Take a Deep Breath

During this very busy season I would like to remind you to take a deep breath. How does that feel? Do your lungs easily fill up with air and then release or do you feel restricted? Your body is a wise teacher. Listen to it. It seldom lies, if ever. Are you easily moving toward your future or dreading it? Unfinished business has a way of taking up space in our lives and holding us back. Remember, you are creating a future! If you are chronically putting things off, get support now so you can breathe easy and enjoy the fragrance of sweet victories!

Happy Thanksgiving

I don't know about you but I find it more than a little challenging to stay focused on my goals during the holidays. Everywhere I go there is Christmas music playing, and beautiful decorations that shimmer and sparkle. I do love it all! My own home will be bursting with all of this in just a couple of short weeks, and I can hardly wait. But today I am taking a deep breath to clear my head as I review the goals I set for myself in October when I looked ahead at the coming season. At the time I knew what I would face during the holidays, and I knew that I may not be quite as productive this season. I anticipated the obstacles I might confront, and with that in mind I adjusted some of my goals so that they would be reasonable and attainable. But still, I am not where I intended to be at this point in the season. Today I will take an honest look at where I am, and whether I will lower the bar or kick it into high gear. Either way, I am celebrating where I am today, and I am counting my victories. There is much to be thankful for, and the season isn't over. Happy Follow-up Friday and Happy Thanksgiving!

My Follow-up Friday Plan

As I look around my office this morning I begin to feel overwhelmed. There is a stack of notes on my desk that must be typed and filed. There are three phone calls I need to return before noon and since I work from home, the pile of dirty laundry is just a couple of doors away and I am feeling some pressure to deal with it. At the back of my mind is the nagging reminder that my marketing plan needs some attention. This feels big and important because my business depends on it. Friday is my day to close out my work week and prepare myself for Monday morning. Saturdays and Sundays are personal days. What is my follow-up Friday plan?

I’ll set my timer for one hour and clear my desk. Next, I’ll allot 30 minutes to return those phone calls. Since my workday ends at noon on Fridays, the laundry will wait until this afternoon when other family members are available to pitch in. By 10:00 AM I’ll have two hours to work on marketing, and I’ll enroll my work team for help. I have a conference call scheduled at 12:30, and I am looking forward to giving that my full attention. I’ve already prepared my Monday morning plan and it is written down in my “playbook”.

I feel confident and in control now because I am focus and armed with a plan. It is follow-up Friday and I am energized and ready to clear the way for a fabulous weekend! How about you?

It's the end of another very busy week. But has it been a productive week? We often get the two confused, and it is essential to know the difference if we want to win the season.

In reviewing this week's calendar I realize that I feel extremely satisfied about where I invested my time and energy. My values and important goals are reflected in the choices I've made this week. I know this because I took the time to clarify and write down what is most important to me, and the goals I've set for myself support my values. I am getting good at prioritizing.

This week will be entered into my playbook (journal/calendar) as a win; not every week is a win. There have been times when I've actually felt frustrated and resentful about how I used my time, and I am certain it will happen again. My sweet victory moment lies in the fact that I know the difference between using my time and investing it, and that is the difference between being busy and being productive. I had a productive week.

Will you declare this week a win? If not, what can you do today to turn this around?

It's not too late, so follow-up!
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