Author: Carol Williams

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Get Organized More time in my day prioritize Time strategies

What does Happiness mean to you, and how can you truly create this as your theme of the Season?

Is this your scenario?

 

You know the drill. You are trying to “do it all”- meaning, you need to work to earn your living, your family needs attention, you are supposed to eat right and exercise and go to all your self-care wellness, and you are just barely holding it together. Most of the time, food is in the fridge and you are going where you need to go when you need to get there.

 

And then, the holidays march in.

 

Suddenly, you are fixing dinner for 10. Or 20. Maybe people are staying at your home. Maybe you are traveling. There are gifts to buy and parties to attend. Life becomes a swirl of complete insanity. Good diet and exercise, and routine in general, goes out the window. But wait, it’s my busy season at work! We have the year end deadlines! We have to stay late and work more! Sugar and caffeine, please!
Why does it feel like everyone else can handle this easily except you?
Hint: They probably cannot handle it that easily, but they either don’t talk about it, don’t tune in with themselves, or both.
Yes, you can turn around your scenario. Here’s how.

 

Step One: 
Tune in with yourself. Let’s fly 1000 feet in the air first. Ready? I want you to really THINK here. Like, really empty out your mind and be with yourself. We are talking about values. We don’t do what we are supposed to do. We act in accordance with our core values. We do this subconsciously, most of the time.
To tune in, ask yourself:
  • What is truly important to me?
  • What is frustrating to me?
  • What do I wish could change, that if it changed, I’d feel at ease?
Yes, we are getting below the psyche here. It’s a cool place. We can teach our mind to be happy, on a deep level. When we are happy on a deep level, the world is easier. When things are easier we get more of the right stuff done. When we get more of the right stuff done, we are productive. And happier. And so it goes…

 

Step Two:
Now that you are focused on your values, and you understand what will make you happy, it’s time to be the architect of your holiday season.
Focus Forward: Ask yourself the same questions as above, with “at the holidays” as a suffix.
Are the answers the same? Different?

 

Step Three: 
Find Your Frustration: By this time, you have some sentences. A WORD OF CAUTION. THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE. IT MAY HAVE *NOTHING* TO DO WITH YOUR NEEDS AND VALUES. IT IS AN *EXAMPLE ONLY.* THIS EXAMPLE IS GIVEN TO ILLUSTRATE THE *PROCESS* TO TRUE HOLIDAY HAPPINESS.
Perhaps you have written something like this:
 “What is truly important to me at the holidays?”
         “It is truly important for me to be able to be present; to be fully tuned-in when I am with my family.”
 “What is frustrating to me?” 
        “It is frustrating to not be able to work full days at the holidays due to all the extra needs of the season. I end up staying late and eating pizza and drinking too much coffee. Then I feel horrible and the cycle repeats itself.”
When you have both what you want written, and what you do NOT want written, often the answer for change (question 3) will emerge automatically. Allow that magic wand to work. Maybe you dare to write “I wish I did not have to work at all during the last two weeks of December.”
Caution: Many of us fear writing our *deepest dreams* because they feel too big or too crazy; not attainable, not practical, silly, whatever. Don’t make that mistake. We will break it down.

 

Step Four:
Look at your magic wand statement; your deepest dream. What is one micro step you might take toward that dream? In this example, not wanting to work at all from Dec. 15-31, ask yourself, what are the most critical pieces of work that must be completed so that this could happen? What could fall to the side? Just doing that one exercise is helpful and is a step toward living in true holiday happiness.

 

Step Five:
Create your happy place. After these four steps, you are on your way to a true plan for happiness, at the holidays and beyond.
  • Tune into our call on November 6th and dig right in, wherever you are.
  • Pre-call bonus: I have a limited amount of Dare to Dream sessions (there is no charge for these) in November. If you are ready for a more “truly joyous” holiday season, I invite you to reserve your spot by clicking HERE and have 60 min of “only” these kinds of app’ts available.

See you November 6! Add to

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procrastination Productivity productivity in the workplace Time strategies

Picking Productivity – how to dull the shiny objects

Last month, we really focused on focusing. Are you focused yet?

 

This is a core principle of productivity. It is the most simple concept, yet the most difficult to achieve. There are, quite frankly, too many diversions and distractions in life. This has been true thoughout history, and is “more true” than ever with the unceasing reality that is electronic connectedness. We are re-wiring our brains, and while I am not suggesting we revert to 1962, I am submitting that focused effort gets the job done.

 

NOTE: On November 2, I will be offering a webinar (you have to pay for this one) through Lorman.com. It’s called “Where Did the Time Go? 5 Ways to get a Lot More Done in a Day.” here’s a preview of the content: Click to view

 

Now, you are probably wondering what you can do, like, now, or perhaps, like yesterday. I have wonderful news: I’m going to start right here, right now. We shall continue on this Path to Productivity Bliss on 10/2 (the free Q&A with me) and as of right now, here comes a tip!
From Procrastination to Productivity: Today’s tips:
  1. Take a break. Ask yourself, am I really procrastinating, or am I taking a break? I myself take breaths, breaks, breathers between sessions. Some healers bring out the sage. While I don’t use sage, I do “reset” my brain (versus endlessly slaving away, telling myself “I need to be more productive; I cannot leave my desk!”
  2. Analyze your breaks: Here’s how to tell if you are procrastinating or if you are taking a break: you are being mindful. My mentor coach tells me that when finds herself cleaning toilets, she knows she’s procrastinating. When I have a long conference call and take a walk into the kitchen, look at the sinkful of dishes then start cleaning the whole kitchen, YES I am procrastinating. When I set the timer for 5 minutes, do as many dishes as I can in that 5 minutes then get a drink and return to work, I am taking a break.
  3. Listen to music: I listen to Pandora radio when I am being creative. They help my brain focus and stay on task so I don’t get sidetracked. What works for you?
Remember, procrastination is not all bad. The mind is not meant to be always on/always up. It requires the ebb and flow for optimal results. Treat your life as a giant experiment and be gentle with yourself.
You are amazing!
Categories
Get Organized More time in my day prioritize Productivity Time strategies

Focusing Forward and Being Present

The REAL answers to your Strategic Stuckness are embedded in the question: “if it’s so easy, why aren’t we all doing it?” We’ll dive deeper into THAT on our call 9/11/17, but for now, let’s jump into some effective FOCUSING strategies!

This is for you if ANY of these feel true:

– You start out with a plan

– Your plan is a joke by day’s end and you’re asking “why bother?”

– You start out without a plan…responding to emergencies (which somehow don’t quit)

Or, maybe it’s not THAT intense. You are keeping up with your work. But, you need to up your game, get to your next level. Wherever you are, you need to do something NEW to get NEW results.

Here are my favorite ways to focus forward and stay in the moment. Wait, what?

  1. Know WHY you are doing what you are doing: This may sound silly. Does it? Think about it. If the work you are doing adds up to something you REALLY want, you’ll put aside those distractions with more ease. Right? Remember, this is your Strategic Work. This is what is getting you to your Next Level! That’s focusing forward while staying in the moment.
  2. Remove your distractions; your favorite diversions: Even when you know “why,” distractions can be really powerful. Remove them. Shut off your phone. Then, go ahead and set your timer. Set it for an amount of time to get some traction on your project. I recommend at least 30 minutes, but no more than one hour.
  3. Take a break: That’s right! Get up and move. Get away from the computer. I recommend at least every two hours, but every hour is great, even for 5 minutes to get a glass of water. Movement stimulates the brain, and we want to do our best work, right? Just be careful to come back…don’t get distracted with someone else’s issue (or the issue in your own mind unless it’s life or death!) We are Staying Strategic here.

Many other strategies will work for staying focused and strategic. What are your favorite? What trips you up? Feel free to share here on my blog and/or come to the call on 9.11.17 at noon eastern and share.

Categories
Get Organized procrastination

Super Strategic Strategies

Let’s start with the how-to, shall we? (side note: You may know some of this and other strategies might be new for you. You have permission to take what works and leave the rest behind.)

 

The REAL answers to your ‘Strategic Stuckness’ are embedded in the question raised earlier though, “if it’s so easy, why aren’t we all doing it?” We’ll dive deeper into THAT on our call 9/11/17, but for now, let’s jump into some effective strategies!

 

This is for you if ANY of these feel true:
–    You know what you need to do; you just can’t get to it all.
–    You crave balance of work life and home life.
–    You have a burning desire to get your next level, professionally.

 

The first step in staying focused on your Strategic Activities, is knowing what those activities are in the first place. While this may sound absurd, I know many people who block off time for the strategic, yet, when that time comes around, they find themselves procrastinating or letting other things take precedence.

 

Question: How often do you plan “strategically?”
Answer: As often as you need to!
Recommendation: At least once a year. You’ll then have quarterly and monthly milestones. Hint: This does NOT have to be January 1! You can start “anytime”- but many companies/teams/CEOs do this at the beginning of the calendar or fiscal year.

 

Question: How do I know when I am successful?
Answer: Metrics
Recommendation: When you hit a milestone, you’ll need a way to track progress. What we measure, we move ahead in.

 

Question: A year feels like a long time. What if things change?
Answer: A year is not that long, really, AND you can and should re-evaluate regularly. Where are we compared to where we wish to be? What needs to be tweaked?
Recommendation: Re-evaluate quarterly.

 

Keep an eye out for my next blog post which will help you carve out TIME to do this, now that you know “what” to do!
 

 

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Uncategorized

Why do entrepreneurs fear vacation? What can be done about it?

According to Inc. Magazine, there are 3 main things entrepreneurs fear about taking a vacation. Do any of these resonate with you?

  • fear of being replaced
  • facing what we “left behind” (like our family)!
  • getting off the treadmill

Fear: it can be both a motivator and a cause for procrastination. Fear can have a mysterious hold on us. In this case, let’s go through the fears listed above, and demystify them.

Fear of Being Replaced: What is this one all about? I know that as an employee, I feared being replaced while being out on maternity leave, which is a real concern. But will a week really make a difference? If so, perhaps you should assess your value to your market and your unique offering.

Facing what we left Behind: This one is telling. If we leave behind our family then fear reconnecting with them, it seems that other issues must be addressed. For example, what expectations does your family have of you, and you of your family since you are an entrepreneur? It can be a lonely life sometimes, and not every family can ride the wave of an entrepreneur’s life.

Getting off the treadmill: Here we are talking about re-assessing. Vacation generally means we have time away from our “regular” lives, where we find a new perspective. It can be refreshing and rejuvenating (which is the whole purpose, really). But when we are forced to stop doing what we do every day, it can also be a little scary. Lean into this fear, entrepreneur, and stay nimble!

Overall, the science says vacation is a good thing. More unplugging leads to a creative mind. The creative mind is one thing that can’t be outsourced. So, when you fear being replaced…it’s all the more reason to get away! Happy trails!

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Uncategorized

Summertime…and the livin’ is easy….3 steps to living peacefully; conflict-free

Or is it? Does your life change in summer? Mine sure does. With two very active children, our schedules are impacted by this change in routine. I have a teenager now, who does not drive…so….we have THAT plus “various” camps, plus vacations, long weekends, time at the beach, visitors…it seems so hard to actually WORK sometimes! Am I the only one?

Let’s start here- we’ll start in this article and keep this conversation going on our August call…

  • What are your expectations for the summer (overall)?
  • What are your work goals? Your personal goals?
  • How do you plan and prepare for the fall and winter, which will be here SO soon? What might get in the way of a smooth transition to the autumn season?

So much of the clutter in our minds begin with a lack of clear exceptions. And, while the solution to this may seem simple, when we are in the clutter of unclear expectations or conflicting goals, the solution can fade so far into the background that it becomes un-seeable.

Step One to setting up your Successful Summer (or what’s left of it) is to be really clear about what it looks like. For example, I once had an Organizing Client (when I did residential organizing) who hired me to help her organize her home. It was summer and she kept finding reasons to delay or cancel our sessions so she might go to the beach. She was not committed to working at her goal, obviously. She needed coaching around goals and expectations and help in envisioning the life she wanted. One step in this solution might be to say “I will go to the beach 3 times this month and have 3 sessions with my Organizer” or whatever. Placing sideboards around your “guilty temptations” allows you peace of mind.

The power of Step Two is lodged within identifying your goals. Do not underestimate the importance of articulating this step from your gut. Too often we “say” we have this goal or that goal but those goals DO NOT GET ACTED UPON. Sound familiar? If so, it’s time to check in with your VALUES. We act, always, in accordance with our value system (at least in the longer run). So, while the woman in the example above ‘wanted’ an organized home, and even hired a person to help, she could not actually stick with it because her true value was to enjoy life while she could. (She had medical issues and the sunshine really helped her mental and physical health.) Perhaps you have your own business, and your value is to spend leisurely summertime time with your children. That’s great! Knowing that it’s time for step three.

Step Three: Now that you know what you want, you know your values and goals, it’s time to articulate what it looks like. If you normally work 40 hours a week, and you’d like to work 30 in summer, what does that look like? How will you get the most important things done in your business with 10 hours less per week multiplied by 8 to 10 weeks? It’s possible, for sure. But it takes some planning. And maybe what that means, this year, is that you settle for 35 hours (5 less hours) so that your bottom line does not suffer. Then, you calendar in some year-end business planning time for NEXT summer. Right? Woo hoo!

Bonus Step: What can you jettison RIGHT NOW so you can enjoy more time in the sun? Ready? Find three things- I KNOW you can find one hour a day…go!

Enjoy, relax, and be productively happy,

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