How To Get More From Your Day
One of the worst productivity killers and time wasters is, as you know, our friend procrastination.
Procrastination can take many forms, but the end result is the same - a feeling of being scattered and that nagging tickle that we are doing something that we aren’t supposed to be doing - because we aren’t doing what we ARE supposed to be doing.
In the end - guilt and stress because our responsibilities and our dreams are still floating around ‘out there’ somewhere, instead of being firmly accomplished and put away.
All of this results in disappointment and a feeling of failure. Feeling this way does nothing to help us to be productive, on the contrary, it will slow us down until we actually do find ourselves failing.
There are a few things that we can do to ensure that we will never have to wish that we had been more proactive or focused in our work day, because we will be too busy hitting our goals and enjoying the rewards of accomplishment.
BLOCK YOUR TIME to create focused time pockets when you can concentrate on one project or a group of like tasks. Use these themed time pockets consistently - that’s the trick.
DECIDE HOW MANY you can do and how much time you will spend in each pocket for every working day of the week.
DON’T OVER SCHEDULE. Over scheduling is the flip side of the procrastination coin and can have the same effect - frustration and a feeling of failure. This can quickly lead to burn out and right back to procrastination. Pace yourself, allow plenty of white space and stay fresh.
PLAN AHEAD. After you’ve decided on 1-3 major goals that you’d like to focus on, break them down into the basic steps that it will take to complete them - then break those down into smaller, doable steps that will be plugged into your daily time pocket schedule.
RECORD YOUR PROGRESS. Keep track of what you’ve completed. This will provide a record for you to look back on and will motivate you to keep moving forward.
IN A NUTSHELL
- Use Project Time Pockets Consistently
- Don’t Over Schedule
- Plan Ahead
- Record Your Progress
Using these tools will help you to increase your focus on what you know should be doing and as you’ve probably heard before, what you focus on expands.
Use your focus to get more of the right things from your day.
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Another thing that can lead to procrastination is allowing yourself to work somewhere distracting. After hours, the office gets animated and it’s hard to stay focused with current events being freely discussed while you are trying to work. On those days, I will pick up and go to the library so as not to be tempted to participate and, therefore, procrastinate.
Some good suggestions here. But don’t think all procrastination (or productivity, for that matter) is created equal.
It can sometimes be good to procrastinate - it can lead to less struggle, delay (counter-intuitive, but true), and more optimal functioning.
Wishing you optimal procrastivity,
Kerul
In my own experience, procrastinating is often a sign I need to rethink some things. Am I putting things off because I’m lazy, disorganized, have too much going on, etc. or is it because my inner guidance is trying to tell me I don’t need to focus in that area right now?
It amazes me that when I remember to go within, tell my inner self what needs to be done, then wait for inspiration…I get more done in less time and with less hassle and frustration that trying to force a schedule.
This just happened the other day in fact. I’d been putting off updating my bookkeeping and it was becoming this huge monster in my head. So I just stopped and said to my self, “ok, Maria…this has to get done. Time to let the inner me orchestrate the whole thing.” Then I went about my day. I took a walk, baked cookies, did some laundry, made some phone calls, etc. A couple times the idea of bookkeeping came up but I was now detached, knowing it would work out perfectly. Sure enough….next morning I woke up all INSPIRED to do the books. It went quickly and flawlessly and it was actually fun! In fact, I got done so quickly I found myself wondering what to do next
Peace,
Maria,
Personal & Professional Muse
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Here’s our market view on American stock market for 10th October, 2008
The stock market has collapsed - since Sept. 19 the DJIA is down 25% and the S&P 500 is down 28% and down 42% from a year ago.
How can this happen so quickly and so dramatically when so many good things have occurred? Oil is down to $82 a barrel; interest rates are very low; the dollar is up; valuation levels are extremely attractive among many blue chip stocks.
What’s the real problem? The problem that is killing the stock market is a lack of hope about the future.
Hope springs from optimism that is based on facts and history. Look at the history of America and really all of mankind. Life is full of setbacks and problems - that’s just the deal. But this too shall pass, as all scary periods have.
Doomsayers have been around forever and their batting average is zero. Buying stock is based on hope - hope for the future. If one doesn’t have hope, they shouldn’t be in this business.
So what is the best service we, as professionals, can provide for our clients?
First, discuss the fact that we are dealing with serious problems but it is not at all like 1929. The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department are doing many things to restore confidence in the financial system. There is global coordination in attacking the problem, which is lack of confidence.
Tell your clients to look at history of our great nation and what has happened since 1776 when we faced very serious problems. The stock market actually rose steadily about six months after Pearl Harbor and until the end of WWII even though the outcome was not at all clear for several years.
No one knows when the stock market will bottom and a new bull will commence. We do know that stocks and mutual funds offer the best values we have seen since Black Monday, Oct. 19, 1987.
Almost all Americans have hope about the future of our nation, but they need help to control their normal fears.
ThePowerStocks.com Team
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