Archive for the 'Time Management' Category

by Self Storage
The other day someone told me that they never used the internet for online shopping. I couldn’t believe it. I though everyone was on the online shopping bandwagon. Though studies show that people over 65 years old and kids less than 15 years old are unlikely to use the internet for online shopping, this person is in his thirties. When I asked him why he doesn’t use the internet for online shopping , his answer caused a bit of a debate with the dangers of online shopping versus the dangers of regular shopping. He believed online shopping was unsafe and I was ready to rebuttal.

Like my friend, most people afraid of online shopping worry about identity theft and other scams; they fail to see the dangers associated with real world shopping. Online shopping is done sitting by eating chips and drinking beer on your couch while watching Sunday football games. Traveling to a shopping mall on a busy Sunday afternoon runs the risk of getting into a car accident. Have you ever seen the traffic around a shopping mall on any given Sunday? Minivans full of screaming kids whose parents denied them a Playstation video game clog up the roadways. These parents are distracted and can’t focus on the road.

Another argument is online shopping is vulnerable to identity and financial theft. But how many newspaper stories have you read about people getting mugged in the mall or in the mall parking lot. I bet every week you can find at least two in the local police blotter. Meanwhile millions of online shoppers make purchases everyday. The odd that you will be picked as a target are very slim if you take extra precautions. When a mugger steals your wallet or purse, he not only gets all of your money, your identification and credit cards are his too. An online thief might be able to find your personal information but he can not get your actual credentials. Also, can you fully trust the cashier with your credit card and check numbers? What is stopping them for steeling your identity and information?

So far we just went over the safety benefits of online shopping versus regular mall shopping. Here are a few more pluses for online shopping.

You might have to wait for your product to arrive in the mail when online shopping, but you don’t have to wait in line. I consider waiting in line a waste of my precious time.

Shopping online avoids annoying sales people who attempt to sell you things you are not interested in.

How about those annoying surveyors who just want a moment of your time, but there definition of a moment is 5 times 20.

Depending on where you shop, parking can be quite expensive. In cities where space in limited, so is free parking. Parking your bum on the couch if free. You may argue that shipping costs out way the parking costs, but many online shopping companies offer free shipping. Also, when you purchase a product from out of state, usually tax is eliminated.

So, to those who are still online shopping phobes, wake up and see the advantages of online shopping versus mall shopping. As a society we are accustomed to mall shopping; therefore, we tend to overlook the dangers. Online shopping is still relatively new, so the dangers advertised.

Offline shopping vs. Online shopping

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by Paula Eder
Time management becomes stress management as you enhance your communication skills. Were you taught delegation skills that foster resentment? Take this simple quiz to find out. 5 Delegating Power Principles can transform your personal effectiveness in every area of your life.

• Take this quiz to discover your delegating style.

• Explore how your methods match up with traditional and new delegating practices.

• Learn how the 5 Delegating Power Principles optimize the use of your time and others’ time as well.

Delegating Quiz

When I delegate, I (will):

1. (T F) Assign the tasks to those who have open time in their schedule.

2. (T F) Grant progressively more authority to accomplish the goals as they furnish results.

3. (T F) Provide them with step by step instructions how to accomplish the tasks, based on my personal experience of what works best.

4. (T F) Check in with them often to ensure they are proceeding the right way.

5. (T F) Let them know that future assignments depend upon their not making mistakes, to stimulate their incentive.

If you have answered “True” to the preceding questions, you have learned well from prior generations of taskmasters. However, you may not be happy with your results. All too often, this traditional approach generates frustration and gobbles up time, because it fails to take into consideration 5 important principles:

5 Delegating Power Principles

1. There is enormous variety in people’s aptitudes. The more fully you appreciate this, the more likely you are to handpick the person whose strengths match your job at hand.

2. Give the responsibility to meet a goal and the full power needed to bring about the desired result simultaneously, at the beginning. Encourage the person to let you know if they need more authority or support of any kind to get the task completed.

3. What works well for you may not work well for others. Allow your delegates to find their own way. Assign tasks in terms of goals, not methods, and encourage your assistants to call upon their own strengths and creativity to meet your objective.

4. Different people thrive under different levels of supervision. You can cooperatively work out a system of checking in with one another. When you invest time in constructive, consensual review, you will enjoy rich dividends. You and your colleagues will find this much more enjoyable and productive than old-style hovering!

5. When you allow room for mistakes, you allow room for new discoveries. You encourage your support system to do its best when you support some experimenting. When you extend latitude and good will, your assistants will respond with increased confidence, cooperation and loyalty.

Paula Eder, Ph.D., the Time Finder, has 35+ years experience guiding individuals and organizations to effectively align values with their time choices. For free weekly time tips & an award-winning Ezine, visithttp://www.findingtime.net

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by Ryan Kiew
Many people suffer from the habit of procrastination, even highly motivated individuals fall into the trap of postponing their important tasks that has to be done. Watching the exciting movie on DVD or reading that interesting new book always sounds much better and easier than getting started on the new project or task!

Often, the main reason why people put off doing things is that they find the task too daunting, difficult, complicated, painful or that they are just plain lazy and unmotivated. But when there are things that just need to be done, any delays will just prolong the agony of not doing it as you will just end up with tighter deadlines and less and less resources and flexibility to complete the task as time passes.

I mean you can do all sorts of other things such as planning a reward for yourself for completion of the task or breaking the task into more simpler steps to make it seem easier, but all this the planning, preparation amounts to nothing if you do not even get started! There are many ways to tackle the bad habit of procrastination, but one that I find most effective is this:

JUST GET STARTED!

Yes, it is as simple as that.

In fact, I find that putting yourself into action is the best motivator! By forcing yourself into action, the physiological change will trigger your mind to refocus on completing the task at hand, thus blocking out all other distractions, excuses and doubts that you might have. Once you pass the most difficult hurdle of getting started, everything will start falling into place and gets much easier as you build yourself both the physical and mental momentum needed to see the task to success. No kidding because I’ve experienced this myself many many times too as I also suffer from the bad habit of procrastination.

Therefore, since this is the time for wrapping up year 2007 and setting new goals for year 2008, the best way to making sure that you achieve your goals for 2008 is to just get started! NOW is the best time to get into ACTION!

More tips on how you can Achieve the Breakthrough Success that you Need!My Personal Blog is at Prospecting LIFE.

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by Rochelle Togo-Figa
I’m the first to say that it’s important to invest in yourself to grow your business. As a solo business owner, I’m always interested in learning new ways to grow my business and help my clients. I know that by learning the latest products and cutting edge information, I have more to offer my clients.

However, recently I noticed I was spending more time outside my office attending workshops than working on my business. I would return from a workshop filled with new ideas. I’d create another long “to do” list to add to my previous “to do” list, not sure when I’d get to all of it. There seemed so much to do and so little time to do it. I realized it was time to put the brakes on, slow down, and take a step back.

I was so busy doing, doing, doing, I wasn’t making the time to absorb and implement everything I’ve learned. Nor was I taking the time “to stop to smell the roses.” Sound familiar to you? You find yourself with all these great ideas, yet pulled in so many different directions that it begins to feel overwhelming.

One of the advantages of being a business owner is that you get to design your business the way you want it. So it’s time to give yourself a break, cuz you’re the boss! Here’s 5 ways to get started.

1. Ask yourself, “Which of these tasks is going to move me closer to my goals?”

   You’ve got a number of projects you’re trying to finish. You can’t possibly do everything you need to do. Some things are just not going to get done.

   Then make a list of all the things you have to do. Prioritize all the items, listing the most important on top down to the least important at the bottom.

   Now you can start working on the most important realizing you probably won’t get to the bottom. And, that’s okay because they can’t be very important or they would have been listed at the top.

2. Take a deep breath, stop what you’re doing and step away.

   There are times when work can seem so overwhelming. You feel like everything is coming at you at once. You’re not sure what pile to start on first.

   Even if it’s only for a few minutes, step away from your desk, and do something different. When you return, you’ll feel calmer and more focused.

3. Make your weekends your own private time to take care of yourself.

   Often on Sunday afternoons, I’ll go up to my office, open up my computer and start working. I’ll tell myself I’m doing this so I can be ahead of my workload except there’s always the next thing to do.

   This past Sunday, I did things differently. I decided I was not going to work. Instead, I sat out on my terrace and immersed myself in a great fiction book I’ve been dying to read. What a great feeling to read something totally unrelated to work, and I can’t wait to read the next chapter!

4. Block out time on your calendar to nurture your mind and soul.

   For me it’s working out at the gym 3 times a week. For you, it could be taking a walk, jogging in the neighborhood, practicing yoga, journaling your thoughts each morning, meditating daily, or reading a good juicy book.

   Even if it’s only for a few minutes, give yourself “special time.” You’ll find yourself more relaxed and focused when you return to your office.

5. As you start to plan next year’s business and personal goals, make sure to block off vacation time and write those dates in your calendar now.
   

As a solo entrepreneur, you have to consciously make the time to enjoy life and smell the roses. If you don’t do that for yourself, no one else is going to! And, doing that has to be a priority.

By taking my own advice, something pretty amazing happened! I got 2 new sales without being at my computer. Also, the phone started ringing with people interested in working with me. Of course, I had all my systems in place that made this all the more easy.

Now that you know the steps to take to give yourself a break, you may want some help putting it all together. If you’re interested in having a plan that will change your mindset about selling forever, multiply your sales and bring in lots more clients, your first step is to sign up for your 45-Minute Sales Breakthrough Session with me. I will walk you through a step-by-step process that will eliminate any barriers you have to achieving sales success, personally give you one-on-one sales strategies that fit you and your business, and provide valuable and proven sales tips and tools to accelerate your sales.

© Rochelle Togo-Figa

Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of “The Sales Breakthrough System™”, a proven step-by-step process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To learn more about Rochelle’s services and to receive a FREE copy of her special report, “43 Ways to Close More Sales”, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com

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by President of WealthyStudent.co.uk
Why it’s a good idea to start increasing your productivity and destroy Facebook addiction!

There are certain things that are synonymous with being a student…

- Heavy drinking and late nights
- Casual sex
- Turning up late to lessons or missing them altogether
- Leaving essays till the night before
- Sharing a kitchen and bathroom with 8 people
- Paying no council tax
- Living on a budget

In the last year or so there has been one more added thing that students do, that is…

- Checking Facebook 35 times a day!

The stats don’t lie! Facebook is ranked number 2 by Alexa in the UK and it doesn’t lie far behind Google at number 1.

FACT: Increasing productivity is paramount to success at University and after University.

Students are addicted to poking, tagging, graffiti-ing, joining groups and writing on walls.

The thing is, none of these things are that useful. Are they? Well, it could be argued that poking could possibly lead to sex and that is pretty useful. Also, wall writing is good to keep in touch but whatever happened to picking up the phone and hearing the sound of another human voice?

The point of this article is to increase your productivity and stop wasting your time. I am not asking that you delete your Facebook profile because it definitely has its uses.

I think most people are missing a trick with Facebook. The social networking phenomena means that you can get in touch with your classmates quickly and easily, thereby increasing your productivity.

Why not set up a Facebook discussion group for help with essay questions? Discussing essays, swapping ideas, exchanging lecture notes and reading other peoples worth will INCREASE the marks you get. It could be difference between a 2:1 and a first.

Did you know about these Facebook applications that will help increase your productivity? (And some that are just useful!)

Task Master
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2427507431&ref=s

Calendar
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2359167966&ref=s

Zoho Office 2004 Test Drive User http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2380274266&ref=s

Causes
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2318966938&b&ref=pd

Cookbook http://apps.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2218649947&b

The key to increasing your productivity and destroying Facebook addiction is to have goals. Set these goals and envisage what it will be like when you hit them.

We have set up key tasks that you need to achieve in increasing your productivity.

Managing your time might seem to be an overwhelming task, but fear not: when you know what to do and what to prioritize, you will be able to schedule your day more efficiently.

1. Make a List. List down all the things that need to be accomplished. Examples are: essay done, going swimming and doing the shopping. Whatever task you need to get done, always start with listing them down. Seeing them lined up helps you keep these tasks in mind. Use the taskmaster application in Facebook.

NOTE: If you sign up to our weekly email at WealthyStudent.co.uk, we’ll let you know of some FREE software that will increase your productivity by 300%
2. Prioritize. Once you have written down the things to do, start ranking the entries according to the most important or the most urgent. Prioritize the tasks according to the time/deadline by which you have to do the task. If some tasks have do not have a deadline, prioritize according to the most important, or the most profitable. Knowing what to prioritize will keep stress away because you know you are in control of your day.

3. Set the Timer. After prioritizing, make a clear deadline on every activity that you will do before you get overwhelmed and forget the other things that need to be done

4. Discipline Yourself. Once you have started something, have the discipline to finish it. If you have set a specific time limit for an activity, stick to it unless you really need to extend. Get things done and when you DO get things done, reward yourself. Watch some TV, take a break, do something different

5. Stop procrastinating. Although relaxing is a good way to pause from all your activities, doing it excessively would definitely have you crying over lost hours. Say “No”. Stop overloading yourself. If you are overbooked, then simply say “NO”. Be kind to yourself. You only have 24 hours a day, and no matter how good you are in managing your time, if your schedule is already full, squeezing in more would simply be torture. Increase your productivity today!

6. Make it a Habit. Sticking to your plan may be easier said than done, but you can make it feasible if you will stretch your patience a bit. Sure, it’s hard to juggle all your activities given only 24 hours in a day, but once you make it a habit to plan every activity, then stick to your schedule; it will be easier on you in the long run.

Increasing your productivity as a student is a great skill to have and can even be stuck on your CV.

It is a skill that can be applied to the workplace and will make you a much more valuable employee.

Just imagine what a managing director of a company is going to think of you if you can hold down a part-time job, fit in 40 hours study, be part of the sports team and still have an active social life?

Gold dust. That’s what they’ll think of you. Trust me.

Increasing your productivity will make you a happier person; you’ll accomplish more in life. Although you think Facebook might cheer you up a little occasionally with the odd poke and funny photo tag, it’s nothing compare to living an accomplished and successful life.

Keep on being the best.

This article was written by Steve Burford of WealthyStudent.co.uk. Visit us and sign up for the email, you will get a free e-book which will lead you to some free software to save even more time! It will increase your productivity by 300%

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by gerard odonovan
Having been a self-development trainer for many years I have come to the conclusion that when looking at the many life skills that humans need to master in order to mould for themselves a joyous, fulfilling and creative life, accelerated learning skills are probably the most important of all. Not only do these skills make a huge difference to the individual, they also have a massive impact on the corporate sector. The annual figure spent on corporate training is colossal and yet without the implementation of these foundation skills it is apparent that the vast majority of this money, representing thousands of pounds, is being totally wasted.

As opposed to the ‘one career’ life typical of yesteryear, in today’s age most people are being required to make several changes during their working life. It is predicted by Charles Handy, Professor of Economics, that in the generation to come it will not be unusual for someone to have between 5 and 7 completely separate careers. This means that not only must we be adept at change, but also comfortable and confident amongst this constant bombardment of new information and demand for learning. It is already the case that ‘intellectually’ talented people demand higher salaries than those that are ‘physically’ advantaged, and this will be increasingly so in the work environment that is developing.

In this ever-changing world with its fast pace, uncertainty and job insecurity, the only thing that is certain is uncertainty itself. In almost all occupations knowledge is doubling every 2-3 years meaning that someone who is fully qualified in the year 1999 might find their qualifications woefully inadequate by the year 2002.

As the economy in the world shifts, people who are appropriately educated will tend to do best and the premium that society will pay for such skills will climb. ‘Appropriate’ education will be increasingly biased towards the incorporation of accelerated learning techniques, which will provide the core skills necessary to succeed and grow in the years to come. It is important that you look upon life as a lifelong adventure, and appreciate that the future belongs to those who are prepared to change and learn, and that to stand still is really to go backwards

The most important aspect of learning is being proficient in how to learn. Once you can master this ability, no new project, language or situation will again overwhelm you. And once you possess the basic techniques then, like riding a bicycle, they will be with you forever, meaning ‘the world is your oyster’.

To increase your effectiveness in studying in this new age of information overload must you just push yourself harder? Fortunately, the answer is NO. Rising stress levels caused by the need to acquire boundless information forced a study of this issue and a search for solutions. The result was the set of principles developed by academics and known internationally as ‘accelerated learning’. This uses some of the recent advances in cognitive science and offers an exciting new prospective on harnessing the whole brain’s phenomenal capabilities. Accelerated learning offers ways to unlock an amazing array of cognitive skills.
• Exponentially increased abilities for gathering, storing, comprehending, synthesising, sorting, implementing and retaining new-found knowledge.
• Improved concentration and efficiency for stress-free learning.
• Better strategic, critical and creative thinking.
Paradoxically, the strategy to access your huge hidden capabilities is not simply to push yourself harder but to work much more closely with your own hidden mind. Since these concepts are different from most traditional approaches to learning accelerated learning has developed avenues to greatly facilitate whole and direct brain function. Accelerated learning improves our approach to study through learning, research and theory and the laws governing the functioning of the brain. And uses techniques that tap into your brain’s amazing and awesome capabilities.

But before considering entering upon the study of accelerated learning skills you should assess yourself — do you possess the two fundamental characteristics necessary without which you cannot even begin to develop yourself to your greatest potential?
1. A genuine desire to want to learn, and
2. A strong seated belief in your ability to learn.
Without fulfilling these basic criteria all the techniques and skills in the world will be of no use whatsoever and you will never fully develop.

So, what are Accelerated Learning Techniques? They are seven pillars, which combine to effectively provide a profoundly efficient and stress-free method of learning. These are:-
• Understanding the power of the mind and how it works
• Recognising the nine intelligence ‘types’ and identifying your own
• Using mind maps
• Using music
• Speed reading
• Developing effective memory techniques
• Knowing how to study and learn

POWER OF THE MIND. Amazing as it sounds, it is only in the last 150 years that scientists have pinpointed where our brain is, and the last 15-18 years that they have begun to have a proper understanding of how it functions. Dr David Samuels of the Weizmamn Institute estimated that underlying the brain’s basic range of activities up to 1 million chemical reactions take place every minute. There is a minimum of 1,000,000,000,000 (one million million) individual neurons or nerve cells. This figure becomes even more amazing when you realise that each of your neurons can interact with up to 100,000 other neurons in many ways at any one time. In fact, it has recently been estimated that the number of permutations may be 1 followed by 800 zeros. A number too enormous to think about. There really are no limitations whatsoever to the power of your brain. It is limitless.

INTELLIGENCE is not fixed but is a set of abilities and skills applied in a given context. A person can excel in one situation, displaying impressive intelligence and yet appear at a complete loss in another situation. Evaluated at its most basic level intelligence could be described as the ability to Learn — Retain — Recall — Apply. However, studied more closely, Professor Howard Gardner came up with the theory of multiple intelligences and it is now widely accepted that there are nine different ‘types’ of intelligence —
• linguistic/language
• mathematical/logical
• musical
• physical
• inter-personal
• intra-personal
• visio-spacial
• naturist
• spiritual.

Unfortunately, the educational system of today is derived from the 1830’s Prussian system, which addresses and values only two of these intelligence types — linguistic/language and mathematical/logical - and sadly fails those who fall into one of the many other categories. By identifying your own natural type of intelligence you are able to develop it to its full potential. Beyond this, it is also possible to learn how to consciously exploit your full range of intelligences; a technique that ensures balanced learning, and the ability to think in new and different ways.

MIND MAPPING is one of the fundamental keystones to accelerated learning. It is an invaluable device developed by Tony Buzan for learning, retaining, recalling and applying information, which is designed to use the whole brain. It will strengthen or develop your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. Indeed, mind mapping is such a powerful tool that it can revolutionise your complete approach to work and life, allowing you to adapt a more dynamic, proactive approach to life and enhance your creativity. Mind mapping breaks away from the traditional method of ‘linear learning’ (eg writing in lines) and uses patterns that work more efficiently with your ‘multi-dimensional’ brain. If one had to choose just one of the accelerated learning skills it is mind-mapping that would have the most profound effect upon ones life.

LISTENING TO MUSIC that you enjoy is an uplifting experience, harmonising body and soul. However, used properly it is also an invaluable tool for effortlessly easing new information into your long-term memory. Music can mimic the brain’s wavelength when it is in the receptive state for learning. The left half of the brain relates to the music’s rhythm and sounds and the right side identifies with the textures of each sound. Therefore, learning new words or information against a set musical pattern unites left brain activity (words) and right brain activity (music). For example, Bulgarian educator, Dr Georgi Lozanov, in his pioneering work with accelerated learning techniques carried out extensive studies that demonstrated how Baroque music’s steady tempo of 60 beats per minute parallels the brains wavelength when in a state of relaxed alertness, called Alpha, and is conducive to learning and retention.

SPEED READING is a technique which is governed by understanding how the eye interacts with the brain, recognising memory rhythms and adapting your reading speed for different reading matter. The average person reads at the rate of 240 words per minute, and yet, it is quite possible to obtain the skill of reading up to 2000 or more words per minute. The problems typically experienced by people include lack of concentration, poor recall, unsatisfactory level of understanding, limited attention span and the inability to deal with distractions. Many of these problems are routed in the traditional method of reading you were taught as a child. By re-adjusting this method most of these problems are eliminated and you can become not only a faster reader but a better one.

MEMORY. The belief that memory worsens with age is a fallacy. In fact, the memory is like a muscle; the more it is used, the better it gets. And vice versa. So it is important to learn how to utilise your natural learning style to ease memory recall. According to the 80/20 rule which is taken from Perato’s Law (Alfredo Perato, Italy, 1895) the average person loses 80% of what is learnt within 24 hours, because it is not learned correctly. By learning the differing techniques and systems available to improve memory skills, you can ensure that facts learned are locked into long term memory.

HOW TO LEARN AND STUDY. Preparation is vital to any task. To enable effective learning to take place painlessly you must first prepare the mind. Accelerated learning techniques will show you how to gather information, without overload, sifting important information from the superfluous. The unique M.A.S.T.E.R. system will effectively enable you to fearlessly approach all future learning.
• M — Prepare the mind for learning
• A — Acquire the information
• S — Search out the meaning
• T — Trigger the memory
• E — Exhibit what you know
• R — Reflect on how you learned

An increasing number of companies are feeling the economic strain of providing necessary training, and are realising that much of the money invested in this vital area is not justified by the subsequent results. Returning to people who have attended courses after periods of one, three and six months, it is devastatingly apparent that very little of the course learning has been retained, and even less implemented. If 80% of learning is so rapidly lost it means that effectively 80% of the training budget is wasted. Therefore, it is essential that the basic skills of learning be absorbed first so that subsequent training is worthwhile. People need to have an understanding of how the brain works so that they can use it in the most effective way, and once they have established the skills incorporated within accelerated learning techniques they will find their life very much enhanced. Not only will it help them in their work but many other aspects of their life.

Written by Gerard O’Donovan Founder of Noble Manhattan coaching Ltd http://www.noble-manhattan.comCEO of the European coaching Institute http://www.europeancoachinginstitute.com Europe’s leading executive coach http://www.gerardodonovan.com

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by Lee
10 Questions For The New Year… And Then Some
(Shaping My Life Through The Beauty Of Self Discovery)
© Lee Wise All rights reserved

1. Where do I need to give myself some slack or extend forgiveness to my own VIP — as in me?

I start with this question for the purpose of beginning a realistic review designed to provide hope as opposed to any remote sense of crushing defeat.

2. What did I do well this past year?

State at least your top three.
Should you list more?

3. In view of the items identified in response to the previous question, ask yourself: how should I (or could I) continue to excel in the areas I named?

Quick: name at least three ideas!

4. Is there anything I need to stop doing?

This could be…

A self destructive habit that hurts myself or others,

Something that is taking/wasting way too much time,

A negative way of thinking,

Or an unrealistic goal that needs to be laid to rest.

5. What is my greatest asset in my role as a ________ (you select the role), and how can I capitalize on it in the coming year?

I suggest that your “how” should be believable in your eyes.

In other words, I suggest any planned steps of action being far enough “ahead” of you to challenge and inspire productive thinking and acting — but not too far.

In my way of thinking a great response might be:

“That would sure push me, but I can see it happening.”

6. What enjoyable/refreshing break could be (or should be) set aside in my calendar right now?

I mean by this making what *needs* to happen… happen.

For instance, my wife and I just took a look at our calendars, made the commitment to take time off no matter what, called the resource, and committed ourselves to expending the funds.

Why? Because we *had* to.

7. Is there a discipline in my life that needs to be improved upon or seriously revisited this year?

Physical?
Spiritual?
Emotional?

8. When I think about making a difference or being a positive influence in my world, how could I do that?

Obviously, phrases such as “giving back” or “making a contribution” come to mind when reflecting on this question.

Remember: simple can be significant.

9. What are my “grateful ten?”

As you reflect on the previous year, *what* and *who* are you most grateful for?

Name your top ten.

10. Who needs to hear from me?

This could be for your benefit or theirs.

Could/should someone be brought into your world because they would inspire, motivate or train you?

On the other hand…

Should you join someone else’s life journey to inspire, motivate or train them?

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by
If there is one thing you can never get enough of, it’s time. There seems to never be enough time to do what we need to do, let alone what we want to do. No matter how much we try, we cannot make time fit our needs, so it seems the only other option is to try to make our to do list fit the time that we have.

If you have a part-time online business, this is especially important. My guess is that if you have a part-time business on the net, then you already have something taking up most of your time whether it be a job or full-time studies. Either way, you are busy and your business needs constant attention. There are things that your business needs you to do and identifying them is the first step in getting on track.

Start by listing the daily tasks that absolutely have to be completed for the success of your business. These will include checking stats if you have a website, checking and responding to emails and sending out products ordered by your customers if you have physically products. You will also need to include such things as checking on the effects of your marketing efforts. If you are using ads or banners or other means to bring people to your site, these will need to be monitored as well. It will become necessary to adjust and focus your marketing tasks, so this time will need to accounted for. It will be up to you as to how much time you want to spend on these tasks.

Next, you will need to identify the occurrences that pull you away from your work. Running a home business on the internet can be exciting and full of possibility, but the internet can be very distracting. You may find yourself way off track and closing in on a deadline. It may be helpful to create a digital file with your links to save time typing them out. The use of bookmarks in your browser can help you with this. All your tools can be listed in one place for you to go to with great ease.

Keeping a tidy workspace can help time-related issues. File necessary documents immediately and get rid of junk mail as soon as it comes in. You may not want to stay at a desk in which papers and want not are piled as they get shifted from one place to another. Keep your business documents as orderly as possible, this will save more time that you realize.

If you find yourself with time on your hands after all the steps you have taken to do what needs to be done, then that is the time to brainstorm about building on or expanding or marketing, etc. if you so choose. In every venture, there is room for improvement. Take some notes, write down some of the things you would like to see happen and how you can go about making them happen. Analyze the overall picture of your home business and determine if any changes need to be made.

For more information on time management, visit 14 Days to Total Time Control Celesta Penney is the owner of AtHomeWorkInfoSite.com and writes on several topics relating to home business and online business tools. Find more work from author at www.AtHomeWorkIdeas.com.

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by William Winch
If you are a home-based business owner without a schedule or have one that is not productive, chances are good that you go to sleep every night wishing that there was more time in the day. If you just had an extra three hours, you could really speed up your momentum and kick everything into high gear. Well, you’re on the right track by wishing that, but the answer is not more hours. The answer is time management and your need to successfully grasp the concept of it.

Imagine if you worked for a large company like Xerox and you were in charge of their entire marketing campaign. If you didn’t delegate responsibility by giving each person the one task that needed to be done in order to make the company run smoothly, you would probably be fired. When you own your own home-based business, you have to delegate all of that responsibility to yourself. It’s not easy, but it can be done and done well.

Here a 5 important tips to help you successfully set a schedule that will explode your home-based business.

1. Think Like A CEO, Work Like An Employee
Since you own your own company, you have to successfully wear two hats. One that allows you to think like a CEO and the other like an employee. You want to reap the rewards like a boss would, but you can’t work like one or else you will go broke. You have to work like an employee to make decent profits. No one gets rich taking half the day off to play golf. That is something you do after you make the money.

The first crucial decision you must make is how much time are you willing to put into your business each day. A CEO would put in about an hour. An employee would put in a full 8-hour day with over-time. The balance you feel comfortable with depends on how serious you are to make things happen, and how fast you want to make things happen in order to reach your goals. All stores have hours of operation. How many hours are you willing to be open each day?

2. Focus On What Makes The Difference
If you don’t focus on exactly what it is that needs to be done every single day to make money, your business will not survive long. It has been said that in 100% of all you do, there is only 20% that makes the difference. Can you imaging how successful you would be if you isolated that 20%, then multiplied it by 5 to make up your 100%? Look at whatever tasks get your phone ringing and prospects ordering.

This does not mean you have to contantly work all day long. It means that once you know what works for you, you can turn your business on and work 100% for half a day and reap the same benefits you would working your old schedule for a full week. This will require a great deal of testing on your part, so don’t be discouraged if you can not find your magic formula right away. Every business is different and requires special attention to detail.

3. Make Time For Personal Development
When you work on yourself as much as on your business, you will begin to see results shifting in your favor. We all would like to be good natured all of the time, but unfortunately today’s society focuses more on flaws and mistakes than on good deeds. Personal development keeps the business owner grounded and provides encouragement.

We do not have office parties and co-workers who are on the same playing field to relate with. We need reminders of why it is always important to take the high road and do what is right. Fitting personal development into your daily schedule, even if it is only for a half hour each morning while you are sipping on your tea, will not only keep your attitude up, but it will also keep your momentum up as well.

4. Make Time For Education
This doesn’t mean the monthly visit to the local Holiday Inn for your specific company’s seminar. Most of the time these trainings are only good for boosting moral and do nothing to really educate you on how to successfully be a marketer. You must find time in your schedule to learn something valuable each and every day. This could be anything from listening to a training call from a source outside of your company or practicing a script with a mentor or buddy.

Times change faster than we can keep up with them, and any successful business owner does his or her best to keep up with the new and exciting advancements taking place around them. If you find that the education offered by your company is not offering you anything new to help you grow your business, perhaps it is time to start thinking outside of the box. Network Marketing companies are only really responsoble for providing you with a product to sell. Seeking a program totally focused on showing you how to successfully market anything will be of more value in the long run.

5. Get Your Work Finished First
It is not easy to discipline yourself when you are your own boss. There are always lots of distractions that pull us away from getting our work finished. This used to happen to me all the time because I have many hobbies I enjoy more that making money. My business began to expand when I disciplined myself to get all of my work finished before I did anything else. I used my hobbies as rewards to myself only when my work was finished, or mostly finished. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but when this becomes your focus you will no longer feel that you let the day escape you.

Managing your valuable time and setting your daily schedule accordingly, is an essential ingredient to successfully grow a business and keeping it moving forward. Your time should be focused on whatever works for you to keep bringing prospects in through the use of your products, not on what you like to do. When you learn how to find an audience who has a demand for what you have, and then filling that demand with supply, you can turn minutes into dollars…even when you are not working.

Understanding this is one of the most crucial aspects of buildingd a strong home-based business. Since techniques like this are seldom taught by network marketing training systems, it is also important to have a willingness to change your way of thinking. It could be the difference between success and failure.

William Winch is a Business Growth Specialist whose mission is helping people expand and explode their home-based businesses without breaking the bank. A former High School and College Business Educator and Counselor, he mentors from his home office in Rochester, NY. If you are interested in learning how to explode and expand your home-based business, you can contact William by visiting his website at http://www.thefreemlmpowerreport.com or by calling him directly at (585) 234-5283

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by Kale McClelland
Whether you are a student with a huge amount of reading for your psychology class or you are constantly trying to work your way through a full email inbox at work, you have probably found yourself wishing you could read just a bit faster. Learning how to read faster could definitely have a positive influence on your life. It can help you with better comprehension of what you read and can also help you get through reading in a fraction of the time it used to take you. The following are a few easy techniques that can help you to read faster with better comprehension.

Tip #1 - Time Your Reading Speed Now - The first thing you need to do if you want to read faster is to find out what your current speed of reading is right now. You can go only and find a site that will offer you a speed reading test, or you can have someone time you while you read a passage in a book. When doing this test, make sure that you only read normally so you get an accurate view of how fast you can currently read.

Tip #2 - Don’t Go Over the Same Text - The mistake that many people commonly make is reading a passage and then going back and rereading it to make sure they didn’t skip any important material. This is not something you want to do if you want to achieve a faster rate of speed reading and it’s a habit you must break. To help get an index card and cover the passage you just completed so you are not tempted to go over the material again.

Tip #3 - Avoid Reading to Yourself -There are many people out there that subconsciously read to themselves, either in their head or out loud in a whisper. This is another habit that must be broken because it can slow down your speed reading rate.

Tip #4 - Read Blocks of Words - Reading blocks of words is another speed reading technique that can help you read faster as well. Some words are going to be more important than other words and if you are trying to speed read you’ll need to read groups of words all at one time. Try doing this and you’ll be surprised how much you pick up when you read blocks of words together.

Tip #5 - Practice and Push to Read Faster - One of the best techniques that you can use to improve your reading speed is to practice. Constantly use these tips and when you are reading try to push yourself to read faster than is comfortable for you. This will help to push you out of your comfort zone and will help you to increase your speed of reading.

If you are interested in learning more about speed reading there are various training programs and software available that can help you even more. Remember, reading faster can improve your life, so taking the time to study and learn ways to improve your reading speed is definitely time well spent.

Forget Those Boring Speed Reading Courses - Now You Can DOUBLE Your Reading Speed In Just 16 Minutes Flat. Discover The Fastest Audio Speed Reading Program On The Internet - You Will Double Your Reading Speed In Just One 16-Minute Exercise –> Visit http://www.nitrospeedreading.com.

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