Top Ten Motivators

Setting goals is the easy part -- but sticking with them over the long run can be a major challenge! Some people think that motivation requires will-power and dedication. Actually, staying motivated is all about setting up an environment that is conducive to you accomplishing your goals. Here are ten "tricks" for giving your goals staying power past January 31st:

BREAK YOUR GOALS DOWN

Do you know why 90% of us don't keep our New Year's resolutions? Because our goals are too big and too vague. Instead of telling yourself that you want to "get organized," try breaking that goal down into something smaller and more concrete. "Clean out all clothes that haven't been worn in a year" or "move all of the sports equipment to the garage" gives you a solid place to start -- then you can move on to another small goal that will take you one step closer to "getting organized."

PUT IN 15 MINUTES A DAY

Some people think that you have to commit hours of uninterrupted effort if you want to accomplish a goal. But the greatest advances are often the sum total of a series of SMALL EFFORTS -- a drawer here, a cabinet there, maybe a closet. Once you have set your goals for the year, commit to spending 15 minutes each day doing something that will move you closer to accomplishing that goal. You will be amazed at how quickly you progress!

PAINT YOURSELF IN A CORNER

The worst deadline you can set for accomplishing a goal is "over the next year" -- too vague, to broad, and too much room for slacking. Sometimes it's best to paint yourself into a corner if you want to get a project done. If your goal is to clean out the guest bedroom closet, invite company over! Make a COMMITMENT to someone else -- just knowing that other people are counting on you is often just the little "push" you need to get moving.

WORK WITH A "BUDDY"

This rule doesn't just apply at the gym! Do you have a friend who can help out with some of your organizing projects? Two people will get more done in shorter period of time -- and you will be less inclined to keep a bunch of junk you don't need! Just remember that you will be expected to reciprocate when your friend gets ready to clean out! And if you can't recruit any free help, consider bringing in a Professional Organizer -- someone who can be objective about your clutter.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT YOUR PLANS

The best way to make yourself accountable for accomplishing your goals is to tell other people about your plans. The minute you spread the word that you are working on a project, people become interested in your progress. "Hey, how are you doing getting that garage in order?" Every time you hear those words, one of two things will happen. Either you will feel inspired to dig back in and get to work -- or you will feel lousy because you haven't made any progress. Option A gets you moving, while Option B tells you that something is out of alignment and you need to RE-EVALUATE your goals. Either one is a step in the right direction.

PUT IT DOWN ON PAPER

You've heard it a million times -- if you write a goal down, it is more likely to come to fruition. There is something about the act of putting your thoughts (any thoughts) on paper that makes you more committed to the outcome. You have invested time and energy writing your goals down -- what a waste if you didn't actually go through with them! And it is wonderfully therapeutic to cross an item off of your list once you complete it!

REVIEW YOUR GOALS REGULARLY

The best thing about writing your goals down is that you have something physical to hold in your hand and refer back to when you need a boost. But reviewing your goals doesn't just mean skimming the page and counting up how many things you haven't done yet. You must also ask yourself some questions about each goal -- why haven't I made more progress on this goal? What's getting in my way? Is this goal still important to me? If your priorities have changed, drop it from your list. You have enough important things to do -- you don't need to sweat over not accomplishing an unimportant task.

DEVELOP A "MANTRA"

Repetition is the mother of success, so you need to remind yourself of your goals everyday. Pick your most important goal this year, and turn it into a one-sentence "mantra." Your mantra should be in the form of an affirmation -- a statement phrased as though you have already accomplished your goal ("I am the master of my time" or "I live in a clutter-free environment.") Repeat this mantra first thing when you get up, last thing before you go to bed, when you are driving in the car, as you take a shower. Post sticky notes with your mantra on it around your home and office. Pretty soon, this will become your natural way of thinking -- keeping you going when you run into a roadblock.

ENJOY YOUR SUCCESSES

When was the last time you really acknowledged the fact that you accomplished an important goal? Too often, we simply charge into the next task on our list without really appreciating our achievements. Next time, spend a few minutes reflecting on what you have accomplished -- remembering the time and effort you invested and savoring the feeling of completion. This will refresh and renew your enthusiasm to continue on with your next goal. Without that moment of pause, you will eventually burn yourself out and lose all sense of motivation.

PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK

Do you reward yourself for a job well done? Lets go one step further -- do you plan ahead of time what reward you will give yourself when you complete a task on your list? There is a lot of wisdom in the old idea of a "carrot and stick." As you plan out your goals for the next year, attach a REWARD to each. It could be as simple as a walk around the block, or as grand as a two-week vacation -- just make sure that your reward is commensurate with the amount of work you will have to do to reach that goal. And be consistent about rewarding yourself for every accomplishment, no matter how small. You deserve it!

Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- offering "a world of organizing solutions!" Visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.onlineorganizing.com">http://www.onlineorganizing.com</a> for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all the tools you need to succeed. If you would like to reprint this article, please send in an e-mail request to <a href="mailto:ramona@onlineorganizing.com">ramona@onlineorganizing.com</a>

Sprint Through Your Workday, Even if Youre a Marathoner

Whenever you have projects that can't be done in one sitting, they have to be broken up into steps. Some people are marathoners and work best when they can spend long, uninterrupted hours on their projects. They hate to stop working because of piddly considerations like eating or sleeping, and they look forward to their next sessions. They're motivated by their goals, and they enjoy the process. That keeps them on track.

However, many work environments are too full of distractions to support marathoners. Your home office also harbors plenty of distractions. Some distractions can be managed, but many are integral parts of the work day. I'm talking about the kind of environment that makes people say, "I must have ADD!" The answer is: learn to sprint.

Make Your Sprints Productive.

Some people are natural sprinters To find out, ask yourself if it's hard to get back into the swing of a project once you get up from that first session. The novelty has worn off, you're distracted by new projects, and the prospect of not finishing the current one any time soon diminishes your enthusiasm. This can make it hard to get projects checked off your list. But you can turn this tendency into a productive work style.

Think back to other projects you've completed. Can you remember how much time you comfortably spent at one sitting? If not, plan to work for 15 minutes. The session will actually take about 10 minutes longer than that, so schedule enough time. You'll begin by setting things up, physically and mentally. Get tools and equipment, put email and phone distractions on hold, and review what you'll be doing. Focus on working for the 15 minutes. At the end, clean up and make notes for the next session. If that was easy, try making your sessions longer. If it was a toughie, shorten them.

Why Does This Work?

Mainly, it works because you prepare yourself mentally to work for a specific period of time. The mental preparation and the time limit together are a terrific combination. It also works because you develop a new work habit. Once something becomes a habit, it feels natural and you come to expect it. You're not inventing the wheel each time.

Another reason it's helpful is that a project that's broken down into many steps can have many "beginnings." That's a good way to look at it if you find yourself losing motivation. Every time you finish a work session, you'll specifically describe what's to be done next time. If the next step is a different kind of activity, it will naturally seem like a new activity, even if it's part of a larger project. For example, once you finish reviewing a set of data, your next step is to call the salesperson to discuss your order. When you write your task out as "call salesperson" rather than "continue slogging along on the Schwartz project," you'll be able to focus on that current step instead of feeling overwhelmed by looking at the entire large project.

Finally, it works because no matter how little time you work on something, if you keep at it, with regular mini sessions, you will eventually finish. Guaranteed.

Claire Tompkins specializes in simple, efficient systems to help people be more productive, more easily. Before figuring out how to do something better, ask why you're doing it at all. Got to <a target="_new" href="http://www.clairetompkins.com">http://www.clairetompkins.com</a> to find out more. Contact her at <a href="mailto:Claire@clairetompkins.com">Claire@clairetompkins.com</a> and 510-535-0856.

Looking At Time With A Capital T

I keep a fossil on my desk at all times. Whenever I feel rushed or find myself creating a sense of urgency, I pick up the fossil and caress its polished surface. It's over 200 million years old. Suddenly, returning that phone call or meeting that self-imposed deadline doesn't seem nearly as critical. My ancient arthropod reminds me that, in the scheme of things, this moment is indescribably insignificant. I find that remarkably comforting.

True story: I brought the fossil with me as a sort of visual aid for a presentation I was giving on sustainability at Intel. As I opened the car door in the Intel parking lot, the fossil slipped out of my bag. It crashed to the pavement, the asphalt shattering the tip of my favorite piece of history. I'm trying hard to avoid seeing any deep meaning in that disturbing little incident.

Anyway, I've been stroking that poor broken fossil a lot this week. I'm not freaking out about anything. I've just been spending some time thinking about time.

Is life a function of time, or is time a function of life?

This is worth spending a considerable amount of time (or life?) contemplating. For those of you in a hurry, I've got this short sound bite answer: It depends on what kind of scope you're using.

My brother has worked for a nearby scope manufacturer for over twenty years, so my answer is colored by my familiarity with lenses and the way they magnify reality. You might come up with a response based on, say, your connection to compost. Or combustion engines. Or maybe blood cells. Me? I'm going with scopes.

I would say that time is a function of life whenever we are simply going through the motions of the day or looking at our accomplishments or failures over the course of our lives. We can divide periods of living into convenient packages--that wondrous year in Miss Green's first grade class, the bust-your-butt blur of college, the years in the old house on Birch Street, and on and on. You've got your own compartments.

We use time. It allows us to keep things organized, both in our day planners and in our minds. It's a helpful ordering mechanism.

It's hard to get a grip on the enormity of time when we view it in terms of appointments, lunch hours, and television time-slots. If we pull waaayyy back and look at it, then life becomes a function of time instead of the other way around.

We don't tend to pay attention to any of that while getting ready for work in the morning. We don't think much about Time with a capital T. That's because we're looking through the lens of the microscope. Well, haul out the telescope. Take a look at gigantic periods of Time. Consider unfathomable chunks of eternity.

We've been in the Cenozoic era for about 65 million years now. It started way back with the extinction of the last non-avian dinosaurs. The most recent Cenozoic period, the Quarternary, started a mere 1.8 million years ago, and has seen the development of humans from the very earliest use of tools and rudimentary language to the present flip-phone/camera/email devices that are all the rage today. That's quite a progression.

I'm thinking we've sort of maxed out the Cenozoic era. It has served us well in many ways, but frankly, it's getting a bit tired. Seeing as how humans were the ones to name the eras in the first place (that part is definitely time as a function of life), it's perfectly reasonable that humans should declare when the next one is starting. It's fairly arbitrary anyway. There's certainly some wiggle room--at least a couple hundred thousand years.

Can we start the new one now? Please?

Here's an idea--why not put a little thought into the next era? Instead of documenting the progress--or decline--of species, why not plug in a little intention and see where that takes us?

I wish I'd thought of that first, but I didn't. Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme coined the term "Ecozoic era" in The Universe Story, and then Berry went on to talk about what that might look like in his book, The Great Work. Berry describes the Ecozoic era as one holding the promise of humans living in a mutually enhancing relationship with all life forms.

This sounds pretty groovy, but it's not viewed as a Utopian concept. It's a viable proposition.

The first steps have been taken to build the foundation for a realistic movement toward this new era. The Center for Ecozoic Studies is at the forefront, but a number of scholars of all stripes are coming together to do some planning. There's not a gloom-and-doomer in the bunch. In fact, they are catapulted by hope and possibility. They take this work very seriously but embrace it joyously.

We should, too. We humans have come a long way from pounding rocks in a cave. We're perfectly capable of looking forward and envisioning an unprecedented era capitalizing on cooperation and awareness as guiding principles. We do it in the movies all the time. Why can't we do it for real?

I'd like to propose that we consider utilizing the concept that life is a function of time. Let's think about what it means to plan an era. Our cave ancestors couldn't imagine the world today. We have the advantage of the knowledge of history and a growing understanding of the forces that propel a planet through its evolutionary journey.

Like it or not, we've got a certain responsibility to use these fabulous frontal lobes. You don't have to be a scientist to think about the future of the Earth. You're human. Think about it because you CAN.

Look for fossil moments in your day to consider the universe, and grasp the opportunity to render yourself temporarily insignificant.

Just watch out for asphalt.

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her course, Massage Your Mind!: Defining Your Life Philosophy, has inspired thinkers in over 70 countries around the world. She publishes the Friday Mind Massage, a free weekly ezine serving up a satisfying blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.massageyourmind.com" target="_new">http://www.massageyourmind.com</a> or <a href="http://www.mindmasseuse.com" target="_new">http://www.mindmasseuse.com</a>.

<a href="mailto:maya@massageyourmind.com">maya@massageyourmind.com</a>

Focus on One Thing at a Time to Get the Job Done

All too often we can feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that we have to do and it is easy to get caught in the trap of trying to accomplish too many things at once and never completing any to your own satisfaction. Often there is a push to accomplish more and more, especially if you are focussed on your career and want to impress.

However, if you want to be really productive, and actually get more done the answer is to actually do one thing at a time. This can sound counter-intuitive and there has been a push over the past few years for people to take on more and more and to fill the 'empty' periods of their day so that they are constantly doing something.

In reality 'do more' is not the same as 'accomplish more' and top performers the world over aim to do one thing at a time. For those of you who remember him Daley Thompson (perhaps the worlds top decathlon athlete) was interviewed on how he became so successful, his answer was to focus totally on the current event and to complete that, the other events just didn't exist in his mind during that time.

People who perform well in business follow the same strategy. Focus on one task at a time, concentrate and complete that one thing and then move on.

This doesn't mean that their waiting time is 'wasted', if they are waiting for something to happen with a particular piece of work they concentrate all of their energy on 'optioning' and 'optimising'.

On those occasions where they do move on to something else while they wait for a resolution they do several things:

(a) Take a Break ? The take a physical break from their desk. They get up, go for a 5 minute walk, get a coffee, anything that will take their mind off the previous task.

(b) Put it in their Schedule ? They plan in time in their schedule for the new task and set this time aside. If the first task comes back to them they finish the new task (or work on it for their allotted time) and only then do they return to the first task. They always go through (a) to change their current mental state.

(c) Schedule a re-visit ? They put into their schedule a time when they will re-visit the first task.

They never jump from task to task, everything is planned and measured. They plan to 'accomplish' rather than to 'work' on a task and the top performers never feel 'overwhelmed' or as if they are 'drowning' and they consistently achieve more than those around them by doing one thing at a time.

Give each task your total, complete and utmost focus and watch your productivity fly.

More information regarding Organisational Change, Coaching and Performance Development can be found at <a target="_new" href="http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk">http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk</a>

2005 ? Achieving Greatness Ltd. All rights reserved.

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PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link.

L Stuart Avery is the Managing Director of Achieving Greatness Ltd, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness around personal and management behaviours. Achieving Greatness specialises in offering advice and support to organisations going through change intitiatives and looking to enhance the performance of their staff. It provides training courses, facilitiation services and coaching to business leaders on Leadership, Management and Strategy.

Stuart has over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries including Government, Charities, Retail, Travel, Insurance, IT Services and Logistics.

For more information visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk">http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk</a>

Time is on Your Side ? Manage it Wisely

How do you manage your time? Or is the more appropriate question do you wish you had better time management skills? I have clients and friends who rely on everything from legal pads to brightly colored sticky notepads to manage their time and appointments ? practically everything in their life. I don't understand why some folks place so little importance on something as important as time management!

As a professional Virtual Assistant, I have numerous clients and tasks I must complete every day. I also have a hectic personal life, full of family responsibilities and my hobbies. Organizing my time is critical to my success and to maintaining my sanity.

Submitted for your reading pleasure, and to enhance your brain, are some of my tips for effectively and efficiently managing one of your most valuable resources: time.

Determine What Works Best for You

We're all different in regards to time management -- what works for you may not suit me or my style. Are you constantly on the go and need your calendar at your fingertips? Or, do you prefer to keep a paper calendar? Do you loath computers and all they stand for, or are you so wired Edison would be jealous? Whatever tools you choose to include in your arsenal, ensure they're tools you'll use consistently.

The Building Blocks of Better Time Management

My time management tools are Microsoft Outlook? and my trusty PDA. Outlook serves all my appointment, e-mail and tasking needs in one easy-to-use package.

Two of my favorite Outlook tools are the Categories and Labels features. Categories allow me to classify my calendar items and tasks in a variety of ways, such as Clients, Potential Clients, Personal, and so forth. In addition, you can also Advanced Find (search) Categories, so no more wasted time looking for a calendar appointment or journal entry for a particular client.

Unlike the seemingly unlimited number of Categories you may setup, you are limited to ten (10) Labels (at least in the 2002 version). Labels allow you to color code your Calendar so you'll know at a glance which items are personal in nature, and which are client related.

Consistency is the Key

Whatever system you have in place or are considering to implement, the key point to remember is consistency. Follow the same procedures each and every time, without fail. Ensure you put good habits into play and more important, follow those good habits!

When I create new appointments or tasks, I use the first few characters to define the &quot;owner&quot; (client or myself) of that appointment or task. For example, when creating items for client Tom Smith, I'll preface all items with TSMITH. When searching for items for Tom, I know if I search for &quot;TSMITH&quot; I'll access all items related to this client. I'll also apply a Label to my appointments, such as TeleCon, PCI (Potential Client Interview), or Personal.

I pad all appointments with a 15-minute buffer on each side. I also schedule breaks during my workday.

My clients appreciate that each Monday I release my &quot;Lori's Schedule&quot; e-mail, a brief note notifying my clients when I'll be out of the office for that week. For example, all my clients know I'm a member of the Editorial Team for a well-known eZine and they know that unless it's an emergency, I am not available during this meeting.

When I interview potential clients, interns and vendors, I keep detailed conversation notes in the memo field for that Contact. I date all telephone conversations and apply color coding (font coloring) to each conversation. All interviews are kept to 30 minutes ? no exceptions. My Desktop timer helps me keep track of the time, and sounds a horn .WAV file when it's time to end the interview.

If I need to follow up with someone, I immediately create an appointment, applying Categories and a Label, and attach any necessary external documents (Word, Excel, etc.). For Calendar appointments, I also keep track of the number of times I've attempted to contact that person. Example: For vendor Lisa Andrews, I'll preface the appointment with LA(2), where the parenthetical (2) means this is my second attempt to contact Lisa. I allow a maximum of three follow up attempts ? no exceptions. Chasing people down is a waste of my time -- time I'd prefer to spend making money and running my business.

You Make the Call

Pet Peeve: Folks who call me and have no clue what they want to say. I've been known to hang up on such occasions, so let's ensure you don't make the same mistake!

A few basic rules of etiquette follow:

1. Peace & quiet rule the day, especially if you're making a business call. If the kids or your husband are home, close the door to your office. If there's a large amount of street traffic, go to an inner room in your home, as far away from the noise as possible. You don't want to shout over the din; instead, make the din disappear.

2. Know what you're going to say! I've advised numerous clients to have either an index card or a sheet of paper with the bullet points of what they want to say. I do something similar ? in the Calendar appointment for the telephone call, I include bullet points in the memo field and make notes during the course of the conversation.

3. Keep it brief. Make your point, get down to business and let's rock and roll.

4. Be on time. Have respect for the person you're about to call. They've set aside valuable time to talk to you.

You've Made Your List, Now Check It the 2nd Time

Spend a few minutes at the end of your day to review tomorrow's calendar. Doing so will get you prepared for tomorrow and will jump start your memory if you forgot to do something. Do you have any faxes still waiting to go out? Did you remember to call the printer and OK the proof? Any prep work you need to do for tomorrow? Take five minutes, review your calendar and to do list and then complete any last minute work.

It's All Relative ? Well, Your Relatives Think So

I know many people who have home-based businesses and at least 75% of them do not have a &quot;family policy&quot; in place. How can you work effectively from home if your girlfriends are calling you all the time, and if Uncle Joe stops by several times a day? Answer: You can't. What to do? Inform your family and close friends that unless it's a dire emergency, the family chit-chat and visits need to be kept to a minimum. For your part, you must ensure you call your dad at the end of the day to check in, and tell your girlfriend Lisa that yes, you can have lunch with her on Thursday. It's all about balance: part work, part play. Too much of the former will make you crazy!

&quot;No&quot; is Not a Four Letter Word (Subtitle: Even if it were, you should still utter it now and then)

Say this out loud, &quot;It's okay for me to say no.&quot; Doesn't that feel better? More important, do you believe it?

Do not allow the procrastination or the good intentions of others to encroach upon your time. If you do not have the time today to handle a task, be honest and say so. Offer alternative dates and times when you are available, ensuring you mark these times as &quot;unavailable&quot; on your calendar so you don't book other appointments during this time.

Remember, time is money. Learn how to organize and manage your time--you'll be glad you did!

Copyright 2005 Lori Davis. All rights reserved.

Lori Davis is Director of the Future at Davis Virtual Assistants, a New York-based VA firm. To learn more about Lori and DavisVA, please visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.davisva.com">http://www.davisva.com</a> and <a target="_new" href="http://loridavis.typepad.com/davisva/">http://loridavis.typepad.com/davisva/.</a> You may contact Lori at 917.319.8224 and via e-mail at <a href="mailto:lori@davisva.com">lori@davisva.com</a>.

How Can I Get Some Time to Myself?

&quot;I never seem to have any time for myself. What can I do?&quot;

When my two year old followed me to the toilet today I had very similar thought to yours. As busy parents we can often feel like there is no time for us and we are forever running around after others. We can be great at looking after everyone else and so often put ourselves at the bottom of the list.

Many of the mums I coach are surprised when I tell them it is time to start putting themselves first. If you are running on half full this affects every area of your life - your relationships, health or work ? and without doubt how good you feel about looking after your children.

I'm sure you will have noticed that when you're happy your children are happy too so for the next week make this a priority.

Write a list of all the things that you would like to do for yourself. What is the one thing you have been putting off? These can be simple things from calling a friend without being disturbed to booking a haircut, taking a bath or reading the magazine you bought a month ago.

Choose at least one thing that you are going to over the next week and actually write down when you are going to do it. Put down the date and the time when you are going to make this happen. If you need someone to look after the children for a few hours, call them now. Or at least firmly plan how you are going to ensure your time is your own.

Enjoy this time that you have created for yourself and you will be amazed at the results! Let me know how you get on.

Debbie Lewis is a specialist parent coach who regularly contributes on parenting issues to national and regional media including Channel 5's Trisha Goddard Show.

She has worked for over ten years with adults and children in a broad range of jobs including nanny and parenting consultant.

Debbie is professionally trained in parenting skills, child development and family assessment and a registered member of The Parenting and Education Support Forum, The General Social Care Council, an NLP Practitioner and accredited life coach.

The Power of Limited Time

The most powerful resource that we have is time. Everything we do is time-dependent and changes forever with the passage of time. Even though we may think that we are repeating things in fact there is no such thing as a repeatable cycle in the pure sense of the word as time is only ever going forward and cannot be slowed, stopped or reversed.

Time can not be changed itself but it does possess the supreme power to effectuate anything it touches. Conside for a moment that Man is initially driven by basic needs like hunger, shelter, love and security but as these are slowly fulfilled, he begins to desire more and more things like cars, houses, recognition, financial security for the future, etc. The future times for which he is so busily preparing, however, will come to pass quickly even whilst he is in the process of gathering things he believes to be important in this life. In other words, what we do in our allocated time is vital to a rich and fulfilling life.

We are all employees of "Eternal Time Limited" being clocked in on our individual shifts.

Time can change our moods, aspirations and how we look at ourselves and Life itself. We evolve our thoughts to a degree and then as time passes we degenerate into a state of fear, apprehension and not being so sure about that which we were previously positive about.

So how do we control Time and become masters of it? How do we use it for our advantage, even though we know that it is measured by others around us to categorise us in terms of how efficient we are in dealing with life's affairs. Our successes and failures are measured in terms of what we have achieved in a given time.

There is an ever-increasing pressure for us to achieve more in less time. However, most of us procrastinate every day of our lives. We let the precious time roll on by without doing anything that will lead us to an improved state. We need direction, goals, aims and objectives to achieve more in less time. We can manage our time better if we have the desire to achieve smaller goals.

Frustration grows when things around us either go faster than what we would like them to or slower than our internal clocks allow. We find ourselves constantly adjusting to the speed of our environment, matching it as closely as possible so we can synchronize our collective aims and objectives.

One technique that works well is to impose a time limit on any task. If you mentally restrict the amount of time allocated for achieving a mini goal, and actively fight the urge to perfect the task then achievement of the overall goal becomes easier. We spend far more time in perfecting and completing tasks then we do in starting them and keeping them going towards completion. We hang on for the ultimate perfect result for self-satisfaction and admiration of others whereas we could in fact complete a whole series of mini tasks quite quickly and without stopping if we consciously enact this secret of major successes.

Another powerful way to achieve more in less is to automate your processes wherever possible. Use your computer for focussing on specific tasks. If you are a business owner, you can actually create pockets of Creative Time by removing yourself from a significant part of your business through automation of business processes. We have achieved a great deal of success at my company InfiNET Point Ltd http://www.infinetpoint.co.uk by automating many time-consuming processes.

However, you do not need to be a computer whiz-kid to achieve Automation. Automation can be a manual process that is carried out by others on your behalf. You only need to define the process once and keep on refining it until it is perfected. It should ultimately work without your physical presence.

Awareness of the passage of time is crucial because although it is good to have an end to journey toward, it is the journey that matters in the end!

Having to achieve more in less time is something that I have had to do in almost all areas of my own life and I attribute my entire success to taking action in limited time. In business we have developed various time-saving automation products including a marketing product called CMS Desktop, <a target="_new" href="http://www.cmsdesktop.co.uk">http://www.cmsdesktop.co.uk</a>, geared for automation of Email Marketing and Customer Contact.

If you want to discuss Automation in any area of your business please contact <a href="mailto:moz@infinetpoint.co.uk">moz@infinetpoint.co.uk</a>.

Top Ten Motivators

Setting goals is the easy part -- but sticking with them over the long run can be a major challenge! Some people think that motivation requires will-power and dedication. Actually, staying motivated is all about setting up an environment that is conducive to you accomplishing your goals. Here are ten &quot;tricks&quot; for giving your goals staying power past January 31st:

BREAK YOUR GOALS DOWN

Do you know why 90% of us don't keep our New Year's resolutions? Because our goals are too big and too vague. Instead of telling yourself that you want to &quot;get organized,&quot; try breaking that goal down into something smaller and more concrete. &quot;Clean out all clothes that haven't been worn in a year&quot; or &quot;move all of the sports equipment to the garage&quot; gives you a solid place to start -- then you can move on to another small goal that will take you one step closer to &quot;getting organized.&quot;

PUT IN 15 MINUTES A DAY

Some people think that you have to commit hours of uninterrupted effort if you want to accomplish a goal. But the greatest advances are often the sum total of a series of SMALL EFFORTS -- a drawer here, a cabinet there, maybe a closet. Once you have set your goals for the year, commit to spending 15 minutes each day doing something that will move you closer to accomplishing that goal. You will be amazed at how quickly you progress!

PAINT YOURSELF IN A CORNER

The worst deadline you can set for accomplishing a goal is &quot;over the next year&quot; -- too vague, to broad, and too much room for slacking. Sometimes it's best to paint yourself into a corner if you want to get a project done. If your goal is to clean out the guest bedroom closet, invite company over! Make a COMMITMENT to someone else -- just knowing that other people are counting on you is often just the little &quot;push&quot; you need to get moving.

WORK WITH A &quot;BUDDY&quot;

This rule doesn't just apply at the gym! Do you have a friend who can help out with some of your organizing projects? Two people will get more done in shorter period of time -- and you will be less inclined to keep a bunch of junk you don't need! Just remember that you will be expected to reciprocate when your friend gets ready to clean out! And if you can't recruit any free help, consider bringing in a Professional Organizer -- someone who can be objective about your clutter.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT YOUR PLANS

The best way to make yourself accountable for accomplishing your goals is to tell other people about your plans. The minute you spread the word that you are working on a project, people become interested in your progress. &quot;Hey, how are you doing getting that garage in order?&quot; Every time you hear those words, one of two things will happen. Either you will feel inspired to dig back in and get to work -- or you will feel lousy because you haven't made any progress. Option A gets you moving, while Option B tells you that something is out of alignment and you need to RE-EVALUATE your goals. Either one is a step in the right direction.

PUT IT DOWN ON PAPER

You've heard it a million times -- if you write a goal down, it is more likely to come to fruition. There is something about the act of putting your thoughts (any thoughts) on paper that makes you more committed to the outcome. You have invested time and energy writing your goals down -- what a waste if you didn't actually go through with them! And it is wonderfully therapeutic to cross an item off of your list once you complete it!

REVIEW YOUR GOALS REGULARLY

The best thing about writing your goals down is that you have something physical to hold in your hand and refer back to when you need a boost. But reviewing your goals doesn't just mean skimming the page and counting up how many things you haven't done yet. You must also ask yourself some questions about each goal -- why haven't I made more progress on this goal? What's getting in my way? Is this goal still important to me? If your priorities have changed, drop it from your list. You have enough important things to do -- you don't need to sweat over not accomplishing an unimportant task.

DEVELOP A &quot;MANTRA&quot;

Repetition is the mother of success, so you need to remind yourself of your goals everyday. Pick your most important goal this year, and turn it into a one-sentence &quot;mantra.&quot; Your mantra should be in the form of an affirmation -- a statement phrased as though you have already accomplished your goal (&quot;I am the master of my time&quot; or &quot;I live in a clutter-free environment.&quot;) Repeat this mantra first thing when you get up, last thing before you go to bed, when you are driving in the car, as you take a shower. Post sticky notes with your mantra on it around your home and office. Pretty soon, this will become your natural way of thinking -- keeping you going when you run into a roadblock.

ENJOY YOUR SUCCESSES

When was the last time you really acknowledged the fact that you accomplished an important goal? Too often, we simply charge into the next task on our list without really appreciating our achievements. Next time, spend a few minutes reflecting on what you have accomplished -- remembering the time and effort you invested and savoring the feeling of completion. This will refresh and renew your enthusiasm to continue on with your next goal. Without that moment of pause, you will eventually burn yourself out and lose all sense of motivation.

PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK

Do you reward yourself for a job well done? Lets go one step further -- do you plan ahead of time what reward you will give yourself when you complete a task on your list? There is a lot of wisdom in the old idea of a &quot;carrot and stick.&quot; As you plan out your goals for the next year, attach a REWARD to each. It could be as simple as a walk around the block, or as grand as a two-week vacation -- just make sure that your reward is commensurate with the amount of work you will have to do to reach that goal. And be consistent about rewarding yourself for every accomplishment, no matter how small. You deserve it!

Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- offering "a world of organizing solutions!" Visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.onlineorganizing.com">http://www.onlineorganizing.com</a> for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all the tools you need to succeed. If you would like to reprint this article, please send in an e-mail request to <a href="mailto:ramona@onlineorganizing.com">ramona@onlineorganizing.com</a>

Time is Money - Dont Waste It

"If you control your time, you control your life" - Alan Lakein (1973)

Time is Money. Time is a precious commodity and everyone gets an equal share, but we use it differently. Even different societies have different attitudes towards times.

One thing about time is that it is elusive; it cannot be changed, and once it is gone, it is gone forever. According to a saying, 'Time and tide wait for no one'. Our situation and needs influence our time orientation, but our time orientation (and needs) can be changed and that should lead to a more successful life.

Vilfredo Pareto, an early twentieth century Italian Economist, formulated what most of us call the '80-20 Rule', technically known as the 'law of maldistribution'. This rule states that "80 percent of our effort is spent on unnecessary activity and only 20 percent of our time is spent on something productive.' The question now is: how can we spend 80 percent of our time on something productive and spend 20 percent on something unproductive?

For more effective use of our time, the following tips are suggested. They are not sequential, you can decide the order.

The first is that you must set goals. A goal gives your life and the way you spend your time meaning and direction. You must decide what you want from life and organise your time around your goals. Look at your life in such areas as: finance, career, spiritual, social, health and community or cultural, and develop smarter objectives for each. Your goals must be specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic and it must be time bound. You must also evaluate and review your goals regularly to check whether you are heading in the right direction or not.

Secondly, you must plan and organise. Using time to think and plan is time well spent. Nobody plan to fail but many people fail to plan. Organise and plan in a way that makes sense to you, otherwise you will find yourself dealing with problems as they arise instead of creating opportunities for problems to be avoided and for progress to be made.

Thirdly, you must put first things first. In his book 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,' Stephen R. Covey deduced that: "the one denominator that all successful people shared was not hard work, good luck or good human relation but 'putting first things first'". By putting first things first you eliminate the urgent and concentrate on the important things. Urgent tasks have short-term consequences while important tasks are those with long-term, goal-related implications. Work towards reducing the urgent things that arise and you will have more time for your important priorities. If things are important, they contribute to your mission and help you in achieving your goals.

Also, to make effective use of your time you must do the right things right. Noted management expert, Peter Drucker, in his book 'The Effective Executive' (Harper & Row, 1966) said: "doing the right thing is more important than doing things right. Doing the right thing is effectiveness; doing things right is efficiency. Focus first on effectiveness (identifying what is the right thing to do), then concentrate on efficiency (doing it right)."

Moreover, you must aim for excellence and not perfection. Excellence is attainable; perfection is elusive if not unattainable. I believe that the pursuit of perfection is a waste of time. Yes, some things need to be closer to perfection than others; but perfectionism - paying unnecessary attention to details can be another form of procrastination.

Furthermore, you must conquer procrastination. To be a peak performer and be able to make good use of your time, it is necessary to conquer procrastination. Do not postpone till tomorrow what you can do today. Alan Lakein explained in his book: 'How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life' that "Many of us procrastinate when faced with long and difficult or unpleasant tasks, even though they are quite important to us. One technique to try in order to conquer procrastination is the 'Swiss cheese method'. When you are avoiding something, break it into smaller tasks, and work on the big task for just 15 minutes. By doing a little at a time, eventually you'll reach a point where you'll want to finish."

Be ready to say 'No'. This is such a small word, yet so hard to say. Focusing on your goals may help. Making time for important, but often not schedule, priorities such as family and friends can also help. But first you must be convinced that you and your priorities are important - that seems to be the hardest part in learning to say 'no'. Once convinced of their importance, saying 'no' to the unimportant things in life gets easier.

In addition, you must consider what time of the day suits you best. For instance, I like reading at night and writing in the morning because by late afternoon I am exhausted. Kathy Prochaska-Cue, an extension family economics specialist averred that: "Knowing when your best time is and planning to use that time of the day for your priorities (if possible) is effective time management."

Besides, to make effective use of your time you must have a 'To Do List'. I have a daily 'To Do list' which I do either the last thing the previous day or first thing in the morning. I also have a weekly, monthly and yearly 'To Do List'. You can either use a diary or calendar and you could combine the two. The coming of Personal Digital Assistant and Pocket Personal Computer has made life easier. Try any method that suits you. Having a 'To Do List' is essential for wise time management.

Another tip is that you need to be flexible. Allow time for interruptions and distractions. Time management experts often suggest planning for 50 percent or less of one's time. With only 50 percent of your time planned you will have the flexibility to handle interruptions of unplanned emergencies. Save (or make) larger blocks of time for your priorities.

Finally, reward yourself. Even for smaller successes, celebrate achievement of goals. Anytime I am able to finish the entire task on my 'things-to-do-today-list,' I smile and say 'thank you Lord'. Promise yourself a reward for completing each task or finishing an entire task. Keep your promise to yourself and indulge in your reward. It may be as simple as special snacks after getting certain things done. Doing so will help you maintain the necessary balance in life between work and play. As Ann McGee-Cooper said in her book: 'Time Management for Unmanageable People' (Ann Mc-Cooper & Associates, 1983); "If we learn to balance excellence in work with excellence in play, fun and relaxation, our lives become happier, healthier, and a great deal more creative."

Dayo Olomu is a UK-based Motivational Speaker, Writer, Business/Life Coach, Trainer, Media Entrepreneur and Competent Toastmaster. His core belief is that we are all endowed with seeds of greatness, and his mission is to help individuals and organisations achieve their full potentials. He is the author of best selling "4 Indispensable Strategies for Success" and the President of Croydon Communicators Toastmasters. Get his FREE monthly Rise to the Top ezine by sending a blank email to <a href="mailto:subscribe@dayoolomu.com">subscribe@dayoolomu.com</a> or visit his website at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.dayoolomu.com"> www.dayoolomu.com</a>

Are You Running Out of Time?

Here's some time management tips to try:

1) Set strict office hours and stick to them - use an answering machine to pick up calls after hours. Don't be tempted to &quot;pick up just one more call&quot;.

2) Have a day timer (or hand held PDA) that you write everything down in and carry with you.

3) If you're running late to pick up the kids call the school - keep doctors/dentists/personal phone numbers in the book too - you can book appointments while you're waiting in a line or stuck in traffic.

3) Keep a large calendar at home too - and make sure the whole family knows what everyone else is doing.

4) Take care of yourself - you're the company's most valuable asset (eat well, sleep enough and get some exercise)

5) If you find work is taking over your weekends for things like trade shows, or other appointments, be sure to take the same amount of time off during the week.

6) If you find you're really getting overloaded - write down what you do in every hour for a whole day. This will really show you the way you spend your time. This will also let you re-allocate your time to those things that are most important to you. You may find you're spending 30 - 40% of your time on time wasting tasks like answering non-essential emails or phone calls. If you can schedule a certain time each day for these kinds of tasks, OR delegate them to an assistant you will be able to spend your time more productively.

Do YOU have some time saving tips? Why not share them with other business owners? Send in your tips to: wendy@thinkwithoutboundaries.com with "time saver tips" in the subject line.

Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing innovator and Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach who specializes in teaching people to "think without boundaries!" She is a past nominee for "Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year" and her clients have included software developers, an Olympic athlete and a wide range of business organizations. She has spoken to 10,000+ conference attendees, about Marketing, Internet Business and Motivation. You can contact her through her website ? <a target="_new" href="http://www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com">http://www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com</a>

Time Management: How To Get More Done

If you can regularly ask yourself "Am I regularly and consistently working on those items that will move me towards my clearly defined goals?" and honestly answer "Yes" then you are probably doing ok.

If not, here are a few time wasters to be aware of and some strategies for protecting your time (priorities).

MAIL: Don't waste your time on junk mail (unless you are specifically looking for good marketing ideas to borrow) - if possible get someone else to go through your mail and sort out the junk and take care of the routine items.

If you do want to save the junk mail have it placed in a box or file that you can go through when you are brainstorming for new ideas. (This is commonly called a "Swipe File" by most writers - a resource to generate good ideas that you can swipe and adapt to your own use.)

MEETINGS: Scheduled and unscheduled meetings can be a terrible waste of time. Don't allow people to just drop in on you without an appointment and a purpose. Avoid any scheduled meetings that you possibly can.

If you are in charge of a meeting - make sure you have a plan for keeping it short and focused. If you have to attend a meeting and you are not in charge - have a plan for escaping once you are done with your portion (such as a phone call or appointment at a pre-arranged time).

Also, stop meeting people at restaurants, etc. They will invariably keep you waiting. Instead have them meet you at your office. That way, if they are late, you can continue to be productive. If you must meet them outside of the office, take something with you to read or work on while you are waiting.

DOWN TIME: Meaning time that you spend waiting, traveling, sick, etc.

Always have something to do, or to listen to, or to read. Ask yourself "What is stackable?" In other words, what

tasks can I combine and do at the same time, such as listening to training tapes while commuting.

LACK OF PLANNING: There is an old saying that I often repeat to myself: "Having lost sight of our objective, we re-doubled our efforts". In other words, not knowing where we were going we got there twice as fast.

Take a little time each day to focus on your tasks at hand and make sure they are leading you towards your goals. If they are not, then eliminate them all together or delegate them if necessary.

Then chart out the day in such a way that maximizes your available time. Combine activities where possible and block out portions of the day to accomplish the most important tasks. Then keep your appointments with yourself as strictly as you would with your most important client.

INTERRUPTIONS: The greatest productivity usually comes from being able to focus on a project for an extended period of time without interruption. Interruptions not only waste the time of the interruption itself but also the time to refocus your concentration on the task at hand.

Do whatever you can to avoid interruptions. If possible, have someone else answer the phone and then return calls at a designated time for calls. Train your clients, etc. to call during that time.

Become inaccessible to those that regularly steal your time by dropping in or calling to shoot the breeze. Hide if you have too. When I worked for a real estate company many years ago I specifically asked for the office that was hidden away down in the basement. It had it's own outside entrance so I could come and go without the other agents knowing I was there, eliminating all those unnecessary little interruptions.

If you can't hide, be busy and be obvious about it so others are less apt to interrupt.

DISORGANIZATION: "A place for everything, and everything in its place" is good advice. Few things waste more time than having to hunt for something every time you need it. Keep a clean desk, work on one thing at a time and put it away when you're done. (Sorry if I sound like your mother)

PAPERWORK: This can be a great time waster. If you have stacks of paper and files all over your desk or office do yourself a favor and go buy a filing cabinet and some file folders. Set up drawers for specific types of files, etc.

Have a place for every type of file or paperwork. Go through everything in your office and either file it or throw it away. Buy dividers or organizers or whatever is necessary to systematize the flow of paperwork through your office.

LACK OF FOCUS: Anything that keeps you from focusing on your priorities during those times you have chosen to be productive must be eliminated. That means TV, radio, internet, email, mail, etc.

Another cause of lack of focus is shifting priorities. What I mean is, starting on one project or task, then shifting to another project without completing the first, then shifting to another, and so on.

The world is full of opportunities and sometimes they each look better than the previous one (Yes, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence). Be disciplined enough that, no matter what, you will finish what you intended to finish before starting something else.

Now this doesn't mean that you can't have more than one project going at a time, but make sure you have sufficient time allotted to accomplish each goal in a specific amount of time and get it done before replacing it with another project.

"If you chase to rabbits at once, both shall escape" Ancient Proverb

Shawn Meldrum has spent the last two decades marketing everything from almonds to landscape lighting. He currently specializes in marketing for mortgage brokers, loan officers and <a target="_new" href="http://www.real-estate-marketing-tips.com/">real estate</a> agents. For free <a target="_new" href="http://www.mortgagemarketingtips.com">mortgage marketing articles</a> and much more visit: <a target="_new" href="http://www.mortgagemarketingtips.com"> <a target="_new" href="http://www.mortgagemarketingtips.com/">http://www.mortgagemarketingtips.com/</a> </a>

Organize Your Time

Most people want to start a home-based business to make more money to supplement their income. The issue though, is finding the time to make this happen.

Most people are busy, with family, an existing job, and the general feeling that there are not enough hours in a day.

However, extra time to start a home-based business project can almost always be found. It may mean giving up or changing a few of your favorite pastimes, like watching TV but if you become successful with your home-based business project, you will have all the time you want for doing whatever you want to do.

The first thing you need to do is take inventory of your daily schedule. What time do you wake up? Then step-by-step, list everything you do each day. Most people will find that they have about three hours each day that can be utilized in a more constructive or efficient manner. As noted above, you may have to give up a few television programs you watch, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Time management is about planning you're time efficiently, and following that plan effectively. Start by making a list of the things you want to accomplish the following day, each evening before you go to bed. Try to consolidate your trips to the grocery store with the pick up of your children for example.

Organize your trips to take care of as many tasks as possible while you're out of the house. Take stock of the time you spend standing around shooting the breeze with a friend or neighbour, or the time you spend talking on the telephone. Eliminate all that isn't absolutely necessary.

When you have chores to do around the house, set aside a specific time to do them, and a specific amount of time to devote to them. For example, just one hour a day devoted to laundry or dusting and vacuuming should be sufficient to make your household clean and liveable. Don't try to do a week's work in one day. Whether it's painting your house, fixing leaky faucets, or mowing your lawn and trimming your shrubs, do a part of it, or one particular job each day, and you'll be amazed at your progress.

Take care of all your mail and emails the day you receive it. Don't let those bills and letters pile up, or leave a potential client waiting for your reply to an email.

The important thing is to think of time as your most valuable asset, because it is. So organize! Decide what you have to do, and what you want to do. From there, it's just a matter of arranging priorities.

Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and then carry out your plans, you'll find plenty of "extra time" for handling virtually any kind of home-based business project.

The secret of all successful people is simply that they are organized and do not waste time. These people wake up each morning ready to seize the day. You should be no different.

Review your own activities, and then see if you can't find a couple of extra hours in each day to devote to your home-based business.

You should plan your work the same as you have planned your regular day-to-day activities, on a time-efficient basis. Do what has to be done immediately. However, don't try to do what would normally take you a couple of days in an hour. Once again plan out what you have to accomplish, what you want to accomplish, and when you are going to get it done. Then get right on each project without procrastination.

Finally, and above all else, when you're organizing your time and your business, be sure to set aside some time for relaxation. Be sure to schedule time when you and your family or significant other can be together. This is very important if you hope to be successful.

Taking inventory of the time you waste each day, and restructuring your activities into your money making venture is powerful stuff. It's a matter of managing your time more efficiently. It's really easy to do, and you will not only accomplish a lot more, you will also find greater fulfillment in your life. Best of luck.

Copyright 2004 Dirk Wagner

About The Author

Dirk Wagner is CEO and owner of <a href="http://team4success.biz" target="_new">http://team4success.biz</a> and the free, easy to install #1 home business toolbar with automated updates.A website dedicated to helping the home-based business entrepreneur start and succeed with there very own home-based business.

What Would Save You Time?

We all get overwhelmed from time to time, and sometimes it seems as if 24 hours a day is just not enough to get everything accomplished that we would like. Let's consider this a brainstorming session. Start creating a list of everyday tasks that, if you didn't have to do them, would allow you to have more time in your day. For example, most of us have to do laundry on a regular basis. That takes time. What about making dinner? Commuting? The list goes on. These types of tasks are usually necessary and unavoidable. It would be fantastic if we could hire a housekeeper, a personal chef or a chauffeur to handle these things for us. More often than not however, we end up doing ourselves the things that need to be taken care of each day.

Now try thinking of other things that take up your time. Maybe you are a small business owner who just doesn't have time to handle the bookkeeping portion of your business, or to deal with the email traffic coming into your Inbox. What about organizing your files (both hard copy and electronic) so that it becomes easier to find what you are looking for? In most cases, organizing your time better is all it takes to resolve these types of time management issues. Try reading your email only two or three times a day at specific times, instead of each time a new message arrives (although the curiosity factor might be quite strong!). Schedule your housekeeping items all at once on the same day, if possible. For example, do all of your laundry on Saturday mornings. Try planning your meals ahead of time, so you know exactly how long it will take you to prepare and cook each meal.

For the office tasks, spending some time with a professional organizer or partnering with a virtual assistant can save you hours of time. Plus, it would allow you to hand over tasks you do not enjoy doing to someone who makes a living doing those very things. Food for thought!

The main point I'm trying to make is that with a little thought and planning, you can create extra time in your life to do the things you love to do. Good luck, and happy planning!

Cynthia Morse is a Virtual Assistant, and the owner of Virtually At Your Service, <a target="_new" href="http://www.virtuallyatyourservice.biz">www.virtuallyatyourservice.biz</a>. She offers administrative support to small business owners and other busy professionals from her home office, allowing them time to focus on what they love and do best, whether it is running their businesses or taking care of personal matters.

Do You Over Promise and Under Deliver?

A new client recently admitted to me sheepishly that she often didn't get to complete a client's work until the client called to see if it was ready. I admired her honesty if not her time management skills.

I've had times in my past sales career when my work load got so out of control I worked in a similar fashion - on the priority of the moment. This method of work gives real meaning to the saying &quot;The squeaky wheel gets oiled.&quot;

Recently I sent some chairs out to be reupholstered. The fellow who picked them up said they would be done by the end of June. On July 15th they still had not arrived. I'd been calling about them since July 1st. The person who answered the phone said that the reupholstery had been completed but the painting was not.

We all have had times when we have promised something to a client or customer only to have life happen and we miss the date. When it is more routine than we care to admit however it would be best to examine our way of working so that we can find a solution to the problem.

&quot;Promise Little, Deliver Everything&quot; is the tenth "Principle of Attraction" in Thomas Leonard's book The Portable Coach .

&quot;Every step of the way, I made a point to under promise and over deliver. In the long run, that's the only way to ensure security in any job.&quot; says Howard Schulz CEO of Starbucks Coffee in his book Pour Your Heart Into It. &quot;Under promising and over delivering&quot; it is a way of work that is so much easier said than done.

When a client asks, &quot;When will that be ready?&quot; What is your response? If the client doesn't ask, do you promise something anyway or just let the work go to the bottom of the pile?

As a sales professional my customers always wanted their system as soon as they ordered it! I had to quote a reasonable time for me to get the order in and the factory to deliver the product. Some work I did myself and other parts of the order I needed others to do. Everyone had to adhere to a schedule to get the job done on time.

Even with the best of intentions this system sometimes doesn't work because the unexpected happens. According to the reupholsterer the painter needed to put more coats of paint on the frame than he originally thought he would. The problem was that they told me this on July 15th not on June 30th so I had two weeks to feel frustrated and angry.

Most business owners don't intend to disappoint clients. Sometimes it is the unexpected that gets in the way. Other times it is our inability to grasp all the other priorities we have and to see how this particular job fits into our work schedule. Having a way to regularly review what is outstanding and what the priorities are for the day, week and month helps to get realistic about what can be finished and what cannot.

If however you wait until the client calls to do the work, you are using a very stressful and exhausting method. If you have a lot of work that you manage this way, you are constantly under the gun to get something done for someone. Receiving calls from the client will be unpleasant. That's a recipe for burnout!

Life will be so much easier if you start using a good time management program. Hiring a coach or advisor to help you to incorporate good time management skills into your work environment also will ease the burden.

Take Action:

1. Take stock of your work habits. Do you under promise and over deliver? Where are you doing the reverse? What can you do about it?

2. How do you review your work load? Do you read your mission/vision weekly so you are clear on your goals? Do you do a weekly review of your priorities? Do you proactively call clients whose work will be delayed?

3. How do you decide the date by which you can promise to deliver? Do you co-ordinate it with other people's schedules? Are you good at forecasting and then delivering?

4. Need some help with time management? I work with lawyers and other professionals to get focused on their life priorities so they can forecast delivery dates and deliver quality work.

About Alvah Parker

Alvah Parker is a Business and Career Coach as well as publisher of Parker's Points , an email tip list and Road to Success , an ezine. To subscribe send an email to <a href="mailto:join-roadtosuccess@go.netatlantic.com">join-roadtosuccess@go.netatlantic.com</a>.

Parker's Value Program? enables clients to find a way to work that is more fulfilling and profitable. She is both a Practice Advisor and Coach to attorneys, managers, business owners, sole practioners, and people in transition. Alvah is found on the web at <a target="_new" href="http://www.asparker.com">http://www.asparker.com</a>. She may also be reached at 781-598-0388.