A New Decade – Time to Reflect!

It’s almost 2021, the start of a new decade. Now is a perfect time to make changes and move forward. Before we jump forward into something new, it usually helps to look back.

Here are some positive focused questions to think about. Think of each of the questions in terms of the last ten years and your experiences.

Decade Reflection Questions

What worked over the last ten years?

What are you most happy about having achieved, managed or maintained?

What were some of the best conversations you had?

What were some of the best books you read?

What were some of the best movies, plays or museum or art exhibits you experienced?

What new things or skills did you learn?

Who did you enjoy meeting, being with and spending time with?

Where were you most environmentally comfortable?

Evaluating the Answers

When we look back we can sometimes glean patterns, or glimmers of thing that excite us. When we know what makes us want to get up and fully enjoy the day we can start shaping our lives to have more of this excitement. By reviewing your Decade Questions you may be able to move forward with a clearer sense of what will work for you and help you thrive in the next decade.

Planning is important!

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.

Show Your Work

Austin Kleon’s  Show Your Work: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered published  written in 2014  is a quick and helpful read for all ages,  Share Something Small Everyday is a simple yet wonderful concept  explained and nicely diagramed in chapter 3. This concept is perfect for aspiring creatives and artists to understand and immediately begin the process. Share Something Small Everyday is also a great strategy for young high school S.T.E.M. students who want to start distinguishing themselves from the rest of the pack

Open Up Your Cabinet of Curiosities , chapter 4 brings home the gem “Your influences are all worth sharing because they clue people in to who you are and what you do – sometimes even more than your own work.” Kleon.  In this regard, Austin believes you should always give credit where credit is due and don’t share what you can’t credit.

Learn to Take A Punch is a chapter about building resilience, something all creatives, leaders and visionaries need. I almost passed this by on the first glide by but realized the value upon preparing for this review.

This under 225 page book will take you no time to read, yet will provide some useful and practical insights for some parts of your own work  or your client’s. The thing to remember about this book is that it is SHORT, therefore don’t expect too much.  However, it’s the words and wisdom in this little book that will come in handy from time to time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resolutions

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 2013. What can you do more of in 2013? 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 2013? It may be a perfect time to start working with a transition coach to help you get more from your life in 2013.

Seasonal Slowdown

There are certain times of year that seem to reduce our daily productivity. In my opinion there are four big times. They are the late November and the traditional December Holidays, early July and the first two weeks of August.

Don’t let others make you slow. Accept that this is going to be a less productive time when especially when working with colleagues.   Let their delay and dallying be your occasion to work on past and future projects. These times are great for working on organization of past material, future planning, back burner projects and future planning.

This is the perfect time to use my “project hand” to list out the projects that are perfect for the next seasonal delay time.

You may also want to check out my website for monthly tips on organizing ideas for home and work.

Time to Stop Rushing Around

Rushing (going faster than necessary) can lead to accidents, misunderstanding and problems.  By thinking then proceeding at a good and steady pace we can reach our destination or project objective safely and productively. This takes continuous practice and the understanding of what the components of rushing actually are for us. There is physical rushing and mental rushing. Today we will focus on the causes of physical rushing. To prevent physical rushing, we first need to understand why it occurs.

When We Cause The Problem

Rushing occurs when:

• We haven’t preplanned our projects.
• We have more on our plate than we originally anticipated.
• We have lost track of time and have to catch up.
• We become ill or have an unexpected family emergency.

When Others Cause The Problem

We can also be in a rushed state because of other people. Some examples are:

• Others who have not fulfilled their part of the project
• Others who fail to show up ready or on time
• Others who become ill or have a family emergency

Other Causes of Rushing

We can also be rushing because:

• The supplies or material have not arrived. This could be due to weather, transportation issues or even paperwork delays.
• The supplies delivered are wrong or damaged.
• Something broke unexpectedly and now a delay has set in.

By understanding the causes of physical rushing, and being aware of the potential signals, we can develop strategies to prevent, avoid or timetable some “extra” time in our plan to account for these potential problems.  By making adjustments to our initial timetable or along the way we can complete our projects safely.

This is a best of post of 2010.

Look at the Done’s In Your Life

Are you in need of some encouragement or motivation for yourself or your client? Take a few moments to look at some of the accomplishments you have made from the time you were born. Everyone has done some great things. If you are finding your list short or boring, you may want to examine your “done’s” from a different perspective.  Sometimes perseverance and tenacity are the characteristic strengths to celebrate. Here are a few key words to get you or your client’s thinking in this direction.

I have Finished

Example – high school, completed online course, read Bleak House

I have Progressed

Example – got a job after college, received advancement in company, went from board member- at- large to president of organization

I Survived

Example – lived in a house undergoing remodel for one year, sustained working for world’s most difficult boss for a year in my twenties,  managed three-hour daily commute for 18 months

I Maintained

Example – I maintained a full-time job while raising 3 children, I maintained my attendance at exercise class for two years, I maintained reading at least 3 books a month for the past year

I Stopped

Example – declined to utilize local poor quality dry cleaners after receiving bad service, changed physician due to ongoing appointment inconvenience issues

Once you have done this insightful exercise you may find it helpful to start an accomplishment or achievement journal. You may also want to read my earlier blog on Looking at the Un’s in Life.

Time for a Calendar Review

Have you reviewed your calendar lately? A calendar review is a great way to get insight into your productivity. To do this helpful exercise, open up your online or paper calendar and review your past 12 months of listed activities.

• Do you have significant and functional social time with friends, family and loved ones?
• Have you included physical exercise and healthy activities to reach your health and fitness goals?
• Are you including enrichment and life long learning activities into your schedule?
• Are the associations and organizations that you belong to and attending fulfilling your needs?

Your calendar can give you valuable data into how you are spending your time. It can also flag activities that you list but do not attend. Take some time to review your calendar, it will be time well spent.

Quick Productivity Review

The last week of August is often slow because of the impending Labor Day Weekend. This is a good time to review your productivity. Take a moment to look at your Task Distractors and your Mental Distractors. Can you make a plan to reduce or eliminate these for a few moments or several hours at a time?

Identify and Reduce your Task Distracters

• Internet
• Email
• Texting
• People stopping by
• Telephone
• Cell Phone
• Smart phone aps
• The physical mail
• Magazines, books, newspapers
• Television
• IPod, MP3 device or radio

Identify and Reduce your Mental Distracters

• People or situations renting “space” in your head
• Generating new ideas
• Tangential exploits
• Daydreaming
• Negative thinking

Seasonal Slowdown Approaching

There are certain times of year that seem to reduce our daily productivity. In my opinion there are four big times. They are the late November and the traditional December Holidays, early July and the first two weeks of August.

Don’t let others make you slow. Accept that this is going to be a less productive time when especially when working with colleagues.   Let their delay and dallying be your occasion to work on past and future projects. These times are great for working on organization of past material, future planning, back burner projects and future planning.

This is the perfect time to use my “project hand” to list out the projects that are perfect for the next seasonal delay time.

You may also want to check out my website for monthly tips on organizing ideas for home and work.