Change is often difficult and uncomfortable. And you may have a hard time knowing when it is time to make a change in your life. But, how do you know when it’s time to change? There are several signs you can watch out for, which can help indicate to you that it is truly best for you to make a change.
Read the information below and see if you can see yourself in any of these situations.
You Aren’t Proud of Your Friends
When your best friend calls you to tell you her exciting news, and all you can feel are feelings of anger and jealousy, this is a sign that something is making you unhappy in your own life. If this happens to you, take a good long look at what makes you unhappy in your life, and when you find it, start working towards changing it.
You Spend Lots of Time Daydreaming
Everyone daydreams sometimes, but if you are spending more time in your imagined future than the present, this is a sign that you need to change something within your life. Perhaps consider starting by turning one of your daydreams into an achievable goal.
The Difference It Can Make
So how do you know when it’s time to change? Let’s look at a few more situations and see if you can see more of yourself in them.
You Lie About How You Are Feeling
When your friend or coworker asks how you are, you should say you are great without having to lie. If you find that you’re always telling someone you are okay when you are not, this is a bad sign. You deserve to be happy, and you might have to make changes in your life for that to happen.
Your Development Is Just Lacking
You Know There Has To Be More To Life
You know the feeling. Maybe you get off work and sit in traffic and know there has to be something different out there, which is better for you. If you have these feelings, then change is most certainly a necessity in your life. Feeling like you need change is the most certain sign that you need change, and it’s time to listen to these feelings. You’ll feel better when you do.
Sometimes it may seem like staying the same is the easier choice in life. But if you find you are no longer proud of your friends, daydream all the time, and feel awful, this is a sign that it is time for you to make a change. And if you think there has to be more out there for you than there currently is, it is most definitely true, so take the leap and commit to making a change in your life. You’ll be so much happier with your life that you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
How can I help you make changes in your life? I do offer mentoring as a service so if you’re interested, just fill out the form below. I’d be happy to help!
Today’s article is all about Sharpening Your Focus and some of the methods you can use to help with accomplishing this. What do you think of when you think about improving your ability to “focus”?
Eliminating External Distractions
There are obvious encumbrances to focus on: External factors like distractions and interruptions. To remove these, you first need to recognize what they are and then exercise the self-discipline to banish them from your “space” – at least for periods of time each day.
These distractions can include anything from email to people stopping by. They’re easy to identify, so you only need to devise a plan to deal with them and then carry it out. For some of us, saying “no” to old companions like Facebook and Snapchat is easier said than done. But the results are definitely worth the effort.
Eliminating Internal Blocks
These blocks aren’t so easy to identify, and there are plenty of them.
One type of block is a perceptual block. This happens when we perceive things incorrectly. For instance, when you don’t clearly understand what the problem is. You can come up with ineffectual solutions or not enough solutions. Has that ever happened to you?
Another type of internal block is emotional. Feelings can interfere with our thinking if we let them take over. For instance, have you ever been in a meeting where you didn’t understand the point that was being made? But you were afraid to ask because you felt you might look foolish? How about if you’re involved in something that requires taking a risk? Have you ever been convinced that making a certain move was the correct thing to do? But you didn’t do it because it might not work out? Or, just the opposite, have you ever been so excited about something that you didn’t think it through before taking action?
These are just some examples where emotions can get in way of focus and clear thinking. You can probably think of many more. I know I sure can!
Another block to clear focus is not having complete or correct information. It’s very frustrating to put a lot of time and energy into a project and then realize that the conclusion will be flawed due to a lack of supporting information. Sharpening Your Focus will help you with staying on task so you can get more done.
It’s a good idea to take a little time to sort out where you’re coming from perceptually, emotionally, and practically before initiating a project.
The Habit of Successful Focus
In their excellent book, The Power of Focus, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt discussed the idea that successful living is all about cultivating the habit of focusing on the right things.
Here’s what they say:
“Life doesn’t just happen to be. It’s all about choices and how you respond to every situation. If you are in the habit of continually making bad choices, disaster often occurs. Your everyday choices ultimately determine whether you end up living with abundance or living in poverty. Consistent choices lay the foundation for your habits. And your habits play a major role in how your future unfolds.”
A habit is anything you do so often that it becomes easy. The rule of thumb is that it takes about 21 days to create a new habit. A really interesting fact is that once you do something 21 to 30 times, it’s harder not to do it than to do it.
Reprogram to Focus
The good news is that you can begin to reprogram yourself anytime. Once you learn about yourself – how you think and feel, and what you want in life – it will be easier to make the choices that will turn into habits that fulfill your goals. By Sharpening Your Focus you will have more time to do the things you really care about in your life.
Think about that. If you only changed four habits every year, in five years you would have 20 positive new habits. Imagine how much your life would change with 20 positive habits. You can make these changes in any area you choose. It could be your health, income, relationships, or any other area. 20 new habits could vastly change your overall lifestyle.
Here’s something that may be news to you: your outward behavior is the truth, while your inner perception of your behavior is often an illusion. What that means is that sometimes we let ourselves off the hook and see things in a rosier light than they really are. The first thing you should do to create new, positive habits is to make a list of all habits you think are unproductive. It’s important that you understand what’s holding you back so that you can change it. Seeing what you need to change and really committing to changing it are the two things you need to do to change any habit.
The 3 Step Process To Target
Canfield, Hansen, and Hewitt have created an easy-to-understand, three-step process for creating new habits:
Clearly identify your bad or unproductive habits – be very honest when you look at your habits and think about the long-term consequences.
For instance, as a smoker you might say,” How bad can a few cigarettes a day be?” but stop to think that 10 cigarettes a day for 20 years equal 73,000 cigarettes. That’s a dramatic example. Think about the difference that changing a few of your own habits will make in your life.
Define your new successful habit – The easiest way to change an old bad habit is to replace it with a new, good habit. Choose your new habit and picture all the benefits and rewards you will get from adopting your new habit.
Create a three-part action plan – For instance, if you’re giving up smoking, you could read some literature on how to stop smoking, substitute another activity for smoking, and start using a nicotine patch.
You must identify your old habit, clearly define your habit, and take action. Start with one habit. Focus on your three action steps and put them into practice. When you’re comfortable with the new habit, you can move to the next habit you want to change.
You may have heard the expression,” what we concentrate on, expands.”
It is so true. If you are looking for help in this area, I offer a FREE 15-minute consulting appointment to see if we can work together to help solve your focus issues. Contact me by using this link: FREE CONSULTATION
There are four distinct learning styles. Most people will have a preference for one of the four, but to some extent also use the others. The better you use all four of them, the more you will learn from your experiences.
See if you can pick out the learning style that you seem to choose naturally from the four styles below.
ACTIVIST STYLE
– This person enjoys new experiences and dives right in
– So, he likes the excitement of drama or a crisis
– And he enjoys out-of-the-box ideas
– He likes using other people as sounding boards
THEORIST STYLE
– This person enjoys theories and concepts
– So, she enjoys intellectual exercises
– And she performs well in structured situations
– She doesn’t like shallow, unsubstantial thinking
REFLECTOR STYLE
– This person enjoys detailed research
– So, he likes just sitting back and thinking
– And he thinks before he acts
– He doesn’t respond well in crises or with time constraints
PRAGMATIST STYLE
– This person works well on practical tasks
– So, she enjoys putting things into practice immediately
– And she needs guidelines
– She doesn’t enjoy learning that does not have a practical outcome
If you can see that these four learning styles are all aspects of the complete learning process? In stage 1 the activist has the experience. Stage 2, the reflector, reviews the experience. In stage 3 the theorist makes conclusions from experience. And in stage 4 the pragmatist takes action based on the first three stages.
If you need help with figuring out your style and what would work best for you, schedule a FREE Call with me, and let’s discuss. Call Me Using this Link!
Today’s topic is all about Three Productivity Tools. Now everyone can use more productivity in their lives, I know that I can. I would rather spend my time doing things that I enjoy, wouldn’t you?
If you’re like most busy people, you’re always looking for ways to increase your productivity.
If you can find a way to:
Limit distractions in this distraction-filled world
Stay focused on a single task at a time
…you’re well on your way to getting more done, but it’s not always easy to get there. Well, thanks to the amazing technology we have available to us today, there are plenty of tools out there that can help.
Abundance of Tools
Here are 3 of our favorite productivity tools to help you limit distractions and stay focused.
Let’s get the distractions out of the way first because even while technology brings us so many great productivity tools, it also brings us tremendous distractions. RescueTime helps you track your time on your computer and your mobile devices and identifies where you’re spending (ahem…often wasting) a lot of your time.
RescueTime will:
Alert you when you’re spending a certain amount of time on an activity
Allow you to block distracting websites during focus time
Keep track of what you accomplished throughout the day
Identify how much time you spend on a variety of activities, including email, meetings, etc.
You can sign up for a Lite account, which is completely free, or their premium service for added features.
The Focus Booster app is based on the Pomodoro Technique, which is a long-standing productivity technique that uses a timer for focused work periods, usually 25 minutes, followed by a break of 3-5 minutes. After you complete 4 work periods, you get a break of 15-30 minutes. The idea is you stay completely focused on the task during the work period.
There are a lot of apps that can help you execute the Pomodoro Technique, but you can check out Focus Booster. The app is free for up to 20 sessions per month or you can pay a reasonable yearly fee for unlimited sessions and extra features.
The app keeps a timesheet for you and produces a report that allows you to track your productivity and identify ways to become even more productive. And they have a 30 Day PRO Trial also.
Now here’s something very different, but scientifically proven to increase focus and productivity. And if you love music, this is going to be great news for you.
Focus@Will uses human neuroscience and music to help you focus, limit distractions, get productive and retain more information. All you do is answer a few questions and the software will determine the right music to put your brain in a flow state that makes you super productive. Wow!!
Try these Three Productivity Tools and let us know what you think. And hey, if you’ve got a productivity tool you love, can you send me a message? We’d love to gather up your answers and make part 2 for this article with more great productivity tools.
Manage Your Time – how many times have you heard that phrase? Like it’s been beating you in the head forever, but is it actually registering in said head? You know, you’ve heard it a thousand times but if it’s not getting through, then you’re not really listening, are you?
Managing your time is not just good practice but it is also good for productivity, organization, and achieving success with your goals. By managing your time properly and efficiently you can create an organized life.
It doesn’t need to be overwhelming if you follow the strategies below.
Get Up Early
The most successful people are early risers and have a morning routine in place. Do you have one?
Morning routines often include:
Meditation
Visualization
Exercise
Reading/Learning
Healthy Eating
Planning/Prioritizing
A regular morning routine will ensure that you start your days successfully.
To-Do List
Creating a to-do list should be a regular habit undertaken daily. The best lists are 10 items or less to ensure that you can complete them. Don’t forget to prioritize the items on the list and review them throughout the day. Checking off items as they are completed will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation.
Sticky Notes
Sticky notes are ideal for displaying reminders of tasks, motivational quotes, and visualizations. If you’ve got a pile of letters that need to be mailed and that’s an item on your to-do list, why not put a sticky note on top of the pile with a deadline for posting them? It’ll serve as a reminder to get them posted and cleared out of your way.
Record It
Of course, you can record your notes digitally using note-taking apps or in a text document, or using pen and paper but have you thought of recording them using a digital recorder? You can get free recording apps for smartphones. By making a voice recording you can replay the recording and listen to your ideas. This will give you the opportunity to listen from a different perspective.
Schedule
Create a schedule. Using an online planner such as Google Calendar will ensure that you are able to access your schedule on your smartphone, tablet, or computer wherever you are. You can color-code different categories of entry and share with friends, family, and colleagues as necessary.
Use Pen and Paper
For your most important events, tasks and notes use the traditional recording method of pen and paper with a diary, planner, or bullet journal. You can keep it with you at all times, it won’t distract you with messages or run out of power. You’ll also be able to flick through at a glance to see how much you’ve achieved, past or forthcoming events, and outstanding tasks.
Prioritize
Be realistic. Not all tasks and events are created equal. Find a way to highlight events that are essential so that you can see them at a glance and be sure not to miss them. On your lists of things to do always prioritize them and complete the most important first. If there are items that aren’t important or not time-sensitive then consider moving them off your current list and on to another day. You can’t do everything!
Delegate
If there are items on your list that aren’t important then think about delegating them. You don’t need to try and be a superhero and do everything yourself. Kids can tidy away their toys and when old enough learn how to load the dishwasher, set the table, and do other simple chores. By enlisting the help of other household members you can get more accomplished in less time.
In Conclusion
Managing your time properly and efficiently is one of the keys to staying organized. And, it’s also the way you create success along the way when you are working your business. Take these ideas and use them for both your personal life and your professional life. Then you’ll be able to fit more into your day. And even have time to play with your kids and enjoy time with your husband or significant other. Now that’s what I’m talking about!!
Need help figuring out how to create your Time Management Goals? Let’s set up a time to do that. Here’s my booking link to make it easy for you to schedule a time to get together. → Calendar Link This is a free 15 – minute call to see if we want to work together. And then we schedule a time to work on your project. It’s simple and as easy as that!
I would be more than happy to help you figure things out.
When you work for yourself you will need to be both organized and productive while working, every day. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll also get much more done for your clients as well as for your own business. So how can you make sure that you stay organized and productive?
Below are several tips for staying organized and productive. Which ones have made it to your list?
Clear clutter
Process your emails
Schedule your calendar
Stay hydrated
Don’t skip lunch
Clear Out Your Clutter
Your workspace should be clean and clutter-free. By removing distractions, you will make sure that you remain focused on your work. Have a trash can by your desk and use it. If it’s trash, then it isn’t needed so toss it immediately! Add a small container for recycling and put anything that can be recycled into it as soon as you’ve finished with it.
Process Your Emails
Emails are a huge time suck. Instead of just reading them or thinking you’ll read or act on them later take a more structured approach. Set a specific time for dealing with emails each day. Don’t check them in between.
Use folders to organize emails: junk/spam, trash, by project or client, personal and to do. Any emails that require you to take action and that cannot be completed at that moment should be put into the to-do folder. Make it a habit to work through your to-do folder and empty it every day. Have a specific time slot allocated for that each day.
Delete junk, spam, and emails that aren’t important or needed for further action and empty those folders at the end of each day.
Schedule It
When you’re an employee, your break time is usually scheduled for you. But when you work for yourself, then it will be up to you to decide when to take a break. Make sure to schedule regular breaks as these will keep you more focused and productive
If you sit down for a large part of your day you need to take regular time out to get up and walk around. This will keep you fitter and reduce tiredness.
Stay Hydrated
Your body and brain need water to stay hydrated and to achieve optimal performance. Of course, you don’t need to drink plain water all the time but you should limit caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee.
Don’t Skip Lunch
It can be all too easy to skip a meal when you are really busy. However, this won’t actually boost your productivity as you’ll find your blood sugar level will drop and you’ll lose energy and the ability to focus.
Make sure that you’ll always have lunch either ready to go to your office with you. Also, make sure to have a couple of healthy snacks ready to have during the day.
These simple tips will help you to stay organized and productive when you’re working.
Living your best year depends on the actions you take right now. So even though you might be stuck with how to move your business forward, I’m providing a few tips for you that might help.
Most of the world sees a new year as a time to make massive changes in their lives, it’s the daily choices that lead to lasting change. That’s why New Year’s Resolutions are so ineffectual. Yes, you heard that correctly! This year, you can start and finish strong by making better choices each day.
Living Your Best Year
Below are some tips for making sure this is your best year ever:
Break It Down—whether you want to save for a dream home, start a business or get healthier, you need to recognize it’s going to take time. Our desire for instant gratification can lead us to give up before we even really get started pursuing our goals. Chose the one big thing you want to have by the end of the year and then break down the steps you’ll need to take to make it happen. Then break them down even further. Come up with small tasks that you can complete daily in only 10-30 minutes. That will not only help you see the goal as a journey (so you don’t give up too soon), but it also makes the goal easier to tackle.
Choosing Yourself First
Track Your Time—we’re all busy. But many people use busyness as an excuse for keeping the status quo, even when they say they want to change. One simple way to find “wasted time” in your schedule is to track it. For at least three days, keep track of what you do all day long. You can use an app, spreadsheet, or a simple notepad to keep track. You’ll soon start to notice you spend more time watching TV, playing games, and checking social media than you would have thought. Once you are aware of this wasted time, choose yourself instead. Use that time to research career programs, enjoy a hobby, or spend more time with family. Whatever your goal is this year, choosing to spend your time working on it each day will make sure you end the year where you want to be.
Choose To Be Happy
Redesign Your Life—Most of us sleepwalk through life more often than we care to admit. If you want to live a happier, more fulfilling life, take stock of what makes you happy. What brings you joy and makes you feel alive? Now, redesign your life to make sure those things are a part of it. Look back at your time-tracking list (from above). What obligations and expectations can you modify or delete entirely, so you live a life full of joy and purpose. Make a conscious decision to choose to live life to the fullest every day.
You Choose Your Life
One of the best choices you can make is to remember why you decided to go in the direction that you have made for your life. Sometimes the choices are for a reason. You might not know the reason but in everyone’s life, there are journeys that must be taken for you to learn certain aspects of life. Whether it’s being a mom, a wife, a girlfriend, or just a single woman, you can’t expect to know everything unless you live it. That’s what I’ve found out anyway in my life. Yes, you might make some mistakes along the way but if they don’t show up in your path how are you ever going to learn? You can read all the books in the world but living and being at that stage is more important than any lesson you can learn from a book.
My Favorite Method
For me, at the beginning of the year, I only make one to two goals because I don’t want to overload myself. One is for my personal life and one is for my business life. I find that if my goals are too defined, like step 1 – step 10, I will never reach that goal. I try to just make it simple and basic. It works for me and is something you might want to start doing also. Try not to stress yourself out about what you can and can’t accomplish. You’d be surprised by the end of the year just how much you’ve accomplished. And this is why I choose this method of planning out my goals. Yes, I could have 15 different goals on my list, but if I don’t get them all completed, I just feel defeated. And that is definitely not the way I want to feel. I’m sure you don’t either!
If you are looking for someone to help you figure out your goals or just need someone to bounce ideas off of, I’m available for a FREE 15-minute chatto see if you’d like to work together. You can book an appointment with me here.
Today’s article is about how to start your year on the right foot. We are in a brand new year and sometimes it’s so easy to get off track, especially when you have family obligations during the holidays. And let’s face it, most of us, as business owners need a little downtime during this last quarter of the year. If you’re anything like me, trying to do it all sometimes is a little too much, even for the strongest people in the business world.
All too often we charge in when it would be better to assess where we are first. Especially if you haven’t had time at the end of the year. It can be painful to look back to see our mistakes and shortcomings. And yet, it’s the best way to determine what we need to do to make significant changes in our lives.
Before you prepare to start the new year with loads of new resolutions and goals, take some time to reassess your life in these different areas. It will help you to not be distracted the entire month of January because you will have focus, determination, and a great plan.
Obligations
Ever wish you had more time for what was genuinely important to you? I get it! So do something about it. Make some changes. The first step is by looking at all the things you’ve taken on that no longer feel important. Consider each committee, sponsorship, extended family, and friend obligations that no longer feel fun.
If they feel like a burden, it’s time to unload them. That may feel challenging. After all, no one wants to let others down. But this is your life, and it’s time to choose you instead of others’ wants. Do you feel me here? It’s for you to decide what’s important to you.
Finances
If you wish you had more money but can’t or don’t want to work more to get it, take a careful look at your finances. Quite often, little wants turn into needs. Scan through last year’s bank statements and make a note of any recurring payments. You may wince when you see how much you’ve spent on unnecessary things throughout the year. Having occasional treats for you and your family is okay. But if “shopping therapy” has become a burden, now’s the time to fix it.
Make a list of all the ways you could cut back on without feeling deprived. For example, could you eat out two nights a week instead of four? Is it essential that you shop for clothes every month? So, how much could you save if you took your lunch to work three days a week instead of getting take-out?
Do you find it fun to have four bazillion TV channels? You can’t possibly watch them all! These are just a few ways you can trim expenses, so you can save for things that matter to you instead.
Dreams and Goals
Many people decide that not having enough time or enough money is the reason why they stay in dead-end jobs, don’t pursue their passions, or make real changes in their lives. If that was you and you’ve taken our advice and reevaluated your obligations and finances, those excuses should no longer be holding you back. Am I right?
So, what do you want really? To go back to school and start a new career? Turn your side-hustle or hobby into a business? Purchase and cook homemade, whole foods that support your health and wellness? By choosing to make those two changes in your life, you’ve now opened up a whole new world for yourself.
Grab it, and don’t look back!
Just Start
Picture yourself happy and content, making more money than you ever did, because you made some decisions about your life that would change your 2022. Isn’t it amazing that doing just one thing could change your life around for the better? No, nothing is easy. But if you want to succeed in life, you will do what is necessary to get there.
One thing I know for sure is if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Don’t let that happen to you!
Contact me using the form below and I’ll help you work on a plan that’s right for you.
Today’s article will teach you 21 different ways to become a better leader. I think you will really enjoy reading this article. It will teach you so many different ways on how to be a better leader. Because if you’re going to be a business owner, you also need to be a great leader. Right?
Being a better leader can be simplified down to ‘always thinking of more ways to listen and help’. It is also about modeling strong, positive leadership through example.
Being a Great Leader
Here are twenty-one ways to up your game as a positive leader.
Get Out There and Make Connections
The best leaders are insatiable at learning and improving every area of their lives. Part of this involves just getting out there and networking. Talk to peers and competitors, to find out what’s important to them nowadays. Go to conferences and symposiums and talk to experts. Want to ask someone a question? If you are close enough to have their phone number, just phone and ask!
Some of the best leaders are also introverts. It’s tough cold-calling or putting yourself out there if you’re one too—but thesuccessful introvert leaders all say the same thing: You just have to do it. (And that it does get easier!)
Be Solution-Oriented
Weak leaders shame-and-blame. Strong leaders hone in on specific problems and look for solutions. And they’re especially good at thinking up ‘third alternatives’ or out-of-the-box fixes that far exceed the standard solutions.
Be Action-Oriented
Strong leaders not only look for solutions, but they are also the first to take action on them and implement them. Leaders will find out the best people for specific tasks while others are still discussing possibilities. Leaders will fix plumbing leaks, find caterers at the last minute while others are bewailing a cooking disaster, and generally build up a “get-‘er-done” mentality.
And that includes getting it done for your people!
Don’t Be a Weak Leader
Ask for Help
Part of being solution-oriented and action-oriented is knowing when to admit you need help when to ask for help – and then doing so! A good leader never hesitates to say, “Can you show me how to do this?” or, “Will you explain this to me, please?”
That’s because a great leader knows his or her own worth but is immune to the ego.
Accept Responsibility
Leaders and excuses don’t go together. A strong leader never hesitates to admit when he or she is wrong about something.
Be a Lifelong Learner
Great leaders are voracious learners. They read books, as well as search the net. They are not afraid to go to the source and ask the experts. They listen to podcasts in their cars; go to seminars and workshops; find out how things work and know exactly who to call on for a myriad of needs or situations.
This type of curiosity is a great habit to develop—and it will keep you ahead of your competition and help you come up with concrete or decisive answers when others are still dithering.
Do Some Research
Do Your Homework
Effective leaders will take the time to do the research. And if they commission other people to do the research for them, they take the time to go over the results and make sure they understand all implications.
Use Mentors and Coaches
Great leaders never think of themselves as the top of the heap: There is always someone else they admire, follow, model themselves after, or consult. And they’re not afraid to admit it or shout out to their mentors, either.
Think back over your life: Who was your inspiration? Your mentor? If you’ve let them drop by the wayside, use this as a reminder to reconnect and keep up that valuable connection.
Be Approachable
Nothing will endear you to your community more than approachability … especially if you protect yourself by making sure you also have clear boundaries around access.
If people feel you are approachable, they also feel that you care about them. You’ll never be the dreaded “tyrant boss” or coach, and by setting times and ways for contact, it ensures that contact occurs in a controlled manner and doesn’t burn you out.
Do you Have Skills?
Actively Develop Your Communication Skills
Great leaders have great communication skills. They use these to convey visions, inspire people, negotiate a positive way through conflicts, and above all, they are great listeners. But they also actively develop these skills. They know that most people aren’t born with them, and they will go out of their way to acquire the best communications skills they can.
Use ‘We’ instead of ‘I’
When you use ‘I’ statements within a leadership role, you subconsciously set yourself on a pedestal. Are you focusing on tasks and goals to accomplish, including your team by saying ‘we’ and giving them ownership of the task and goal?
When you do say ‘I’ make sure it’s paired with statements such as appreciation or gratitude statements, or include as many ‘you’ and ‘we’ statements as ‘I’ ones.
Everybody Needs Somebody
Learn to Read Beyond What’s Spoken
Another top leader super-skill: ‘Reading’ people. This means not just listening to what’s said, but being able to accurately interpret other clues, such as tone, body language, and facial expressions. Effective leaders don’t let such things slipstream over them. They are able to instantly recognize when someone is dubious about something they’re in the middle of agreeing to, or being evasive under expressions of confidence—and get to the heart of the matter in a positive and reassuring way.
Give Your Team the Right Tools
One of the easiest ways to enable and encourage your team to not only do a great job but enjoy and be inspired by the process is to give them the right tools. Don’t skimp on this: Giving your contractor or team member the pro version of the right tool will increase productivity and speed up the creation process.
And your team members will really appreciate your support.
Be Aware of Your Own Body Language, Too
Don’t just focus on the body language of the people you are speaking to. Check your own body language, too! Do you look people you are speaking to in the eyes? Are you smiling and focusing on radiating a positive attitude? Are you lethargic, animated—or too animated? Are you practice “open” body language (angling toward your guest, for example, not crossing your arms or legs; or using wide-arm gestures that include the audience and bring them in).
Have you previously even thought of what your own body language says?
Are You Creating the Best Experience?
Develop an Engaging Speaking Style
Record yourself speaking on more than one occasion; both informally and formally (e.g. when giving a speech or running through a podcast or webinar script). Play these practice runs back and listen.
Do you put yourself to sleep or do you do the opposite, and chatter so fast that you sound like a squirrel after espresso? Do you practice good breathing, so that your voice is resonant, not squeaky or ‘thin’? Are you fall back too frequently on meaningless phrases like ‘basically’? Do you repeat clichés and specific words too often? Are you hemming and hawing and stumbling?
Above all, is your voice real, authentic, clear, and warm?
Analyze your own voice objectively. Listen for all these things, decide where and how you need to improve and do it!
Make a Habit of Being Goal-Oriented
The best leaders zero in on whatever goal they’re working on and move toward it without distraction.
Learn to cut out tangents and irrelevancies, and focus on your goals, be they huge or small; the ‘big picture’ or a detail. Learn not to allow yourself to be distracted into reactive mode, and get your team members effortlessly back on track.
I AM The BOSS!
Don’t Be a Boss: Be a Leader!
A boss suffers from pedestal thinking: She thinks of her team members as minions instead of fellow professionals.
A leader doesn’t regard herself as the center of the universe: She shares the spotlight, the problems, and the praise with her team.
She gives credit, not takes it: A leader steps back to let her team shine. A leader helps people grow and is remembered as an inspiration in years to come.
Be Prepared to Be a Decision Maker and Take Risks
Great leaders do something else that sets them apart from other professionals: After they have done the research, analyzed the facts, and brainstormed with their teams, they:
Make decisions
Take risks
This is because they have taught themselves not to fear failure. Great leaders know that sometimes projects or ideas fall short.
But they also know that avoiding decision-making and never taking a chance is the real failure!
Creating Habits
Listen for the ‘Wee Small Voice’
Great leaders are also not afraid to question themselves and their assumptions. They learn to be aware of that niggling inner voice that tells one that something isn’t right; or simply leads to a hint of nervousness or fear.
Experienced leaders question this ‘wee small voice’ immediately on becoming aware of it. They get to the ‘why’ behind the doubt or fear and face it head-on. Then they take action to eliminate potential problems that might have been causing the fear. They never let fear rule them or hide in sabotage.
Be Proactive—not Reactive
It’s easy—especially when you are an online entrepreneur—to slip into reactive mode, and end up feeling like a chicken running around with its head cut off: Especially when you have many irons in the fire and people depending on you. But be sure to make time for things that matter (like your health and personal life), and be as proactive as you can. Plan things ahead of time. Delegate.
And once you’ve done all that, learn how to let things go.
Make Time for the Things That Matter
Great leaders do their best to avoid burnout. They know they are human, just like everyone else. And they make sure they recharge their batteries with strong, healthy self-care—and they nurture important personal relationships. You should know that they carry the same respect they show in the workplace back home.
Take Care of Yourself
So, develop a healthy self-care routine:
Meditate or pray
Eat as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible
Drink at least six glasses of water daily
Cut down on carbs and alcohol
Cut down on other bad habits that can sabotage your health (such as smoking, inactivity)
Forgive
Be grateful
Take time to notice all your blessings
Do something fun
Focus on your family
Give back to your local community or charities you believe in
Read entertaining books and listen to fun podcasts, as well as business ones
Get a hobby
Relax
Get a good night’s sleep every night
Do even half of the above, and you’ll find yourself more alert, more focused—and you’ll have more fun being the leader you were meant to be!
Did you know that having an online business has lots of advantages for you? Online business owners can save a ton of money on gas, and they don’t have to worry about dressing a certain way for work. All that is needed is to designate work time for your business. They can even take their work with them anywhere they go, as long as an internet connection is available.
But every type of business has its pitfalls, and online businesses are no exception.
One of the biggest challenges that online business owners face is staying on task. The internet is a big place, so to speak, and it is full of distractions. There are forums, chatrooms, and blog conversations to participate in. Then there are friends and family to send instant messages to. And don’t forget about those emails to check! The list goes on and on. And I’m sure you have a big checklist of things to do for your clients as well!
It’s very easy to get sidetracked when you work online. But it is important not to let distractions affect your productivity. Even if you’re not getting paid by the hour, time is still money.
So how do you designate work time for your business? Do you set aside so many hours a day, so many hours a week or do you just play it by ear? This last one gets you nowhere by the way!
Set Hours and Stick to Them
One of the advantages of being your own boss is the ability to set your own hours. This is particularly true when you have an online business because you don’t necessarily have to keep hours that are convenient to your customers. But it is important to actually set working hours instead of just working when the mood strikes you.
During designated work time, avoid using the internet for non-work-related activities as this is essential to your productivity.
Here are some ways you can help yourself do that:
Segregate your email
Use one address for personal correspondence and another for business purposes. Set your email program up to automatically check the business one only.
Write notes to yourself
If something pops into your head that you must attend to online, don’t let it interrupt your work. Write it down and take care of it during non-work hours. A good app for that is Keep and you can get that right in your Gmail account.
Are You Open or Closed?
Write yourself a note reminding yourself that work time is for work only, or put up an “Open” sign. It can serve as a gentle reminder that business is the only thing that should be taking place.
Use Flexibility Wisely
Another great thing about working online is flexibility. If something comes up and you need to attend to it right away, you can drop what you’re doing and attend to it. But it’s crucial to only use that privilege when absolutely necessary.
When you have an unexpected interruption, you lose working hours. If you were working at a regular job, you would have to either take sick or vacation time or lose pay. When you work for yourself, you can make the hours up at a time that is convenient for you. It is, however, important to make them up at some point.
An online business is one of the most convenient and flexible ways to work from home. It also presents more opportunities for distraction than many people imagine.
Online business success requires a lot of discipline, but the rewards are many.
One thing that works really well is to have a daily schedule you can look at to make sure you’re on track for your day. So here’s one you can use to keep you on track.
