Most people could benefit from improving efficiency and becoming more productive in all aspects of life, whether it's your job, grocery shopping, managing your email inbox, paying your bills, etc.
Proper planning and simple steps taken can pay dividends and ultimately make a big impact on your life. Here are some easy things you can do everyday to get things done:
Take 5
Everyday, dedicate 5 minutes in the morning to plan what you need to accomplish in that day. The more detailed you can get the better. If you can plan your day down to buckets of time to complete specific tasks - then do it.
As your day winds down, take 5 minutes before you go to bed to reflect on the day. What was accomplished? How did you progress towards your goals? What problems were solved? What new problems need to be addressed? Document the days' important moments and milestones.
If you commit yourself to doing this everyday, you are sure to get more accomplished than if you blindly attack each day. And by doing so, you are creating a journal, or a log of what you are doing to reach your goals, how you are addressing life's problems, etc. Then at the end of each week, each month, each year - you can again reflect back upon your performance. Becoming more conscious of how you are utilizing your time is key to becoming more efficient and productive in life and in business.
Do it 7 Times in a Row
Develop weekly challenges and do something to better yourself for 7 days. This creates a foundation to build upon. Once you get used to disciplining yourself for a week you begin to build the confidence needed to attack bigger and better obstacles. If you are persistent in setting and achieving 7 day challenges, you learn how strong you can be and that you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to. Try it out and make sure you again keep a log or journal of your challenges and what it took to complete the challenge.
The 3 D's
I love the rule of the 3 D's - Do it, Delegate it, or Delete it. Are you unorganized? Do you procrastinate? Is your inbox always full? If you keep in mind and live by the 3 D's - you will most likely simplify your life, reduce clutter and become quite a bit more productive. The basis of this rule is to not put things off. Life's lessons have taught us that putting something off makes it instantly harder and tougher to deal with.
Begin with the End
Learning to visualize can prove to be such a valuable tool for success. Think about it. How can you really come to the end if you don't know where you are going? Not only does visualizing help you plan, but it can be a foundation for ideas and getting yourself organized. Before you start any project, business, task - spend as much time as it takes to identify exactly what you expect to accomplish and exactly what the desirable end result is going to be. Do not start something without planning first. Again, documentation and tracking your progress is crucial.
Attitude is Everything
There are so many great quotes on attitude. I have commented on a few in prior posts. The one thing you can control when you wake up everyday is your attitude - and it shows. Your attitude becomes very transparent and it shines through your work. Having the right attitude can be the difference between being highly productive or being unorganized and unproductive. When you wake up, tell yourself how lucky you are to have today to make a difference in your life - and someone else's life for that matter.
Reflection is critical. As you may have noticed, in all 5 methods to improve your efficiency as a person in life, keeping record of your actions and behavior is essential for continuous growth.
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
10 days of Inspirational Quotes & Thoughts: Day 5
In continuing the discussion on pulling inspiration and motivation from great quotes, I've chosen one that hits the negative thinkers of the world.
"The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us."
Initial Thoughts: Bad things happen every day and they happen to people that may not be deserving of misfortune. When one lets an occurrence run their lives for an extended period of time, the stronger and more impactful that misfortune becomes. It's initial impact only cuts deeper and gains strength if it isn't concsiously addressed. If you are in a situation where it's tough not to dwell on something, take the word "can't" out of your thought process - and know that you have the will and the power to change - even turning your misfortune into a personal motivator or driver.
Digging Deeper: There are different matters of misfortune in our lives. Losing a loved one is much different than say losing your job. Both are very misfortunate happenings, however, it's much more difficult to overcome the emotional impact of losing a loved one. That is where your network of family and friends can be of great value. The quote still holds true, as dwelling on the fact that one has passed will only keep your spirits pinned down. I plan to touch on this subject more in a later post.
Let's use the second misfortune mentioned - losing your job or simply being broke. Yes, you may not have deserved it, but it happened didn't it? This is where you have the power to turn things around. Thinking positively and churning the negative thinking that comes with dwelling out of your psyche is a must. You CAN get a new job and WILL. If you are broke, maybe you've made some regrettable financial decisions. Well guess what, YOU can stop digging that hole and climb your way out by making smarter decisions - laying a foundation for the future and never turning back. Educate yourself if you have to on becoming financially literate.
What to Walk Away With: Again, bad things happen to everybody. Maybe you've been dealt a bad hand. It's in your power to change your cards. Develop methods to change your mindset to overcome challenging times - be the master of your own behavior - dwelling on a situation will literally keep you standing in place, and probably send you backwards.
"The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us."
Initial Thoughts: Bad things happen every day and they happen to people that may not be deserving of misfortune. When one lets an occurrence run their lives for an extended period of time, the stronger and more impactful that misfortune becomes. It's initial impact only cuts deeper and gains strength if it isn't concsiously addressed. If you are in a situation where it's tough not to dwell on something, take the word "can't" out of your thought process - and know that you have the will and the power to change - even turning your misfortune into a personal motivator or driver.
Digging Deeper: There are different matters of misfortune in our lives. Losing a loved one is much different than say losing your job. Both are very misfortunate happenings, however, it's much more difficult to overcome the emotional impact of losing a loved one. That is where your network of family and friends can be of great value. The quote still holds true, as dwelling on the fact that one has passed will only keep your spirits pinned down. I plan to touch on this subject more in a later post.
Let's use the second misfortune mentioned - losing your job or simply being broke. Yes, you may not have deserved it, but it happened didn't it? This is where you have the power to turn things around. Thinking positively and churning the negative thinking that comes with dwelling out of your psyche is a must. You CAN get a new job and WILL. If you are broke, maybe you've made some regrettable financial decisions. Well guess what, YOU can stop digging that hole and climb your way out by making smarter decisions - laying a foundation for the future and never turning back. Educate yourself if you have to on becoming financially literate.
What to Walk Away With: Again, bad things happen to everybody. Maybe you've been dealt a bad hand. It's in your power to change your cards. Develop methods to change your mindset to overcome challenging times - be the master of your own behavior - dwelling on a situation will literally keep you standing in place, and probably send you backwards.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
10 days of Inspirational Quotes & Thoughts: Day 3
Day 3 of discussing a quote that has the potential impact lives on a daily basis. This quote is directly in line with what my father used to tell me as I grew up - that the one thing you can control - day after day - is your attitude.
"Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching?"
Initial Thoughts: Heard that one before. Is it someone's attitude that is contagious or is it just that some people have the "it" quality of being influential. Attitudes are contagious and extremely important in tackling life's challenges.
Digging Deeper: Your attitude is so important and relevant to your ultimate destination in life. Attitudes, as the quote indicates, drive behavior and are very transparent to those around you. Those who understand that their attitude is something that they can control everyday, from the moment they step foot out of bed, tend to have a more positive outlook on life and of course - tend to be more successful in multiple facets of life.
I've found that it's common for negative attitudes to persist when faced with a problem, and more specifically a problem that you have little experience with handling. Or it's a deep-rooted problem, such as a high level of debt where you may struggle seeing the long-term effect of working harder now to pay off a little more each month. Such situations are ripe for a negative attitude, which lead to negative actions that bring down your ability to directly address the problem, or reach a goal of paying off that debt.
What to Walk Away With: If there are aspects of your life that you do not enjoy, that you dread, that suck, that aren't ideal in your opinion - try inspecting your attitude towards these things that bring down your ultimate level of happiness and fulfillment. Like anything in life, it takes practice and repitition. Continuous reminders will help. Reading books on the subject will keep your mind fresh and ready for new challenges - and more importantly give you new ideas and positive ways to overcome the challenges you are currently facing.
"Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching?"
Initial Thoughts: Heard that one before. Is it someone's attitude that is contagious or is it just that some people have the "it" quality of being influential. Attitudes are contagious and extremely important in tackling life's challenges.
Digging Deeper: Your attitude is so important and relevant to your ultimate destination in life. Attitudes, as the quote indicates, drive behavior and are very transparent to those around you. Those who understand that their attitude is something that they can control everyday, from the moment they step foot out of bed, tend to have a more positive outlook on life and of course - tend to be more successful in multiple facets of life.
I've found that it's common for negative attitudes to persist when faced with a problem, and more specifically a problem that you have little experience with handling. Or it's a deep-rooted problem, such as a high level of debt where you may struggle seeing the long-term effect of working harder now to pay off a little more each month. Such situations are ripe for a negative attitude, which lead to negative actions that bring down your ability to directly address the problem, or reach a goal of paying off that debt.
What to Walk Away With: If there are aspects of your life that you do not enjoy, that you dread, that suck, that aren't ideal in your opinion - try inspecting your attitude towards these things that bring down your ultimate level of happiness and fulfillment. Like anything in life, it takes practice and repitition. Continuous reminders will help. Reading books on the subject will keep your mind fresh and ready for new challenges - and more importantly give you new ideas and positive ways to overcome the challenges you are currently facing.
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