Success &amp; Personal Development

Monday, July 20, 2015

7/20/15 Tips for Change "Incorporate a Set Time for Mindless Fun"

Evening Webbers,

How has the week been? I hope these tips are helping you or someone you love. It has been a hot summer and I am loving my new time schedule that I have set for myself. I give the company my attention it needs and then I keep the rest. I usually would sit for hours and work on paperwork at night and I have stopped that cold. When the day ends I shut it off and move on to other things. Tonight I worked the lawn. Cleaned out the weeds and hung a hummingbird feeder and bird feeder. I love watching birds it is so relaxing.

Webbers lets get right into this weeks topic!

Incorporate a Set Time for Mindless Fun

As they say, all work and no play makes you dull. But what it really does is make you stressed out,
and ineffective. If you really want to be good at your job and productive every single day, setting aside time for mindless fun each and every day is imperative. Being mindless for a little bit each day will make you more creative and productive.

* Go for a Walk – Everyone should try to take a walk each day for about 30 to 45 minutes. Walking at a brisk pace for this length of time will help your heart, as well as clear out the cobwebs from your mind. Avoid taking anything with you to listen to, like music, or lectures, or books. Instead, try not to think of anything but how your breath feels going in and out of your lungs, and how the air smells to your nose.

* Read a Chapter of a Book – No, don’t read something about your industry. Read something simple and mindless that is not realistic. Read “chick lit”, murder mysteries, science fiction or another genre that you enjoy that seems like ultimate pleasure and nothing more. If you have teenagers, try reading some of their books for a real eye-opening experience.

* Play a Video Game – There are many different games you can play today, from games online to old-fashioned games on paper. Take just 15 minutes or so to play a round or two of a game that you enjoy and don’t think of anything else while you’re doing it. Set the timer. Time flies when you’re playing games.

* Create an Art Project – Want to learn to paint, knit or sew? Why not start now. You can learn something new and find a hobby that takes your mind out of your work. Painting is really good for that because you can be abstract and not exact on your creations. It will teach you that imperfections can be beautiful.

* Meditate – This requires a quiet room, comfortable clothing, and just 15 minutes. Find a way to sit that is comfortable, usually with your legs crossed and your back straight, hands relaxed on your thighs. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Breathe in, and out. In through your nose, and out through your mouth. Take deep, long breaths and focus on nothing else for the time you’ve set aside. You want your mind to literally think of nothing.

* Jump on a Trampoline – One of the best exercises is rebounding, and it's fun too. When you are jumping, think of only the fun of jumping, not what’s next in your life. Just think of right now, jumping up and down.

* Get in a Hot Tub – If you have access to a hot tub, or just your tub full of hot water, get in. Fill up the tub with nice smelling bubbles, light some candles, and enjoy until the water cools down. Different smells will give you different feelings. Try mint for more energy, lavender to calm down.

* Get a Massage – Depending on where you live, you can get someone to come to your home or office for a massage. Massages usually take from 30 to 40 minutes and are a perfect weekly treat to help you get out of your head and enjoy mindless fun.

* Take a Vacation – You can’t take a vacation every day of course, but you should take one at least
once a year. If you cannot take one long two-week vacation each year, try taking more frequent smaller three-day weekend vacations where you disconnect and unplug so that you can come back refreshed and ready to work.

* Watch Funny Videos – Everyone loves cat videos, or videos of babies laughing. Set aside a bit of time on occasion to watch some funny videos. It will help you have a full happy day, and spark your creativity due to the happy endorphins released during laughter.

* Take a Nap – A 20-minute power nap can do wonders helping you become more creative. You need someplace good to nap such as a cool bedroom or a comfortable couch in your office. Pull the shades, turn off the technology, and set an alarm.

* Take in a Movie – Whether you go to the theater or watch instantly on Netflix, a good movie can take you to a whole new world. Most movies are one to two hours long, so plan this one into your schedule carefully.

* Learn to Knit – Once you learn to knit, it becomes a mindless activity that is very repetitive yet something you must focus on to get it right. Having something mindless to take your focus can make you that much more energetic and creative when you come back to work tasks.

* Take a Dance Class – Nothing can quite get your blood pumping like a good dance. You can take lessons with a friend, or a spouse, or even alone depending on the type of dance you want to learn. It’s not really important that you’re good at it, just that you have fun.

* Create a Vision Board – While not totally mindless, it’s very helpful to create a vision board to help you envision and plan your future by making them look real on a vision board. You can use Pinterest or old-fashioned paper, glue and paint to do it.

* Have Sex – This might seem like a strange thing to say but so many of us get so busy with our working lives that we forget about our spouses. Life, children, and work take precedence over fun activities like sex far too often. It might seem that it’s not so romantic to schedule it in, but it’s very important if you’re in a relationship like that not to ignore it.

All of these activities are pretty mindless and can get you out of yourself a bit. It’s important to incorporate mindless fun into your life so that you can be even more wonderful than you already are. All of these activities get you out of your head and can actually get your creative juices flowing. Just be sure to stick to your schedule so that mindless activity doesn’t take over completely and that work doesn’t get in the way of having mindless fun.

Webbers I hope you enjoyed the read.

Please call on me. I am here for you. Schedule time with me today.

If there is a time other than that listed please send me an email and I will see where I can accommodate you.

THANK YOU!

The finest compliment I could ever receive is a referral.

Tim Thomas

Life Coach

A Life by Design Company

PO Box 4327

Manchester, NH 03108

Tel: 603-682-4980

Monday, July 13, 2015

7/13/15 Tips for Change "How to Create a Time Management Plan"

Webbers,

It is that funday Monday! I have to say today has not been fun. I have been struggling with a small health issue. Painful that is about it. It seems I have something that is making me bloated. Some allergic reaction. On top of all that. The family and I got home yesterday and I attempted to do the lawn and off I went. My trusty lawn tractor (a 1980's era craftsman) Needless t say the motor has quit. Lawn not done. Today I had the pleasure of mowing the lawn by hand. I have no small lawn. I am beat.

Worst part of today one of my oldest friends contacted me this morning and told me his dad past away last night. I have some of my best memories with that family my thoughts and prayers go with them today. Rest In Peace.

Good things are on the rise though. I have some new clients to add to the list. Who's next?

As we continue with Tips for Change. Today we are going to talk a bout creating a plan. If you struggle with creating a plan. Start with small steps plan one hour for one day. My suggestion is to come up with what is most important to you and schedule those hours first. For me my daily plan starts @ 4 AM. I exercise until 5:30. then Breakfast 6:00 AM. Then I start working. I schedule 8-5 Client meetings go in first. Then admin time. Lunch floats from noon to 3 depending on workload. My daughter gets me from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. My wife @ 9 PM all the free space I fill with different
projects. I hope that helps clarify in creating your plan.

How to Create a Time Management Plan

Creating a time management plan keeps you from wasting time. Having a plan makes every hour count, ensures that you get to work more quickly and helps distribute your time over all the tasks that you need to do each day, week, month and year. Creating a time management plan is an imperative if you want to be successful.

* Be Realistic With Your Plans – Don’t go against your own internal clock when planning each day. If you know you struggle to get up in the morning, do not schedule things in the early morning hours. If you can manage in the mornings if you do tasks you like first, try that.

* Set Time Limits – This is especially important for both tasks you dislike and tasks you like. You always have a risk of procrastination when it comes to tasks you hate by spending too much time on tasks you like.

* Eliminate Distractions – One of the biggest killers of any plan that you set are distractions such as television, interrupting phone calls, social media, and yes – children and spouses. While nothing is ever perfect, you can eliminate most distractions by planning ahead about how to deal with them. Turn off the TV, turn off the phone, use social media only at certain times with a timer set, and explain to children and spouses the importance of not bothering you while you are working.

* Differentiate Important from Non-Important Tasks – One of the hardest tasks before you when creating a time management plan is understanding what is important and what is not important. If you make it a habit to do the most important things first, you’re going to feel more accomplished and get more done. (This is where most people make the mistake.)

* Use a Calendar and Technology – Where would we be without technology? Using Google Calendar or another system synced to your phone is a great way to ensure that your calendar is always with you and that you don’t forget things. You can even set reminders and alarms to help.

* Eliminate Urgency from Your Life – This can be difficult but most things really aren’t urgent. If you are a service provider, stop taking last-minute work; train your clients to give you plenty of time to work tasks into your schedule. If you set family time and play time into your schedule too, that will eliminate the need for a last-minute meltdown from the toddler too.

* Create and Use Lists – It is one thing to note on your calendar “work on project A” but it’s quite another to list exactly what you are to do during that time period on project A. This is the most effective way to schedule your time so that you meet your goals. Be very specific with lists so that no time is wasted.

* Create a Daily Action Plan – There should always be at least four or five things that you can do each day toward any future goal that you have to help you feel accomplished. Plus, having a variety of things to do each day will eliminate boredom and procrastination.

Creating a time management plan is an essential element in creating success. Most successful people live and die by their calendars. When you meet someone and wonder how in the world she does it all, it’s probably a very thought-out and coordinated schedule that allows her to accomplish so much.

This is one of my favorite stories - Enjoy!

Webbers - I hope you found this exciting if you need help in setting up your time management plan. Please call on me. I am here for you. Schedule time with me today.

Click here to change your life.

If there is a time other than that listed please send me an email and I will see where I can accommodate you.

I hope this helped you or you pass it along. I am here 2-help-u. I want to be your coach!

After all it is your life, live it by your design.

THANK YOU!

The finest compliment I could ever receive is a referral.

Tim Thomas

Life Coach

A Life by Design Company

PO Box 4327

Manchester, NH 03108

Tel: 603-682-4980

Monday, July 6, 2015

7/6/15 Tips for Change "How To Be Ruthless With Time"

Hi Webbers,

I hope you had an enjoyable 4th. Mine was spent visiting my brother drinking some adult beverages and smoking some meat. We had an enjoyable time. Sunday I hung out with my daughter in the afternoon and had a squirt gun fight.

Amazing times my family and I get to enjoy. Today was back to the grind and visiting customers. I used to struggle with time management. I am getting better however I have more work to do. I hope you will find the following tips to be useful.

How to Be Ruthless with Time

If you’ve created a time management plan and still failed to reach your goals, it’s likely because

you’re too flexible and easy on yourself and others when it comes to the schedule. The sorry fact is that time is not limitless. You can’t get more. You can’t work harder to get more of it; it’s a finite resource that cannot be increased or replaced.

When you realize that time is finite and that there really might not be some future distant tomorrow, you might start being more ruthless with the time you’ve got. Follow these tips to make time management so much easier.

* Just Say No – The biggest factor in being ruthless with your time is learning to say no. If you really do not want to do something, you must say no. There is no sin in saying no. The only reason you feel guilty about the word is that your mother taught you saying no was wrong. It’s time to realize that as a grown-up you can now say no.

* Get Up on Time – This is a hard one for many but it doesn’t have to be hard as you think. If you are a small business owner who works from home, it’s actually pretty easy. You do not need more than seven or eight hours of sleep a night. If you can limit your sleep to no more than eight hours, you will gain time. If you typically sleep less than six you may need to get in a bit more sleep to be most productive with your time.

* Try to Be Early – If you need to drive places or you have deadlines for work, schedule your time so that you are going to be early. The reason is that this is one of the ways to eliminate urgency from your life, which in turn causes stress and can cause problems with time management. This way if something does happen out of the ordinary, you will still have time to meet a deadline and be on time.

* Turn Off Technology – The very thing that is supposed to make our time more productive can have the opposite effect too. The notifications of new emails, your Facebook stream, and unscheduled time on Pinterest can get out of hand. Turn it off. You’ll gain so much more time. That includes your TV, too.

* Understand Your Internal Clock – Everyone has an internal time clock. It’s important not to fight against that and be aware of what it is. Some people are early risers and some people are night owls and others are in between. It’s important for you to determine for yourself what your own internal clock is and then work with it.

* Make Lists – If you understand each step that goes behind a calendar listing, it will be more beneficial because it’s easier to allocate enough time for each thing when you know what it takes to complete any given task. You won’t be able to accurately determine the time it takes without all the information.

* Calendar It – Put everything in your calendar including everyday tasks, small steps for a project due in the future, and time with family, friends and yourself. Don’t skip this step so that when someone asks for your time you can easily schedule them in (or not) based on your availability.

* Avoid Meetings – Some meetings are important, such as a first client meeting to establish goals and determine tactics, but after that almost everything else can be accomplished through updates in a project management system. There is no real need for weekly meetings for updates, or to discuss anything that can easily be put into a memo.

* Touch “It” Only Once – Another way to be ruthless with your time is to not allow yourself to wait to do things later. If you get an email that requires a response, do it now. If you check your snail mail and a bill needs to be paid, schedule it now. If you get junk mail, delete it now. Only check your mail when you have time to deal with these issues.

Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself in terms of the hours you schedule yourself to work. Yes, be ruthless about the schedule, but also schedule in fun time. Humans aren’t designed to work 20 hours a day. Go ahead, schedule 8 to 10 hours a day of work. But, in between, schedule in breaks. Time with friends, family and spouses during any given work day is important too. Also, remember to schedule in breaks like weekends and vacations. If you do that, it’ll be so much easier to be ruthless with time
and stick to your schedule normally.

As part of my new year I have opened some time slots up. Like a meet and greet. Lets connect and have a chat and see where I fit to help you design the life you deserve. Check it out:

Click here to change your life.

I hope this helped you or you pass it along. I am here 2-help-u. I want to be your coach!

After all it is your life, live it by your design.

THANK YOU!

The finest compliment I could ever receive is a referral.

Tim Thomas

Life Coach

A Life by Design Company

PO Box 4327

Manchester, NH 03108

Tel: 603-682-4980