Your Life in Balance? Forget About It.

Rock and The Chick in the outdoor dining area of Chez SD (my backyard)

A few weeks back I was hanging out with my two daughters, The Chick and Rock. It was a beautiful day in the San Gabriel valley, and on such days I like to take them to the park. That day, however, there were a lot of things on my to- do list. 

My plan was to fix them lunch and plant them in front of the tv so I could get some work done. But the beautiful day called to me, so we went outside and had a picnic in the backyard. They loved it. So did I, even if I didn’t accomplish everything on my list. Those girls are always on my list. 

Over the years, I’ve tried to divide my life into priorities and give equal attention to them all: my health, my work, my relationships, my spirituality, my social life and my alone time. 

I’ve never been able to do it. There is always one area that needs more attention than another, and when that gets handled, then another area needs attention. If business is booming, then I haven’t been taking my daily walk. If I’m feeling serene and peaceful because I’m taking alone time, then I probably haven’t been spending enough time with my family. 

Eventually, I realized that nothing is ever always in balance. It’s a pendulum, it seems, swinging from one extreme to the other. And that’s ok, because that’s how life is: in balance for a minute, then out. 

It’s either moving toward summer or winter; when is it balanced? Only twice a year, on the summer and winter solstices. It’s either day or night; when is it balanced? For a short time, twice a day, at dawn and dusk. 

And why would you want to be balanced? If there is balance then there is no motion, no growth, no progress. Balance is stasis, nothing is happening.

Life is a see-saw. One day your up, the next, you’re down.  

Right now I’m in Apple Valley visiting my brother-in-law. There’s a ton of stuff I need to do, including write this. If it was up to me, I’d be working all the time, but as a married guy, it’s not totally up to me is it? So we’re taking a weekend vacation. Keeps the wife happy, gives the kids a break from the routine, and gives me  a chance to record some tunes in my brother-in-law’s recording studio. So the pendulum swings to the other side, but I can be cool with that. 

If you are one of those with lots of leisure time to devote to  every part of your life, then lucky you!  I remember those days.  But if you’re like me, trying to balance a career and  a family with staying  healthy and having  some time for reflection, creativity and spirituality, then  maybe balance isn’t the answer. 

Maybe the answer is to strive for being well-rounded and having a level of satisfaction that  you can live with and be happy with in any particular area. Some areas are going to be more important or impactful than others. Those deserve more time and energy. 

Here’s some ideas that might be helpful: 

• Most of us have numerous roles, interests, and responsibilities which fit into distinct areas of  life.  Decide what these areas of importance are for you. These would be areas you feel you need to put time and energy into to have a successful and well-rounded life. An example would be Paul J.Meyer’s “Wheel of Life” consisting of Financial and Career, Family and Home, Spiritual and Ethical, Social and Cultural, Physical and Health, and Mental and Educational.
• Rate these areas according to your current level of satisfaction and achievement in each. You might use a scale of 1-100 or 1-10.
• What does this tell you? If you have always considered your health to be important but you rate it on the low side, then perhaps at this time health needs more of your attention then you are giving it. Maybe your financial house is well in order, you’ve got some cash in the bank and your score is high in this area. Consider that perhaps it’s time to put some attention into another area that has a low score.
• Create some goals based on those areas of importance that have lower levels of satisfaction and achievement. For example, if you feel that being a lifetime learner is important to you, and you have rated your Mental/Educational area on the low side, then you might think about taking class, reading a book, or taking an online course.
• Revisit your areas of importance  in six months. Has anything changed? Should you continue your present course of focus or is there another area that has become more important or meaningful to you in light of recent events in the past six months? Revisit twice a year.

For your car to get you where you want it to go, you need four good tires, good brakes, gas in your tank and a regular schedule of maintenance. You can ignore any of these for a while, but ignore any one of them for too long and you might soon be in trouble. Instead of striving for balance, just make sure you know what part of your life needs attention and you’ll avoid being stranded by the side of the road.

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.  

TMan

p.s. If you need some help in the life balance area, and we haven’t worked together before, I’ll give you a free hour coaching session if you are one of the first five people to  call me before May 20. 

 Ted A. Moreno

Personal/Small Business Coach

Certified Hypnotherapist

www.TedMoreno.com                                                                       

 (626) 826-0612

10 Time Management Tips I Learned as a “[Former] Struggling Consultant”

Today’s blog is from a guest author, Craig Valine. He is the Independent Business Advisor for the Glazer Kennedy Insiders Circle Chapter here in Pasadena.  Craig has been a great help to me in creating my marketing strategies, and it was on his recommendation that I created this blog and newsletter. In this post, Craig offers some very helpful tips for time management.

10 Time Management Tips I Learned as a “[Former] Struggling Consultant”

By Craig Valine, Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle, Glendale/Pasadena Local Chapter

Craig Valine, "Former Struggling Consultant"

One of the biggest problems I had when I started out as a consultant was managing my time effectively.

 This seems to be a major problem with most consultants and entrepreneurs, but I was bad. I couldn’t manage my projects and I did things that went completely against what I was trying to accomplish. You know, attending networking events that I thought were going to be valuable, only to be wasting an hour to get there, two hours there, and an hour to drive home. (Not a good use of my time!)

 I’ve read a lot of time management books, and I’ve used a lot of different time management systems, like Day-Timer, Franklin-Covey, etc. but they didn’t help me one bit. When I became President of a non-profit a few years back, I found it mandatory that I figure this “time-management thing” out, once and for all.

 I finally did find a book – a book by my very own teacher Mr. Dan Kennedy called “No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs.” It was the book I had been waiting for my whole life.

 Here are ten time management techniques that I adopted as a result of the book, and how I’m using them today:

 1. Tame the phone.

 Here’s a major “kick-in-the-pants” idea: Don’t answer your phone!

 Just because the phone rings doesn’t mean you have to answer it. If it’s super-duper-important, whomever is trying to reach you will call back again and again. But, for those average phonecalls, whether it’s a client or not, don’t let the phone interrupt your flow of work during the day.

 Instead, create a time-slot (or a few), and listen to messages and return phonecalls at YOUR convenience.

 One thing I learned the hard way was, experts are rarely at the beg-and-call of the people who want to do business with them. Being “hard-to-reach” is sometimes a great thing when positioning yourself. But, the main benefit is, you don’t get interrupted while you’re trying to get things done!

 2. Minimize meetings.

 Whatever you must do, stop meeting people at restaurants, Starbuck’s, or other… because they’ll very often keep you waiting. Not only is there the time it takes to travel to meet them (which is not billable), but there’s the time waiting and meeting with them (that’s also not billable).

Your time is valuable. And, when you have to wait for people (or worse, get stood up!), that’s not good for your business.

 Instead, if you’re going to meet someone or some people, have them come to your office first. Then, you can travel together and catch up. The best part of this is, you get to continue to work until they show up.

 If you have to an “off-site” meeting, make sure you bring something to do or read while you’re waiting.

 3. Be punctual.

There’s something to be said about the person who is always late for an appointment. He either doesn’t respect YOU, he’s lazy, or he doesn’t care. That’s not someone you want to do business.

 On the flipside, if you’re late and you don’t call, it shows you don’t respect them.

Practice absolute punctuality.

 4. Make and uses lists.

Every time management program out there uses some sort of lists. But, here are the one’s that help me maximize my day:

•  I have my schedule
• I have my “things to get done” list
• I have my “people to call” list, and
• I have my “personal notes” list (where I write notes for people I speak with on a regular basis)

 As I mentioned above, I have used a lot of different time management systems. But, I’ve found (and it’s sitting right here next to me on my desk) that a yellow pad does the work for me. It’s not complex at all. It’s simple. When I leave my office, I create a tri-fold and stuff it in my jacket pocket for easy reference.

 This tip is simple. But, use it!

 5. Try to link everything you do to your goals.

 One question I ask myself when doing something or asked to do something is,

 — > “How will this get me closer to my goals?”

 When I was a struggling consultant and taking on “crap” work, I would find myself in this pickle all the time. I was doing things outside of my expertise to earn a dollar or two, but it wasn’t helping me reach my goals. I wasn’t the expert. Instead, I was like the handyman, or “jack-of-all-trades”, and that wasn’t positioning me as a million-dollar expert.

 Leverage your time and effort and make sure that the things you are working on are the things that will accelerate your success towards your dreams and goals. If not, get rid of them — or give them to someone who works for you or could work for you.

 Remember, always be asking yourself,

 —– > “Is what I’m doing right now moving me measure closer to my goals?”

 6. Use a “Tickler” file

 This was probably one of my better things to learn and apply. I used to have piles of stuff on my desk that had a deadline or follow-up date attached to it, and I’d forget all about it because I didn’t see it.

 Once I discovered how easy and simple having folders set up in advance with the days of the month written on them for easy follow up, my life literally became stress-free.

 Since then, I’ve created a better system. Here’s the simple idea:

 Get 90 file folders, red numbered 1-30; blue numbered 1-30; green numbered 1-30. This way, you’ve got your follow up program set up for 90 days. Just rotate the colors each month.

 It’s been working for me.. and I’ve rarely forgotten about anything since!

 7. Block your time.

 I was told this one thing and it’s stuck with me ever since. I even teach it to my own clients:

 “The secret to peak productivity is, Make inviolate appointments with yourself.”

 Many consultants I mean say, “I don’t have time for marketing” or “It’s always something that keeps me from getting “X” done.”

 NONSENSE! You’ve got to set appointments with yourself just as you would with your most important client!

 Don’t get distracted. Block out the time you need to get things done. Don’t take phonecalls during that time. Don’t let others interrup you. Block out the time for yourself and get things done!

 8. Minimize unplanned activity.

 I’ve been very guilty of this in the past – and even recently. My friends always call me to meet them for lunch. Although I don’t always go, there are days I go when I know I should be in my office writing or doing productive work. I enjoy meeting with them… but I can’t do it all the time.

 My advice to you… DON’T GET DISTRACTED. In his book, “How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling”, Frank Bettger said he would make time twice a week for unplanned lunches or coffee. If someone called and said, “Hey Frank. Let’s meet for lunch!” and his two available times were booked, he’d politely say, “I’d love to meet you. However, my schedule is booked for this week. Can I schedule for next week on ____.”

 I’ve started doing that and it makes all the difference in my days.

 On a personal note, because I work 1/2 my week out of my home, I get interrupted here all the time. “Hey! Let’s take Mitchell (my son) to the park.” Or, “Can you run to the store and get ____.”

Learn to say “No!”  Do what I do… put a “do not disturb” sign on your door! 

 9. Leverage your “odd-lot” time

 I always carry a book with me wherever I go. In my car I always have several CD’s of seminars or books on tape. I now carry a digital recorder with me so I can create new products or record good ideas.

 Make the best of the time you have nothing to do. Profit by using time waiting for someone or something to happen to do work or catch-up on something that will make you more money or a better person.

 10. Live off peak.

 Do you know I get more done from 8pm to 1am than I do all during my day? It’s true. If you have to travel to work in the morning, why sit in traffic? Work from home in the morning, then go to the office later?

 If you have to do shopping, don’t do it when everyone else is there. Go in the morning right when they open or on a day when it’s the lightest. My family did this a couple of Saturday’s ago at Costco. We were out of there in 30 minutes! Usually, we’d be there for about an hour and half, easily!

 Make the most of your time. YOU are your product. You have to manage your time efficiently to earn the income you deserve. Teach others how to respect your time and you’ll profit undoubtedly.

About the Author: Craig Valine is an Entrepreneurial Marketing Expert, and the Director for the Local Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle (aka “GKIC”) Chapter in Pasadena, CA.  GKIC is a group for entrepreneurs to share “what’s working” in entrepreneurial-style marketing, and get support from other like-minded entrepreneurs to help reach personal and professional goals in the fastest time possible. To learn more, visit http://GlendalePasadenaGKIC.com

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.  

Tman

 Ted A. Moreno

Personal/Small Business Coach

Certified Hypnotherapist

Specializing in Your Success

www.TedMoreno.com                                                                       

 (626) 826-0612

Getting Things Done: The Basics

Many of my hypnotherapy clients come to me for help with procrastination. They want to get more accomplished but they seem to lack the motivation. Most of us want to be more productive, but  with the tremendous demands on our time and attention, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, and looking back at the end of the day, wonder, “Where did the day go, and what did I do with it?”

I used to be a huge procrastinator, turning in papers for school late, renewing my auto insurance and registration on the very last day possible, etc. Yet, I didn’t really have a lot on my plate at the time. (My days consisted mostly of hiking, hackysack, and working when I needed to.)  However, after I started my hypnotherapy practice, got married and  had two kids (Fingers and Matrix Chick), I found my personal productivity kicking into high gear.   These days, in addition to  seeing hypnotherapy clients, I am revamping my website, posting this blog, adding to /cleaning up  my database, creating marketing strategies, attending networking events including my weekly BNI group, working on an on-line smoking product – but wait, I don’t want to bore you with all the things I have to do,  and I haven’t even mentioned spending time with the wife and kids or maintaining a house.

What  I can share with you are some strategies that work for me. I’m certainly no expert in getting things done, but I am getting more done these days   than I ever have. Some of there are self evident, but I forget them myself sometimes, to my detriment, so they bear repeating. Of course, many of these I got from the experts.

There's that toad again, just eat it.

• Get up earlier. Sorry, I don’t like it either. The corrollary to this is  go to bed earlier. I get up before 6 so I can take a half hour walk or jog in the cool morning, before the heat, smog and traffic. I simply can’t do it after my kids wake up. I’ll do some stretching and if I’m lucky, I’ll get a chance to read. It isn’t always easy, but the payoff is well worth it: I feel energized, I have momentum, and I’ve accomplished something meaningful before 7 a.m. Of course, I’m in bed by 11.  I recently sat in front of the tube watching “The Pineapple Express”. When it ended, well after midnight, I found myself grieving the loss of two precious hours of my life watching the story of two stoners. (Needless to say, the next day I got up late and started the day behing the 8 ball.)   Ask yourself, is what your doing the last hour to hour and half of your day really a wise use of your time?   Think of what you can get done with an extra hour in the morning, before phone calls and emails start flooding in. That having been said, I also suggest that you
• Get enough sleep. This is different for everybody. I can get by with 7 hours regularly but not with 6 1/2. You lower your ability to meet daily challenges if you are tired. Lack of energy means lack of motivation. Turn the television off and go to bed.
• Eat three meals a day. Ya gotta eat. Period. If you are skipping meals and not eating for stretches of 5 or 6 hours, your blood sugar is low. Your food is converted into blood sugar, or glucose,  the bodies fuel. The organ the uses the most glucose? Your brain. If you are regularly cranky, impatient, irritable, unable to focus or experiencing  energy highs and lows,  take a look at your diet. (Then see a doctor if appropriate.)
• Take breaks. The mind and body can only be active for so long before they  require a break. You will be more productive if you take regular breaks. Relaxation is as necessary as water and air. Even God took a day off.
• Have a plan. You’ve heard the adage “Nobody plans to fail, they just fail to plan.” Lack of a plan can lead to indecision and the killer time waster of them all, distraction. Get some type of planner and plan your day either last thing at night for the next day or first thing in the morning. Assign what you need to do to specific hours of the day, and include an end time as well.
• Be prepared. Avoid overwhelm by making sure you have everythig you need before you venture out. Assemble necessary media, materials, tools, and have them packed and ready to rock and roll. Fill your gas tank the evening before as opposed to the morning of.  (Everything I need to take my morning walk is ready the night before, including the key that gets me out the back gate. Any noisy fumbling to search for something could wake up Fingers, then I’m dead in the water.)
• Value your time. Set bounderies on interruptions. During a project, limit incoming phone calls to only the most important/necessary, otherwise ignore the phone.  That’s what voice mail is for. Schedule time to check/send  email. I heard about a study recently that stated that stopping to  check your email means that on the average it will be half an hour before you get back to your scheduled project. Watch out for time vampires, such as people that simply want to chit chat or people that would rather get an easy answer from you  than figure it out on their own. You don’t need to be rude, simply say “I’m not available right now, but we can talk at such and such a time, O.K? (Be careful when saying this to your boss or your spouse)
• Eat the toad first. I was at a BNI event and there was a speaker that talked about “eating the toad”. The toad is that task or project that you least want to do, or that will be the most difficult. If you save it for the end of the day, you may  procrastinating it right off your schedule, and the whole day you’ll be thinking “Man, I’ve still got to eat that dang toad…” Do it as soon as possible at the beginning of the day and get it out of the way, freeing up focus and energy.
• Work on projects simultaneously, rather than sequentially. Some people feel that they can’t stop working on a task or project until it’s done, even thougth it doesn’t need to be completed that day. Most of us don’t have the luxury of spending all or a major part of the day working on one thing. Again, schedule start and finish times for ongoing projects and be stringent about following these.  You’ll find that chipping away at each one on a daily basis keeps the momentum going, and allows you to be able to see the big picure instead of getting mired down in details.
• Know thyself. Are you one of those people that can’t speak coherent English until 11 am? Are you ready to curl up under your desk and take a nap at 3 pm? Be aware of your own energy cycles and plan accordingly. I’ve tried balancing my checkbook at 10:30 pm. It doesn’t work. I find myself up until after midnight trying to find the 20 missing dollars that got lost because I was tired and  didn’t check something off, etc. Play to your strong times of the day.

I hope you found this helpful.  Of course, if you want some help and accountability  in creating motivation and getting things done, give me a call or email.

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.  

Tman

 Ted A. Moreno

Personal/Small Business Coach

Certified Hypnotherapist

Specializing in Your Success

www.TedMoreno.com                                                                       

 (626) 826-0612