LIVE LIFE UP HIGH

photo credit: *PaysImaginaire*

Why do it today if you can do it tomorrow?  Thinking like that is the beginning of the end when it comes to getting anything done — work or home chores.  The key to being more productive at work is to stop procrastinating before it gets a foothold in your thinking process.

Why do you procrastinate?  There are several reasons and some might surprise you.  Fear of failure is one reason.  No one wants to be make mistakes but they are a part of life and they do happen to everyone. 

Fear of success is also a reason why you might procrastinate.  Here is the rationale:  If you succeed you will be expected to do so all the time.  The pressure alone can stop your work.

Stress causes procrastination, too.  It is easier to deal with a problem by hiding and pretending it will go away than meeting it head on.  The problem is that the day you are ready to deal with it never comes.

Use the following tips to stop procrastination from hindering your work.

1.  Make a list.  Use dashes instead of numbers so the items on the list aren’t ranked in any particular order.  Add deadlines so that you can prioritize the list.  As you finish a task on the list, cross it off with a colorful pen.  Every time you look at the list you will get a sense of accomplishment.

2.  Set aside time for other tasks.  All work and no play, as they say.  Sometimes when you work, you’ll notice your mind thinking about taking a break and doing something else.  We’ve all done it.  Avoid those breaks in productivity by scheduling time to get away and take a break.  Knowing that you will get a break makes you want to stay focused on your work until that time.

3.  Don’t overload your schedule.  If you have too much to do in a small span of time, procrastination will surely creep in.  No one wants to slack off at work, but biting off only as much as you can chew is not the same thing.  You are more productive when you can manage your tasks instead of drowning in them and missing all of your deadlines.

4.  Find coping mechanisms.  Stress can lead to procrastination.  Deal with the stress before it affects your work.  Learn breathing techniques; take an exercise class; chant a mantra.  Whatever will relax you can also keep you working. 

5.  Stay organized.  A desk piled with papers, folders, and sticky notes is not what you want to see every morning you walk into the office.  Keep your desk neat and everything where you can find it when you need it.  Organization stops you from abandoning the task at hand because of a misplaced file.
Procrastination is hard to beat because it comes from within us.  Use the above tips to regain your level of productivity in the workplace.

photo credit: Crystl

The human animal differs from the lesser primates in his passion for lists.
H. Allen Smith

I love lists. I think lists have great power. We have heard a lot about to-do lists and places to-go lists. I would like to suggest another great list. This is a to-give list.  This list would outline all the great things you would like to give to others and to yourself.

Why a List

Most of us know the power of giving but so many times we get busy doing other things during the day that we forget to give.  Would you agree that most of us want to be consummate givers but many times our days go by so quickly it just seems like there are no opportunities to give? I believe a to-give list can help us alleviate that problem. If you have a master to-give list to work from you can use this to add  giving opportunities to your daily to-do list.

How to Create

Creating a to-give list is very simple.  You can start by sitting down and thinking of the people closest to you. What are some of the things you would like to give to them or do for them? What things would bring joy to their lives? Go ahead and write those things down. Please don’t limit the list to things that you are able to do right now either. Include big and small things. Things you can do right now and things that may have to wait until the future. Write both.

Next expand the list to the community in which you live. What are some of the things you would like to give to the community? It doesn’t have to be just money. It could be time helping someone learn something.

Next let’s make this bigger; what kinds of things would you like to give to your country?

How about the world? Is there something you can do to make the world better?

Don’t forget about yourself. What are some of the things you want to give to yourself?

Example of a Master To-Give list

1. Write an encouraging note to my friend.
2. Teach a group of young people about success.
3. Do a walk for the Breast Cancer Society.
4. Sponsor a needy child.
5. Teach someone to read.
6. Speak a kind word to someone in my family.
7. Forgive someone who has done me wrong.

These are just a few examples. Be creative. Simply creating this list will empower you. Make up your mind to do the things you have put on your list and you will not only feel great but you will begin to see great things come back to you. Your business will do better because you are not just focused on yourself, but you are concerned about others.

Additional Resource

Check out this blog for more information: www.everydaygivingblog.com.

I want to hear from you. Let me know what you think about this post. Thank you.

photo credit: waffler

Is anyone else tired of hearing about how bad the economy is faring? I mean I know we as a country are having serious problems economically. I get it. The news media has made it abundantly clear that things are going really badly. I personally think the amount of negative rhetoric is helping to perpetuate this situation. It is like someone being sick and a crowd of people gathering around that person reminding him or her how sick they are and how bad they look. The crowd constantly reminds the person that no one knows whether they can ever recover from this sickness. It is no wonder that the economy is getting worse. It is almost as if the news media is deriving a morbid sense of pleasure from reporting this bad news.
Anyway, I believe that while the economy may be bad, you don’t have to do bad financially with it. Below are 3 things you can do to help you thrive in these economic bad times.

1. Look for opportunities within problems

“Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death.” – James Francis Byrnes

Instead of being problem-focused be opportunity focused.  There are opportunities to prosper all around you.  Many times these opportunities are found in the problems others are having. There are answers that you have that no one else has.  Solve a problem and you will increase your value. Get in the opportunity mindset. Look for opportunities that only present themselves in a weak economy. Believe me, the opportunities are there if you look for them. Once you find the opportunity, go for it. Don’t let fear or doubt stop you. You can do it.

2. Get rid of unnecessary things in your life.

A lot of times people look at the negative side of what they feel they can’t do. I always look on the positive side of what I can do.
Chuck Norris

When times are tough it can be a great time to get rid of excess baggage. It is a great time to change. Here are some things you can do:

Review your mental attitude.

Get rid of attitudes and modes of thought that are negative and wasteful. This is also a time to get rid of your negative beliefs about yourself and your potential for success. You are successful. It is in you now.  Have confidence in yourself and your abilities. You were designed to be great.

Review the people with whom you associate

Separate yourself from negative people. Get rid of people that suck energy out of you. These people are more expensive than you know. Let them go and get stronger. Stop hanging around the nay Sayers. Hang around people that believe they can succeed even in this economy.

Review your budget

 Are there things that you no longer need that you are paying for? Get rid of these things. Go line by line and eliminate wasteful spending in your budget.

Refuse to participate in the recession.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. I have several stands around here.
James Brady

This has to do with attitude. We know the facts and the numbers about the economy. Let’s decide that our right attitude, faith, skills, ingenuity, determination and the great people around us will not only cause us to survive but to thrive in these times.  Let’s refuse to focus on all the negative things going on. We are aware of them but we know we have what it takes to make it. Don’t spend a lot of time talking about how bad things are. Expect to prosper.

Please share other things that we can do to thrive in this economy. I want to hear your thoughts.