Managing your calendar to be a successful business owner

June 28, 2022 By

Managing your calendar to be a successful business owner

They say you can’t manage time. And while that is true, you can begin managing your calendar to be a successful business owner.

Last article I talked about playing the game Whack A Mole. Whack A Mole is an arcade game in which players use a mallet to hit toy moles, which appear at random, back into their holes. And in my experience so many business owners run their business this way.

Have you found yourself saying any of the following statements?

  • I don’t have enough time
  • Time seems to just disappear
  • If I had more time I would… (fill in the blank)

And have you or do you now, find yourself wondering where the day went frustrated that you can’t seem to get the most important things done? Or maybe you don’t even know what those important things are.

Regardless of our reasons for working long hours, overwork does not help us. –Sarah Green Carmichael
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The importance of looking at the time you have available to work

I love a good process. And using your calendar is just that. First you need to know what goes on your calendar. When you are running a business, it’s important to know what your pillars are.

When I work with my clients we work with a business framework. I break that out into two segments. Foundational and Supporting. And I consider time management as supporting.

I also love to look at time blocks as time containers. You can only fit so much into a time container before it overflows and you are left with more to do than ta done.

I don’t know about you but I want more ta dones than to dos at the end of a day, week, month, quarter, and so on.

Take a look at your business. What is it you need to do to keep it operating, improve it and grow it for the future? Make a list. More than likely you have Operations/Admin, Marketing, Sales, Client Delivery/Service and one or two other main categories. 

Under each of those categories, what exactly are you doing for each. And then the big question is when are you (or do you) doing those actions? It’s important to first know what it is you are doing.

How to use your calendar effectively

So now that you know what are doing. Look at your calendar and begin to estimate (unless you know without a doubt how long your actions take you) time for each. Then look at your calendar and review how much open space you have and then begin to choose where you’d like to put your actions.

This is where the rubber meets the road and where you may go “Oh no! I don’t have any open time.” Or “I have hardly any open time.” There in lies the problem and why you aren’t getting things done and feel that things are piling up. Or as one of my clients said to me: “I feel like my to dos follow me around.”

Ultimately to use your calendar effectively here is what you need:

  • Know what you are doing
  • How long something takes to do
  • Have set times for specific actions/tasks (some examples are: Marketing Mondays, Sales/Consult Calls 10:00am-2:00pm Tuesday, Client Delivery every M/W/F from 10:00am-3:00p and Admin daily from 8:30am-9:30am and a weekday (end of week) wrap up session from 4:30-5:00p)
  • Everything entered into the calendar ahead of time

Once you learn how to manage your calendar time will seem to expand for you. Once you can get out of overwhelm and into better focus you’ll be able to reach your business goals so much easier.

ScheduleDo you struggle with doing playing Whack A Mole? Would you like to create a calendar that works for your business? I’ve played the Whack A Mole game and it isn’t fun. This is why I offer complimentary Business Blueprint Sessions. You’ll leave your session clear on what it is you are doing and when it’s best for you to do. This way you’ll be able to get it done! This session is my gift to you. I do this because I am committed to helping small business owners lead themselves with less stress and more success.

 

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How to step powerfully into being a successful business owner

December 9, 2020 By

Step powerfully into being a successful business owner.

What does it take to be a successful business owner?

It takes thinking and planning. When I ask my clients how much time they take for thinking and for planning I am often met with silence.

And then they answer me, “umm….none…”

Well, there we have it, a great starting place! I actually like to hear none because it’s one of the first places I like to begin with my clients. All of my clients get a Planning Day as part of working with me.

The thinking part they do mostly on their own and then we come together to plan what they thought about. See if you haven’t thought about what you want it’s hard to actually go and get it.

It takes courage to take time to think and to plan.

If you are in business, you need to be setting aside at the minimum, an hour a week as “thinking time”.

It may sound crazy and you may be thinking (yes, pun intended =) “I do not have time to think.” Very well, then you do not have time to have a successful business and you will use (as in waste) a lot of time trying to throw spaghetti against the wall to see what will stick.

You will also lose a lot of time trying to figure out how to operate your business so that it actually works and does what you want it to do…make money.

Thinking time is vital to the success of your business –Kim Ravida
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Thinking time is vital to the success of your business.

I am a do-er. I like to get things done. Yet, I also am a jumper. As in I jump into things without really giving much thought to it.

Here is an example, early in my business I decided in October that I wanted to run a year-long business mastermind that would begin in January. So I jumped in. 

When my assistant asked me when and how I would market it, I was the one who was saying “um….. I don’t know.” See, I never gave thought to that. And that year I wanted to take time off for the holidays but I never thought about the time I would need to talk with the people who were interested in the mastermind. 

Since I didn’t think about any of this ahead of time, I ended up forgoing my time off that I so desperately wanted and worked throughout the holiday season to fill my mastermind.

I learned a valuable lesson that year, I need to THINK before I jump for things just like this. Also, thinking helps me be a better jumper.

It gives me time to consider, re-consider, plan and then execute in a way that is effective, efficient and successful. So rather than having to course-correct at every turn I give myself the time to think and then to plan it out so that I can execute it in a way that I want for it to be successful.

Now let’s look at another key component to business success, planning.

Successful businesses are planned.

I know that you did not start your business thinking you’d fail. But did you actually plan for your success?

Did you lay out the steps you would take in order to reach your success? What about a time-line for those steps? How much thought did you put into each large and small step that you would take to reach your end goal?

A successful business owner puts in the thinking and planning time that lead to the results they want for their business.

“Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it.” –Marva Collins

You may have heard “build the plane as you go” and I believe there is a lot to that attitude. It means you create as you go. I have built the plane as I go many times.

Take me and my mastermind program. I sold it and then decided exactly what I would do with it. 

And the one thing that I absolutely had PLANNED out was the exact results my clients would get from participating in the mastermind. And I knew exactly how many sessions, the times we would meet, how we would meet (and get this, it was before Zoom, so we did a teleconference!), for how long and what deliverables I would use.

I had taken the time to plan it. Which made it easier to fill and to deliver. Planning makes implementation and execution so much easier! It paves the way for results. Or put another way, for successes.

So while you can do some jumping (if you are like me) into things, by taking the time to do your thinking and planning ahead of time, you will reach your results easier and faster. 

Thinking and planning allow you to empower yourself and others. The two allow you to be in-charge and inspiring in a confident, client-attractive manner. By being the leader, you are much more likely to lead yourself and others to massive success. What is not to like about that?

Thinking and Planning Your Business.

If you are hoping for a better 2021, start thinking and planning it now. I’d love to be the one to help you go from hoping to having. Sign up for a free consultation and we’ll talk about how you can create your successful business plan to build and grow your business to where you want it. Click here to set up time for us to talk. I look forward to meeting you.

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How to build an amazing small business

November 25, 2020 By

How to build an amazing small business. It’s not what you think.

When I first opened my business I put all of the logistical pieces into place. I set up my office with the proper technical equipment. Bought business cards, wrote out a business plan and all of that practical stuff that goes into starting a business.

And yes, that practical “stuff” is needed. The one thing that I did not do though, was to ask myself how I was going to make this business work.

In other words, I did not create a brand, an ideal client profile or even layout exactly how I was going to work with my clients and on what.

I’m a coach I said, I will coach them. They will have roadblocks, they will need to have mindset shifts. I will work with them on that.

And you know, that did not work at all. Why? For instance, I didn’t even know who they were or what they struggled with. I had no idea what to say to them and so I did not have the confidence (which is true for a lot of the people I work with) to speak to them in a way that made sense to them. 

Know what it is you sell and who it is for.

I needed to make money and I needed to get a grip. A coach of mine asked me “Kim, what are you selling (offering)?” And I said, very proudly, I might add, Coaching!

She said “that’s all well and good, but WHAT exactly will your client get because of coaching with you?” 

And then she asked “…and who is it you are selling to?”

Well, game changer! 

What I needed to figure out was, what I was selling and who was it for.

When I started my business, I set it up for me. What would be good for me. I never considered who it was for, who would want what I have and how they would benefit from it.

I have since learned and now teach that your brand is about your clients! Yes, we do put a lot of ourselves into it, and ultimately it is about them.

It is about the problem we solve for them. Once I figured that out I was able to create my cornerstone program, The Business Building & Growth Success Program. It is full of teachings, formulas, strategies and more that help my clients create businesses that attract their clients and make money.

I have had the pleasure of working with a lot of coaches, healers, service-based businesses, realtors, salon owners, virtual assistants, and creative entrepreneurs to help them gain clarity on their ideal client, brand and marketing and yes, confidence.

And each and every time we do an Ideal Client Profile, the moment they connect their pieces is the moment that they change and that their business changes. It’s so amazing.

Confidence is the missing piece.

I was in a sales training recently and the instructor asked:

“How many times do you follow up with someone if they have said no?”

Most people said NEVER! NEVER?! Holy cow, do you know how much business is lost by that?

It soon came to be that they weren’t confident in their value of what they offered. And that was my challenge, I didn’t know that either. So I struggled and I struggled a lot.

I didn’t have the right language to talk to my ideal clients so they would hear me and say “yes, sign me up!” I didn’t know really what they would get so how could I tell them what they could expect as a result of working with me?

It was only through working on this part, practicing, getting my own coaching and getting out there was I able to build the confidence to be where I am today and now teach others to shorten their learning curve and avoid the struggle I had.

“Once you awaken to your true worth life changes for the better.” ATGW
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Your Starting Point

Take a moment and think about someone you have worked with that you have loved so much you would work with them for free.

List out what you loved about them. Be very specific down to the color of their eyes (ok, only if that matters to you)  😉 you get my point though.

Think in terms of demographics, psychographic and what you want in a client.

Now, what is it you do, that you love (again, so much that you’d do it for free – though I’m not advocating that) and are brilliant at? List it all out. You should have more than 25 things.

From there, what are the benefits that the clients you love get when working with you? Make that list. Again this will have more than 25 things on the page.

This is your brilliance and this gives you your Ideal Client Profile and what it is you do with them. Another way to say that is: This is your client and what you offer them.

And start thinking about what it is your clients say are their pain points, where do they struggle, and what would they like to have instead?

That’s how you start to get a list of their words that you use to speak to your ideal clients so they hear you.

Cool, right? 

True, there is more to this, I have not given you the whole formula. But this will get you started. And it will give you the confidence to get out there, talking to your ideal clients and signing them on.

And that’s even more “cooler”!

Build and Grow Your Business

If you are hoping for a better 2021, I’d love to be the one to help you go from hoping to having. Sign up for a free consultation and we’ll talk about how you can create your completed Ideal Client Profile, marketing plan and more to build and grow your business to where you want it. Click here to set up time for us to talk. I look forward to meeting you.

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How to get time on your side

November 11, 2020 By

time to plan

How to get time on your side so you feel that you have plenty of it.

Time can feel elusive. It’s easy to feel as if there is never enough of it, and with a small tweak, you’ll find there is plenty of it. Let’s learn how to get time on your side.

The good news is that this year is almost over. Depending on how you feel about this year, it can be a good thing or you could be feeling as if there still isn’t enough time to get to what you need to get to.

My work with business owners has taught me one thing, they like to be as productive as they can. And they like to do it in as little time as possible.

Are you like that? I used to be too.

The thing is doing things in as little time as possible won’t always work. The reason for this is that they are trying to do way too much in too little time. They haven’t figured out how to get time on their side. 

How to get time on your side.

What on earth do I mean by you haven’t learned how to get time on your side?

Tell me, do you know exactly (and I mean as in EXACT) how long your tasks take you? Do you know how many of your tasks you can fit into a normal workday so that you actually complete each of them?

I’ll give you an example, one client was frustrated because she felt overwhelmed with all she had to do to market her business. 

She was spending lots of time “doing” marketing yet never really felt as if she had a marketing plan.

We created one for her and still, the same results. She felt she just couldn’t get to it all because ‘there wasn’t enough time’.

We did an exercise where she wrote out her working hours, all that she was doing in those working hours including marketing and what she came to see was that she had too much to do and was trying to get it done in too little time.

See, time was not on her side and maybe that’s you too.

The way to get time on your side is to:

  • Determine the time you have to work.
  • Know what it is you do in that time.
  • Learn how long your tasks actually take you.

With that knowledge, my client realized two things that changed the game for her. She saw that she was not being efficient and that she actually needed more time to do the things that mattered to her business.

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” ― Alan Lakein, author
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Your mindset is your secret weapon.

Like my client, once you see that you do, indeed, have plenty of time you’ll be able to get where you are going.

It’s also a mindset if you believe you don’t have the time…well, you won’t. And if you believe that you do, you will.

Take a moment right now and close your eyes, think about what really matters to you in your business. Not every small thing you do, just the stuff you do that matters and makes an impact. Imagine you have all the time in the world to do it. 

See yourself doing it, see yourself feeling light and free. Feel that feeling and now smile. You already do have time on your side, it’s just a matter of looking at it differently.

I’ve written a lot about this in my series back in February, click here to see the series. You’ll find a blog on doing a time analysis, following the revenue trail, being organized and so much more.

The next year of your business can be exactly how you want it, it’s up to you to take the time you need to get it on your side and have the plan to make it happen!

It’s time for you to MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Make It Happen Planning Day!

Want to set yourself up for success in the upcoming year? I’m scheduling private planning days starting right now! 

Take the time now to set up your new year. You’ll walk away knowing your exact goals for your year, quarter, month, week and even days. You will know your end result and what you will do to get there. We’ll work together to create small do-able, actionable steps for you to take that gets you the results and achievements you want for your business in the coming year. Click here to learn more and to sign up. Keep in mind that you may need to scroll through the appointment calendar if the slots fill up.

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Productivity means you do what you need to do when it needs to be done.

January 29, 2020 By

be productive

It takes time to be productive.

Productivity really means to produce. And to produce you have to well, get things done. That takes time.

How much time does it take to be productive? It depends on what you are attempting to do. Writing a blog post or creating a speech? 

Are you are great producer? Do you easily complete the tasks you have to do for your business (even if you don’t want to do them)?

If you answered yes, I’d love to hear how you go about being a high achieving producer.

And not to worry if you said no. You are not alone. More than likely you have more tasks left over at the end of the day/week than you like. It’s the play from behind syndrome.

You feel like you constantly are playing catch up. And that is no way to be in your life and in your business.

 

How to play from ahead.

One way for you to not play from behind is to really be clear about your Time. The time you have in your day to accomplish all you need to do and the time it takes for you to do something.

In my 3 TOP Steps for Productivity system, Time is number one. You need to first how much time you have in your day to work. As a business owner you may sometimes feel like you have all day. And you may, but all day for what?

If you don’t take the time you have in your day into account, it’s easy to let things take more time than they need to. And it’s easy to “lose” time.

The previous blog goes into the system a little more, if you’d like to read about it, click here.

As I shared, the key is how much time do you have in your day, week, month and even beyond to do what you need to do.

You can’t be productive until you know this. Think about it, how can you plan your day without knowing 1) how much time you have in it to work and 2) what it is you have to do?

The time to do it, is the time to do it. –Kim Ravida
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Time IS on your side.

When you know how much time you have, it’s easy for you to then organize in your activities. True, you need to know what those activities are and where they fall in the the grand scheme of what you are trying to accomplish in your business. That’s part of my system too, you need to know what your tasks, activities and to-dos actually are.

When you know that, it is easy to prioritize and to the get into the meat of your business and be productive. In other words produce!

If you are thinking “Kim, I don’t have the time to figure this out”, I say, you don’t have the time not to. The time to get things done is the time to get things done.

Time is a container and it’s a limited container. For you to succeed in your business, you need to know what it is you are putting (good and bad) into your time container. 

You can only know that by taking the time to have a good look at where you are spending (or wasting) your time.

Need help with getting clear on your time?

I offer a free 30 minute Design Your Success with Purpose session. I work with business owners to elevate and excel themselves to greater productivity and greater success. In this session, you’ll get clear on your time so that you may use it for to get to where you are going. Schedule your free 30 minute session now. 

 

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How to not give in to distractions

August 8, 2018 By

Distractions are just a part of our lives.

You probably didn’t want to hear that. I know I don’t! Yet, it is so true.

How then can we cope with them and even overcome them when they appear in our lives?

It’s important to first know that there are different types of distractions that we deal with. There are the small distractions. The telephone calls, text messages and social media bings and bongs. Heck, this blog post might be distracting you from something you should be doing instead.

There are medium sized distractions. If you work from home you might be distracted by your children or spouse or even your pet. Full disclosure, right now Bruin, my 8 month old Bernese Mountain Dog is bumping my elbow wanting his lovies.

And then we have the BIG sized distractions, a sick relative, looming deadlines, things you just have to do and do now or their will be grave consequences.

Oh and let’s not forget odd distractions like your street being paved (I’m raising my hand here as that is also happening right now as I write this). Or an accident that happened in front of your house or things along that nature.

There are always distractions, if you allow them. Tony La Russa

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No matter what the distraction is, don’t let it derail you,

Now that you know that there are different kinds of distractions, you can learn how to not let them derail you.

One of the things I help my clients with is to set up solid systems so that if and when (cause ya know it’s gonna happen) distractions hit, they’ll be prepared.

When you are prepared for things to happen they usually don’t have the power to pull you off course for long. Sure they may pull you off for a short time, but with your systems and tools you easily get back on track.

My friend and colleague Ann Rusnak once said to me, when I got distracted and didn’t finish what I wanted to, it’s like sometimes we play whack a mole. That has stuck with me because it made so much sense.

That’s when I set up those systems for myself and what I help my clients with and it made all the difference in the world!

How to not find yourself playing whack a mole in your life and business.

Here are several strategies to take so you don’t find yourself getting caught up in distractions:

  1. Plan for them. Not all distractions we can plan for but the small ones we can. Such as the telephone calls, emails and text messages (even the puppy dog wanting his lovies). Have set times when you will be “doing” what I like to call admin/communicating time. The big ones, if we know what they will be can be planned too.
  2. Follow a To Do and Projects List. Well-thought out lists can help you plan your time accordingly.
  3. Be Mindful. This one is a little less of a step. However, just as important. Do you know when you usually get distracted? When you are mindful of what is going on with your life and business, you’ll be able to avoid them in the first place.

Those are a few ways you can start using to not fall prey to the distractions around you.

Distractions can derail us faster than you can say the word. If you want more personalized help to be able to be productive no matter what is going on around you I can help you do that. Set up a free 30 minute session with me and we’ll work together to create a plan for you to feel good about your change. Click here to be on your way.

Filed Under: Business Mastery, Business Planning, Empowerment, Environment, Health & Fitness, Personal Development, Productivity, Reaching Goals, Self Worth, Structure, Time Management, Wellness Tagged With: , , , , ,

Is it time for a refresh in your business?

July 18, 2018 By

A refresh might be just what you need!

In life and business, a refresh could be just what you need right now. If you keep doing what you have always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten. That saying is very true for a lot of people.

In fact, so much so that they can’t see the forest through the trees. In other words, they keep doing things because it’s what they always have done. Yet, they aren’t happy with their results.

Many people I work with know that what they are doing isn’t working. And they want to change that. Though there are some who can’t see that what they are doing isn’t working so in that case, we do a little refresh.

You have to really use your imagination to refresh your daily life. Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

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How a refresh can help you get different results.

A refresh has you looking at what you are doing differently. Maybe from a whole new point of view. And from there you can see what areas of your life and your business need attention. Once you know that, you can refresh what you are doing and be on your way to having better results.

Here is an example. One client of mine was exhausted. She was frustrated that she wasn’t bringing in new business as fast as she had before. So we did a little assessment. And what she discovered is that she had been neglecting her physical health. You know, she was too busy to exercise and the take time to eat well.

That gave her a starting point. She created a plan of action for improving her health which included daily walks outdoors for 15 minutes and she planned and prepped her meals ahead of time. Just this little refresh gave her renewed energy and a better outlook.

Within a week of doing this refresh she brought in new business. Because her personal energy was so low, she felt ill and tired all the time. So, no wonder she didn’t bring in new business. She did not feel like attending networking events or contacting satisfied clients to do repeat business with her. Just this little refresh gave her different results.

Ways you can get started on your own refresh.

If you get my monthly ezine you may already be doing this as that was my topic recently. Here is how to get started:

  1. Set aside at least 60 minutes in a quiet place and do an assessment of your life and your business.
  2. For your life assessment, review and rate (scale of 1-10 1 being very unsatisfied and 10 being totally satisfied) each of these areas and determine:
    • Your physical health & fitness
    • The personal relationships in your life
    • How much fun you have
    • Personal finances
    • Energy for Life
    • Balance between life and work
    • General happiness with your quality of life
    • Personal Development/Achievement
  3. For your business assessment, review each of these areas and determine:
    • Your business and professional relationships
    • Business building skills and actions
    • Professional Development/Achievement
    • Business finances
    • Leadership
    • Schedule/Organization/Prioritization
    • Time Management
    • Energy for Business
  4. For each of the ones you rated a 7 or less, list out on a piece of paper, separating the life and business ones. You can draw a line down the center of the page and on one side list Life and the other Business. This will help you see the areas you want to improve clearly. Pick ONE area for your business and ONE area for your life that you want to do a refresh in and lay out a plan to do it.

Keep the flow going.

Whenever one area is refreshed, you can move on to the next and so on. As a result, before you know it you’ll have had a whole refresh! And way more of the results you want to see in your life and and in your business!

If you would like to make this even easier to do a refresh, I’m here to help. Set up a free 30 minute session with me and we’ll work together so that you know exactly the right place to start your refresh in order to focus on the outcomes you desire! Click here to be on your way.

Filed Under: Business Mastery, Business Planning, Empowerment, Productivity, Reaching Goals, Structure Tagged With: , , , ,

Don’t like your results? Change what you are doing.

June 20, 2018 By

Don’t like what you’ve got? Change what you are doing.

Oh now I know that is so easy to say and not so easy to do.

But is it? As a coach, I like to challenge my clients’ thinking. When someone says “I don’t like my results.” or “I’m not getting the results I first want to know what their specific results were.

Once that is clarified, it is easy to work backward and find out what they were doing (or not doing as the case may be). This gives us a great picture of what went on prior to where they are now.

Many times what we discover is that the actions they took (are taking) will in no way, shape or form lead them to their end result. And it’s there that they need to change what they are doing.

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me. Carol Burnett

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Change is a good thing!

You may be rolling your eyes. You may be thinking “no change is not a good thing”. But think about it. If what you were doing was working, you wouldn’t need to change. So if it’s not working, then making a change is a good thing.

Most times it doesn’t have to be drastic. A small change here and there could be all that it takes. Of course, there may be times when you need to completely scrap what you were doing and begin from scratch changing everything.

Start looking at change as a good thing and you will more likely feel differently about it.

Start slow, keep going.

A stumbling block to making changes is we often feel we have to do it all at once. In some cases, yes, that is the best way. And it isn’t the only way. There are times when going slow is in your best interest. The key is to keep going. Just like Dory!

Still worried about change? Still not feeling good about changes you maybe know you need to make yet are afraid to make them? Set up a free 30 minute session with me and we’ll work together to create a plan for you to feel good about your change. Click here to be on your way.

Filed Under: Business Mastery, Business Planning, Empowerment, Productivity, Reaching Goals, Structure, Time Management Tagged With: , , , ,

It is Time For You To Make Your Success Happen

June 13, 2018 By

You are 100% in charge of what you get out of your life and your business.

That’s right. No one but you. It’s both liberating and scary isn’t it?

I’m doing a social media challenge with my mentor, Denise Wakeman. She has us try different online marketing activities. Sometimes we get them in one shot. Other times, we have to do it and learn from it. I get to be in charge of how I experience the challenge and let me tell you, it’s all a great experience.

One of the things that I experienced early on in my business was I wanted everything to be perfect. It’s something that may ring true for you too. It’s not a bad thing. It means you care about your work and how you show up in the world. Something I think is valuable especially in business.

Though, it was something that kept me from taking action and moving forward. Once I realized that I was the one responsible for my results and what I was getting, I saw how being a perfectionist held me back.

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid that you’ll make one.” Elbert Hubbard

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Let yourself be in charge.

When I began working for myself I had a lot to figure out. I had always been an employee and did things mostly the way the place I worked at wanted it done. I didn’t have much say. And when I began working for myself, I was afraid to make mistakes.

A key learning for me was that I was in charge of what I did or didn’t do and how I did it (aka getting things perfect). And by making mistakes I was learning and by learning I was growing. I was learning how to be in charge.

After I realized that I was standing in the way of my own success, it was easy to change how I did things. And it was easy to be able to be in charge of my results. My results then lead to my success.

Where in your business are you not letting yourself be in charge?

Where can you step into being 100% in charge of what you get out of your life and your business?

Are you stuck? Not sure where to begin? Feeling like you can’t stop being a perfectionist? Set up a free 30 minute session with me and we’ll work together to put yourself 100% in charge! Click here to be on your way.

Filed Under: Business Mastery, Empowerment, Personal Development, Productivity, Reaching Goals, Time Management Tagged With: , , , ,

How to end a lifetime of procrastination

June 6, 2018 By

Let’s not re-invent the wheel, let’s change it completely.

When it comes to procrastination what is the first thing that comes to your mind?

Did you think about all the things that you still need to do? And then did you think to yourself “argh, I’m such a loser because I can’t seem to get anything done?” Or did you look off to the side with a sigh feeling defeated?

I’ve got such great news for you. There is no such thing as procrastination. It’s just a word! One that isn’t totally positive nor productive. It’s like a label on a jar that tells you your have Skippy peanut butter rather than Jif. That is ALL it is.

Now, how does that concept grab ya? My invitation to you today is for you to 1) stop using the word procrastination and 2) give it another meaning. As in let’s change it completely from here on out. What do you say, are you game?

When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. – Dr. Wayne Dyer

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Changing the way we look at procrastination.

Dr. Wayne Dyer is known to have said:  “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.”

A lot of my clients first arrive in my world because they want to change something that isn’t working or that they want to improve on. Many think that they are procrastinators and can’t seem to do what they need to do to get to where they want to get.

I’m going to introduce you to a word that I know you have heard before (probably many times) yet maybe haven’t thought about how it could be playing a major role in your life and in your business.

It’s AVOID. You know as in you are avoiding looking at your bills each month when they come in (and next thing you know you owe a late fee). Or you are in avoidance of taking an action that you said you wanted to do such as go to the gym, get more sleep or even go to a networking event.

When you can look at your procrastinating as really avoiding it makes it easier to actually move from sitting on your bed, looking at your phone, reading and having coffee (see I chose today’s photo for a purpose =). And it gets you into action. That action that you know deep down will get you to where you want to go!

Making the change, getting yourself to take action.

Well then, you are changing how you look at what you have been looking at. You are now going to look at all the things that are left undone and get them done. Now let’s move on to the meat of the matter so you can figure out why you may be avoiding getting things done.

First of all, you may not truly need to get those things done. You may really want to just let them go. You can do that you know.

Second, you may not even want to get them done and in that case, you can let those go too.

Are you ready…

Here are a few ways for you to begin to change how you look at where you have been so you can get to where you are going:

  • Make a list of all the undone tasks. List out everything you have left undone. A few examples may be:
    • washing your interior car windshield
    • updating your monthly finances
    • paying your bills
    • calling a prospect
    • empty the shredder
    • give the dog a bath
    • make a dentist appointment
  • Put a star next to those that you deem important. Then go back over those and ask yourself, 1) do I need to do this and 2) do I want to do this? If you say no – you can delete or delegate it. If you say yes (and for the record your reason why you feel it is important has no bearing here) your next step is to do it, but first…
  • Ask yourself why you think you are avoiding this task. This is where the beauty comes up. You will (more than likely) find that you immediately know the answer. Let’s take the example of washing the interior car windshield because it’s my challenge. I am avoiding this because it’s awkward to do, the windshield is pretty big and I can’t seem to get the bottom nor the sides well and end up seeing lots of streaks which I do not like.  Hence, I will drive around with a windshield that I can barely see out of (especially at night) because of my thoughts around it. Are you laughing yet? I can almost bet you that windshield will be clean by end of that day. Why?…
  • Once you know why you are avoiding a task, it’s no longer an obstacle. It’s the knowing why that can get us moving, in a small or big way. I won’t go into breaking steps down here yet it’s key to do that for you to be successful in moving forward. My first step would be to get the supplies to clean the windshield and then I can begin that action.

Don’t forget to give yourself a high five.

T. Harv Eker is a great proponent of giving yourself a high five. You’ll feel great completing what you had been putting off. And by celebrating you create a “get it done muscle” making it easier to keep going.

So what do you think? Are you ready to move out of procrastination, by look at what you are avoiding so that you get to what you want to do so you can get to where you want to be?

Sometimes the easiest thing is to have someone help you. I’d love to be that someone. You already know I’ve been there and I work with people just like you who have been there too so I know I can help you get out of being and feeling stuck.  Set up a free 30 minute session and you’ll be able to create the time for what’s important in your life! Click here to be on your way.

 

Filed Under: Business Mastery, Empowerment, Personal Development, Productivity, Reaching Goals, Time Management Tagged With: , , , ,
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