Tag Archives | personal development

May Productive Life Checklist

By on May 2, 2011 in Personal Growth, Success

Set the stage – What does a productive life truly look like? Hint: It’s different for everyone. It might be doing meaningful work, being an attentive and constructive parent or partner, creating a comfortable and supportive home environment or being a part of a larger worthwhile community. Ideally it might be a mixture of all of the above working together in some semblance of balance and harmony.

This month get really clear about what YOUR ideal productive and purposeful life looks like.

Monthly focus – This month we’re focusing on the big picture. Step back and look at the entire puzzle of your life, instead of focusing on pieces individually.

 

Mini-steps – Take one small action each day in every area. I know this may sound impossible given our schedules, but even the tiniest bit of time adds up. (I’ll share an example of my personal daily minimums in a future post, but for now give it a try.)

Boost productivity – Are you spending your time and efforts on the right things?

 

  • Be clear about what really needs to be done to get you closer to your most productive life.
  • Eliminate unnecessary or unproductive tasks or time zappers.
  • Can you automate or find a more efficient way of doing a task?
  • Think about the 80/20 rule – What does your 20% consist of? At work? At home?
  • Prioritize, prioritize, and prioritize.
  • Look at those tasks you keep putting off – what is it about them that keeps you from completing them? Disinterest?  Difficulty? Lack of skill or knowledge? Lack of clarity or accountability?

 

Get organized –

At home – Do you have an organized calendar? If your calendar looks like a massive brainstorming board with writing in the margin, consider what you can eliminate. Assess the value of each of your commitments. They should be mandatory, fulfilling or fun. Even then, some may have to wait.

At work – Do you know what you are responsible for? Don’t duplicate work or do wasteful work. Sit down with your supervisor or by yourself and clarify what your most important contributions to your work are.

 

Life Harmony – Take a 360 view of the landscape of your life. How is your time divided? Are any areas of your life over-consuming or being neglected? Perhaps you need to shift some of your focus and time on those areas that are lacking right now.

Live Purposefully – Time is a commodity to be traded for value and purpose. If family is priority right now, then carve out face time (even 15 minutes.) Do the same with each area of focus that makes up your ideal productive life.

Success strategies – Infuse your work with passion and meaning. Even if you are in a job that feels devoid of purpose, find a way that you can share something of yourself to enhance each day.

 

 

 

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Do You Consider Yourself an Optimist?

By on April 22, 2011 in Personal Growth

Something to think about…

The Creed for Optimists

  • Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
  • Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
  • Make all your friends feel there is something in them.
  • Look at the sunny side of everything.
  • Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best.
  • Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
  • Learn from the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
  • Give everyone a smile.
  • Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to criticize others.
  • Be too big for worry and too noble for anger.

Prefer an online version?

Optimist International recently introduced desktop designs featuring tenets of the Optimist Creed. The complimentary designs are available for download from the Optimist.org.

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Stick figure with eyes and smile

Are You a Right Brain or Left Brain?

By on March 15, 2011 in Success
Stick figure with eyes and smile
Image via Wikipedia

I find the concept of right-brain/left-brain is fascinating. Does how our brains are wired really affect how we live, what we do, our personalities and the type of success we achieve? There’s a really good article on About.com about the basic differences between right and left brain people and a really fun quiz at Similarminds.com.

This is such a fun topic. Play around with this and figure out what type of brain you are! In the interest of full disclosure – I am almost totally left-brained, which is why I am super-organized and balance my checkbook every week; and also why I am hard pressed to draw a recognizable stick figure.

But the good news is;

  1. We can encourage the other side of our brain bu engaging in different types of activities.
  2. No matter what type of “brain” you have, you can learn to be more productive, organized, successful and fulfilled. It just looks differently.

Keep this in mind when developing strategies, choosing methods and such. Do not try to follow a very rigid and detailed plan if your mind values flexibility and fluidity. Take bits and pieces and find what works for you, not the guy down the hall.

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Are You Experiencing or Achieving?

By on March 11, 2011 in Personal Growth, Success

We are so achievement-oriented that we often surge right by the true value of relating to what’s before us, because we think that accomplishing things will complete us, when it is experiencing life that will. ~ Mark Nepo

Ok. Who else out there is guilty of this? Uh…pretty much everyone, I think.

I know I succumb to this way of thinking quite often. Don’t get me wrong, achievements and goals are, in my opinion a necessary part of life. It’s all about keeping it in balance. The problem lies in getting so caught up in the quest to get things done and move ahead that we develop a tunnel-like vision.

The rest of life is cast off to the periphery much like the view out your window as you are driving down the highway. You might notice the scenery, the activity and the beauty, but you aren’t really a part of it. You just watch it go by instead of truly experiencing it. Life can be that way sometimes; much too easily.

As we go through our days over the coming weeks, let’s pause from time to time and make sure we are “living” and not just “doing.”

 

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Grass

The Grass is Green Enough

By on February 25, 2011 in Personal Growth
Grass
Image by wili_hybrid via Flickr

If we can accept that the grass is green enough and that it is possible for us to be happy right now, then our lives will be so much easier and more fulfilling. The grass will always be greener someplace else and if you are continually striving for more and better, then you will never be happy where you are. Focusing on what’s wrong with your life, your home, your job, your car, whatever does not motivate you to improve your situation; it only robs you of your joy. Instead, focus on what is right and good in your life and you will find your attitude and enjoyment of your everyday experiences expands. In addition as one of life’s little bonuses; a change in attitude and an aura of happiness somehow draws good things and good people to you making your life even better without all of the angst.

Today look around you and really appreciate “how green your grass is.”

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How to Stay Positive in the Office

By on February 16, 2011 in Success

*Please note – This is a guest post from James Adams

Every weekday morning you get up, you drive to your job, you sit at your desk or in your cubicle, and then you go home and do it all over again. The process can become monotonous, boring, and a real drag. Since you likely spend nearly a third of your life at work, you want to learn to be happier there. In order to achieve that happiness, it is important to project a positive attitude. In fact, according to livestrong.com, employees with a positive attitude can boost customer satisfaction, have more energy, and even feel a greater sense of purpose. Consider these ten tips about how to stay positive in the office as a way to a happier and healthier life.

  1. Appreciate to be appreciated: It is often said that you reap what you sow. It is easier to have a positive attitude when you are appreciated by those around you. Show that appreciation to others and you will soon see it returned by them.
  2. Avoid brewing negativity: The break room, the smoking circle outside, or anyplace that people may sit around and talk about all the negative aspects of the job are bad for your positive attitude. A big part of staying positive is simply avoiding negativity. Likewise, it is important to keep your own negative talk in check. Don’t be a complainer; complainers don’t have positive attitudes.
  3. Create small, tangible, attainable goals: when you reach a reasonable goal, you create a situation to feel good about. String together a series of successes and your attitude will undoubtedly be a positive one. Even the smallest successes can help, so be generous with yourself and make a lot of goals that can be reached. Make sure your goals are tangible or at least measurable – it is easier to be positive when you know you reached the goal and can see it in front of you.
  4. Find ways to have fun: whether it is a harmless little work prank, a quip that brings a smile to a colleague’s face or friendly competition in the sales room, having fun can help to create a positive environment for everyone involved. Finding fun in the work place is a great way to stay positive at work, but also a good way to spread that positive attitude.
  5. Improve yourself as a professional: seek out professional development. Whether it is through classes, a seminar, or attending a conference. Developing yourself as a professional will give you the confidence necessary for success at your job. As you feel more confident and competent in your job, you will feel more positive.
  6. Be a spin-doctor: One great way to maintain a positive attitude at work is to always look for the positive. When something doesn’t go your way at work, look for the silver lining. Be the one who spins the tough break in a positive way. Your attitude will improve and others will notice.
  7. Learn: when something bad happens, learn from it. When someone else in the office has a success, ask them how they did it. As you learn how to be a better employee, your attitude will be more positive. Confidence breeds positive attitudes.
  8. Show perseverance: You know what they say – if at first you don’t succeed… But it really is a great way to create a positive attitude. By trying and trying again until you overcome the tough obstacle can do wonders for your attitude. Nothing can ruin your attitude more than giving up, but there are few things that will give you the boost that overcoming adversity can.
  9. Get organized: By knowing where things are, what has to be done, and when you have to be where, you feel like there is purpose in your work. Start with to-do lists, cleaning out that messy file drawer in your desk, or simply getting rid of the coffee rings on your desk. By creating some level of order around you, you will just feel better. Feeling good is the root of a positive attitude.
  10. Be inclusive with success: when you have a success or when your team achieves an important goal, be generous with your praise of others. By creating more positive attitudes, you are developing fertile soil in which to grow your own positive attitude.

Work can take a toll on anyone. However, finding a positive attitude in your office is a great way to relieve the stress and, at the same time, improve your productivity. By implementing some of these ideas into your work day, you can improve your focus and cultivate that important positive attitude.

This is a guest post from James Adams, one of a team of writers at CartridgeSave where he reviews the latest ink cartridges for printers.

If you’d like to contribute a guest post, please contact me via the website contact form.

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What Can You Learn From Adversity?

By on February 11, 2011 in Success

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. – Anne Bradstreet

Be grateful for adversity. Challenges encourage us to grow. Crisis nudges us to wake up and do some searching of the soul. Difficulty sweetens the flavor of success. We need adversity to gain strength, compassion and wisdom. Anyone can “exist” their way through life. It takes someone with something special inside to triumph over adversity. Aren’t we all special in some way? I believe so.

Look back over your life. Haven’t some of your greatest lessons come from adversity? Aren’t you stronger than you were before? More capable? Wiser? Those among us who have never known the struggle of adversity, the trials of testing your limits have also never known the exquisite satisfaction of perseverance.

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Happiness is a Tide

By on January 28, 2011 in Life Balance

Happiness is a tide: it carries you only a little way at a time; but you have covered a vast space before you know that your moving at all. – Mary Adams

laughing children

Happiness

As we start our journey into 2011, start by asking yourself a basic question – What truly makes you happy? Do you know? And do you include those things, experiences or people in your life?

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angry finger pointing

Stop the Negativity

By on January 21, 2011 in Personal Growth
angry finger pointing

Inner nag

Studies show that dwelling on negative thoughts magnifies their power in your mind. This interferes with moving forward as these thoughts get tangled up with truly useful ones. So, try to quiet the negative voices in your head, you know the ones, the if only, the what were you thinking, should have said, should have done, what am I going to do, blah, blah, blah. Give them a name if you want to – I call mine Grace (there’s some history behind that having to do with two nasty women) but you could call yours “Naggy Nancy,” or “Whiny Wendy.” Give it a try, what have you got to lose?

On a serious note, some in the medical field suggest that this is a key reason that more women suffer depression than men. Women are more likely to “overthink,” while men are better at distracting themselves from negative thoughts. This does not let men off the hook, it just means women need to be even more diligent about screening the thoughts we allow ourselves to focus on.

Do you have a name for your inner detractor?

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What’s Your Motto? Keep it Simple

By on January 14, 2011 in Personal Growth, Success

Do you have a personal motto? How about a slogan? Not a public one for marketing purposes, but a personal or professional guide that reminds you of what you believe, what you are working toward or what is behind your goals. I’m not talking about a complicated mission statement. My apologies to all the Covey followers that have spent hours honing and perfecting their personal, professional and family mission statements. I think the process of asking yourself what’s important, what your value’s are and what your purpose is a valuable one. But does it have to be so complicated?

Why do we habitually make everything in our lives so complex? Do we need a paragraph long recitation on our purpose? Do we need a spreadsheet of goals with accompanying habits to make lasting change? Are we making our lives unnecessarily difficult? What if we spent that time working or playing instead of making charts and diagrams? Blasphemous right?

Call me a rebel, a non-conformist, but I think we’re making life harder than it has to be. I include myself in this insanity; this has been my modus operandi my entire adult life. I get it, but I’m done. It doesn’t work. It just causes stress and overwhelm.  It doesn’t need to be that way.

I declare 2011 a year of reform. I am reforming my perfectionist, over-planning, over-thinking ways and adopting a simpler mindset.

I did not set any resolutions or goals this year, just very simple intentions. I thought about what I wanted out of life, where I wanted to go professionally and how I could be more in line with my purpose and what really matters.

My husband gets a lot of credit for this mental shift. When I asked him what his goals for this year were, he said very simply, “To be better at the end of the year than I am now.” Huh? That’s it? Really? What does that mean? For him it means to be a little bit healthier, run a little bit farther, save a little more money, spend a little more time with our kids and be a little bit more loving towards me. I can get behind that and what’s more I can see the wisdom in that. This guiding motto “To be a little better” is powerful in its simplicity. It defies every S.M.A.R.T. rule of goal setting, but what’s more important, to follow the rules or get to where you want to be?

But how do I apply this in practical terms?

Figure out what your personal or professional slogan is – It can change each year or remain the same, that’s up to you. It can be a word or a phrase, but make it simple enough to implement and broad enough to apply across the board.

Your slogan will be your compass, your focus and your decision-making guide all rolled into one.

I decided on a personal focus this year of “Live Consciously, Practice Acceptance, and Embrace Joy.”

Now I ask myself each day, Am I paying attention to my life? Am I judging and being critical or am I accepting? Am I feeling joy, having fun and enjoying life?

If you’ve read my about page, then you know my company tagline is Productivity, Progress, Purpose. So I thought about how do I accomplish that tagline? How do I make that tangible and use it to get results?

“Keep it Simple, Make Time Count”

That’s it. Just that simple. For this year at least, my professional goal and focus will be to make things as simple as possible and make my time count. You will see that philosophy reflected in my blog posts, articles, tips, strategies and product offerings.

Doesn’t that sound better than complicated goal worksheets?

Visit our community discussion forum and share what your motto, slogan or intention is. I love to hear what others are focusing on.

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