Posts Tagged ‘productivity’

Committing Your Dreams to Paper…and Beyond!

Posted on: December 20th, 2012 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

“Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.”
   –  Virgil Garnett Thomson

Is there one improvement—even a small one–to help your business run more efficiently or effectively? If you have an Oprah Aha! moment (“a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension”), make note of it, so you can take action in the New Year. Once you commit your brilliant idea to paper, your brain will begin to percolate some next steps.

When you see friends, don’t be afraid to verbalize your ideas or share your hopes and dreams. Your holiday cocktail conversations will be more stimulating! Good friends will support you and tell you that you’re not crazy. They may even hold you accountable, but don’t let that scare you. It will keep you moving forward and help you take the next step–whether it’s big or small.

So start thinking about what you need or want to accomplish in 2013!

DON’T FORGET!

If you use a paper planner or family calendar, remember to pick up a new one for 2013. Mark down new appointments now, so they’re not forgotten.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST!

It’s OK to say NO to a request–especially during the holidays–if you’re already too busy. And DON”T FEEL GUILTY



Eat That Frog Part 3

Posted on: November 13th, 2012 by Cathy Mendler No Comments


Have you heard the expression “Eat That Frog” before? It’s the phrase that Brian Tracy uses “as a metaphor for tackling the most challenging task of your day.”

Many of us procrastinate when it comes to getting started on tasks we don’t really want to do. I’d like to share some information from EAT THAT FROG! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time (ISBN 978-1-57675-422-1)–one of my favourite productivity books.

In our September and October issues, I shared the first 14 ways on Brian’s list. Here are the last seven!

15. Maximize your personal power: Identify your periods of highest mental…energy each day, and structure your most important and demanding tasks around these times. Get lots of rest so you can perform at your best.

16. Motivate yourself into action: Be your own cheerleader. Look for the good in every situation. Focus on the solution rather than the problem. Always be optimistic and constructive.

17. Get out of the technological time sinks: Use technology to improve the quality of your communications, but do not allow yourself to become a slave to it. Learn to occasionally turn things off and leave them off.

18. Slice and dice the task: Break large, complex tasks down into bite-sized pieces, and then do just one small part of the task to get started.
Create large chunks of time: Organize your days around large blocks of time where you can concentrate for extended periods on your most important tasks.

19. Develop a sense of urgency: Make a habit of moving fast on your key tasks. Become known as a person who does things quickly and well.

20. Single handle every task: Set clear priorities, start immediately on your most important task, and then work without stopping until the task is 100 percent complete. This is the real key to high performance and maximum personal productivity.”

I hope you have found a few of Brian’s 21 ways useful to help you stop procrastinating and get more things done faster!

Take action and EAT THAT FROG!