Category: Manage Your 168

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Face The Music

“I love that you have wild ambition but don’t get in your own way.”

“You are a titan, but you are like a bird with no place to land.”

“You know I support you but do you have time for this?”

I won’t go into detail about what prompted the statements and question but I will share this: If you cannot fearlessly share your goals and challenges with the people on your personal board of directors, you are surrounded by the WRONG people. I declared that I was going to take a little bit of a break. That break lasted for about a week. My people will not let me off the hook that easy. My people have called me out on my nonsense. They held up the mirror and forced me to see my hardheaded ways. Don’t laugh. I’m willing to bet you have hardheaded ways too. Are you turning away from the mirror? Are you ignoring the calls and text messages? Are you telling yourself you just have to get “everything under control” and things will be better? The Perfectionist Trap is real.

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to write down everything that is currently on your proverbial plate. Be honest with yourself and if you have a hard time doing that, ask a member from your board of directors to “remind” you of your commitments. Are you overcommitting yourself? Success is awesome but you won’t be able to enjoy it if you are a hot mess.

With love,

 

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Big Task? Plan Backward.

Are you stuck looking at a huge task, that you haven’t taken the first step? Starting a big project can be overwhelming if you are looking at it in its entirety. You might be wondering, “How am I going to get this done?” The trick is plan backwards while you keep moving forward. The second habit in the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is, to begin with the end in mind. Planning in reverse helps you imagine different scenarios, figure out the what ifs and come up with solutions. In other words, going backwards can help you put the “meat” on the “skeleton” of your plan.

Today I challenge you to see your success and then create the plan in reverse. To get to D, what do you have to do C, B and A. Start with A and be confident in your success.

With love,

 

 

 

 

P.S. Registration for the 4th annual Work Your Package Women’s Conference closes on Saturday, September 23. Register today at www.wyp2017.eventbrite.com.

 

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Yeah, You Are Busy. But Are You Productive?

“So how are things going?”

“Oh my goodness. I’m just swamped. I’ve been so busy!”

“Really? What have you been doing?”

Insert crickets….

There is a difference between being busy and being productive. When you are “busy”, wheels are spinning and you get absolutely nowhere. When you are being productive, you can see your progress. Some people don’t know the difference so when they ask someone how things are going, they are impressed by the list of things that are rattled off. Here’s the difference between busy and productive people:

  • Busy people fake having a personal mission. Productive people live their mission every single day.
  • Busy people have several “priorities”. Productive people have a selective few.
  • Busy people say “yes” at the drop of a hat. Productive people have no problem saying “no”.
  • Busy people tell what they are doing. Productive people show you.
  • Busy people multitask. Productive people focus.

We have all been guilty of glorifying the “busy”. However, in order for you to be extraordinary and live a life that will inspire others, it’s time to start being productive.

With love,

 

 

 

 

Registration is open for the 4th annual Work Your Package Women’s Conference on October 7, 2017. Limited seating is available, register today at www.wyp2017.eventbrite.com.

 

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Aww. How Sweet. The Answer is Still ‘No’

This week I received an email from one of the parents on my oldest daughter’s middle school PTO asking me to consider joining the board for the next school year. She gave plenty of reasons why it would be a great idea: I’m passionate about my daughter’s education (true), I’m very organized and creative (true and true), I have a GREAT working relationship with the principal (also true) and she REALLY believes I would be great at it (yeah, also probably true…but). While compliments are nice, they are also the “suck you in” tactics folks use when they have no clue or don’t care how full your calendar already is. Like seriously, I will put myself in timeout if I add one more thing to my plate.

How many of you are dealing with well-intentioned folks who see how awesomely magnificent you are and want you to share all that awesomeness and help them with something? They will give you plenty of reasons why you should….Oh, it will only take a few hours a month. All of our meetings are by conference call. There’s a rotating schedule so you won’t have to do it all by yourself. I’ll be here to help you. Listen, while all of that sounds really great, the truth is, you should only commit to doing something based on your schedule and allotted mental bandwidth to take on something else. Will they be disappointed? Yes. Will they possibly give you a little bit a side eye the next time they see you? Maybe.

You, my dear, are the ruler and protector of your precious time. Don’t let sweet words and promises take you off course from managing your 168 and using those hours for what really matters and makes you happy.

With love,

 

 

 

 

P.S. How many of you tried the mind mapping exercise I shared with you last week?

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The Power of Mind Mapping

Before I discovered mind mapping I used to write an endless list of the things that I wanted to do and achieve. Now granted there are some things that still need to be in a list like see your groceries or a gift list when you shopping for the holidays. But there are some things that you can not fully brainstorm on in a linear fashion. This is where mind mapping becomes helpful. It gives you the ability to see all the different tangents of a particular thought. For example, as I sit here thinking about Work Your Package my different tangents include the upcoming 4th annual conference, my next book, coaching, and speaking engagements. You might have something else that doesn’t have to do with your passion such as home repairs. So let’s just say in the middle of a piece of paper, you draw a little circle and label it “home”. You tangents may include bedroom, bathrooms, basement, kitchen, etc. And off of each tangent, you have additional points for the bathroom such as replace vanity, change wallpaper and update lighting fixtures.

Mind mapping helps you see the entire picture. And the great thing is about it there is no right or wrong way to do it. Your creativity is the only limitation to how great your map that can be. I’ve also used mind mapping for my corporate gig. I’ve used it to brainstorm several ideas for projects that I’m working on such as the corporate centennial or the holiday party. It helped me to get all of the ideas out of my head so that I was able to fully communicate with the planning committee on the next steps. And it helped the planning committee to see it visually so that they can see the full vision of the desired end result.

Take a minute or two to do a little mind mapping and get those ideas you are sitting on out of your head and on paper. I would love to see your maps. Share them with me the Work Your Package Facebook page with the hashtag #mindmap. I worked on one this morning while sitting in Starbucks in between meetings:

 

With love,

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Self-Care Should Not Be A Reward

 

Raise your hand if you are guilty of either of the following:

…putting the needs of others before your own needs

…saying “yes” when I really need to say “hell no”.

You don’t need a stronger backbone, you need to practice self-care. You would think that self-care would be intuitive. It is not. It something that we have to practice every single day. To help you get started or get better with self-care, here’s a link to 9 phenomenal TED talks on the importance of self-care (https://www.ted.com/playlists/299/the_importance_of_self_care). The talks range in length from 3 minutes to 20 minutes and are sure to either inspire you or give you swift, but loving kick in the butt. I’ve said it before and I will say it again…self-care isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.

With love,

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You Don’t Need More Time, You Need A Better Plan

If only I had a few more hours in the day.

How many times have you said that to yourself? Don’t be shy. Raise your hand.

In this fast-paced life that we live, we are bombarded daily by responsibilities, deadlines, obligations and conflicting priorities and there are days when we feel we just can’t get our heads over water. Truth is, all the paper planners or digital reminders in the world won’t keep you on track if you don’t develop the skills necessary to manage your day. If you aren’t sure which skills you need to develop, answer the following questions with either Always, Often, Rarely or Never:

  1. Do you feel you don’t have time to add any new projects to your schedule?
  2. Do you have trouble locating the things you need in a timely manner?
  3. Do you hesitate to throw something away just in case you may need it later?
  4. Do you have problems saying “no” when asked to take on a new project or volunteer?
  5. Do interruptions keep you derailed for ten minutes or more after the interruption is over?
  6. Do you find yourself playing catch up after neglecting a task or project?
  7. Do you struggle with the urge to immediately respond to emails and instant messages or getting people off the phone?

If you answered Always or Often to questions:

1 and 7 – You struggle with scheduling. Over-scheduling is just as bad as procrastination. When you are super-scheduled you can become paralyzed when you are faced with a change in plan or routine or even new projects.

2 and 3  – You have organizational challenges. Whether you are drowning in piles of paper or electronic files for everything, it’s time to figure out what to toss and what to keep.

4, 5 and 7 – You have too many interruptions. I’m guessing that you have trouble saying “no” (Which by the way is a full sentence) to family, co-workers, your phone, emails and all types of instant messages and you often find yourself falling behind on your tasks. Here’s a hint, saying “no” will not keep you from advancing at work or make you a bad mom, wife, daughter, friend or sister.

Here are some strategies to deal with the everyday things that rob you of your time:

  • Meetings – Have an agenda and stick to it. Start and finish on time. Have a stand up meeting.
  • Phone calls – Schedule them. Know the objective of the call before you dial the number. Let the caller know how much time you have.
  • “No” vs “Yes” – Request time to make a decision. Avoid making excuses.
  • Interruptions – Tell people when you are available and when you are not. Look at a clock. Say you have to get back to work.
  • Paperwork and Email – Throw away what you do not need. Handle emails and paper mail once.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to check my schedule to see what’s next.

With love,

 

Source: Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc.
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Countdown to 2017

goals

There are only 38 days before the start of a new year. Now before you start to have either panic (Where the heck did the year go?) or regret (I can’t believe the year is almost over and I still haven’t reached my goal) take a minute to reflect on everything that you DID accomplish. It’s one of the reasons why I keep a paper calendar. I can flip back at look at each month and see all the badassery I’ve accomplished over the year. Professional development? Check. Personal Growth (even when it was painful). Check and check. Write more chapters for my soon to be released fictional novel? Check. Host the 3rd annual Work Your Package Women’s Conference? Check. Reserve dates for WYP2017? CHECK!!! (Early registration starts on December 7).

My new year starts on my birthday and I already have several goals that I want to accomplish by next year. My planner for next year is already looking like a rainbow with all the color coding. Next up is my favorite activity…mind mapping.

So how do you get ready for 2017? Here are some strategies from Michael Hyatt, author of “Achieve What Matters in 2017 – 8 Strategies Super-Successful People Are Using Now To Accomplish Next Year”:

  1. Reflect on the past year – John Maxwell spends a week reviewing the current year calendar and determines what he needs to focus on in the coming year. Tony Robbins keeps record of “accomplishments and magical moments” and reviews them at the end of the year.
  2. Stay positive – Jeff Walker reviews all of his wins stating that we often don’t realize how much progress we make throughout the year. Andy Andrews take moment to reflect and then has a forgiveness session to forgive others and himself.
  3. Express gratitude – Ray Edwards said he starts preparing with “a gratitude flood.” In a journal he writes down every good thing he can remember from the past year. In that state of total gratitude he then asks, ‘What do I most want to be thankful for one year from now?’  He writes the answer down, and it becomes a focus for the new year.
  4. Eliminate the excess – Eliminate at least 30% of projects, commitments and activities from the previous year according to Ray Edwards. Derek Halpern has a more ruthless approach by reviewing the previous year and deciding what he won’t do in the upcoming year. He doesn’t eliminate the things he hates, he eliminates what he loves but isn’t delivering the results he wants.
  5. Set compelling goals – Set goals that harness your emotional energy. In other words, not only do you need to know what you want to do, you need to know WHY you want to do it. Dave Ramsey said: “I have to intentionally stop and dream again. What can I work on next year that makes me smile? Then my mind automatically moves from the strategic to the tactical. In detail—how can I organize my work and my life to do the things that cause that same smile?”
  6. Break it down – Take your goals and break them down into manageable chunks. Lysa TerKeurst breaks her goals down into three categories: giving, family, and personal development.
  7. Schedule the year – What gets scheduled gets done and scheduling also protects your time. Here’s the reality: Everyone has an agenda. If you don’t declare yours by calendaring what’s what important to you, others will try to fit you into their agenda. Marie Forleo blocks out calendar time for the important stuff like vacations, fun and time off and major business and creative projects.
  8. Unplug for a time – Use those vacation days, take a mental health day, get a massage, take time to enjoy cup of coffee or tea. Stepping away from everything allows you to refresh and renew your commitment to your goals.

How are you preparing for 2017? Please share your tips in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

With love,

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5 Things That Need to Stop at Work…Right Now

Annoying-coworkers

I’ve worked in various industries for some great companies. While their mission statements and strategic goals might have been different, they have have one thing in common…employees that display horrible work behavior. Here’s the top 5 behaviors that really just need to stop. Not now, but right now.

1. Unproductive Gossiping – Yes, there’s such a thing as productive gossip. Talking about a new project or initiative and how it will improve workflow process or boost employee morale is productive gossip. Gossiping about the latest office romance? Unproductive, unnecessary and makes you look bitter. Also, making stuff up just to sound like you are “in the know” makes you appear desperate for attention. You have better things to do.

2. Taking Credit for Work You Didn’t Do – I can’t believe people still do this and think that they can get a way with it. If you are working with a team to complete a project, make sure you publicly thank the ENTIRE team even if you think you did all of the work. Trust me, you’ll be respected and people will want you on their team in the future. The cute BCC on feature on emails is used more often than you think. Don’t let work karma bite you in the butt.
3. Arriving to Meetings Late – Just stop it. Seriously. It’s disrespectful to the meeting organizer and the other attendees. I do my best to arrive to meetings early. I don’t like to keep people waiting because it’s rude. My supervisor has a standing rule that if you are late, you have to either sing, dance or tell a joke. Don’t be the source of entertainment or laughter. Learn how to manage your 168 and get to meetings on time.
4. Coming to Meetings Unprepared – In my opinion, this is worse than arriving late. If you are facilitating a meeting, make sure you have an agenda. No one wants to sit through a meeting while you try to wing it. If you are responsible for an item on the agenda, make sure you have everything you need to contribute to the meeting. Want to be a superstar? Distribute materials ahead of time so that the attendees can come to the meeting feeling prepared and ready to contribute to the conversation.
5. Being a Naysayer…ALL THE TIME – Negative Nelly. Debbie Downer. Nervous Norbit. Buzzkill Bobby. Whatever your name is, please know that you are sucking the life out of your co-workers. Your constant negative comments about every idea suggested by a co-worker doesn’t make you the “devil’s advocate”. It makes you look like the most insecure person in the office. Get some ideas of your own instead of wasting time finding something wrong with someone else’s idea. Instead of saying, “No, that won’t work” try saying “That sounds interesting. Can you tell me more?”
I would love to hear what bad work habits/behaviors you like to see added to the list.
With love,
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Did you know registration for Work Your Package Women’s Conference 2016 is open? Did you know you can reserve your seat for only $99? Register today at www.workyourpackage2016.eventbrite.com 
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Manage Your 168

168 Chart
Did you know there are only 168 hours in the week? That’s it. From midnight on Sunday, until Saturday at 11:59PM, you only have 168 hours to get things done. What I’ve discovered is that how you spend your time indicates two things: What is important to you and what is keeping you from doing what is important to you.

Let’s do the math:

  • 168 = hours in the week
  •  56 = hours of sleep (56 is ideal, but let’s be honest, you aren’t getting that much..another topic for another day)
  • 10 = hours of a morning routine (This includes getting everyone, including you showered, dressed, fed and out the door)
  • 40 = hours of work (Even more if you work for yourself or have a very demanding career)
  • 10 = hours of commuting (Even if your commute is only 15 minutes, this includes the 45 minutes you spend winding down from the day)
  • 10 = hours of an evening routine (Cooking dinner, checking homework, getting kids to bed…)

Do you see where I’m going with this? Between sleeping, working and commuting you are left with 42 hours for the week and you haven’t spent any quality time with your family, pursued your passions, indulged in your hobbies, volunteered in the community or just took time for yourself. It doesn’t include extracurricular activities and the mundane tasks like grocery shopping and getting the oil changed .

Once you get past the “shining object” syndrome, what are you doing with your time? One of my clients shared that she wanted to write a book but when we took a look at her 168 chart, she was spending 3 hours a night on social media and looking at TV. Another client want to grow her business but she wasn’t taking advantage of her lunch hour at her “dream funder” to respond to emails or learn more about her industry. If you have a long commute, find a way to make time both productive and beneficial. If you drive, listen to an audio book or call a friend to catch up. Take advantage of your lunch hour run errands that you would typically do on the weekend like picking up the dry cleaning.

I challenge you to track your 168 with this template: WYP What are You Doing with Your 168 to see how you are spending your time. I would love to hear what was revealed to you after a week of tracking.

With love,

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