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.
Showing posts with label scheduled retirement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scheduled retirement. Show all posts
Monday, July 22, 2019
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Eking it out
When we reach the near end of a project or activity, distractions seem to find us. In our eagerness to move on to the next thing, we may lose focus on the current assignment and spend too much time concentrating on the next thing. Staying focused is often hard towards the end.
The reasons we have difficulty are:
1) We want to move to the next project, adventure or assignment. In some fields, this is called "short timers syndrome".
2) We know moving on means changing our daily routine or work patterns. We may like our current day and this new upcoming day or life may be hard to imagine.
3) We know moving on will mean new or different relationships with people, places or things.
Some strategies for moving on at the end of a project or assignment are:
Strategy 1 - Stay focused. Think about the present, not the future.
Strategy 2 - Enjoy your last days or weeks with your present situation and acknowledge and appreciate the familiar routines and daily patterns.
Strategy 3 - Avoid procrastination activities and bring the best you can to the current work or assignment.
Strategy 4 - Take care of your physical self. Get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy diet.
If you have just finished eking it out, what advice or strategies do you have to offer?
See also: Muddled in the Middle
You might also enjoy reading Sluggish Starts - How to Get Going.
The reasons we have difficulty are:
1) We want to move to the next project, adventure or assignment. In some fields, this is called "short timers syndrome".
2) We know moving on means changing our daily routine or work patterns. We may like our current day and this new upcoming day or life may be hard to imagine.
3) We know moving on will mean new or different relationships with people, places or things.
Some strategies for moving on at the end of a project or assignment are:
Strategy 1 - Stay focused. Think about the present, not the future.
Strategy 2 - Enjoy your last days or weeks with your present situation and acknowledge and appreciate the familiar routines and daily patterns.
Strategy 3 - Avoid procrastination activities and bring the best you can to the current work or assignment.
Strategy 4 - Take care of your physical self. Get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy diet.
If you have just finished eking it out, what advice or strategies do you have to offer?
See also: Muddled in the Middle
You might also enjoy reading Sluggish Starts - How to Get Going.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Over and Done
For some graduation means one's life ticket is punched and the next stop is already planned and prepared. Not all of us are so lucky. When the ride of one's life gets derailed or comes off the tracks it's really a cause for frustration.
Not all journeys are straight lines. Fortunately we can learn lots of great things while being on a circuitous route. Remember straight lines are just straight lines. While they are steady they are generally boring.
This is the time to take advantage of your disadvantaged state. First run over to your local library, yes, the local library, and get an up-to-date library card. Check out some actually books. Bored? Then it is time to read some current magazines or newspapers. You know, the print issues they still get delivered. Check out any events or near free course offerings in the community. Someone who is reading current events or attending them is likely not a boring person and will have something to say upon meeting new people.
Next, start sharpening your networking skills. Contact a few people to practice some informational interview meetings. Remember you are in-between and searching. You are not yet "officially" looking so you are just collecting information, not seeking definitive employment. Take the pressure off yourself for just the meeting.
Now is the best time to keep healthy. Exercise daily and maintain a healthy diet. Go for a walk and find things that make you laugh and maintain your sense of humor. You have more free time now than you will likely ever have again until you officially retire. Use your time wisely and enjoy it productively. Don't waste this time. It will be gone before you know it.
Not all journeys are straight lines. Fortunately we can learn lots of great things while being on a circuitous route. Remember straight lines are just straight lines. While they are steady they are generally boring.
This is the time to take advantage of your disadvantaged state. First run over to your local library, yes, the local library, and get an up-to-date library card. Check out some actually books. Bored? Then it is time to read some current magazines or newspapers. You know, the print issues they still get delivered. Check out any events or near free course offerings in the community. Someone who is reading current events or attending them is likely not a boring person and will have something to say upon meeting new people.
Next, start sharpening your networking skills. Contact a few people to practice some informational interview meetings. Remember you are in-between and searching. You are not yet "officially" looking so you are just collecting information, not seeking definitive employment. Take the pressure off yourself for just the meeting.
Now is the best time to keep healthy. Exercise daily and maintain a healthy diet. Go for a walk and find things that make you laugh and maintain your sense of humor. You have more free time now than you will likely ever have again until you officially retire. Use your time wisely and enjoy it productively. Don't waste this time. It will be gone before you know it.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Sizing Things Up
There are times when you need to measure your progress on your journey. You can do this at a certain points of times during every transitions. Here are some suggested time and then some questions for you to ask yourself. The potential times to do this are:
Four months after a move
Two months after graduating college
Three months into a new job
Two months after retiring
One year after the loss of a loved one
Six months after getting married
What has been accomplished?
What is there left to do?
What has been learned?
How have you changed?
How are things different than you expected?
What do you know now that you did not know then about yourself? (Example: You are skilled in packing fragile items)
Reviewing and reflecting can help you get a fresh perspective and grasp of where you are and what you have accomplished. I encourage you to take some time to size things up. It can be revitalizing and give you some more energy to move forward.
Four months after a move
Two months after graduating college
Three months into a new job
Two months after retiring
One year after the loss of a loved one
Six months after getting married
What has been accomplished?
What is there left to do?
What has been learned?
How have you changed?
How are things different than you expected?
What do you know now that you did not know then about yourself? (Example: You are skilled in packing fragile items)
Reviewing and reflecting can help you get a fresh perspective and grasp of where you are and what you have accomplished. I encourage you to take some time to size things up. It can be revitalizing and give you some more energy to move forward.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Resizing Your World
When in transition we often shrink our daily contacts down to the
less stressful, more peaceful ones. We do this for self protection and
to also help make our days calmer. Going through transition takes peace,
quiet and often solitude.
Transition is a time to try new things and acquaint ourselves with new people and new ideas. Finding new people isn't always that easy but often times this is when we go back to our roots and seek out those who meant something to us in terms of friendship and personal and professional development. This needs to be done selectively and carefully. Missteps are abound here if you don't set personal boundaries with yourself on this adventure.
Resizing your world takes time and careful thought. Sometimes it time to shrink the contact list and other times it is time to grow and expand the list.
Whatever time it is for you, take it careful and slow. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day.
This is a best of post from 2007.
Transition is a time to try new things and acquaint ourselves with new people and new ideas. Finding new people isn't always that easy but often times this is when we go back to our roots and seek out those who meant something to us in terms of friendship and personal and professional development. This needs to be done selectively and carefully. Missteps are abound here if you don't set personal boundaries with yourself on this adventure.
Resizing your world takes time and careful thought. Sometimes it time to shrink the contact list and other times it is time to grow and expand the list.
Whatever time it is for you, take it careful and slow. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day.
This is a best of post from 2007.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
What is it all about? Time to Review!
If you are a new viewer here at Transition Your Life, you may be wondering what this blog is all about.
This blog is about change and making transition. It is here to serve as a mental prompt or idea generator for you, when you are experiencing a life transition. This means you could also be starting on a change, in the middle of a change, or even just pondering change.
Change is what we all do. The only thing constant is change. Change is seldom easy.
When I started my blog in August of 2007, I wrote:
This Site is for testing ideas and thoughts before setting out on your next journey, whether it be a career change, new family, or even post retirement.
The goal of my site is to keep it simple, keep it short -- occasional postings under 300 words.
So I think I have been keeping up with the concept. Keep reading.
This blog is about change and making transition. It is here to serve as a mental prompt or idea generator for you, when you are experiencing a life transition. This means you could also be starting on a change, in the middle of a change, or even just pondering change.
Change is what we all do. The only thing constant is change. Change is seldom easy.
When I started my blog in August of 2007, I wrote:
This Site is for testing ideas and thoughts before setting out on your next journey, whether it be a career change, new family, or even post retirement.
The goal of my site is to keep it simple, keep it short -- occasional postings under 300 words.
So I think I have been keeping up with the concept. Keep reading.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Preventing Short-Timer's Syndrome
Are you suffering from Short-Timer's Syndrome? This often happens when we are close to reaching our goal.
Originally, the term Short-Timers was applied to a syndrome observed in military soldiers who were about two to three months out from their rotation or returning home. I believe short-timer syndrome can apply to civilian and military life.
Senior Slump or Lame Duck is another way of terming this specialized short term but difficult condition. This syndrome is seen and observed in work, education or at the end of an association or officer leadership position.
Since we are almost two months from May and June, the common months of graduation and association term ends, it is a good time to take a deeper look at it. Short-timers often get burned out and are frazzled. This is because they have so much to do or accomplish in their limited time. However, short-timers need to think about their future as much as they need to enjoy the present. This is a true time of transition and transitions are never easy. Being a short-timer is hard.
Review the following and see how you approach the end of a work project, educational assignment or association position.
At Work:
When the contract or project is almost at the end -
a) I get focused and so preoccupied with the future, I don't focus well on today's project with full intent.
b) I try to be all things to all people, so I can leave a lasting "legacy". I avoid thinking about the "day after" I finish. I will think about that later.
In an Association:
When my term is almost over -
a) I begin to get the attitude of "I'll let the next person deal with it".
b) I work overly hard and start burning the candle at both ends. So much to do, so little time. I don't think about the future.
At the End of an Education Program:
When I am nearing the completion of my degree or educational program -
a) I find myself worrying about the future and I am not concentrating enough on the assignments and work I have left to do.
b) I start focusing too much on the now, and avoid thinking or doing anything in planning for my upcoming future.
What Can You Do if You Are a Short-Timer?
1) First determine what kind of short-timer you are?
2) Take a moment and view your end by the other perspective.
3) Consider hiring a transition or life coach to help you avoid burning the candle at both ends. The coach can provide some light and clarity to help you see clearer beyond the current assignment, and help you make a bright future, while still helping you focus on the now.
For Short-Timer's
Want to stay in the present? Consider hiring a transition or life coach to help guide you through these times.
For Family, Friends or Colleagues of Short-Timers
Consider giving your "short-timer" the early gift of a transition or life coaching package. This will help your short-timer shine through the end of their work and help them plan for their future.
You might also enjoy these posts - Eking It Out in The End
Senior Year and Change.
Originally, the term Short-Timers was applied to a syndrome observed in military soldiers who were about two to three months out from their rotation or returning home. I believe short-timer syndrome can apply to civilian and military life.
Senior Slump or Lame Duck is another way of terming this specialized short term but difficult condition. This syndrome is seen and observed in work, education or at the end of an association or officer leadership position.
Since we are almost two months from May and June, the common months of graduation and association term ends, it is a good time to take a deeper look at it. Short-timers often get burned out and are frazzled. This is because they have so much to do or accomplish in their limited time. However, short-timers need to think about their future as much as they need to enjoy the present. This is a true time of transition and transitions are never easy. Being a short-timer is hard.
Review the following and see how you approach the end of a work project, educational assignment or association position.
At Work:
When the contract or project is almost at the end -
a) I get focused and so preoccupied with the future, I don't focus well on today's project with full intent.
b) I try to be all things to all people, so I can leave a lasting "legacy". I avoid thinking about the "day after" I finish. I will think about that later.
In an Association:
When my term is almost over -
a) I begin to get the attitude of "I'll let the next person deal with it".
b) I work overly hard and start burning the candle at both ends. So much to do, so little time. I don't think about the future.
At the End of an Education Program:
When I am nearing the completion of my degree or educational program -
a) I find myself worrying about the future and I am not concentrating enough on the assignments and work I have left to do.
b) I start focusing too much on the now, and avoid thinking or doing anything in planning for my upcoming future.
What Can You Do if You Are a Short-Timer?
1) First determine what kind of short-timer you are?
2) Take a moment and view your end by the other perspective.
3) Consider hiring a transition or life coach to help you avoid burning the candle at both ends. The coach can provide some light and clarity to help you see clearer beyond the current assignment, and help you make a bright future, while still helping you focus on the now.
For Short-Timer's
Want to stay in the present? Consider hiring a transition or life coach to help guide you through these times.
For Family, Friends or Colleagues of Short-Timers
Consider giving your "short-timer" the early gift of a transition or life coaching package. This will help your short-timer shine through the end of their work and help them plan for their future.
You might also enjoy these posts - Eking It Out in The End
Senior Year and Change.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Transition Your Life - Seniorhood
This is the fifth in the series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the transition periods that often occur in senior adulthood (age 70 - 90).
Transitioning to a smaller home or retirement living
Transitioning to grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Transitioning to loss of a loved one
Transitioning to patriarch or matriarch of family
Transitioning to retirement
Transitioning to part time or volunteer work
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to a new or chronic health condition
Transitioning to caretaker role for adult child or grandchildren
Transitioning to having married children/grandchildren and in-law relationships
Transitioning to financial gain/financial loss
Transitioning to changing relationships with your children (adult to elderly parent)
Transitioning to common aging conditions (vision and mobility concerns)
Transitioning to family historian
Transitioning to new hobbies and changing interests
See also
Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Middle Age
Transition Your Life - Golden Age
Transitioning to a smaller home or retirement living
Transitioning to grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Transitioning to loss of a loved one
Transitioning to patriarch or matriarch of family
Transitioning to retirement
Transitioning to part time or volunteer work
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to a new or chronic health condition
Transitioning to caretaker role for adult child or grandchildren
Transitioning to having married children/grandchildren and in-law relationships
Transitioning to financial gain/financial loss
Transitioning to changing relationships with your children (adult to elderly parent)
Transitioning to common aging conditions (vision and mobility concerns)
Transitioning to family historian
Transitioning to new hobbies and changing interests
See also
Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Middle Age
Transition Your Life - Golden Age
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Senior Year and Change
I am writing this as my son is about to begin his senior year in college - senior year is one of anxiety, frustration and celebration. I remember the looming deadlines - both in my high school years and in the last year of college. It is tough! Why don't they make temporary sympathy cards for that?
Another "life" similarity might be when you are but 2 to 3 years from a scheduled retirement. The day after the last day looms in front of you with it's promise of freedom and the unknown. Does a plan make you feel any better? Or does it still make you anxious? Still in my mind a plan -- no matter how little is some relief. At least you have explored it -- not blocked it.
Change takes courage.
Another "life" similarity might be when you are but 2 to 3 years from a scheduled retirement. The day after the last day looms in front of you with it's promise of freedom and the unknown. Does a plan make you feel any better? Or does it still make you anxious? Still in my mind a plan -- no matter how little is some relief. At least you have explored it -- not blocked it.
Change takes courage.
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