associated with working in a reactionary mode without a plan. While there will always be a need for flexibility, having a plan will help you maintain focus and measure progress. It can also support you in handling interruptions that may take you off task. Ask yourself: Do I have a clear plan? Am I working my plan?

4. ZAP TIME WASTERS. Time wasted can never be regained. A few examples… browsing the internet, email, chatting with co-workers, looking for things, and talking on the phone. Some ideas for zapping these time bandits are: schedule a time to return phone calls and email, get organized so that time is not wasted looking for tools and papers, use an Internet reminder service to keep track of important dates or events. Ask yourself: What will I do to eliminate time wasters?
“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” ~ Michael Althsuler

Coach Morgan is a Business & Personal Coach. She helps business leaders and their teams become more productive and profitable while maintaining focus and balance. She has led work groups in the United Kingdom and Australia. Coach Morgan is an adjunct professor at the University of Miami and a graduate of CoachU. She is the author of “A Year of Smooth Sailing – 12 Strategies for Charting Your Course to a Great Life” and “Smooth Sailing Success.”

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Use Your Time Wisely

Published January 11th, 2009 in Time Management Tips. 0 Comments

When I was small, I have never considered the importance of time.
I would just laze around, watch TV, lie in bed, and play video
games. As I grew older, I thought about the things that I have
achieved. To my surprise, I haven’t accomplished a lot.

I resolved to myself that I will do things that will contribute
to the benefit of mankind. I studied very hard and learned a
lot of lessons from my experience. I lack self-confidence
before, so I want to help other people overcome this predicament.

I became obsessed with self-improvement, so I started a
newsletter. I’m also working on an ebook about persuasion as
I’m writing this. I want to help anyone in need because it
feels so good to solve other people’s problems.

I urge you now to make the most use of your time. It may be
joining a fundraising organization. You may also learn new
skills or crafts. Create a goal and go for it!

Don’t be a couch potato. Don’t just sit around and be contented
with the monotonous patterns of your daily activities.

Do something nice and give all your best to the fulfillment
of a worthwhile endeavor. It will give you a very deep sense
of happiness and satisfaction.

Some people complain that they don’t have enough time to take
action on their goals. They have to go to their 9 to 5 job,
then when they go home they feel so tired all they can think
about is watch TV, relax, and sleep.

I’m not saying that leisure is a no-no. In fact, everyone should
take time out once in a while to recharge and revitalize their
energy. The key is to have a balanced life. Set aside a
fraction of your time to carry out your dreams and ambitions.
Reserve some time to establish healthy relationships.

Ok, I hear you. You’re saying that you really just can’t budget
your time?

Don’t panic. Here are some time management tips.

1) If possible, do more than one thing at the same time.

Exercise while watching your favorite TV show. Listen to
educational tapes while waiting for the bus.

Be forewarned! Never do this if it puts you at risk or in
danger; for example, don’t text while driving.

2) Don’t do something later if it can be done concurrently with
an activity at present.

If you’re going to the market to buy some eggs, think of the
other things that you have to purchase so that you don’t have
to return again.

If you have an appointment with the dentist today and you also
have to go to the bank (which is near the dentist’s clinic) at
any day, schedule the two activities on the same day.

3) Be organized in everything that you do.

Put labels on bottles. Put similar files on one folder. Make a
list of things you have to do for the day.

You can also use your mind to organize things you have to
remember. Studies have shown that you could only retain
information that fit between 5 to 9 categories at a time.
This is the 7+-2 rule of Neurolinguistic Programming.

If you have many things to do, try to group related things
together. You can combine activities such as reading books,
listening to educational tapes, and watching training videos into
a category such as “Education.” Then you can group swimming,
playing basketball, and paying fees for the gym in a category
called “Fitness.” Get the picture?

Time is one of our most valuable resources. Once lost, it can
never be reclaimed. We must use time wisely for our development
and advancement; so that when we are old, we can look back and
recollect the pleasant memories and deeds that we have achieved.
Time well spent is worth much more than gold.

Michael Lee is the author of “How To Be A Red Hot Persuasion
Wizard,” an ebook designed to easily seduce others to like
you, fully improve your relationships, multiply your profits,
win negotiations, and attain absolute freedom and power.
Get a sample chapter at http://www.20daypersuasion.com

Tips To Get Motivated and Overcome Procrastination

Published January 1st, 2009 in Time Management Tips. 1 Comment

This article gives a different view of time management. They take it from the point of view of motivation and procrastination. Think about it. We want more time to do all the things we feel are important, but how do we feel about the things we need to do to receive the goals we want to receive? If we don’t want to do them then we automatically take more time doing them? This is a very interesting take on the whole time management issue. Read on for more!

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

Procrastination is a complicated behavior that affects all people to some degree. Some experience only small problems with procrastination while with others, it is a major source of anxiety and stress. Lack of motivation and procrastination is related to time management. Procrastinators often fail to complete tasks even though they know what the task is and the time they have to do it.

Why do people procrastinate? Often a difficult task is avoided in favor of the less difficult. Tasks that take longer amounts of time are less desirable than those that can be completed quickly. People sometimes procrastinate due to fear of failure. No one wants to be embarrassed by a lack of knowledge or skills when beginning a new task. Overcoming the fear of failure and developing good work habits will do wonders for those who tend to procrastinate.

The first step in overcoming procrastination is to recognize what psychological issues cause you to procrastinate in the first place. Self-defeating issues such as anxiety, fear, poor time management skills, indecisiveness, difficulty concentrating, and perfectionism can be major contributors to a lack of motivation. It’s important to clarify your goals and then work to achieve them.

If you do not know how to manage your time efficiently, there are classes and literature available to help you learn. In order to change, you first have to accept and forgive yourself for your shortcomings. Do not expect to change overnight, expect to backslide on occasion and forgive yourself when this happens. Give yourself adequate credit for tasks you do accomplish in a timely manner.

If you have a friend or coworker who seems to be highly organized and efficient, ask for suggestions as to how you can do the same. Reward yourself for small steps taken towards your goals and be realistic in your expectations. As with any type of behavioral change, overcoming procrastination will not happen instantly. Change your work or study habits to minimize distractions and promote wise management of your time.

Be disciplined in your approach by setting a realistic goal and sticking to it. Setting priorities is critical in learning to manage your time in the most efficient manner. Do not dwell on setbacks or mistakes. Focus instead on success and soon enough you will stop dwelling on failure and instead come to expect the best from yourself.

Motivation is the key to achieving success at work and at home. Motivation comes from within. Coming to grips with personal issues is the first step in realizing why you procrastinate and then taking steps to change. If you focus on self-discipline and proper time management, you will be able to change those habits that led you to be a procrastinator in the first place.

You can get motivated and stay motivated by implementing a few changes and observing a few personal rules. Observing and copying those who seem to always be a step ahead is also an excellent tool in overcoming procrastination.

Realizing that procrastination is a self-imposed condition is an important step in changing those bad habits into a lifelong formula for success. Make your plan, follow it carefully, and forgive yourself for imperfections. You will soon transform yourself from a chronic procrastinator into a highly motivated, disciplined individual.

Arina Nikitina is the author of the goal setting tutorial “How to Set and Achieve a Goal”. Get 27 proven techniques, 9 worksheets, and step-by-step success plan here: http://www.how-to-set-and-achieve-a-goal.com/.

arina@goal-setting-guide.com

Time Poverty

Published December 27th, 2008 in Time Management. 0 Comments

This article discusses the mindset of time and what we do to fill our time. How many people do you know that never seem to have time, and they also don’t seem to be making progress either? Well these people are filling their time with activities that don’t take us to our goals or add quality to our lives. They have a ‘time poverty’ mindset. read on for more insight on how this mindset affects the quality of our lives.

There is a misguided thought that being busy is the same as making progress. With shorter deadlines, competing priorities, interruptions and even higher quality expectations, it brings today’s time challenges to another level. Yet the number of hours in the day has not changed.

A common mistake that most people make is not allowing for a balanced life-style. Remember, one’s overall health and wellness require attention to six important life areas:

Physical (exercise, nutrition, sleep)
Intellectual (cultural, aesthetic)
Social (intimate and social relationships)
Emotional (expression of feelings, desires)
Spiritual (quest for meaning)
Career (career goal directed work)

Naturally you don’t need a required amount of activities in each of these areas, but if you neglect one entirely, you may be ignoring an important part of yourself. For example, if you set aside time for exercise you will improve your overall functioning and better manage your stress. If you take time for your intellectual growth, you will gain new perspectives on life, experience different pleasures, and be better able to focus on your goals.

Consider your biological prime time – the time of day when you are at your best. Are you a morning person, a night owl, or a late afternoon whiz? Knowing when your best time is and planning to use that portion of the day for your priorities is effective time management.

You can conquer procrastination using Alan Lakein’s method of “Swiss Cheese”. When avoiding something because you dread the task, break it into smaller bits and do just one of those smaller tasks. If this is not possible, set a timer and work on that biggie for just 15 minutes. By doing a little at a time (I hate filing), eventually you will reach a point where you’ll want to finish it once and for all.

For myself, learning to say “no” was next to impossible. Such a small word, but I wanted to please no matter the cost to me. But focusing on your goals may help. You must be convinced that you and your priorities are more important – that seems to be the hardest part in learning to say “no”. But it does get easier when you simply can’t find the time and refuse to be derailed for that hour or that day.

In the Malaysian culture, only the gods are considered capable of producing anything perfect. Whenever something is finished, a flaw is left on purpose so the gods will not be offended. Of course some things need to be closer to perfect than others but perfectionism can be a form of procrastination. Shed the stress of always being perfect.

Gaining control over your business (and personal) life, means gaining control over your calendar. Eliminate the trivial tasks or those that do not lead to your long-term goals. Focus your efforts where they count. Managing your time requires an understanding of where your time is going, outlining your priorities, and defining a time budget and plan, even if it means changing some behavior and monitoring the results.

© 2004 Esther Smith

Esther Smith publishes a weekly Newsletter, Partners-For-Profit. Her websites: http://thepermanentventure.com and http://moreonlinecash.com offers proven resources for all home businesses. She also does freelancing: writing, editing and/or proofreading. mailto:editor@thepermanentventure.com

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Time Managment Training - A Necessary Investment or A Waste of Money

Published December 26th, 2008 in Business Time Management. 0 Comments

This article gives an interesting perspective on time management training and some of the numbers involved with such type of training. It comes down to the how much is an hour of time worth for each employee and how much time they will save through the training. I think that if you have better systems in place, a lot of that time management will take care of itself, because it will eliminate redundant tasks and having to do things over again and idle time because people are waiting on things

Many organizations view time management training as something they’ll spend their money on, only if they have to. Usually when pruning the company or department budget, training is often the first area that gets the chop. And yet can you really afford not to?

Here’s what Dr. Donald Wetmore a Time Management Specialist from the U.S. recently said in the on-line e-zine Activepro…

Training is not a cost it’s an investment
‘It really doesn’t matter what we pay for an investment. What’s relevant is what we get in return. One of the best ways to jeopardize an organization’s future in today’s world and increase the probability of troubled times it to look at training as a cost and pay the price of not training or provide substandard training that operates only as a bandaid for the training requirements.

A person being paid $50,000 per year who is wasting just one hour per day is costing the organization $6,250 per year. If through one of our Time Management Seminars that person can learn how to recapture just one hour per day, that translates into a payback to the organization of $6,250 per year!

If there is a group of 25 people, the return to the organization is $156,250 per year! That doesn’t even include other benefits like profitability, reduced turnover, improved morale, enhanced teamwork, greater creativity etc.)
Over 5 years, the payback is $781,250. What would your organization invest to achieve that return and payback?

Not so many years ago, training was an option for most organisations. Today it is no longer an option. If any of us continue to do what we do the same way, within five years most of us will become obsolete. Why? Because our competitors are helping their people to become more effective through training.
If we look closely at companies who are doing well in the long run, they almost always have a well thought out training program in place
They realize the price for not training is the real expense of training’.

The most important training or knowledge enhancement you can offer to your employees is in the personal development area. Effective time management is a life skill which affects us all. Depending on how skillful we are at managing our time it can have a major impact on the whole of our life. Our skill levels in this area can greatly benefit us or cause us to be constantly stressed out.

Training is a life long endeavor. It has to be ongoing. Life changes constantly and so do our needs and those of our people, the no. 1 asset in every business. Time Management training is crucial for it’s when we learn to use our time effectively that we get so much more done in our lives.

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia’s Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her business The Office Organiser specializes in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organized at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including “How to Survive and Thrive at Work!”

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Time Managements

Published December 24th, 2008 in Time Management. 0 Comments

This article approaches time management in a the way of ‘how do you see time’? If you can get a strong enough analogy to time and what it means in your life, then you can manage it just like you would manage your finances, valuables, or your lifestyle. It’s about looking at time as a building bloc and then designing your life by using that building block in your foundation. Read on for more powerful stuff!

There are the golden rules that apply to time. If followed, your life will be successful. If you ignore these, however, you will always be scratching to catch up. Do not be one of the people you always here say “I don’t know where the time went, it just flew by!”

1) Time is fleeting. Think about it…the moment you started reading this is gone, never to be regained. It seems we get so caught up in petty circumstances that we forget what we set out to do, and before you know it, the day is gone

2) Time is valuable. You always have time to make money; but you can never have enough money to make time

3) Time is unforgiving. The amazing thing about your time; even through no fault of your own, even “wasted” time will never stand still.

4) Time is money. You must be constantly asking yourself,”Am I doing the most productive thing I can be doing right now?”. Watch out for those “wasted” moments we were talking about earlier.

5) Time is changing. We all must constantly renew our minds, and let the past be just that…the past! It can’t help you now, aside from the learning experience, don’t dwell on it.

6) Time is the ultimate judge. We have all heard “time will tell!”. Well, there is some truth to that, as the future has a way of finding any flaw in the plan. Pre-planning will save massive amounts of your precious commodity called time.

7) Time is in your control. We can all be more in control of our day and how we spend it. Today should have been planned out yesterday, and tomorrow should be thought about today.

You can design your future, much like an architect designs a building. Start small, and work your way to the big things. Prioritize events and meetings in advance and stick to it. Things will always come up, so be vigilant, you will catch yourself doing un-productive things. The more you are “tuned in” to these events , the more you can do about it!

Michael Niles is a Seattle based trainer and speaker. For more info call 206-229-3119 or www.focussalestraining.com.
michael6941@hotmail.com

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TIME MANAGEMENT - NO!

Published December 20th, 2008 in Time Management. 0 Comments

I like this approach to time management because it subtly puts the focus on managing your life from an empowered place as opposed to a disempowered place. It comes from realizing what is truly important to you and focusing your time on that. We don’t realize how much time we waste on things that do not support us in our goals.
Read on for more insights to this different approach to time management.

Many people want to be coached to manage their time better. I say NO! to that. You cannot manage time anyway; it just keeps ticking away no matter what you do.

What you can do is manage yourself based on the two concepts I keep mentioning: self-knowledge and self-acceptance. Following are four principles to maximize the time that you have. They take time to incorporate into your life at the habit level. Don’t give up. Keep practicing.

1) GOOD ENOUGH

Accept that no human being is meant to do everything. We all have our uniqueness; things we do better than others and vice versa. Perfection is not a human condition. Cut yourself some slack and adopt the concept of “good enough”. You can rework your resume 50 times. Is it really so much better than a much earlier draft? You can shop for the perfect dress endlessly? Wasn’t the first one you tried and liked as good as the 15th? How much time did you spend past “good enough”? Demand higher standards of excellence where it really counts.

2) SPECIALNESS

Concentrate on excelling in what you do well, what you would enjoy doing better, and new areas you would like to learn. Delegate, hire, share, partner with people who complement you or can fill the needs you have in areas you don’t enjoy or do not know that well. Don’t ever berate yourself for not being able to do it all. Appreciate your talents and excellence and flaunt them. They are you, yours and very special. Let others have their specialness too. The results will not only save time but enrich and free you.

3) ENERGY AND TIME

Know and honor your energy levels. Are you a morning person, do you have an afternoon slump? Your time will be best used if you pace the tasks you have to do based on this knowledge. Do the most challenging at your peak energy time. Build in your Joy Breaks (see last month’s newsletter) both as rewards for finishing a formidable task and to refresh yourself at low energy periods.

4) FOCUS IN THE MOMENT

Develop habits that help you focus on what you are doing in the moment. Do not allow yourself to think of what you have to do next while you are doing what you are doing. Put a “do not disturb” sign on your door and do not take phone calls. By putting everything else out of your mind while focusing on the task at hand, you will be using your time efficiently. If you get stuck on something, take a break. Move to something else, get the information you need to continue, change scenery, stretch, whatever it takes, but don’t sit there stuck.

Note: The suggestions I make are not one dimensional or simple. The questions I suggest you ask yourself have multiple answers and may be different on different days. I suggest you keep them all in a file or notebook and refer back to them regularly. You will gain a lot if you do.

Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D. is principal of Next Level Business and Professional Coaching. She coaches Professionals and Business Partners and teaches teleclasses on techniques to break through barriers to the next level. Dr. Lehavi offers a complimentary coaching session so you can experience how coaching can work for you. Visit http://www.CoachingforYourNextLevel.com

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Taking Time Out For Your Business

Published December 7th, 2008 in Business Time Management. 0 Comments

This article discusses the benefit of taking time out from the day to day tasks to actually work on your business. That metaphor of sharpening the saw, so you can be more efficient and effective at what you do. It is also important to take personal time so you can keep allow your imagination and creativity give you solutions that will

As a business owner, wouldn’t it be great if you could take time off whenever you needed to? Unfortunately, most small business owners worry that the business will fall apart if they’re not there to mind the store. Too often, they simply lack the appropriate resources for their business to keep going in their absence.

“Taking time off is as important as food,” says Charles Tuttle, leader of a group of entrepreneurs in North Carolina. Don’t worry if this statement raises a red flag for you. Although taking time off can be especially challenging and downright impossible sometimes, it’s important to know that you can do something to make it happen. It takes deliberate work on your part and here are a few simple ideas to get you started.

Find a way to make work fun. If your work is stressful, build in laughter to ease the stress and tension. Take frequent breaks to stretch or breathe if you’re sitting all day. Fun makes the passing of the day more enjoyable. Try it and watch your fabulous day unfold!

Take leisure time in smaller chunks. Look at opportunities to journal, meditate or read between appointments and activities. It may seem pointless but it goes a long way in developing your time management skills while caring for your need to unplug. Tap into a little bit of spare time in your productivity process. It’s a great way to balance the scales in your favor!

Plan personal time on your calendar. Your calendar reflects your commitment to priorities or what’s important in your life. Typically, if you set aside the time on your calendar, you will observe it. Plan, then act to ensure you’re creating plenty of break time and doing something important in your life. You’ll have a greater sense of integrity and accomplishment at the same time.

Consider taking time off on a weekday. Who said you can only have fun on the weekends? Take time off in the middle of the week or even at the beginning! You’ll be surprised at how imaginative you’ll become while creating your fun time.

Identify unconventional ways to take time off. Time off may mean snuggling on the couch in your favorite bathrobe. It may also mean turning the ringer on the phone off, turning the TV and radio off or going to a park to feed the ducks. Your assignment (should you choose to accept it) is to get away from your business – whatever that means for you. Most entrepreneurs are in business because it offers freedom and flexibility so learn to capitalize on it!

Acknowledge yourself weekly for your accomplishments. What you do is hard work so pat yourself on the back for it! Select rewards that nurture and care for you like a facial, manicure, massage or other spa treatment. Treat yourself to a movie or read a good book. The more you acknowledge your progress, the more you’ll enjoy the journey!

Reward yourself for completed projects. You deserve a reward for completing the big projects in your business. Accordingly, let the reward match the milestone you reach when you complete a project. Plan a day trip, weekend getaway, or seven-day cruise. Whatever you enjoy, these are moments to treasure. Establish your reward at the beginning of the project so you’ll have an incentive to motivate to move you forward.

These are a few simple ideas to help you practice taking time off from your business. Remember, whether you’re just starting, squeezing a few moments out here and there or in full throttle, taking time off is good not only for you. It’s great for your business, too!

Wendy Y. Bailey is a Personal and Business Coach with Brilliance In Action, a professional coaching business that helps women entrepreneurs, business owners and business professionals blend their personal and business lives successfully.

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