Strategies for Boosting Your Career

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When people hear the term strengths, they usually think of work and career.  We are conditioned to view our strengths through the lens of our careers. We use our strengths to highlight our abilities when we compete in the job market in order to outshine other applicants. We rely on performance reviews to record our efficiency and the ways we stand out hoping to boost our careers and get a promotion.

Every profession requires a certain level of expertise gained through direct knowledge, experience, and training. Some things can be taught regardless of talent. Anyone can be competent at their job but not everyone has that certain something that sets them apart. 

Human resources and management staff appreciate employees who have certain strengths that make them- 

·       Easier to manage

·       Less risk for termination

·       More likely to advance

While having a great attitude, the willingness to learn, and team-centered focus are all great strengths, there are three strengths that can amplify your presence at work in a very positive way. Here are the ABC’s of superior strengths on the job.

Accountability

Boundaries

Communication skills

These strengths can catapult your career into the next level because they are key strengths that managers covet.

Accountability- Being accountable for your work, behavior, and attitude are admirable strengths. Accountability is the ownership of the good and the bad going on. No one is perfect all the time. Being accountable helps you stay focused and make better decisions. Staff who hold themselves accountable are easy to manage and tend to advance into higher paying positions.

Boundaries- One of the hot ticket issues in employee management these days centers on boundaries. Whether it’s boundaries between staff or boundaries between staff and the public, a lot of time and energy is spent managing poor boundaries. Staff who can manage their own boundaries tend to shine. Staff who are self-aware and understand healthy relationships and how to manage them need less interventions making them assets that stand out.

Communication skills- All forms of communication matter. Mastery of written, oral, and non-verbal communication skills are a strength worth having. Being able to communicate well is important but knowing what and how to communicate is as important. Some employees communicate too much and entirely the wrong way or there isn’t enough communication causing another set of problems. Having excellent communication skills makes you dependable and an asset your employer can rely on.

Getting ahead at work is easier when you stand out. Developing these three strengths will surely help you shine. 

How to Start a Side Hustle with Your Strengths

Your strengths could be earning you money! If you have a strength that has value in the marketplace, a side hustle could bring in extra income or become a full-time gig. Your creativity and ingenuity may be the answer to someone else’s dilemma. 

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Many times, the strengths we have translate to goods and services that people are looking for. Whether it’s creating items to sell or offering a direct service, there are plenty of ways to make money and capitalize on strengths.

Some of the easiest ways to earn on the side are to-

·       Create

·       Teach

·       Support

Create for a side hustle that earns extra cash- Creators have an easier time than ever bringing their goods to market. From setting up an Etsy shop to setting up a spot at a farmer’s market, there are lots of ways to create and sell products. Using social media as a free or inexpensive marketing tool can increase traffic to your ‘store’ and make it simple to attract customers and make income while you sleep.

Teach others for a side hustle that brings in more dough- If you’ve got skills, it’s time to share them with the world. Creating tutorials or live tutoring is an excellent way to earn more income. There are many ways to create courses that sell. Online course memberships are becoming very popular and it’s possible to create a class that sells over and over again. You can create printable tutorials or offer content on a platform like YouTube that leads to one-on-one teaching experiences.

Cash in on supportive services- Providing direct support is a great way to showcase your strengths and generate some cash. From tech services, to project management, there are unlimited ways to use your expertise and strength to close gaps for people who need support. You can easily set up an account on a platform like Fiverr and start making money right away. If you are more ambitious, you can launch a website that showcases a variety of services people can count on you to provide. 

It doesn’t matter what your strength is, there’s a side hustle waiting to happen. Making money doing things that come easily is rewarding and may make you wonder why you aren’t doing it full time. Side hustles are a great way to augment your main source of income, but they are also a great way to test the water and see if you have a business worth growing into full time.   

9 New Ways to Practice Random Acts of Kindnes

Kindness isn't trendy. It isn't a hot button topic. It doesn't get as much press as happiness, passion, or determination. We think about it, but it's not something we strive to acquire. That is a pity because kindness doesn't just help the people around us; it helps us too. It is the proverbial no-brainer.

If you are interested in simple ways to invite kindness in your life, consider these nine random acts of kindness.

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1.    Give Someone A Genuine Compliment

This is a great habit to get into in general. Simply hand out more genuine compliments. This will boost your mood and might make someone else's day. It might feel awkward, to begin with, but it will become second nature eventually.

2.    Buy the Person Behind You a Coffee

If you have the means, next time you are in the Drive-Thru, pay for the people behind you as well. This random act has a way of being passed on, or at the very least, talked about and shared.

3.    Tell A Boss About a Good Employee

We live in a society where people seem all too willing to scream at retail workers. Instead of complaining about a bad job, why don't we mention good service more?  Please make an effort to let a manager know when one of their staff does a great job.

 

4.    Find a Charity You Believe In

If you have the means to make a charitable donation, your money will go a long way for someone less fortunate. The best way to connect with a charity is to do your research and find something that truly speaks to you.

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5.    Volunteer Somewhere

If you don't have extra money, do you have an extra hour? Volunteering your time can be just as effective as a charitable donation. Not only are you helping people in need, but you are also getting social interaction. You might even learn something new or meet someone interesting.

 

6.    Help Someone Who Needs It

Is there someone in your life who needs a little help? Go ahead and offer them a hand. Reach out with a call or a text and ask if they need anything. Sometimes, that gesture alone makes a world of difference to somebody.

 

7.    Offer to Help People Who Seem Lost

You ever see people while you are out who seem lost? Maybe they are looking at a map or their phone, pointing in different directions. Ask them if they need help finding something. Often people will be too shy to ask for help on their own.

 

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8.    Offer Workers a Drink

If you have some people working in your neighborhood, or even working at your place, offer them a drink. This is especially important on really hot days. You could play the hero with a well-timed delivery of ice-cold water.

 

9.    Leave Positive Comments on Social Media

Social media can be a real cesspool. Everyone is trying to get a quick laugh by taking someone down. Other people post negative reviews of everything, Take a week, and only leave positive social media comments. See how you feel after that week. I bet you keep doing it!

How to Stick to Your Beliefs - Even When it's REALLY Hard

We all have beliefs or perceived truths that we hold dear to us. These truths shape our perceptions or our view of the world and make us who we are. They guide us in decision making, interactions, and determine our way of life. However, beliefs can be either true or false, good or bad, and positive or negative. False beliefs, for example, are those perceived truths that are drawn from a misinterpretation or misunderstanding of life events or phenomena. In some instances, our beliefs change as we mingle with people of different views and as we experience new or different things in life.

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Our focus, for now, will be on sticking to our beliefs even when it is hard. Needless to say, this applies to those who hold good and/or positive beliefs. Beliefs can be deemed good if they cause us, above everything else, to value others and, they allow us to find our purpose and live according to it. Positive beliefs are those beliefs that empower us and make us feel good about ourselves without having to esteem ourselves of better value than others. The emphasis on the different types of beliefs is based on the fact that sometimes our beliefs can cause us to do unimaginable things to ourselves or others, and this indicates a need to reconsider our way of life. Cliff Young’s story is a good example of how sticking to beliefs impacts our lives and sometimes, the lives of others too.

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In 1983, Cliff Young who was 61 years old at the time, joined the Sydney to Melbourne race snakes covering a distance of almost 550 miles and takes about a week to finish. To everyone’s shock, this old man with little competitive experience wore overalls and work boots to an event where he was to compete fit runners in their prime. Many thought he wouldn’t last and some, fearing for his health, called for him to be banned from partaking. But he had other plans, he believed with his heart and mind that he could run and complete the race. He didn’t have any self-limiting beliefs. When the race started, nobody was surprised to see Cliff immediately falling behind. However, halfway through the first day, Cliff overtook all the season runners and took the lead. Instead of stopping to sleep for the night, cliff continued to run while the other runners slept. When everyone woke up the following morning, Cliff had built an incredible lead. He set history by winning the race with a 10-hour margin!

The first lesson we can pick from Cliff’s story is that in some cases, we will face opposition and discouragement from people who may think that our dreams are impossible to achieve. He chose to stick to his belief that his background and strategy were enough to help him finish the race. What made him achieve the unexpected was that everyone doubted him and consequently, did not see his victory coming. Had they paid attention to him and expected him to do much, they would have tried his strategy too. Belief and confidence give us the strength to reach our goals, and in some cases, influence the world in the same way Cliff did.

Through sticking to our beliefs even when they are seemingly less likely to lead us to victory, we have a chance to change the perceptions of our critics as well as those who chose not to pay attention to us. If you stay true to your beliefs, you can still start that businesspeople thought was a silly idea and have relationships people thought are just a fairytale. Thus, sticking to your beliefs even when it is hard can lead you to a victory that can change your world.

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Sticking to beliefs also boosts one's confidence. As you experience the joy of achievements resulting from one of your beliefs, your other beliefs will be affirmed. You will get the feeling that your beliefs are valid and you are headed in the right direction. As you remember what you achieved when no one else thought your way of life was what you needed to succeed, you get the understanding that your beliefs and mental state matter more than external influence. 

Further, beliefs help us cope with life. As we remember why we started believing in the first place, we get the strength to keep going and we are also reminded of why we cannot choose anything else. In that regard, sticking to our beliefs keeps us focused. And, not only do we stay focused but, we are also motivated to do more. Sticking to our beliefs when things are hard and we are tempted to try a different way of life protects us from making decisions we are likely to regret in the future and giving room to things that are against our values.


How to Be More Mindful...Everywhere

Mindfulness, the voluntary state of being present in the moment instead of living or existing passively. Do you feel as if life is going by too quickly? Do you feel as if you cannot slow down and take some downtime when you need it? If this sounds familiar, you are likely living your life more passively and not acting with intention mindfully. Use the following six ways to be more mindful each day. 

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Make It A Real Commitment

As obvious as this sounds, this is where most people go wrong with anything they want to change in their life. You are likely guilty of this too. You want to do something, and you tell yourself you will do it, but you never follow the plan you create. 

You never genuinely do what is needed to get it done. Write it down, make the appropriate schedule, and stick to it, or you will never get there. Telling yourself that you want something is only the first step of action, and commitment to the plan is where success starts. 

One, Five, or Ten-Minute Exercises

Start slow, and don’t expect too much from yourself. Start each morning with a one-minute mindful exercise like breathing exercise or meditation. Then once you are comfortable with the time, increase it until you can do it longer and longer.

Have Daily Goals and Intentions

Each morning give yourself time to highlight essential goals or daily intentions. Ask yourself the following questions each more to get you started: 

  • “What would make me most fulfilled today?”

  • “What do I have to do today that I often do mindlessly, and what actions can I take to do it differently?”

The point is to make your goals and intentions as clear and as simple as possible to help you take the actions required to make a real change. 

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Start With “Mindless” Tasks

Going to the bathroom, brushing your teeth, or putting away the dishes are a few everyday tasks that are easy enough to do that many people don’t use a lot of attention to get done. These mindless tasks are a great place to start to train yourself to be more mindful. 

The next time you brush your teeth, count in your head to two minutes or take notice of where you want to put the brush next. Repeat these similar actions for each chore to practice being more mindful. Eventually, living each moment with intent will become natural.

Stop Multitasking

To multitask efficiently, you must give just enough attention to each task for it to work. Meaning you really are not giving your fullest attention. In other words, you are working from memory. This means in a mindful world that you should avoid multitasking at all costs. 

In fact, research shows that multitasking is not really all that beneficial anyway. Giving your brain the focus that it requires on each task will free up your time and allow you to produce better quality work as well. This is because you are no longer wasting time switching between tasks and have the optimal brainpower to produce better ideas faster.

Slow Down and Free Up More of Your Time

Stop being so busy and have more free time – being busy does not equal success. If you find yourself always rushing, you are likely not giving your best, only leading to failure or lackluster results. Learn when to say no more and take the time to evaluate yourself to be sure you are doing what is needed to be successful. 

Try each of these six strategies to live a more mindful life and increase your happiness. Mindfulness is the key to living a more stress-free, happier, and successful life.

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5 Ways to Evaluate Your Strengths at Work

The path to career success is understanding your strengths and using them to your advantage. Discovering your strengths at work ensures you find a career that you enjoy and excel at. Knowing these strengths allows you to make the right career choices to enhance your abilities in the most optimal way for success and happiness. Here are five strategies to help you identify your strengths at work. 

Notice What Feels Right

Beyond breaks or the end of your shift, what are the moments that feel right to you? When are you the most comfortable, or what do you look forward to the most throughout your workday? These are likely areas that you excel in because you feel comfortable and confident.

Take Notice of Your Most Productive Moments

Another great way to find your strengths is to highlight the moments where you are most productive. Are there things you know you can get done without wasting any time? When did you feel the proudest of yourself at work, and why? 

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Take Risks and Trust Yourself More

The best way to learn your strengths is to take risks. Take that discomfort, move through it, and try learning things. The more you try new things, the more you can discover what you like doing and are naturally good at, as well as where you need to grow.

Failure will only lead to growth as it always teaches you something. Either you enjoy it and now have the determination to do better or learn that it is not a strength you want to possess.

Ask A Coworker or Your Superior

Are there things your coworker or superior constantly rely on you for? What do you believe would be the first thing to fall apart if you left your job today? If you're unsure, ask your coworkers what they'd miss most about you regarding your work if you quit. It's astounding the various perspectives your coworkers and colleagues have of you.

Evaluate Both Positive and Negative Feedback

What activities do you always receive compliments on or good feedback from? While this Is a great place to look, it is also important to note that all feedback Is beneficial even if it may sting a little.

Just because something isn't your strength now doesn't mean you can't make it. If you feel disappointed in it, then you likely value yourself and have the strength to do it inside you somewhere. You need to practice.

If you are still struggling to identify your strengths after going through this list, you are likely in the wrong career or job. Don't be afraid to leave and keep experimenting. Comfort and happiness are essential for living and gaining a successful career.

How to Prioritize Your Goals for Maximum Progress

In order to prioritize your goals, you’ll need to have a good understanding of what you need to be happy in your life. There are typically four areas in which most people make goals:

1. Family – Spending more time with your kids or partner

2. Financial – Saving toward your six-month emergency cash or starting a business

3. Physical – Being healthy and more active

4. Personal – Getting more education, or devoting more time to spiritual pursuits

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Within each of these areas are numerous concerns, but most goals can be summed up into one of these four areas. As to which goals are most important at any given time, you’ll need to ask yourself some questions to determine where to place your focus.

* Which goals nag at you most often? – What keeps you up at night that worries you? Are your finances suffering because you cannot earn enough money at your current job and you want to figure out how to get off the debt treadmill? This is a goal that fits in with all four of the areas above because financial stress can cause a lot of problems with your health and personal development as well as cause problems within the family.

* Which goals can be accomplished most easily? – Some goals are very short term but give maximum impact without too much work. For instance, maybe you have a goal of walking 15 minutes per day. This goal may only fit in with the personal and physical areas above, but walking 15 minutes per day will not take much away from the other areas and can give you huge results and a feeling of accomplishment.

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* Which goals would give you the most pride in yourself? – Will you feel better if you lose 20 pounds or will you feel better if you spend 20 minutes extra with your son? Keep in mind there is no wrong answer, although being healthy might ultimately give you more time in terms of years with your son.

* Which goals have the most permanent results? – When choosing whether to spend that extra money on your degree, determine how permanent the results are, and realize that no one can take that degree from you; it will always be an accomplishment. What is it worth?

* Which goals will still impact me in 5 years, or 10 years? – If you start a business today, and work daily toward meeting the goals of that business, what will be different in five or ten years? How will that impact you now and in the future?

* Which goals align with your core values in life? – Any goal that fits into all four areas of your life is worth pursuing if it also fits into your schedule at the time.

* Which goals are completely up to you, that you control 100 percent? – Remember that you cannot control what anyone else does, so if any goal relies on the participation of someone else, and you don’t have their participation, you might want to switch gears and focus on something only you control.

* Which goals are just for you? – Some goals are completely personal in nature and have nothing to do with anyone else. For instance, you might want to read a particular author that has nothing to do with anything but your own pleasure. This is perfectly fine.

* Which goals are just for others? – There are “shoulds” that often get in the way of proper goal setting and these are goals that are only for other people. Your spouse wants you to lose weight, your mom wants you to go to college, your best friend wants you to start a business. None of these are a good reason to do something, although as long as you know going in why, it’s okay to make it a goal.

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* Which goals cause you the most fear? Why? – Sometimes the very thing you fear most is what’s best for you to do. Look clearly at your goal and figure out why it frightens you. Sometimes it’s the unknown, and like ripping off a Band-Aid, just doing it might be the best cure.

* Which goals make you excited? – Some goals immediately send tingles down your body and into your mind, pushing you forward to doing it. These are goals that are easy to do and probably impact your life a lot. However, do pay attention because if it’s a goal of becoming the high scorer on a video game you might want to question your “why”.

* Which goals are most realistic? – The best goals to put first are the goals that best fit into your life today, cover all four areas of life, and still fit into your schedule and where you control 100 percent of the effort.

When you answer all these questions, you’ll be able to see how the goals practically organize themselves. Try making a chart and adding each goal to the four areas, then choosing the ones that cross the most areas to add to your schedule first.

25 Simple Ways to Make the World a Better Place (without Touching Your Bank Account!!)

25 Simple Ways to Make the World a Better Place (without Touching Your Bank Account!!)

 

This world is a big place and it’s easy to wonder how one person can even make a dent in the problems, the unrest, the suffering and the struggles of an entire planet. However, there is no action that is too small to matter. Now more than ever, the world needs more love, compassion and empathy from people who have a strong desire to make a difference. Despite what you may have believed in the past, you don’t need any special gifts, talents or even money to make a big impact on the world around you. In fact, there are plenty of ways you can make an impact without even touching your bank account. Here are 25 simple ways you can make the world a better place today without spending a dime. Let’s dig in!

 

1.      Donate old clothing: A great way to help out someone in need is to go through your closet and donate those items that are just taking up space. If it hasn’t been worn in 6 months, throw it in a box and donate to a local homeless shelter, church, school or other community outreach center. There are always people in need of clothing, no matter what time of year it is. Not only will you be making a difference in your community, but you’ll be able to declutter your space and make room for new items in the future. That’s a win-win!

 

2.      Ditch the Drama:  Social media makes it very easy to get pulled into silly gossip and drama when you’re least expecting it. One minute you’re scrolling Facebook looking at memes and the next thing you know, you’re reading all 525 comments of an argument between two strangers you don’t even know. To make it even worse, sometimes you feel the need to participate in the argument or give your opinion on the subject (because what’s the harm in that, right?). Next time, flip the script and bow out of the drama before it sucks you in. There will always be conflict, but the less time you spend listening to and participating in it online (or offline) you are making the world a better place. 

 

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3.      Don’t Litter: This is quite possibly, one of the easiest things you can do to make an impact – simply don’t use the world like it’s your personal trash can. No matter where you look, it’s easy to find some sort of litter hanging around – a neighborhood sidewalk, a grocery store parking lot, or the side of the highway to name a few. Make an effort to be the bigger person and throw your garbage away where it actually should go – in the trash. Better yet, when you see litter, do your part and clean it up. Making sure your little corner of the world is litter free, is a small way to make a big impact.

 

4.      Write a Thank You Note:  Think about someone who has made a difference in your life or your child’s life. Take time to write a note of appreciation, thanking them for how much they’ve impacted you in one way or another. This could be your child’s teacher, a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker or even the lady at the grocery store who always has a smile and a greeting when you come in. Life is so short and it’s always a good time to build someone up and let them know how they’ve made your own life better.

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5.      Unplug: At least once a week, make the choice to put your phone down and unplug for the whole evening. Instead of scrolling social media, have a game night or snuggle up and watch a good movie with your family. Give them 100% of your attention. It’s so easy to get caught up in the mindlessness of Facebook or Instagram that we don’t even realize how much time it takes away from those we love. Shutting it down for a bit is a great way to make a huge impact in your own life and prioritize what’s really important – more time with your family.

 

6.      Create something: Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be a five-star chef, a budding artist or a bestselling author to share your creativity with the world. You have gifts, talents and a personal viewpoint that no one else has. Don’t be scared to share it with the world – or even one single person. Try your hand at painting, writing poetry, songs or even a children’s book. Make Christmas ornaments, cookies or knit a pair of gloves and a scarf. No matter what it is, put it out there – the world can always use more beauty, inspiration and creativity.

 

7.      Have fun: Let’s face it: The world can be a bit uptight, especially right now, and it’s easy to get caught up in the gloom and doom scenarios if you’re not careful. This is why it’s the perfect time to lead the way and show others that it’s ok to have fun, be silly and let loose a little bit. Tell a joke, belt out that song you love, play in the rain, walk barefoot in the grass at the park and pick flowers, or build a blanket fort with your kids.  Enthusiasm is contagious – when you share your love of life, your laughter and your smile with the world, you can cause a ripple effect that will impact others in a big way.

 

8.      Spread Kindness: You can make a big difference in the world simply by choosing to lead with love rather than hate and spread more kindness in the world. Don’t underestimate the power of even the smallest act of kindness. It can turn someone’s day (or life) around and give them hope – something we all desperately need. Shovel an elderly neighbor’s driveway, help out at a local soup kitchen, or give a stranger a compliment at the grocery store.  Leave a sweet note in your child’s lunchbox, post positive messages online, or donate old toys or blankets to a children’s shelter. The impact you can have on the world is limitless when kindness is a daily habit.

 

9.      Use Less Plastic: We all know that plastic is bad for the environment, yet it’s super easy to overlook how much we actually use on a daily basis. Making an effort to cut down or eliminate your plastic usage over time will make a huge impact on your own health and the environment as well. Start bringing your own eco-friendly bags to the grocery store, invest in a reusable water bottle or coffee mug and swear off plastic water bottles for good.  Store your food in glass containers or mason jars instead of plastic Tupperware and opt out of using a straw when eating out. These are just a few ways you can do your part to protect yourself and the planet at the same time.

 

10.  Stay Curious: If you want to make a real impact on your own life and the world around you, always stay curious and filled with childlike wonder. Ask the questions, stay open minded and continue to learn through books, podcasts, courses and conversations. Don’t ever get to the point where you choose to settle and be complacent about the way things are just because someone told you that’s how it is or always will be. Learn about new ideas, new cultures, new ways of life – forever be a student and fill you head and heart with knowledge that can change the world.

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11.  Plant a tree (or two):  One of the best ways to impact the future of the planet for generations to come, is to ensure that more trees are planted around the world. Join up with a local organization planting trees around your community or simply go outside and make a home for a brand new tree in your own backyard. Trees not only serve to provide better oxygen for us but also protect us from pollutants in the air. They also make pretty good homes for our animal friends and they just plain make us happy to look at. Go out and plant a tree today – the future planet will thank you.

 

12.  Raise Awareness for a Cause: A great way to be an advocate for change is to raise awareness for a cause you care about. You can do this in a number of ways – host an online fundraiser or use social media to boost awareness on a variety of platforms. Write an informative blog post or film a video to help people understand why it’s important to have their support. Be consistent with your message and engage those around you by simply starting a conversation that matters.

 

13.  Raise Good Humans: If you’re a parent, the best thing you can do to pave the way for a bright future is to raise decent humans. Teaching your children, the value of hard work, integrity, compassion and empathy from a young age will turn them into the ones who will change the world as adults. Start with the simple, yet important things – manners, kindness and gratitude – and use teachable moments throughout their childhood to build a foundation that will benefit them and the entire planet for years to come.

 

14.  Foster an animal: Making a difference in the world doesn’t limit you to only helping people. There are plenty of animal friends that need someone to be an advocate for them as well. A great way to do this is to get involved in the foster program with your local animal shelter. Check around and see what fostering opportunities are available in your area. By doing this, you’ll get the chance to provide love, care and a temporary home for one of those sweet fur babies until they are officially placed in their forever home.

 

15.  Lend an ear: You can help take the weight of the world off of someone else’s shoulders simply by being there to listen free of judgment and criticism. Knowing you can be that someone who makes another feel seen, heard and respected as they relay their troubles is quite possibly one of the best feelings in the world. Reach out to friends, family members, neighbors, co-workers, etc and make it known that you’re available if they ever need a listening ear.

 

16.  Babysit for free: We all know parents who are struggling to find a moment of peace and quiet, let alone the money to pay for a babysitter. Be their saving grace and offer your services to babysit for a night, free of charge. Whether it’s the frazzled mom next door, the young family who just moved into town, or a long-time friend, give them the opportunity to restore their sanity while you take charge of their tiny humans for an evening.

 

17.  Recycle: If you want to have a positive impact on your own health and the environment, recycling is one of the best things you can do. Not only does recycling reduce the amount of pollution caused by waste but it helps to protect the natural resources of our planet. Every single day more and more products are made with materials that are not biodegradable – this means when those products are simply thrown away in the trash it will take YEARS for them to break down. Landfills are already overflowing with these types of items. Be part of the solution and encourage your family (and others) to start a habit of recycling today.

 

18.  Smile: Start putting more positive energy out into the world and make an effort to smile more. This is probably one of the easiest things you can do, yet so many people simply just don’t. If you’re alive and breathing, you have a reason to smile. Give that smile to a stranger on the street, a struggling mom in the grocery store, an elderly resident at the nursing home or simply your own spouse who comes home after a long day at work. It costs nothing, has zero language barriers and has the power to turn someone’s day completely around. Do more of that today.

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19.  Shop locally: Now more than ever, local businesses need your support. Instead of spending money with a big box store, try shopping around in your own community. You’ll find unique items, better customer service and by investing in your local economy, your money stays right where it should be – in your community. Seek out small businesses and see what they have to offer – buy a birthday gift at a local gift shop, join the gym down the street or get your car worked on by the local mechanic. You can’t go wrong supporting the community where you live. In fact, you may be pleasantly surprised at the great products and services you find along the way.

 

20.  Donate canned goods: Instead of letting food waste away in your overflowing pantry, take time to donate those excess canned goods to a local soup kitchen or food pantry. This is a great way to help provide hungry families with the assistance they need to keep going. With so many people experiencing job loss, hunger and homelessness, the need for extra food is greater than ever before. Help those struggling in your community and declutter your cabinets and pantry today.

 

21.  Share a meal: Make it a nightly habit to sit around the table with your family and share a meal. Eating a meal together has several benefits that go far beyond just satisfying your taste buds. It provides the opportunities for families to come together and re-connect with each other and engage on a higher level. This helps to build stronger relationships and a sense of belonging that you can’t get anywhere else. Kick it up a notch and open your home to an elderly neighbor or struggling mom down the street. Sharing a meal doesn’t have to be limited to only your family – it truly brings people together to share a piece of themselves as well.

 

22.  Volunteer: Donating your time through volunteering a great way to impact your community as well as the world around you. Volunteering allows you to meet likeminded people who want to make a difference, build new skills and gain a deeper sense of purpose. There are volunteer opportunities everywhere whether it be in person or virtually. You simply have to do your research and find something that speaks to you. You’ll never regret time spent helping to pave the way for a better world.

 

23.  Drive Less: If you can possibly do it, give up the car keys for a while and choose to walk or ride a bike instead. Less drive time means less maintenance on your vehicle, less money spent on gas and less pollution in the air. It also means more time to immerse yourself in nature – a big perk for your mental health. If less driving is not in the cards for you depending on where you live, at least make an effort to be a more patient driver while on the road. Less road rage always makes the highways a little bit safer and the world a little bit happier.

 

24.  Practice Gratitude: Instead of complaining about everything wrong with the world, try flipping the switch and practice some gratitude instead. When you take time to reflect on and notice the blessings around you, it’s much easier to live a more positive, carefree and happy life. Start a gratitude journal, watch the sunrise, fill your day with positive and inspirational messages and make those you love a priority. The ripple effect of gratitude will be felt not only in your own life but in the energy  you send out into the world.

 

25.  Self-Care: This may not seem like a world-changing action, but it really is one of the most important things you can do. Daily self-care habits are good for your physical, mental and emotional health. Taking care of yourself first will ensure that you are operating at 100% instead of running on fumes. This will greatly impact your ability to help others when they need you because you will have the time, energy and motivation to do so. Impacting yourself first, changes the world later.

 

Don’t ever be discouraged and think that one person can’t make a difference. Even without tapping into your bank account, there are so many unique ways to make a big impact. Through small daily actions like these, you can start the ball rolling which will produce big results down the road. If you have the desire to create meaningful change, there are plenty of simple actions you can take today. By actively look for opportunities to make someone else’s life better, you will be well on the path to becoming a world changer.

How Being Optimistic Can Improve Your Life

Believe it or not, you can influence your future positively or negatively. It all comes down to your attitude. As they say, if you expect bad things to happen, they probably will. The same goes for positivity or optimism. Research shows that people who are more optimistic tend to achieve more success. They are often more determined and take action to become successful. 

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Spread Positivity 

Being optimistic is about having a positive idea about your future. It is the idea or belief that anything life brings you will be positive and provide value to you somehow. This idea spreads positivity in every inch and aspect of your life. When you are in a better mood and have an optimistic spirit, you make better decisions. 

Create Happiness

Assuming the best prevents toxic thoughts from fueling negative behaviors, emotions, and habits, allowing you to be in a more contented state of mind and open you to achieving happiness. The secret to a fulfilling life is happiness, and it something you can achieve if you open yourself up to it. Happiness doesn’t find you; you find it.

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Improve Self-Confidence

Believing in a constant positive future means you believe in yourself without a doubt as well as others. This allows you to take challenges head-on even if you are unsure of the outcome because you know you will always gain something beneficial no matter how difficult the challenge is. 

Foster a Healthy and Successful Life

Pessimism breeds negativity. Negativity itself can breed poor emotions that can have a detrimental effect on your health, mentally and physically. Negativity can lead you to make poor decisions, ultimately affecting your personal life and professional careers. Just like “you are what you eat,” – you are what you think too. If you believe in yourself, you will always perform better and lead a healthier and more successful life. 

Develop Motivation and a Sense of Purpose

When you are optimistic, you have a clear idea of where you are going. When you feel motivated, that emotion provides a sense of purpose and direction to life, creating further happiness and pleasure. Starting your day with an action plan instantly creates the motivation and drive needed to complete each task. 

Don’t let your optimism turn into toxic positivity, which can have a negative effect. Living a more optimistic life doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have negative feelings. It just means that you need to focus more on the positives. This will help you handle the negative aspects of life when you have setbacks and you will bounce back more quickly.

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11 Ways Your Side Hustle Can Complement Your Day Job

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Believe it or not, your side hustle really can help you be better at your day job.  It took me a while to figure that out...but here we are.  11 ways that your side hustle can complement your day job. This is something I've been having a lot of fun learning and playing with as I navigate working a full-time job with running actually two side hustles:  my coaching business/podcast with the non-profit swim team I run with my hubby

The “11 Ways” can be found in this workbook/ebook and it includes, everything from building new skill sets, to personal development, to expanding your attention to self-care. This workbook here is going to help you explore, reflect and enlighten your approach to your day job and your side hustle.  

Here we go. 

The first thing I want you to think about is routines. What can you do in the morning before you go to the day job that can either help you work on your side hustle or prepare for your day? And then, how can you take care of that stuff at lunch? What about the end of the day?  There are endless possibilities for managing your time when you rock out some great routines.

The second activity here is meant to focus a little bit more on achieving clarity and possibly becoming a master of your skill sets.  When I think of all the new things I’ve learned from my day job and my side hustle and how they work together, I get beyond excited.  As a podcaster,

I learned how to use zoom long before the pandemic hit. When the campus where I work was starting to talk about remote learning, I was already an expert. I was able to come in and teach my staff how to use it.  We were ahead of the game before the faculty were!

Secondly, because my day job at the college is in a non-profit organization, I was able to use all of that knowledge and all of that information to help my husband and I start the swim team. So those were both instances where something that I learned at one gig really paid off for the other.

And what I realized throughout reflecting on this is there are skills and talents I have that mean different things to me, both at my campus day job and at home. So here's an example about social media.  When I'm running my business with the swim team, plus my podcast, I feel like a social media novice.  I'm constantly taking courses. I participate in masterminds. I get ahold of all the information that I can so that I can learn more and put my businesses out there.  And that learning for my side hustle is really paying off in my day job now.  For the communications work that I have to do for the college nonprofit I'm learning stuff outside that I might not have had access to working at the college.  And now I’m seen as an expert.  How cool is that?

Another area where the side hustle can complement the day job is examples of self-awareness and personal development. As an educator, I have access to conferences, virtual summits, and online learning that quite often overlap with the side gig.  And that’s starting to flip for me as well.  . There's a great story in the workbook about a podcast conference that I participated in, where I was able to convince my boss to reimburse me the cost.  The things I learned there actually did help me in my day job!

If this is your first time checking out some of my stuff, you may not be aware of the “Elevate Your 8”  philosophy. The philosophy here is that everything related to productivity and time management can break down into three groups of eight hours. So it's all prioritization and mathematics. If you honor your work-life balance and you're working only eight hours a day, if you honor your health and wellness and you're sleeping for eight hours every night, then mad prioritization can help you get the rest of the stuff done. And when you are able to do that, you have got it down.  If you can hone in on those things, you’ll find time you never realized you had.  And that’s time that can be well spent on work, play, chores, shopping, sex...you know, whatever.  

This guide is a real game changer, although I really hate the word game changer. And you guys, if this seems a little bit weird in the beginning to think about how these two things play off each other, that is totally okay.

It took me a while, almost two years to get comfortable and confident with this kind of playing off of each other to where I felt good actuall talking about it.  It’s quite something to work on creating time for your side hustle and being fully invested in your day job, whether you're on campus or working somewhere else.

It's all about thinking outside the box and being creative. Go pick up that workbook, “11 Ways Your Side Hustle Can Complement Your Day Job,” and let’s see how you decide to use it.


Why You Should Find a Mastermind Group

Finding a Mastermind Group

A mastermind group is a gathering of people who share a similar goal or hobbies. One of the most well-known mastermind groups were The Knights of the Round Table. This was a gathering of warriors King Arthur created to keep Camelot safe and every knight shared his goal. Together, they worked to build a kingdom that was fair and just for everyone.

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Whether you’re interested in a hobby or running a business, you can benefit from having a mastermind group. You’ll be surrounded by people that want to help you succeed and cheer you on. Depending on the mastermind, your group may set goals together, brainstorm solutions to problems, and give feedback on members’ projects.

If you like the idea of a mastermind, here are a few tips to help you find one:

Know What You Want

Are you looking for a group that offers plenty of feedback? Do you want introductions to other people that will help you grow your business? Do you need accountability to ensure you meet your goals?

Before you begin your search, take the time to think about what you really want. Doing this will help you find a mastermind that fits your goals.

Consider Meeting Times

Some mastermind groups meet in person while others meet online. Your mastermind group may gather each week or once a month depending on what members prefer. If you’re already overwhelmed with commitments then it may not be possible for you to meet weekly for several hours. That’s why you should ask about the meeting schedule before you join a group.

Ask about Cost

Some mastermind groups are free and some require members to pay to join. Often, free groups are common with hobbyists. But if you’re looking for a business or financial mastermind, be prepared to pay. That doesn’t mean that the group you join has to be expensive or exclusive.

The cost of the membership fee is not always equal to the value that you’ll receive. For example, you might pay just a few dollars each month for a small mastermind where you get excellent feedback on your projects and plenty of accountability to propel you toward your goals.

Understand What You’re Paying For

When you pay to join a mastermind, the money will go toward the facilitator. She’s the one who’s putting in the time and effort to organize and co-ordinate your group. Without a facilitator, your group will most likely fall apart after a few meetings. That’s why you should take a hard look at your facilitator. A good one is always worth the cost.

Start Your Own Mastermind

If you can’t find a mastermind group that meets your needs, you can always start your own. This might be a good fit if you have a passion for helping people in your niche. You don’t have to be an expert before you become a facilitator. You don’t even have to leave your house if you don’t want to. You can arrange meetings by Skype, on a webinar, or through video conferencing software.

Joining a mastermind is a great way to meet people who share the same goals and interests as you do. But keep in mind you’ll only get out of it as much as you put into it. Be willing to help other members and encourage them when needed.

Discover how to find new friends and enjoy new experiences when you join the waitlist for my group, “Higher Ed Side Hustler Mastermind.”

How to Run Your Business in ONE HOUR a Day!

So excited to give you a FREE PREVIEW into my new workbook, “How To Run Your Business in ONE HOUR a day!”

I know what you're thinking. Wait, what? An hour, a day, Kris McPeak, you are crazy. There is no possible way that I can run my business in one hour a day. And I'm saying: yeah, you say that now, but when I show you how simple it is, again, it's just all about prioritization and strategic planning.

Seriously, it’s a piece of cake once you get started and get the whole thing out of your head and into your planner. This process was born out of a very particular milestone in my life that happened recently. I took on yet one more extracurricular thing because I obviously needed to. I became the treasurer of a board that I'm involved with and it was something I really felt that I needed to do, it was calling to me. That meant that I really had to get focused and I really had to get organized. Something was gonna have to give - but not what you think. What I decided would give is the stress over how and where and what I was going to do to get all my things done.

This workbook is going to help you figure out how to do that yourself as well. It starts with pinning down all of the big tasks that you have to do in your business. There’s a fantastic brainstorming page where you put down every single little or big thing that you do in your side hustle.

(CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO WALKTHROUGH OF THE WORKBOOK!)

For example: as a podcaster and a coach, I need to record and edit my show. I need to create online content, writing blog posts and making delicious freebies like this workbook, email my audience, et cetera. So that's just a little taste of what can help you get started. So jump on in and get your brainstorm time.

The next thing we're going to move into is categories. We're going to take all of those individual tasks and break them up into different categories. You might choose one of them to be content creation, so that could include blogging, your podcast interviews, things like that. You could do email marketing: that's going to be all the communication that you do with your community. There might be a chunk on social media. There might be a chunk on finance: because you know what, running a business costs money. And we have to make sure that our bills are paid and that people are paying us, right? There’s a worksheet in the freebie that lets you play around with up to four categories. You've got four possible categories you can play around with.

In Section 2, we're going to determine the best times in the day when we want to work on these things. Here’s an example: my energy level is the best in the morning. So I'm going to do the tasks that I don't enjoy as much in the morning. So I love to write an email. I do not like to schedule them. And build emails to go out. So that would be something I do in the morning when I have a high energy level. I love creating content. I love engaging in social media. That is something that brings me energy. Those things are easier for me to do in the afternoon because I know I already liked doing them. I could do them when I have the flu or a cold or fight with my significant other…you get the picture.

Next up, I want you to think about when you're going to knock out those different categories. Monday might be your social media day. Tuesday might be the day you prepare your email to go out. Wednesday might be when you record it, edit your podcasts. Thursdays, you might say, you know what, I'm gonna take that off because on Thursdays, I like to go to trivia or Thursday night is date night with my significant other.

Then we have another sheet here that gets us through Saturday and Sunday. And then what's what did we not get done? And did we fill all seven days? Did we get all our stuff done?. You can print several of these off and put these in your planner until you get a handle on them.

CLICK HERE TO GET A VIDEO WALKTHROUGH OF THE WORKBOOK

So I had a small epiphany while I was creating this workbook. What are “biz bursts” that I can do…tasks in my business that I can easily get done in less than 10 minutes, because I can work those in through the framework of the day when I'm feeling particularly high energy. And I'm in between projects at my day job, or I did not bring anything to the office to knit for my lunch break.

And so I can knock out a couple biz bursts here or when I get home and I've just finished walking the dog and eating my dinner. I can look and say, “oh, I still need to get this one thing done. So let's knock out 10 minutes of that.” It will take some time before you get your rhythm going, but I think once you're in it, you guys are gonna love it.

Go grab the workbook right now by clicking here.

5 Benefits of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence involves developing the ability to control or manage your emotions positively. Emotional intelligence or EI also incorporates the ability to recognize other people's emotions, how their emotions affect outcomes, and what to do with that information to improve the situation positively.

People with healthy emotional intelligence don’t allow their emotions to affect themselves or other people negatively. People with strong EI have a deep understanding of the self. High EI people know how they respond to certain situations and are prepared for them. They don’t stuff their feelings. They know how to control them.

Having emotional intelligence simply means that you have the proper balance of emotions and rational thought.

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Allows You to Be More Mindful

Being mindful or self-aware means that you fully understand your strengths, weakness, desires, dislikes, and more about yourself. This knowledge allows you to make better and more sound decisions, and you go throughout your day.

Boosts Communication Skills

Mindfulness and listening are also needed to manage your emotions properly. Being mindful and listening is crucial to communicate with others too effectively. You need to be aware of your body language and fully listen to people you communicate with before reacting to do so effectively.

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Leads to Successful Careers and Accomplishing Your Goals

Emotional intelligent people are said to be highly confident, motivational, and optimistic. Characteristics that you probably agree, build success. The more you control your emotions, the more confident you are. The more confident you are, the more understanding you have, allowing you to crush your goals and really push through life with gusto.

Builds Closer and Improved Relationships

Demonstrating empathy and compassion allows you to connect better with others. When you genuinely care about those around you, you take the time to nurture and listen to them, which increases the value of your relationship. Emotional intelligence allows for open and understanding communication that builds close and better relationships.

High-Quality Work and More Productivity

Research shows that high emotional intelligence leads to more valuable work and improves productivity. People with good EI often outperform their peers even if their IQ or human intelligence is lower. Productivity increases directly due to not allowing their emotions to have an impact that can slow them down unless it leads to positivity. Often, they are very stoic people.

If you can’t control your emotions, it is likely you won’t be as successful as you hope to be. But you can learn to be more emotionally intelligent by learning about stoicism and finding ways to better use your emotions for good. Emotional intelligence is a learnable skill that you can develop over time so that you can lead conversations, build strong relationships, and complete everyday tasks personally and professionally.

8 Signs That You're Addicted to Your Smart Phone

Smartphones are certainly a great invention that saves a lot of time and keeps people connected in ways thought of only in movies and TV shows like Star Trek. But, most people aren’t captains of space ships. They’re just average people with normal jobs using smartphones for entertainment purposes.

Here are signs that it might be time to cut down on the amount of time you spend using your smartphone.

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* You Check Your Device First Thing – Do you wake up and grab your smartphone before you even get out of bed, so you can check up on your friends and see what they’re doing? If you’re signing on to Facebook before you even get out of bed in the morning, you may have a problem.

* You Don’t Pay Attention during Family Meals – Do you have the opportunity to spend time with real life family and when you do, you’re always looking down at your phone? Do you continuously share images of your food, and other things without fully being present with your family? If you do this, you’re too dependent and maybe even addicted to the continuous stimulation of technology.

* You Don’t Fully Participate in Events – You are invited to a live ball game, a live play, to go bowling, or do things that you (in theory) enjoy doing, but you’re not paying attention because you’re too busy with your smartphone. If you’re not taking the time to fully participate with people when they’re right with you, and in doing events without the intrusion of electronics, this is a sign you’re too dependent.

* You Use Your Device in the Bathroom – Ever wonder why so many people drop their phones in the toilet? Well, that’s because they’re using their phones in the bathroom. Unless you’re out and about, there is absolutely no reason your phone should be with you in the bathroom. If you’re out and about, the phone should be stored someplace safely so that there is no chance for it to fall in the germy toilet.

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* You Report Daily Minutia to Everyone – If you’re taking pictures of every meal you eat (not just a special occasion meal), and you’re not a food blogger or a travel blogger, then you might not actually be enjoying your food as much as you could if you didn’t do that. You don’t need to share every aspect of your life with everyone. No one cares if you had Campbell’s soup for dinner.

* You Refuse to Turn Your Phone Off at Night – Getting a good night’s sleep is imperative if you want to be able to function properly during the day. But, many people are so dependent on their smartphones that they don’t even turn them off while they’re sleeping. This is terrible for your ability to sleep peacefully in the night. Even if you don’t consciously remember hearing the phone, it still adversely affects your sleep cycles.

* Your Eyes Hurt – Many people today suffer from seriously dry and painful eyes due to spending too much time in front of screens. Screens like TVs, smartphones and computers put off blue light that is damaging to your eyes and can affect your circadian rhythm, causing many people to have serious sleep disturbances like insomnia at night and sleepiness during the day.

* If It Breaks You Can’t Find Your Mom’s Phone Number – Many people have their entire lives inside their smartphone. If they lose it, they don’t even know their mom’s phone number. If you have that problem, you need to be sure to back up any information to the cloud, or on paper so that you won’t be stranded if you find yourself without a phone in a strange place.

These are all signs that you may need to find a way to take a break from your smartphone. Of course, everyone needs their smartphones these days for traveling, to be able to call for help and even for banking or work. Therefore, you don’t need to get rid of it entirely. However, you should find ways to use it appropriately so that you’re not as dependent on your smartphone.

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12 Tiny Habits That Could Change Your Life

The idea of using tiny habits to change your life may be a concept you have never heard of previously. Indeed some of the tiny habits we will cover may seem too small to make a difference in your life, but they have been proven to work.

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  1. The first tiny habit is to stop drinking soda and energy drinks. You need to drink clean filtered water with lemon or lime juice as examples. Always have one glass of water as soon as you wake up. It is recommended to drink one glass before bedtime as you dehydrate during the night through sweating. Drink the amount of water per day that is recommended for your body size. If you are tiny, you do not need ½ galleon of water or more per day.

  2. Get your smile on. Smiling triggers muscles around the mouth that tell your brain to release "happy chemicals." The more you smile, the better you will feel. Start building the habit by smiling at yourself in the bathroom mirror when you wake up and go to bed.

  3. Never stop learning. Try to learn something new every day, whether it is a new word or an interesting fact about a subject you love

  4. Read something every day. Try to read a page or two from a self-help book or read a list of positive affirmations. Keeping your brain active and filled with positive information will change your life.

  5. Work on forgiveness daily. Start by forgiving yourself when you make mistakes. When you remember something you did years ago that was negative, take the time to forgive yourself. Always look for ways to forgive the people in your life. Harboring grudges and ill feelings will negatively impact your life.

  6. Start tracking your money daily. See what goes out of your wallet and what goes in. You should always save your receipts, and you should be in the habit of checking your receipt immediately after each purchase. The more money you have in your wallet, the more you can invest in yourself.

  7. Do daily affirmations. Keep a file card with the top 3 affirmations that improve your mindset. Always remember to repeat your number one affirmation before you go to sleep at night. To kick it up a notch, after you get out of the shower, look in the mirror and say an affirmation with power in your voice. This sends a message to your brain that you believe in this affirmation, and the brain will work on it.

  8. Getting up earlier takes willpower. Remind yourself daily that getting up early will improve your life by giving you the quiet time to work on making your dreams come true. This is a good time for yoga, meditation, or sitting quietly and acknowledging the higher power in your life.

  9. Listen to positive podcasts on your commute to work. Pick podcasts that will help you grow as an individual. Listening to a sports podcast in the car is not advisable. Remember that your vehicle can be a university on wheels or that you can shut out the noise of the bus/subway while growing as a human being.

  10. Take care of yourself. Find different moments in the day where you can invest in self-care. It could be a hot bath with essential oils or massaging your face and scalp in the shower with a special hand massager and high-quality soap.

  11.  Avoid letting your home getting cluttered. A quick tidy-up after a meal should include the whole house. This doesn't mean getting out the vacuum; it just means do a quick walkabout and pick those cups, magazines, or flyers lying around.

  12.  Build the tiny habit of really listening to what other people say. When you are in a conversation, let the other person do most of the talking and see what you can learn from them.

Make Time Management Your Bitch

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That’s rude, a little. But we can’t be farting around here. There’s shit to do.

If you've created a time management plan and still failed to reach your goals, itís likely because you're too flexible and easy on yourself and others when it comes to the schedule. The sorry fact is that time is not limitless. You canít get more. You canít work harder to get more of it; itís a finite resource that cannot be increased or replaced.

When you realize that time is finite and that there really might not be some future distant tomorrow, you might start being more ruthless with the time youíve got. Follow these tips to make time management so much easier.

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* Just Say No: the biggest factor in being ruthless with your time is learning to say no. If you really do not want to do something, you must say no. There is no sin in saying no. The only reason you feel guilty about the word is that your mother taught you saying no was wrong. Itís time to realize that as a grown-up you can now say no.

* Get Up on Time: this is a hard one for many but it doesn't have to be hard as you think. If you are a small business owner who works from home, itís actually pretty easy. You do not need more than seven or eight hours of sleep a night. If you can limit your sleep to no more than eight hours, you will gain time. If you typically sleep less than six you may need to get in a bit more sleep to be most productive with your time.

* Try to Be Early ñ If you need to drive places or you have deadlines for work, schedule your time so that you are going to be early. The reason is that this is one of the ways to eliminate urgency from your life, which in turn causes stress and can cause problems with time management. This way if something does happen out of the ordinary, you will still have time to meet a deadline and be on time.

* Turn Off Technology ñ The very thing that is supposed to make our time more productive can have the opposite effect too. The notifications of new emails, your Facebook stream, and unscheduled time on Pinterest can get out of hand. Turn it off. You will gain so much more time. That includes your TV, too.

* Understand Your Internal Clock: Everyone has an internal time clock. Itís important not to fight against that and be aware of what it is. Some people are early risers and some people are night owls and others are in between. It's important for you to determine for yourself what your own internal clock is and then work with it.

* Make Lists: If you understand each step that goes behind a calendar listing, it will be more beneficial because it's easier to allocate enough time for each thing when you know what it takes to complete any given task. You wonít be able to accurately determine the time it takes without all the information.

* Calendar It ñ Put everything in your calendar including everyday tasks, small steps for a project due in the future, and time with family, friends, and yourself. Don't skip this step so that when someone asks for your time you can easily schedule them in (or not) based on your availability.

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* Avoid Meetings: Some meetings are important, such as a first client meeting to establish goals and determine tactics, but after that, almost everything else can be accomplished through updates in a project management system. There is no real need for weekly meetings for updates, or to discuss anything that can easily be put into a memo.

* Touch It Only Once: Another way to be ruthless with your time is to not allow yourself to wait to do things later. If you get an email that requires a response, do it now. If you check your snail mail and a bill needs to be paid, schedule it now. If you get junk mail, delete it now. Only check your mail when you have time to deal with these issues.

Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself in terms of the hours you schedule yourself to work. Yes, be ruthless about the schedule, but also schedule in fun time. Humans aren’t designed to work 20 hours a day. Go ahead, schedule 8 to 10 hours a day of work. But, in between, schedule breaks. Time with friends, family, and spouses during any given workday is important too. Also, remember to schedule breaks like weekends and vacations. If you do that, it will be so much easier to be ruthless with time and stick to your schedule normally.

5 Ways to Have Your Most Productive Year EVER

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Success leaves clues, and by looking at what highly productive people do to succeed, you can chart a course for greatness. Here are five ways that you can finally give yourself a highly productive year.

1.        Forgiveness is something we all need to practice. Forgiving yourself for past mistakes is essential. When you dwell on what you did wrong in the past, you waste your valuable time and put your body into a state of stress. Stress will kill your productivity. A much more productive idea is to look at the mistakes with no judgment. See them for what they genuinely are…your most valuable learning moments. Take the time to write out the errors and ask what happened, what you learned, and how you can use this to propel yourself to super productivity. 

2.        Productivity and success mean stretching and growing. It is wonderful to have goals; however, if your productivity goals are not that hard to reach, you are doing yourself a disservice. Write out a few productivity goals that give you the chills. You will look at these goals and feel a little uncomfortable. That is an excellent thing because you need to break out of your comfort zone and go for the gold. 

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3.        Think in the long term when it comes to your productivity. While getting those little tasks done and mentally adding it up, you might want to pat yourself on the back at the end of the year. The bigger and better idea is to ensure that you are productive while enjoying the ride and the fruits of your labor. At the end of each day, if you were to ask yourself the question, “can I be happy doing this every day for the next 25 years?" your answer needs to be a resounding yes. By answering in the negative, this is a sign that your productivity will not last. Now, you look at your day and decide what needs to change.

4.        Create the ultimate vision for your life, starting with this year. You need to understand your "big why" to have the motivation and drive to be productive every day. If you are just going through the motions, it will become tedious, and that little voice in the back of your brain will begin to chatter negatively. You have heard it before, "Why not take a break and watch that movie or this is taking forever, I may as well take a long nap to refresh myself." Having a big vision means putting it to paper and looking at it every day. Seeing the life you want and deserve will help with the grit; you need to buckle down and work smart while being productive.

5.        Have you ever seen a picture of someone's office, and they have one of those big motivation pictures with a quote in big letters? You may have thought to yourself that it was something you wanted for yourself. The ultimate truth is this…one picture is not enough. You need to create your productivity space. This means your own spot to work, with items that mean something in terms of your long-term goals. Getting your area in order means decluttering it first, getting rid of things that might hold a negative memory or serve no function in regards to your productivity. Getting the right type of lighting for your eyes, and a chair that will support your body correctly is essential. Your space should scream to you, "I am super productive." People in the creative fields, such as novelists, will have a space filled with items that help unleash their creativity. Ask yourself today, where is your space, and what does it need to be an inspiration to you?

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How to Organize Your Life to Get More Free Time

OH MY GOD. This is why I do what I do!!!

Most people feel as if there is too much to do every day and not enough time to do it. But, how does that explain those people who are super-productive and seem to get so much more done than the average person? The way to explain it is that theyíve found what they want to do, and they do what they want to do, and nothing else.

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* Determine What’s Important

There are some things that really aren’t that important but you do them anyway. Maybe you talk on the phone to a relative every day for an hour but you really donít want to and donít have time to, but you donít know how to stop it. Sit down and brainstorm what is important in your life and who is important in your life so that you can focus on those things.

* Schedule Everything

Once you know whatís important, use a good calendar to schedule everything, including leisure time. It might not sound romantic, but scheduling in a date night with your spouse and sticking to it will ensure that it happens, while spontaneity is usually impossible for most people. Ultimately, if something is important to do, itís important to get it into your calendar. When you schedule things, be realistic about the time factor so you donít overbook yourself.

* Learn to Say No

You probably have a lot of people, family, friends, co-workers, and bosses asking you to do all sorts of things that you really donít want to do, donít care about doing, and donít really make a big difference in your life other than to suck time from your day. Realize that itís OK to say no to things that just arenít important to you. Itís okay if people think youíre a horrible person too. Theyíll get used to it and find someone else to sucker into doing everything.

* Start Your Own Business

There is a saying that only entrepreneurs quit a 40-hour-a-week job to work 80 and call it freedom. But, it doesnít really have to be all that bad. Entrepreneurs often have a great work-life balance that you canít have working for someone else. The trick is to pick a business that can eventually be handed off so that you only manage it, and other people do the work.

* Turn Off the TV

It ís amazing what kind of time TV sucks from your life these days. Now that we have Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming technology, anything we want to watch is available on demand. This makes binge-watching a real thing. Save binge-watching TV for when youíre sick, the weather is bad, or itís that time of the month. Try to limit your TV (show watching) time to less than one hour a day. Then only watch it if you can combine it with physical activity to help you stay healthy.

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* Get Off the Internet

A lot of people get online and call it “work” or “research,” but all they’re really doing is messing around. Reading Facebook for hours on end is not work or research; itís a time sucker. While it’s fun, try to let go of doing it. Time yourself to find out how much time youíre wasting, then set a limit. Everyone deserves fun, and if this is fun for you, you should not give it up. Just limit it.

* Automate What You Can

There are so many things these days that can be automated, with the right time and money. For example, if youíre an Amazon Prime member, you can get many things auto shipped to you, which will save you a trip to the grocery store. Look up ìthe internet of thingsî and youíll be amazed at the type of automation that exists today.

* Outsource What You Can

There was a story that made the rounds in 2013 about a man who outsourced his Verizon security job to China. Read more about it here: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/01/16/169528579/outsourced-employee-sends-own-job-to-china-surfs-web

Unless you own your own business you probably donít want to go that far with it, but you can outsource a lot of things such as yard work, housework, and even cooking if you have the funds to do it. If you donít like doing it, you can outsource it to someone else, giving yourself that added time to do what you do like doing.

* Follow Your Body’s Rhythm

Many people are running around trying to beat the clock while running on fumes. They are doing that because their internal body clock is not set to run from morning to night like our society tries to run. Itís easier to do this if you have your own business, but try as much as you can to work and sleep when your body wants to do that instead of forcing it out of its natural rhythm. You’ll be more productive; thus, you’ll save more time.

Getting more free time in your life might seem difficult. You might think youíll always be on that treadmill of working and sleeping without any breaks. But, if you schedule things better, find a better job that works with your needs, and focus on whatís important in your life, you can manage to find more free time in your life.

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