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Full Plate

16 Posts tagged with the balance tag Productivity tips from the Priority Pro

Clutter is the excess stuff in your life that takes up space on your table and countertops, in your closets, attics, basements, drawers, and filing cabinets, your hard drive, inbox and your to-do list. You expend energy moving it, rearranging it, cleaning around it, re-organizing it, and simply thinking about it. Clutter is a burden on your mind because you know it’s there and oftentimes you speak negatively to yourself because it’s there.

De-cluttering involves simplifying your home and office and surrounding yourself with only the things you love, need and want—eliminate everything else! Make a commitment to start eliminating clutter from your life and you'll see an immediate difference in the way you think and feel. Removing clutter allows for more space in your life, both in time and freedom. De-cluttering is an incredibly freeing experience because you're getting rid of all the things you don't need or want and don't have time for anyway.

Conquering clutter is an ongoing battle for most busy people. With life being so busy, piles accumulate, files seem to multiply, toys are overflowing from the toy box, and clothes are bursting from drawers and closets. Here are a few ideas to help you start eliminating clutter:

·   Sort through what you have and divide it into categories or piles.

·   Go through your (electronic and paper) files and discard old memos, reports, and articles that you've been saving “just in case.”

·   Make it a habit (for you and everyone else) to always put things back where they belong.

·   Do not bring junk mail into your home or office; get removed from as many mailing lists as possible. (Note: you can contact the American Direct Marketing Association, www.dmaconsumers.org/offmailinglist.html, to have them remove you from their lists for a nominal fee; you can contact the sender directly; and indicate that you don't want to be included on their mailing lists; or, you can indicate your preference for exclusion from future mailings when ordering a product/service, or filling out a warranty card, or making a donation)

·   Clip out and file the articles from magazines that interest you and recycle or discard the rest of the magazine.

·   Give away or sell unwanted toys and other items you (or your kids) are no longer interested in. (You know what they say about one person's trash being someone else's treasure!)

·   Load up a bag of clothes that don't fit, are out of style, or are just plain unflattering and take them to a local charity, shelter, or rummage sale.

·   Get rid of the little things, like clothes, furniture, and books, and it will be easier to get rid of the bigger things, such as an unfulfilling job or a relationship that really isn't right for you.

·   Assign a home to the things that remain.

·   Use bins, baskets or boxes and labels to store items and make them easily accessible.

·   If it seems like an overwhelming job to de-clutter, break it down into manageable parts. Do a room a day for a few days. Start with a hall closet. Start on the top shelf and do one shelf at a time so if you get interrupted and have to stop, you haven't made too big of a mess. Do a file drawer. Tackle your in-box. Just keep going one step at a time.

·   Once you've eliminated the clutter, prevent more from coming in.

You pay a high price for living with clutter in your life because it makes it hard for you to function at 100%; it keeps you stuck and keeps you busy looking for things rather than getting things done. Creating space contributes to feeling better physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Once you cut clutter you will feel lighter, think more clearly, be more organized and have more energy. You'll feel like there's less on your plate!

Conquer clutter by spending a half-hour to an hour each day for a week (or weekend) just clearing out stuff you no longer want or need. If possible, enlist the help and support of your family and work colleagues in this goal. Start small with one shelf or one closet and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment as you begin creating space in your life. Gain momentum and keep it going by preventing yourself from getting overwhelmed or quitting before you experience the results. Then, move on to the next area until you've gone through every room and space in your home and at work. By eliminating things you no longer need, you will spend remarkably less time looking for things and you will have the opportunity to reach your full potential. By organizing your space you will free up your creative energy and channel it into your work. You cannot be effective when your desk is piled high with papers, when your filing cabinets are hard to manage, and when you cannot find what you need.

One of my favorite techniques for clearing physical clutter is to start with boxes labeled: sell, give away, throw away, recycle/reuse, and keep. Quickly go through a filing cabinet, closet, or drawer and place items in the appropriate boxes. If you're really uncertain and afraid of discarding—create another box labeled with the contents and date. If items are not used within a year from the date indicated, reconsider discarding at that time. It's essential to shift your attitude to "it's okay to throw away" in order to conquer clutter.

1 Comments Permalink Tags: balance, improvement, coach, clutter, organize, advice, de-clutter, busy, smarter, productivity, effectiveness, life, personal

Adapt to Succeed

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann Feb 26, 2010

focus on success.jpgI have a client I've been working with in a 1-1 coaching relationship who is a physician.  At the end of last year, she started her own private practice.  Regardless of what profession you're in, starting your own business is a big endeavor. In many cases, there's a large financial outlay initially and there are a lot of systems, processes and new routines that need to be established as the foundation of your success.  This client was very successful working within the structure as an employee. There were clearly defined job duties and responsibilities and work hours as well as a team of resources to help handle other tasks in the office.  On her own, she often feels overwhelmed at the growing list of tasks and responsibilities that fall on her plate. She expressed feelings of frustration at not being able to handle all of her work and personal/family responsibilities on her own.

Working together, we reviewed her strengths and strategies that have worked successfully for her in the past. We used these as a baseline to create a system that will function more effectively for her today.  Starting from optimizing the tools she already has accessible, we began exploring and discovering techniques she could adapt in this new work environment to get more done with less. The key that we're focusing on is to minimize the mental clutter so that as much as possible happens on a routine basis without having to think about it. We’re eliminating procrastination and perfectionism, as well. For example, bill paying had fallen behind because incoming bills had gotten lost in the increasing piles in her home office. By adapting the same technique she was using at her office to keep incoming bills in a manila envelope and take care of paying them on a weekly basis, she was easily able to create a structured routine. In my case, I have made it a habit to pay my bills on the first and the fifteenth of each month to avoid the possibility of late payments, overdue fees, penalties, etc. When I’m traveling, I prepare them either before I go or immediately when I return in order to keep the rhythm going for this routine task.

The point is that there isn't just one right way to manage anything in your work or office and the more you can establish as part of your regular routine, the easier it becomes to manage everything on your plate.  By leveraging your strengths and past successful behaviors, you can adapt to new situations with less difficulty.

Things will continue changing at work—you'll possibly get new work assigned, a new boss, a relocation, different responsibilities, a promotion, a new position, etc.—so, if you re-establish the routines, habits, systems and processes that work for you each time there is a change, you'll be in a better place of managing your full plate with grace, balance and success!

0 Comments Permalink Tags: change, coach, balance, improvement, work/life, effectiveness, smarter, focus, busy, time, performance, advice, success, productivitiy, workplace

Pace Yourself

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann Dec 31, 2009

Picture yourself walking through the buffet line with an abundance of choices to put on your plate. As my audiences have shared during my "There's Too Much on your Plate" program, there are many different ways to fill your plate. Some begin with the end in mind and start with dessert. Others take a little bit of everything so that they can sample whatever's available. While still others fill their plate very carefully ensuring their foods aren't touching and being sure to gather their favorites early in the meal.

 

How do you fill your plate?

 

Chances are that however you fill your plate while walking through a buffet line may be the same way you fill your plate with activities, tasks and responsibilities.

 

There will always be more that you can add to your plate so it's important to pace yourself whether you're eating a meal or managing the day-to-day responsibilities.

 

This morning I awoke to a beautiful snow fall. As I walked my dog, I delighted in the beauty of the new day and reflected on the year past as well as the year ahead. When we arrived back at home, we trounced around playing in the snow. With that burst of energy and joy I decided to shovel our front walkway.  The snow was light and fluffy so the the task felt rather effortless.  I looked up my long almsnowy driveway.jpgost 450 feet of driveway and wondered if I could shovel the whole thing. I paced myself by completing a section at a time. When I was about 75% done, my son came out with a shovel and joined me, questioning why I was shoveling when it didn't seem that necessary.  I responded that I was enjoying the fresh air, exercise and feeling of steady accomplishment. In the end, it took about three hours to shovel the entire driveway and walkway. I didn't know what time it was nor how much time had passed. I knew that I didn't have to finish but I could choose to continue if I felt so inclined.

 

To look at the long driveway, or any large project or goal for that matter, as a whole may seem daunting and unachievable. However, by breaking it down and pacing myself, I enjoyed the feeling of completion.

 

What can you complete a piece of today to help bring you closer to completing a task?

 

It's not necessarily all or nothing. Pace yourself and get the momentum going. You may be surprised with the results!!

0 Comments Permalink Tags: performance, effectiveness, busy, time, stress, balance, management, choices, productivity, alignment, satisfaction

   We are sleep deprived as a Nation! When I polled a recent audience during a presentation about “Taming Stress in your Over-committed Life”, less than 60% indicated that they get 7-8 hours of sleep each evening. The remaining 40% reported getting significantly less!  One woman admitted to 2-3 hours of sleep each night on average.

So, what’s wrong with us?  Why don’t we get the sleep we need?Many people argue that they don’t need as much sleep as others.  Some defend their sleep patterns with the excuse of being “too busy”.


Here are some good sleep habits, I’ve adapted from a presentation I delivered for CIGNA Behavioral Healthcare that received rave reviews.  Incorporate them into your life as soon as possible!


  • Avoid caffeine within 6–8 hours of bedtime.


  • Avoid nicotine close to bedtime or during the night.


  • Refrain from using the bedroom for any activities other than sleep and sex.

 

  • Don’t drink alcoholic beverages within 2–4 hours before bedtime.  It may relax you and help you fall asleep but will result in a poorer quality of sleep, and more nighttime waking.

 

  • Abstain from eating large meals or greasy, spicy, or gas-producing foods too close to bedtime.  Select a light snack composed mainly of carbohydrates instead if you’re hungry because it can help promote more sound sleep.

 

  • Exercise regularly but don’t do it within 2 hours before bedtime.

 

  • Minimize light, noise, and extremes in temperature in the bedroom.

 

  • Establish relaxing pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath, reading, imagery, repetitious techniques (e.g., deep breathing, counting sheep), or progressive relaxation.

 

  • If you are unable to fall asleep within 15–20 minutes after lights out, leave the bedroom and do a non-stimulating activity such as those above.

 

  • Awaken at about the same time daily – a regular rising time is even more important than a regular bedtime.  In other words, don’t sleep in just because you can.

 

  • Go to bed only when you are sleepy – again, bedtime is less important than rising time.

 

  • Avoid napping late in the afternoon or evening.  If you choose to nap, do so early in the afternoon and limit it to 30 minutes or so.

 

  • Choose a time during the day to think about your worries or concerns and make plans for handling them, so that you can avoid dwelling on them in bed.

 

  • Sleeping pills are intended as a last resort and for short-term use only.  Sleeping pills have many side effects, and can cause drowsiness into the next day.  Their long-term use can actually lead to “rebound insomnia.”  If you have been using sleeping pills for more than a few months, consult with your doctor about how to stop them.


Here’s to a better night’s sleep!  Getting adequate sleep will help you function at your best by enhancing productivity, performance and your attitude towards life.

2 Comments Permalink Tags: advice, choices, improvement, personal, smarter, balance, life, work/life, busy, performance, time, effectiveness, productivity

Those who are tied to their technology so that they can respond immediately to anyone reaching out to them need to better understand what this behavior is costing them...


Are you someone who almost always immediately replies to every phone call, text message or email so that you can demonstrate just how committed you are to your work and family? Do you often provide an immediate response for work-related items while getting around to family, friends and personal matters when you have the chance? Or, do you respond immediately to your family while putting off work-related contacts?


Having the habit of responding immediately, whether for everyone or for just work or personal matters, is unhealthy. Many are fooled to believe that when they respond immediately to work-related matters they are demonstrating their commitment to their job. However, are they? And, does this level of availability really measure true commitment?

Commitment is not synonymous with being constantly available! Operating as if it is contributes to higher stress levels and lower life satisfaction levels.

The advances in modern technology have created a common distorted view of expectations. Commitment to your job in too many cases has become equated with being constantly available. However, just because you can be constantly accessible and responsive doesn’t necessarily mean you should be available 24/7.

Also, you must be willing to turn away from all the available technology if you really want a break from work.  With today's technology, many of you carry beepers, cell phones, laptops, BlackBerry® etc. so that you can constantly be in touch with the office.  You are never "off" work.  As a result, work is non-stop.  Even when you are home with your family, you are still closely connected to work if you never shut off the available technology and fully focus on your family.

Working too many hours jeopardizes you health and well-being, family life and relationships with others.  It can also effect the quality of your work.  You will continue suffering from overwork unless you are willing to make a firm decision to stop.

Are you addicted to your technology?

Does being available and ‘needed’ help you feel important?

If so, take responsibility for your life.  Stop sacrificing the quality of your life. And, stop putting such high demands on yourself.  When your body breaks down because you're pushing too hard, everything will come to a crashing halt.  Take control now; don't wait for an emergency or disaster to occur. Learn more!

 

 

 

0 Comments Permalink Tags: work/life, self-care, technology, balance, addiction, performance, busy, choices, effectiveness, productivity

gratitude.jpg

Be thankful for what you have rather than focusing on what you don’t have! We all have much in our lives to be grateful for regardless of our personal or professional situation. By focusing on the positives, we come from a place of optimism and hope and allow that to expand. However, when focused on the negative, we see ourselves out of control of situations in our life; we are victims; there is no hope; and, unfortunately, this stays our truth or reality.

Adapting the attitude of gratitude will help you get by even on the roughest days. Living in gratitude helps you focus on what you have to be thankful for.

Back in 2001, following 9-1-1, my husband's job was significantly more stressful. All of the vital equipment that enabled his employer to operate was located in Tower 1. As the Director of Information Technology, it became his responsibility to get the data feeds and connections operational as soon as possible. With his average day being 15-20 hours (including his commute) it could have been easy to become angry and frustrated about the stress, long hours and feelings of not being appreciated by upper management. Instead, we talked about what we had to be grateful for and, for the most part, focused our energies on that instead.

He said that he is grateful to be alive; to have been off (at home) on September 11; to have a loving family to come home to each night; to know we were all okay; to have a career in his field of expertise; to have excellent resources at some of his vendor's companies; to have our health; to be a part of our new community; and, to have extended family and friends that were also okay.

Adapting an attitude of gratitude gives you the opportunity to change your experiences. Gratitude is a state of being not just a momentary feeling. Look at the things in your own life right now that are causing you feelings of stress, sadness or anger and consciously choose to change the experience to look at gratitude1.jpgthose situations with a new perspective. You can control your feelings, attitude and behavior in a situation. You can focus on what you have to be grateful for, especially in times when things don't feel like they are going well. In many cases, you can’t change the situation; however, you can change how you choose to feel about it, how you allow the situation to affect you and how you respond to it. Being in gratitude helps you remain calmer in a crisis. It helps you accept things that may be difficult to accept. It also helps you keep a positive mood while feeling more centered and balanced. When you go through your day in a state of gratitude it's almost impossible to feel down.

Although things may look bleak and hopeless at times, think about what you have to be grateful for today. Even in situations that seem far from perfect, there are valuable lessons to learn, relationships to cherish and probably numerous reasons to be thankful. Look for those things, cherish them, and appreciate them.

My challenge to you is to adapt the attitude of gratitude this week and find at least 5 things each day you can be grateful for. If there seems to be nothing, remember, you are alive; you have a roof over your head; some friends and family; food to eat; internet access, you can speak, see, hear, taste, touch and think; you have skills and talents; and, you are undoubtedly a terrific person! If you need help with this, I'm just a phone call away!  Schedule an initial coaching consult to see if working with me as your coach will help you bring more positve results in your life! Email natalie@theprioritypro.com.

0 Comments Permalink Tags: balance, smarter, alignment, advice, gratitude, choices, productivity

The statistics on worry indicate that 87% of what we worry about never actually occurs or is so far out of our control that we really shouldn’t be worrying about it anyway! Worries may be over things that happened in your past which can never be changed, from irrational fears or concerns, or about things that may or may not happen in the future. man worrying.bmp

The problem is that with all the energy we put into worrying, worrying never affects the final outcome of a situation. Have you ever worried a problem away?? Not likely! However, by worrying we create an excessive negative impact on ourselves, physically, mentally, emotionally and even socially with symptoms ranging from headaches to high blood pressure or heart conditions. A worrier, with their negative feelings, often may experience some loneliness as others flee from them and their doom and gloom pessimistic thinking.

Worry can be paralyzing--it fills our life with unnecessary stress, anxiety and pressure. Worrying is a widely prevalent emotional problem yet we rarely recognize it and almost never talk about it. It infects our thoughts, our sense of well-being, and even our ability to take action; worry is so much a part of our thinking that we rarely notice when we are doing it, unless others point it out to us.

Pause right now and try to remember what's been on your mind today. What thoughts elevated your heart rate, raised the hair on the back of your neck or broke you out in a sweat? Are you worrying about finding a new job, your low bank account, your kid’s grades in school, your long to-do list, your health issues, or what your neighbors think of your barking dog or over-grown lawn? Whatever it is, let it go! Worrying is an absolute waste of your time and energy because all it really does is increase your stress and anxiety while bringing you down or keeping you stuck in a state of inaction.

Stopping the habitual pattern of worrying may be challenging, so instead focus first on restricting your worrying to that which you can do something about. Here are a few tips to help you limit your time and energy spent worrying:

1. Raise your Awareness
Begin becoming more consciously aware of when you are worrying. When you realize that you are worrying, relax by taking a deep breath in and then let it out slowly.

2. Stay Present
When you realize that you are worrying; ask yourself if what you are worrying about is related to today. For example, if you are worrying about a job, speech, a business meeting or a potential promotion, is that something that is going to happen today? If the answer is no, then do not allow yourself to worry about it. Stay focused in the here and now!

3. Do Something
If what you're worrying about is something that is happening today, then reframe your worry thoughts into planning thoughts so that you move into action. Instead of worried thinking like "I don’t know if I got the job," reframe that into a planning thought: "Is there anything I can do to improve my chances of getting the job?” If the answer is yes, do it. If you have already done everything there is to do, then there is nothing to worry about. Focus on action and next steps!

4. Prepare, Plan & Educate
When you discover yourself worrying about ongoing issues like a chronic health issues, financial challenges or a difficult relationship, replace worrying with planning and educating. Ask yourself powerful questions (e.g., “Is there something I can say or do right now to stop worrying about this?” or “How is worrying improving my situation?”) instead of staying stuck in the worrying rut, research, or seek professional help to improve your situation. Then, of course, follow up your planning with consistent action. Stay in control as much as you can so that you don’t feel powerless!

5. Control what you can
Although we worry about so much that is out of our control, what we can always control are our thoughts, feelings and actions. Understand that you can only control yourself and the choices you make, you cannot control others and you cannot control many situations. Recognize that you are capable and competent and certainly have the power to affect your own life to the extent it is possible to do so.

So, when you’re aware that you cannot control a situation, rather than worrying about it, simply let it go or take concerted steps to control what you can.

Focus on what you can impact and in the words of Bob McFarrin, sing or hum…”Don’t worry…be happy!”

Over time as you take worry off your plate, you’ll likely discover more positive and powerful thoughts filling your mind. The Priority Pro can help you worry less and take more action!

0 Comments Permalink Tags: advice;awareness, improvement, effectiveness, stress, alignment, personal, worry, smarter, balance

Ongoing professional and personal development is the most important thing you can do to improve your business or career.

 

 

If you want to stand-out as the best-of-the-best, you need to have laser-sharp focus. This will allow you to make purposeful and significant contributions and build higher potential for success.

 

Many business owners and managers have taken the time to create organizational mission statements. However, few have gone through this process on a more individual or personal level. If you are one of the many who have not created a personal mission statement, now is the time to do so!

 

Here are five suggestions to help your write your personal mission statement:

 

1.  Reserve some uninterrupted time to think through and write your statement. Block out at least an hour or so away from the distractions of home and work to reflect on where you are and where you want to be. Determine how you would like to invest your time and energy in the context of work, family, friends and your community. Realize that the feeling of true success comes when you have a balanced lifestyle of success, family, friends, true happiness, personal health and fulfillment.

 

2.  Identify your main purpose in life. What do you believe your primary purpose on this earth is? How will you be able to achieve this based on how you live your life? How will you empower vision for yourself and others? (Note: your vision is what you SEE) What qualities or attributes do you admire in others and wish to embody in yourself? What principles can you learn from other successful people that could benefit you most in your work? Use a journal to record your answers to these questions as you explore and discover who you are and what’s most important to you. When you’re through with the process of questioning yourself, review your answers to observe patterns and priorities in your life. Seek out the essential elements of your life necessary to write your personal mission statement.

 

3.  Gather your thoughts and apply your action plan. What are five goals you are committed to achieving in your work in the next year? In the next five years? In the next ten years?  What specific actions do you need to take in the next year to achieve your one-year mission? your five-year mission? your ten-year mission? Now, take a close look at your action plan, primary purpose, empowering vision and the right principles. Begin to write out your personal mission statement and be sure to include family, friends and community as they apply to how you wish to live your life. Your personal mission statement should be succinct and clear.

 

4.   Once you’re created your draft version, continue working on your mission statement by seeking input from others who can help you refine your ideas.

 

5.    Use your mission statement as a tool to help guide you, your ongoing development and your key decisions in life and work. Keep it available and visible at all times.

 

Get professional help writing your statement. Contact Natalie Gahrmann!

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man hit by brick in time capsule.gif

The Top 10 Tips for Utilizing Time More Efficiently

By Natalie Gahrmann, Work & Life Success Coach/Professional Speaker/Author

 

Time is a priceless treasure. Treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one. You cannot make six minutes out of five just because you managed your time effectively. Each day you are given the gift of a new day, 24 hours. Utilize it the best way possible and don't let it slip through your fingers. You cannot ever replace lost time. You can't buy time or save time; you can only spend time…once it's spent it's gone!

 

1.      Prioritize

              Determine what's truly important to you. Schedule those items and activities first and then schedule everything else around it to the extent you can (noting some things are scheduled at precise times and there is less flexibility). Don't cancel the important (not urgent) activities for any reason.

 

2.     Plan

              Planning is a crucial skill when you want to accomplish something. However, it's often the first thing forgotten when things get hectic and busy. Planning magnifies time by providing direction and enhancing productivity. Life is simpler and easier when planned out.

 

3.      Delegate

              Anything you're doing that could be handled by someone else could be delegated. If you look at your time in terms of dollars you can compute how much your time is actually worth. Then, you may be more willing to delegate the more routine tasks, chores, etc. and free your time and energy for your top priorities and high-level work.

 

4.      Set Goals (Have Strong Intentions/a Vision/Direction)

Establish specific goals on a daily basis to help you decide what you want to achieve with your time and to set targets that will lead you to achieving them more regularly. Setting goals may be very effective at raising your self-confidence by focusing on progress. In addition to having increased performance levels, goals will keep you more highly motivated.

 

5.      Structure Your Day

As individuals, we all have peak performance times. Learn when it's your best time for greatest productivity, quiet thinking, exercise, etc. and arrange your day accordingly to maximize your personal advantage. Each person has an 'ideal' work style that operates as a function of who they are, their body and personality type. Begin to understand and honor that style in you and you'll be more effective as a result.

 

6.     Value Your Time

If you demonstrate by your words, actions and commitments that your time is important to you, others will recognize how you value your time and will show more respect of it. On the other hand, if you don't value your time, don't expect anyone else to. By valuing your time, you are in essence valuing your self. One important thing to remember is that the only way others will respect your time is if YOU respect your time.

 

7.     Replicate Yourself

No, you cannot actually duplicate yourself or add more arms and legs but the fact is, you can find someone who is just as good as you in a given task. You can also automate or systematize some of your routine tasks. Replication is about increasing your results without expending more time and energy.

 

8.     Get Organized

Have a place for everything both in your office and in your home; it pays off in less wasted time searching for something you just can't seem to find. Over the years, studies have shown that people working with a messy desk or work area spend an average 1.5 hours per day looking for or being distracted by things (at just minutes at a time!) In addition, create a (centralized) list of what you want to get done. Manage the activities and projects you can control; clearly distinguish between what is and is not actionable. You can also group activities that can be done simultaneously or on the same trip out. The key is to focus on about 6 activities you wish to accomplish at the start of each day and to keep your list manageable.

 

9.     Become Fully Focused in the Moment

By focusing on what you are doing you permit yourself to get absorbed in the activity, be more relaxed and increase your creativity. Fact is, when you allow yourself to become totally focused on what you are doing at the moment, a freer flowing momentum occurs and you actually get the job done faster and easier. Be deliberate in how you use your time. Make the present perfect rather than splitting your attention.

 

10.  Eliminate Time Wasters

Yes, we all have them in our life---interruptions, distractions, poor planning, ineffective behaviors and attitudes, over-commitment, etc. Rather than letting time control you, take control of your time and your life by incorporating some of the tips listed above. Take personal responsibility for creating stronger boundaries and communicating them to your colleagues, bosses, significant others and family.

 

Get more tips and strategies at http://www.nrgcoaching.com!

0 Comments Permalink Tags: effectiveness, balance, performance, time, management, smarter, choices, productivitiy

Defray Stress

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann Jul 27, 2009

 

Between work demands, caring for your family, and seeing to everyday matters and responsibilities there is little time left to take care of yourself. So, many SuperBusy people put off time for their own needs and desires. However, if you're a parent, you are a key influence on your child's development, so the amount of stress you are experiencing in your work, family and personal life has a direct impact on them.  If you are not a parent, taming your stress is important to your overall health and well-being as well as your relationships with others.  IHere's some tips to help defray the stress and help you consciously take better care of yourself.

 

 

1. Breathe deeply

Bring in the air through your nose, deep down into your belly and out through your mouth in a slow relaxed fashion at least two-three times to help re-focus, re-center and relax.

 

 

2. Take in Relaxing Smells

Aromatherapy oils, herbal teas or scented candles are all relaxing to the olfactory system.

 

 

3. Daydream, Meditate, and Connect with Nature

Visit places and experience them newly. Or, give your mind a mental break by simply imagining you are somewhere else and creating a visual image and experience in your mind of being there. Either way, fully connect with your surroundings by noticing sounds, smells and textures. Relax your spirit and body using soothing music and warm lights.

 

 

4. Avoid Overextending Yourself

Stop saying "yes" too often to requests of your time, money, energy or other resources. Say "no" to things and people as a way of honoring you. Allow yourself a chance to think about the request before accepting the invitation. Bow out later if the commitment is contributing too greatly to your stress.

 

 

5. Eat Healthy Foods

Choose foods and beverages that nourish your body and help it be at its best.

 

 

6. Participate in a hobby or sport

Create an outlet for relaxation that you truly enjoy doing. Use your creativity to write, sculpt, knit, paint, etc. Use physical activities or daily exercise rituals to help "blow off" steam both physically and mentally.

 

 

7. Lighten up

Smile, laugh and just be friendly to others. Friendliness goes far and helps you feel good about yourself. Humor lightens up tension. Notice how laughter is contagious, too. People are more naturally attracted to people who seem happy, positive, enthusiastic, and excited about life. Stop taking things so seriously all the time and lighten up a bit.

 

 

8. Enlist help from others

Learn to ask for and accept help (even when things are not done to your high standard level!) You will gain by delegating and allowing others to help, even when things don't turn out exactly as they would have if you completed the task yourself. Allow yourself to be nurtured by your friends and family.

 

 

9. Spend Quality Time with Your Loved Ones

Have fun and interact with your children. Be fully present with them. Truly listen to what they have to say and connect on a deeper level. Connect with friends, family, and your significant other in meaningful ways.  When quantity isn't an option, go for quality and make the best out of every moment you can be together, even if it's virtual!

 

 

10. Get Romantic

Stimulate your body's release of endorphins by reading a romance novel, or better yet, curl up with your spouse/significant other or make love.

 

0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: balance, stress, super, parents, mother, life, busy, work/life, solutions, personal, renewal, manage, working, father, effectiveness, quality

Feed Your Need

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann Jul 1, 2009

We all have hungers (or yearnings) for things in life. The famous psychologist, Abraham Maslow, called these needs and established a hierarchy of needs back in 1943. Theoretically the lowest levels of needs must be achieved in order for us to be able to achieve our highest potential, or wmaslows_hierarchy2.jpghat he called “self actualization”.

Taking this a step further, during some of my coach training, needs were referred to as hungers in recognition that they are propelled by a very strong instinctual drive that operates with somewhat of a primitive intensity and compels us to feed them at all costs.

Hungers/needs are the conditions, things, and feelings that we feel we must have in our life in order to be at least minimally satisfied or to be at our best. They go beyond the basics of food, water, shelter, and love. They generally fall into 3 categories: (1) to receive, (2) to feel, or (3) to be, do or have. Unmet needs result in feeling “bound” or “hooked” by people, events or thoughts; we are more susceptible to being sad, depressed, angry or resentful. We can get through life fairly well not having our needs met, but for an effortless, rewarding and successful life, personal needs must be identified, addressed and handled. When personal needs are not getting met, we can slow down our personal growth and development, as well as diminish our quality of life.

We all have emotional hungers, whether we recognize them or not. Hungers drive our behavior and actions.  When a hunger is not being satisfied, it directs all of our available attention towards getting that hunger fed. When a person’s actions are not in alignment with what they say they want, a hunger is likely operating in their life. Realize though that there are both healthy and unhealthy ways to feed hungers, but there’s nothing wrong with having hungers (it’s absolutely normal!). We don’t even need to know how a hunger got there in order to satisfy it; we just need to feed it regularly and healthfully.

For example, if you’re feeling underappreciated, in need of more respect, or anything else—figure out exactly what you want or need and then ask directly for it. Make a list of the things your partner, kids, relatives, friends, neighbors, colleagues, or business associates can do for you that will better meet your needs on a more regular basis.

The key is not to just make a list of your needs, but to begin making requests and asking for what you want and need. It may be hard at first, but the rewards are definitely worth it!

Hungers operate at different intensity levels and even the most deeply ingrained hungers can be more healthfully filled. The Priority Pro provides both 1-1 coaching and workshops to help individuals identify their hungers and healthful ways to feed them. One of my clients had an unconscious insidious need to please and was frequently trying to please others at the expense of herself. Through our work together, she recognized how the need was driving her and created a system to get this need fed effortlessly and more automatically. Although many individuals may have the dreaded Need to Please, the exact nature of this hunger (and other hungers) is unique and has a distinctly personal manifestation in each person.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0 Comments Permalink Tags: performance, choices, needs, alignment, productivitiy, effectiveness, balance, work_life, harmony, congruent

Every adult I know seems to have infinite level of responsibilities within their life.  If you are feeling overwhelmed and pulled in multiple directions between work, home, family or other commitments, it's time to adopt a creative way to delegate some of the tasks that you've outgrown or that consistently drain your energy.  And, when your immediate response to the idea of delegating is, "it will take too much time to show someone else how to do it"; or, "it's just easier and quicker to do it myself"; or, the ever popular, "no one else will do it as good as me", then it's critical to re-evaluate your standards.  It's not necessarily about lowering your standards, but finding ways to lower your expectations so that you can free up your energy.

 

Often the perfectionist attitude will prevent you from delegating.  Simply remember that the quality of your life is far more important than achieving a perfect result.  The time you spend training someone else to do the task will be time well spent in the long run.  Keep things in perspective and don't make them bigger than they are!  Rarely is a mistake life threatening, uncorrectable or catastrophic.  So, trust the people you delegate tasks to to bring their best selves to the tasks they are completing.  Give them the training, instructions, responsibility and tools to adequately perform the tasks.  Keep the lines of communication between the two of you open.

 

Eliminating things from your life is a means to reduce stress, enhance your mood, and create space for new opportunities and experiences.  A truly fulfilling life has more to do with what you remove from your life than what you add to it.  If you are committed to succeeding in both your personal and professional life, then it's important for you to begin transferring tasks to others to perform.  When you do this effectively, you'll end up freeing up your emotional and physical energy and be able to pursue the things that are truly your priorities.

 

Wondering where to begin?  Start by creating a list of the top priorities right now in your life. Then, either let go of the things that prevent you from honoring them, or delegate those things to someone else.  Remember, next time you want to add something to your life, determine what you can remove first.  Then, develop tactics to delegate or eliminate those things that no longer serve your priorities.  Doing so will help you clear the path towards what you really want in your life.  Your inability or unwillingness to delegate may ultimately become an obstacle to a better quality of life and to your ultimate personal and professional success.

2 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: decision-making, performance, management, work/life, congruent, balance, improvement, smarter, choices, effectiveness, life, productivitiy, time

I have studied work-life balance for well over a decade and conclude that the key reason why there’s still a gap for employers, business owners, and employees despite millions being spent in programs is because these opportunities are mostly all externally-focused. Thus, work-life balance as we’ve known for years has been primarily focused on programs, services, benefits, and the like while neglecting that true balance is internally-driven. The symptoms often associated with unbalance include overwhelm, burnout, stress and other mental, physiological and emotional issues. Yet the programs, although helpful, don’t fully address the problem.

Work-Life Balance redefined.jpg

Balance is derived from a sense of harmony, peace and alignment. One who works 90 hours a week could actually be more balanced than someone who doesn’t even work at all. Balance is about knowing what you’re doing and why you’re doing it and feeling that sense of control over your life. When you’ve usurped power of your life to someone or something, it’s that powerlessness that causes feeling of imbalance.

 

Some of the more popular programs including childcare, elder care, concierge services, health and wellness benefits, flextime, telecommuting, and job share help ease the burden of working long hours while managing a life outside work. They also allow for working longer hours. Yet true work-life balance is about being aligned, making the right choices for you.

My studies have revealed that it’s not just about work-life balance, time management, stress management, or increasing productivity but all these things combined to help each individual overcome what I call Obsessive Distraction Disorder (or O.D.D. for short!). Distractions increase when you’re not aligned with what’s most important to you! By targeting what matters most, decisions are based on top priorities---what’s most important to you!

 

The typical work-life program offerings help create more time and sanity. However, time spent unwisely is still time lost; time that can never be recaptured! Unlike other resources, time is not a renewable resource. Therefore, it’s highly important to recognize what’s most important in all aspects of your life and realign around those things. Be crystal clear about your values, integrity, needs, purpose and priorities.

 

Remember the old adage…it’s not about working harder, but working smarter. In this case, think more broadly, work is a part of your life that serves a specific purpose, so LIVE SMARTER, not harder! Make wise choices aligned with what matters most to you!

0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: alignment, effectiveness, work-life, work/life, harmony, peace, time, work, sanity, balance, congruent, life, research

Clearing your Plate

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann May 27, 2009

 

Decision-making is a key role for any manager or leader. However fear of failure and lack of clarity may prohibit some from making timely decisions.

 

After helping so many coaching clients and audiences focus on their priorities, I needed to do the same.  I needed to take something important off my plate so that I have more time and energy for other more important items in my life.
I had committed to serving another year on the Board of my professional association but as the end of my current term approached I began feeling slightly burned out, frustrated and resentful. I've taught others that this is a possible indication that there's too much on their plate, so I recognized it pretty quickly!  Problem is, like most, I felt that I couldn't renege on my commitment.  However, I knew I needed to. So, this is what I did...

1. Get absolutely clear about the problem at its root cause. To do this I created some quiet time and space for myself for clear introspection. What I discovered is that I had over-committed to the organization at the expense of my business, family and myself.

 

2. Evaluate and assess the implications. I explored the implications of continuing as well as the possible consequences of not. Again, I got more clarity and increased my focus about what is most important to me. I did a bit of a cost-benefit analysis using time and energy as my highest cost factors and opportunity missed cost to assess time spent on volunteer work rather than on revenue producing business activities.

 

3. Test my decision. I wrote out my resignation letter on a notebook page and just left it overnight. In the morning, I checked in with myself and asked: Am I feeling a sense of relief or a sense of remorse?

 

4. Explore different perspectives. I looked at the problem through a couple of different perspectives. I weighed the pros and cons to me, the organization, and my family.

 

5. Re-test my decision. Still feeling a bit ambivalent about making the right decision for me and the organization, I typed my resignation letter and just left it again. And, again, I asked myself: Am I feeling a sense of relief or a sense of remorse? I was still feeling an incredible sense of relief at the impending decision to leave the Board and shift my energy to my top priorities in my work, personal and family life.

 

6. Commit to my choice. As difficult as it was, I knew that it was the right decision for me! With some reluctance, I hit the send button in my email that I typed out earlier. My note was brief. I did not choose to elaborate on the rationale of my decision because I know that it’s important to be succinct and to the point. In situations like this, when one chooses to say “no”, I’ve seen people coaxed into changing their mind because they’ve shared too much information and I’ve also seen people burn bridges with accusations, blame and finger-pointing. Being clear and concise will help you stand by your decision,as it helped me!

 

There is not just one way of making decisions but understanding and knowing what is most important to you will help guide your approach. For me, being professional, respectful, sensitive and firm were important criterion.

 

The one big lesson: It’s far better to communicate either in-person or by phone so that there’s a two-way dialogue. Sending an email created some confusion and disconnect that could have easily been avoided.

 

My mantra…stop me before I volunteer again!
0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: choices, leadership, work, work/life, decision-making, smarter, regroup, communication, personal, balance, effectiveness

Hit the Pause Button

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann May 13, 2009

When you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed out STOP!  Take a breather.  Most people tend to push harder to get more done. The result is that they increase their stress and jeopardize the quality of their work or relationships.  So, an approach I use often with my coaching clients and my audiences is to pause, take a slow deep breadth in from the nose and all the way down to the diaphragm and then blow it out your mouth.  This releases pent up energy and allows you to briefly slow things down and reflect on the moment.

 

Get in the habit of deep breathing so that it comes naturally as a stress-relieving technique and isn't overlooked or forgotten because your just too busy.

 

Another way of reminding yourself about taking control and feeling less overwhelmed is to use what I call 'anchoring'.  In the center of my palm I hold my energy, confidence, poise, and power and I have this with me all the time.  To reach it, I simply have to close my hand and connect with it!  Usually, I close my eyes too then breathe deeply and emerge ready to tackle what lies ahead of me!  Others use a piece of jewelry or other object they always have with them to help them get grounded.  They focus on this object as a physical reminder to stop and take the time to breathe deeply.

 

Just STOP and RELAX in the moment...you'll be glad you did! I’ll BLOG another time about how this technique has helped me as a parent. It’s pretty powerful yet simplistic stuff!

0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: productivitiy, improvement, development, balance, performance, stress, management, focus
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