What's Most Important to You?

Do you take time out to think about what is most important to you? Do you take life as it comes or do you make life what you want it to be? There may be no right or wrong answers to these two questions, however those who fail to plan, often find their life results less than they desire.

I have found taking “formal planned  time” to focus on what is most important to you is key to creating the life you want.Taking time out from your day-to-day activities can be tricky and complicated, especially if you lead a busy life. However, if you are a busy person, then taking time out is as easy as making an appointment or two with yourself. A few hours will likely be enough for you to create a clearer understanding of where you want to go.

Individuals who are focused can pre-plan their “future vision session” .  They can do this by creating a list of questions to consider during the session.  This will allow a more focused and directed time. However, if you are a person who has trouble focusing, working with a life coach for a few sessions might be the key to creating the life you want. The life coach can help you by asking great questions, and then you can find your own answers.

Terry now provides life coaching services. Check out her website for more details.

Sluggish Starts

Are you starting a new project? Not all new project start fast and furious. Some projects are doomed to sluggish starts. Here are some strategies to surpass the sluggish qualities.

Strategy 1) Start with a clear vision of what you want or need to do. Take some time to sit and write out what you want or need to accomplish. This sounds simple, but defining a clear vision is often the part that gets skipped.

Strategy 2) Know what you don't have to do. This is especially important and often overlooked while one is moving forward. You can keep the decks clear of procrastination and inconsequential parts of the project by figuring out what you don't have to do,. Recently I wrote a post on my other blog - The Importance of What's Missing. This article may help you consider knowing what you don't have to do on a deeper level.

Strategy 3) Select a time when you will work on the project. This time needs to be held sacred. Sit and start for at least an hour. This may help you get past your block or resistance.

Strategy 4) Some projects don't have deadlines. Making a deadline helps one be more productive. Break your project into sections and give yourself a timetable for completion. This may be something you can do alongside Strategy three.


I have two earlier posts that relate to projects - Check them out when you are reaching the middle or end of a project.

Muddled in The Middle
Eking it Out at The End

Walking The Talk

I work with a wonderful coach weekly to keep myself on track. Over the years, I have come to know this weekly 45 minute session will get me into the present mindset and give myself a dedicated time to review my progress, plan my week with intention and stay the course.

Working with my coach is deeply personal. My time with my coach lets me come to the realization that I sometimes need to make changes that I have been procrastinating about. On occasion, my coach, gently helps me normalize a chaotic situation or gives me the ability to look at a situation in a new light. In other words, my work with my coach allows me to look at different perspectives of the issue.

A coach is a valuable addition to your life. I wanted to let you know I really walk the talk. I still offer coaching and transition coaching services, contact me if you have questions.

Look at the Un's in Your Life

Let’s take  a moment to think about the “Un’s” in our lives? Here is a list of some “Un’s”:

Unfinished

Unused

Unresolved

Undecided

Misunderstood


How would it be if we had a day each week to look at the “Un’s” and work on them? What day would you choose?

To balance this exercise out you may also want to look at the "Done's" in your life. This can help bring you some extra encouragement.  


This is a modified post from my Terry's Thinking Blog

Muddled and Stuck?

Sometimes we are just stuck. Like stuck in the mire of things. We don't know which way to go. Just like in nature, it can happen within ourselves.

Being "muddled in the middle" is uncomfortable and irritating. It makes us cranky and confused. After all, being muddled, is not a nice place to be.

Getting unstuck takes time. Sometimes it takes getting a new attitude or perspective.

Here are some strategies:

Strategy 1 - Realize it takes time to get unstuck, time has to pass.

Strategy 2 - Forgive yourself for being in the middle. Stop fussing and just be.

Strategy 3 - Watch out for procrastination distractions. Know what your usual procrastination activities are and limit them. Too much time spent procrastinating will prolong your muddled time.

Strategy 4 - Make time for fun. Muddled time requires "funouts" - a "funout" is like a timeout but instead of being a time of punishment it is time spent having fun.

Strategy 5 - Don't go it alone. Talk to a trusted friend or your coach about being in the middle. Just the act of talking about it may help you pass well though this stage of life.

If you are in the middle of the muddle, what advice do you have to share?

This is a best of post from 2009

Getting Motivated when You Aren't

There are times when we are not motivated. So how does one reach into one's self and get motivated?


Decide whether it is a "must" do or "maybe I should" do.

Strong "musts" are usually easier, although the "shoulds" are usually minor tasks that weigh us down. Shoulds are sometimes precursors of "musts". In January, you may have a thought, Maybe I should start working on my taxes now. In a few months time, such as on March 31 (your accountants deadline) or on April 14, you will be saying I must work on my taxes, now!  

Start working on part of "a must" at the beginning of your day.  By fixing a time to start and getting on to doing it, the job then becomes doable.  We can often put off doing something if we don't plan for it. By setting a plan, we can then begin to get it done.

"Maybe I Should" items are often  guilt ridden or involve lots of smaller parts. If you can break down a should into it's parts, you may find it starts to seem easier.  Using the tax example, it might be "collect up all my receipts", "add up my total 1099 income", "locate the tax package from the accountant", "find the mortgage interest statement", "add up my business mileage".  With some small wins on a should, it often becomes an item on your to do list that eventually gets done.

Falling Behind and Running Ahead

There are days when we think we are "ahead" and days when we are falling "behind". On the best of days we are right where we are suppose to be.

Here are some strategies to help you: 

When you are Ahead

First, mentally acknowledge yourself for being at the "ahead" stage rather than the "behind" phase. Second, take some time to build in a well earned break. Third, review the elements of your success. Sometimes we have developed new skills that have allowed us to move forward. Glean these as takeaways for the future.


When you are Behind

First take a deep breath, acknowledge where you are. Realize that this will not be forever.Second, spend some time working on strategies. How you might speed up, or move your project along? Sometimes we have to pull out of other unnecessary or less important activities to reach a project goal.Third, seek help. Many times we fall behind because we fail to enlist help. Sometimes that is what we need to move forward.

When doing Less is Best

Last Post, I discussed when doing more is better, this week I am taking on when doing less is best. So when should we do less?

There are times when doing less is an excellent strategy. Conversely doing more is often a good one.

So how do you choose?

Do less when you the task at hand is not important

Do more when the task at hand is important

Do less when you ahead of schedule, do more when you are behind

Do more at the end, and less at the beginning.

Taxing Times Again

Are you facing taxing times? Certain times of the year are more difficult than others. For me, getting ready for taxes is always like having a big monkey on my back until the tax prep material is delivered to the CPA's office. 

I usually chunk my "tax" monkey into small bites. This makes the overwhelming project seem like a possibility. The last part or the "tail of the monkey" for me is adding up the charitable donations.  I guess I should be making something which is actually positive more so. But at least I know to chunk my monkey and take occasional breaks. Using a timer allows me to limit the "pain" of the process and also sets some specific time parameters for me to complete the task.

So what is all this to do about transitions? I think I need to take my own advice and put a positive spin on doing the difficult parts. Some things are just taxing. By acknowledging that we are likely one step forward toward completion.


So how do you deal with taxing times or tasks?

Resolutions - More or Less

It is almost the official time of year when we work on setting resolutions.

Here is an easy way to get started on your resolutions for 2010. What can you do more of in 2010? What can you do less of? 

The More

Smile More
Laugh More
Walk More
Drink More Water
Appreciate More
Read More
Write More
Listen More

The Less

Eat Less
Swear Less
Worry Less
Frown Less
Complain Less
Procrastinate Less
Talk Less

Do you want to make more progress in 2010? It may be a perfect time to start working with a transition coach to help you get more from your life in 2010.

Time for Fun

Let's talk about having fun. Fun is something we all need to take seriously. After all, all work and no play is what makes a day dull and us boring.

How can you have fun Today? How can you make fun everyday a priority? Having fun is different for each of us. For some it may be reading a book, watching a favorite TV show, going for a walk or spending time talking on the phone to a friend or family member.

It is important to set some time for fun when we are overloaded with a long "to do list" or complex project. It may seem like a misuse of our time but the "fun break" or "Fun out" will make us more productive in the long run.

When we schedule in fun, we maintain a good balance in our life.

So what fun are you planning today?


Related Earlier Posts -

See Seek to Enjoy All Things
See Recess
See Finding Brilliance in a Dull Day

New Math

A site to get you thinking is New Math. Don't worry, it is not complicated. It features concepts that are explained in simple division, subtractions, multiplication and addition.

This is similar to a site I discussed last year on my blog. Think about the site Indexed without the graphics.

Spring is a time to clear the cobwebs from our minds. We spend time spring cleaning when the weather gets warmer. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, cooler weather brings the desire to study more, and learn new things. The site New Math can inspire you no matter where you live or at least start you on some tangential thinking to transition your mind or life.

Taxing Times

Sometimes we feel spent around this time of year, especially if we are still working on getting our taxes completed. If you made it to this site, it may mean one of three things:

1) You are putting off completing your taxes
2) You are done with your taxes this year
3) You are looking to do something different next year

Often we repeat the same process every year, by procrastinating and by being on what I'd like to call "auto pilot". Auto pilot makes us unproductive, and because of this we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

Making a change is taking a chance by doing things differently. It starts by turning off our auto pilot. We need to think things through and evaluate things before they become our actions.

Now I may be preaching to the choir if you have already submitted your taxes. However, we all go on auto pilot from time to time. This begs the question, "What would you like to transition in your life?"

Take a moment and send me a comment, let me know how you are doing - Taxes done, taxes not done, taxes or if you are experiencing taxing times.

Stop Procrastinating

Procrastinating, we all do it from time to time. I just spent some "extra time" surfing the web and came across this fun site. Of course I took the time to create my own wordle - here is what I anonymously created.



If you really are procrastinating, think about visiting my website at www.terryprince.com