Do you enter your work environment and immediately feel a sense of peace and positive energy?  If not, then your productivity will be sorely challenged. Spending time in an organized, tidy area as opposed to a cluttered, messy space will increase your sense of accomplishment.

What are the essential elements for a positive work environment?

1. Lack of clutter

•  A cluttered environment creates a cluttered mind, which leads to cluttered thinking. So remove all the papers, articles, files, pictures of your kids from the age of 1, knick-knacks, old sandwiches, coffee cups and gifts from co-workers from your desk, walls, computer, floor, behind the door, under the desks and in all the bookcases and filing cabinets. Even if you can’t see it, the negative energy emitted from clutter inside areas (where you think it doesn’t show) will affect your performance and mood.
•  Develop an information management system for all your papers and files. Toss what you do not need, delegate to others, complete items that will take 3 minutes or less. Plan time on your calendar for actions that take longer to process. Do this one piece of paper at a time and do not cherry pick. Take one document at a time, make a decision about how to dispose of it, and do it quickly. Don’t put it back to decide on later. Don’t make several stacks. Do them one at a time, right away.
• Set up a filing system with the remaining information. File right away.
• Don’t forget your desktop icons. Use the principles above to arrange and file them so there is no clutter. Then have a wonderful screensaver that is soothing and calming to look at on a regular basis.

2. Look at what is left. There are certain things that you use all the time. Put them closest to you and preferably in a drawer, out of sight. Use containers and separate into individual categories. Put all the red pens together then the blue pens, etc. Do the same with small paper clips and large paper clips. The better organized you are, the easier and faster it will be to both store and retrieve necessities. So spend time up front really categorizing, labeling and separating. You will not regret it.

3.  Score great furniture. Old and scratched is not inviting. Either repaint or replace. Ensure that your desk is the right size and height and if you are really lucky, two desks are ideal. One should be higher than the other so you can comfortably work standing up when you need to. One item never to scrimp on is your chair. If you are not comfortable, all kinds of physical and mental issues will arise, no matter how beautiful your office is.
4. Take care of the ambiance if you can. Can you score a corner office with a view? Good for you. If not why not put up a nice picture (just one!) that shows a great view or has a calming effect when you look at it. Put your desk as close to a window or light as possible. Make sure there is sufficient lighting and invest in a special lamp if you have Seasonal Affective Disorder. Add a few plants to provide color and fun but remember to water them regularly! Score a small fountain or waterfall and you have it made. You will probably prefer to sleep than work!!!!
5. Be comfortable
Have the food, drinks and goodies available that you require. However, please clean them out on a regular basis. Nothing is worse than looking into a coffee cup to see green mold accumulating. Like music? Put on the earphones and bop away!

Take a long, hard look at your workspace. Analyze it from the viewpoint of your boss, co-worker and client. Making significant changes to your environment will not only make you feel more efficient and productive, it will improve the image you want to project and may even provide the impetus for getting you that well-deserved promotion.

Assess where you are NOW

’Tis that time of year when we have the inclination to sit back and assess our future. We ruminate about our past and analyze what is coming up. We are proactive, gung-ho and ready to achieve. We set lofty goals that are abandoned within a short time. Why is that?

In order to move forward, it is necessary to give a good deal of thought and time to truthfully assess where you are NOW.

Step 1-Answer the question “Where am I now?”

1. Plan time to sit down in a quiet space to ruminate.
2. Have paper, pencil, crayons, markers, vision boards, whiteboards or anything that will help you plan.
3. Brainstorm and write down all the answers you can think of.
4. Interview yourself or have someone else do it and play back your answers.

Step 2- Set up a table and list the following questions

1. What makes you happy? Why? What are you doing to make this part of your life if it is not already so.
2. What makes you sad? Why? What are you doing to keep this out of your life?
3. What are you good at? Do you use this skill regularly? Why or why not?
4. What are you not good at? What are you doing to reduce this in your life?
5. What is working in your life?
6. What is not working in your life?
7. If you were given one month to live, what would you do?
8. What are you holding onto that is preventing you from achieving happiness?
9. What do you want to do that will make you happy? Why are you not doing it? What can you do to accomplish this goal?
10. What would you do over, if given the opportunity?

Step 3-Define yourself by deciding how you would like be living your life NOW.

Accept no one else’s definition of your life. It’s up to you to assess what is important. Try to let go of what you are so you can become what you might be. Unless it rings true to who you really are and your deepest values and convictions, get rid of it. Replace it with principles that form a foundation and mission statement for your life.

Assess

’Tis that time of year when we have the inclination to sit back and assess our future. We ruminate about our past and analyze what is coming up. We are proactive, gung-ho and ready to achieve. We set lofty goals that are abandoned within a short time. Why is that?

In order to move forward, it is necessary to give a good deal of thought and time to truthfully assess where you are NOW.

Step 1-Answer the question “Where am I now?”

1. Plan time to sit down in a quiet space to ruminate.
2. Have paper, pencil, crayons, markers, vision boards, whiteboards or anything that will help you plan.
3. Brainstorm and write down all the answers you can think of.
4. Interview yourself or have someone else do it and play back your answers.

Step 2- Set up a table and list the following questions

1. What makes you happy? Why? What are you doing to make this part of your life if it is not already so.
2. What makes you sad? Why? What are you doing to keep this out of your life?
3. What are you good at? Do you use this skill regularly? Why or why not?
4. What are you not good at? What are you doing to reduce this in your life?
5. What is working in your life?
6. What is not working in your life?
7. If you were given one month to live, what would you do?
8. What are you holding onto that is preventing you from achieving happiness?
9. What do you want to do that will make you happy? Why are you not doing it? What can you do to accomplish this goal?
10. What would you do over, if given the opportunity?

Step 3-Define yourself by deciding how you would like be living your life NOW.

Accept no one else’s definition of your life. It’s up to you to assess what is important. Try to let go of what you are so you can become what you might be. Unless it rings true to who you really are and your deepest values and convictions, get rid of it. Replace it with principles that form a foundation and mission statement for your life.

The definition of the word “zone” is; “an area or stretch of land having a particular characteristic, purpose or use or subject to particular restrictions.”

Your working areas need to be zoned or categorized so that you can find items and information quickly and easily.

It is kind of hard to find anything in a totally disorganized office. Imagine the unproductive time and energy expended while you work here.

Take a good look at your office or cubicle and decide where you perform certain actions. Draw a simple process flow chart showing what you do, where you perform the action and where you would like to store information. Make sure there is an easy flow to the processes or you will lose valuable time.

Then ask yourself the following questions:

√ Have your job responsibilities changed in the last year?

If your roles have changed then your needs likely will be different. If you have been promoted to team leader, then you will need a space for talking with your staff and keeping their records.

√ Do you have items you don’t use?
Guess what? If you haven’t done anything with these items in a year, then dump them or archive them for financial or legal reasons.

√ What items do you need to do your job more effectively?
I remember a client who had a huge job and a huge office and spent most of her day going down the hall to use the printer. Helloo!!! Huge waste of time. The minute she got her own printer she heaved a sigh of relief.

√ Is your workspace arranged for maximum performance?
Sometimes we are so used to doing it one way that we do not allow for a better use of the space. Get creative and discover new ways of doing your job.

√ Has traffic flow changed in the last 12 months?
If more people are making their way to your office, through your office or outside of your office, this may affect your productivity. Maybe it’s time to move.

√ Do you have enough, if any, storage space?
A lot of offices have TOO MUCH storage space. Of all the filing, papers and information retained, only 20% is accessed on an ongoing basis. Check out and obtain the correct type of storage rather than increasing the amount.

√ If you meet with others, does your workspace allow you to work effectively with them?
It is important to have enough space and a proper environment to meet with others.

√ Is your office too personal?
No need to have pictures of your kids for every year of their life. Limit your “chatchkes” to a small amount. Bigger is not better.

√ Are you making the best use of furniture?
Your desktop is not a filing cabinet. And vice versa……

Take a long, hard look at your workspace. Analyze it from the viewpoint of your boss, co-worker and client. Making significant changes to your environment will not only make you feel more efficient and productive, it will improve the image you want to project and may even provide the impetus for getting you w ell-deserved promotion

I am constantly asked to find a solution for managers and administrative assistants to work together more efficiently. During the initial assessment process, I usually ascertain that a communication process has not been successfully established. In order for any relationship to work, communication is essential. Yet for some reason, managers and their assistants never get off on the right foot. Here are some tips to establish a better relationship between individuals who work together.

1. Establish and write down expectations on both sides.
2. Get to know each other, your values, needs and behaviour patterns.
3. Realize that you both deserve to be taken care of.
4. Determine training needs and follow up regularly so skill sets are up to date.
5. Communicate on a daily or twice daily basis so everyone is in the loop.
6. Do not micro manage. Let the assistant do the job for which they are trained.
7. Always support the other position, even if you are in disgreement. Discuss the issues in private.
8. Constantly support, reward and encourage each other.
9. Take time to laugh

Even if you have been together for a long time, it is never too late to change your attitudes and relationships. Start over with the steps above and you will be surprised at how much more productive and happy you will be.

What’s you story? What kind of relationship do you have with your boss as an administrator or vice versa? What have you done to create a more amicable and positive atmosphere? I would certainly welcome comments from those in the trenches.

Do you get a headache looking at your email inbox? Do you find yourself going over and over the same email trying to figure out what to do with it?

It’s time to “Clean up your email”.

Create a folder entitled ” Archived e-mails.” (Use the underscore to make sure that folder is the first one on top of your list). Transfer all of the emails that are presently in your inbox to that folder. Just select all and drag over. WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! voila! An empty inbox!!!. Heave a sigh of relief as you experience white space for the first time in ages.

Construct an electronic filing cabinet, much like the physical cabinets you have, with electronic folders with category names. Label them according to your work projects, team members, staff and reference items. The folders should mirror your paper filing system. Those folders that you use regularly can be preceded by an underscore, letter or number so they come up on top of your listing and can be accessed easily.

Update your contact and e-mail address book.

For all current information received in to your new, empty inbox, set up a regular time for sorting, deleting and transferring to the proper files. Plan regular times on your calendar, 3 or 4 times per day to access your inbox. If you are in a position that requires you to look at the email on a regular basis, do so a few times per hour but just “cherry pick” those things that are important to action and leave the others in the inbox. Continue to plan regular times on your calendar to access your inbox and deal with the other emails that require action.

During these planned times, take your emails ONE AT A TIME in the order that they appear in the inbox. Do not cherry pick, jump, and look for the jokes or the more interesting emails. Decide To Do (if the action will only take a few minutes), Delete, Send on to others, File (you have already set up those folders) or Action.For action items there are several choices:
•Drag to an “action” or” to do” folder, plan it out on your calendar or tasks and access that folder when you are working on the task.
•Drag the actual email to the calendar and plan time to deal with the item. When you open the calendar at that time and date, the actual email will show in the calendar box. It will also remain in your inbox so you can drag it to a file folder. This does not work for emails with attachments.
•If the action item requires a long period of time to complete, plan several dates in your calendar to finish it.
At the end of your planned “email time” your inbox will be empty! Congratulations. Remove the beeps, bells, whistles and reminders. Turn off the email program when you are not using it and get on with your tasks until the next planned email time.

Now that you have established a new and efficient system- go to your calendar and plan regular times to deal with the old archived emails that you originally dragged over. Remember that you cannot do it all in one session. Plan many sessions of short duration and reward yourself for a job well done.

I recently took on the challenge to lose weight. That was six weeks ago. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I also realized that since I am a ” Jumper Joe” type personality, I needed to set lots of mini-goals; I would be easily distracted and required many small rewards to stay on track. What I didn’t bargain for was how much I would become dependent on those rewards and how thrilled I would be to receive them.

 I joined Herbal Magic for they offer a structured program which I could easily follow. I actually look forward to my weighing in session 3 days a week. Why? Because the positive attitude of the staff means I anticipate their supportive comments, their cheery hellos and their assistance after a night of indulging in “no-no” foods.

I feel great when I get up in the morning to discover that my stomach has been reduced by the teeniest amount.  As I face the mirror and suck in even more I am motivated to eat wisely. That pile of clothing that was waiting for me to fit into has disappeared.  As a matter of fact, it is now in the box to be donated to my Dress for Success volunteer organization, because the garments are too large. Yay!

The fact that many people have noticed and commented positively on the changes spurs me on further and my general feeling of well-being and health has given me an extra bounce in my step.  But the greatest reward of all is what some would consider a silly, trivial item. Your measurements are taken at herbal magic once a week. You are then offered a ribbon in your choice of color, red white or orange sized according to the number of inches you have lost. You attach this ribbon to your purse and it reminds you on a regular basis of your success. The fact that the inches you have lost are more prevalent in the areas that are not really relevant (like your knees and ankles) or could be better situated (we’ll leave that one to your imagination) is beside the point. I take great pleasure in looking at that ribbon on a regular basis and showing it to anyone who asks or doesn’t ask.  I look forward each week to my new ribbon and change colors regularly.

 What have I learned from this exercise?

• As you take steps towards achieving your goals, acknowledge your successes on a regular and consistent basis. For each tiny step, no matter how minute or insignificant, congratulate yourself for getting closer to the result you want to achieve.
• Recognition needs to be frequent, timely and specifically tied to your mini-goals.
• Celebrate immediately or you will lose a prime opportunity.
• Reward the attempt even if the outcome is not what you wish
• Have fun with your rewards. If anyone has attended my sessions, they are familiar with Henrietta the chicken. (Picture on the right) Henrietta is offered to anyone who participates actively with great ideas that improve the interaction of the group. Henrietta is so popular that she occasionally has to take a rest and let her mother the beatnik chicken or her boyfriend the wife-beater chicken take over.  Silly but effective.
• Publicize your successes.

Life is full of challenges. We will find the obstacles easier to transcend if we reward ourselves on a regular basis.

By the way, I have lost 15.8  (notice how important .8 is) pounds!  I am looking forward to my new ribbon on Friday. I think I will choose orange this time.

How to Deal with the Boss

A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp.  They rub it and a Genie comes out.  The Genie says, “I’ll give each of you just one wish.” “Me first!  Me first!” says the admin. clerk.  “I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.”  Poof!  She’s gone. “Me next! Me next!” says the sales rep.  “I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.”  Poof!  He’s gone. “OK, you’re up,” the Genie says to the manager.  The manager says, “I want those two back in the office after lunch.”

Moral of the story: – Always let your boss have the first say

No matter what type of boss you have, it is important that you both commit to shared goals and objectives. This is essential to maintain the bottom-line results for the organization. Establish a foundation of trust and support by being proactive in your dealings. Create a relationship that matches your styles and needs. Do not wait for a crisis to prompt you into action. Clearly understand yourself, how your work and how this aligns with your manager’s objectives and needs.

Communicate properly. I have always said that communication is the key to everything you do in life. Dealing with your boss is no exception. You need to set up formal and informal encounters. If you are in an administrative or assistant capacity set up regular meetings in both your calendars to meet and compare notes at the beginning and the end of each day. For other reporting functions, ensure that you meet on a regular basis for advice, planning and preparation. Identify the communication style to see if either of you have trouble with discussions about workload or opinions or seek out options. Review your relationship on a regular basis and do this in another locale; outside of the office or in a boardroom.

Define and clarify the roles. Identify your areas of responsibility and accountability to avoid conflict and friction. Determine responsibility for decisions that can be made on your own.

Offer support aligned with objectives and values and respect their opinion. Identify the weaknesses and offer subtle support to make yourself indispensable.

Deliver your work on time, with no errors and with the highest professional standards. Take ownership of all problems and offer and seek out solutions.

Support the organization. Work as a partner with your manager to achieve success beyond your work group.

Speak with other staff members, and ask for their advice and feedback.

Align your styles and needs.

Working for Multiple Bosses

• Let them determine and prioritize your responsibilities.
• Prioritize people based on position and tasks
• Get assistance from your direct manager.
• Make sure to get a deadline for each task you are asked to handle.
• Be honest about your workload and what is urgent. Ask them what you should do with their specific task compared to all the other ‘urgencies’.
• If it is going to cost the company in reputation or money, then prioritize the task. If it is beneficial to the company, then do it first. Look at the ramifications of your deadlines.
• Determine if there are processes to make your work easier and faster.
• Get help from others.
• Ask for overtime to complete the task.
• Keep a log of your workload, deadlines and from whom, to avoid any unpleasant contingencies.

Do NOT

1. Gossip
2. Report unnecessary issues with long drawn out discussions.
3.  Underestimate yourself or your point of view. Create your own action plans and review them regularly.
4. Take on work you can’t manage.
5. Be aggressive.
6. Criticize.
7. Cross the line.
8. Let emotion take control.
9. Go over the bosses head without first tackling issues directly.

DO

1. Work as a team and develop joint objectives and partnerships.
2. Offer relevant information in small bites. Deal with the facts.
3. Celebrate your successes.
4. Be presentable at all times.
5. Act positive
6. Seize opportunities.
7. Forgive yourself and your boss when you make mistakes.
8. Learn to handle conflict immediately in a positive manner. Disagree constructively by offering alternatives.

Tired? Drained? No Energy?

Do you find that you cannot work an entire day without some kind of energy lull? Do you question why you might not get the results you would expect, even though you have put time and effort into your endeavors. In the New York Times bestseller, The “Power of Full Engagement”, co-authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz (corporate coaches to top ranked professional athletes and corporations) demonstrate how managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance, as well as health, happiness and life balance. Energy is defined as “the capacity for vigorous activity; available power.” It is essential that you manage your energy on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels.

 Physical Energy

 According to a new Accountemps survey of senior managers, the late afternoon is the most common time for workers to hit a wall. Thirty-two per cent of managers surveyed said 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. is the least productive time of day for employees. Coming in second was 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., as cited by 28 per cent of respondents.

When scheduling your time, it is important to be conscious of your Circadian Rhythm, or energy cycle. If you are energetic in the morning, with a dip in energy in late afternoon, a rise in early evening and to bed at 10-then you are a day person. If however, no one should even attempt to communicate with you until after your coffee at 10 am, then you are a night person. You will peak at noon and late afternoon, decline from 6 pm to 11 pm then wake up again from 11 am to 2 pm. If you are a new parent, you are quite familiar with this cycle.

Plan accordingly

1.  The better you plan your day according to your cycle, the more effective you will be. Match the task to the energy. Know your own rhythms and plan your work around them.
2.  Allocate the high energy times to your priority projects that are complex, stressful or unpleasant. They require large amounts of concentration, problem solving, original thinking and critical decision making skills.
3. Save your fairly alert times for meetings, correspondence, telephone calls and routine work.
4. In low gear? Use that for calendar planning, signing letters and reading.
5. Track goals. Keep a to-do list to remain focused, and ensure it’s visible on your desk so you can check items off as they’re completed. There’s nothing more motivating than making progress on your projects.
6. Eat well. Remember to make time for lunch and nutritious snacks throughout your workday. Avoid high-carb foods, which can cause you to crash later.  Use energy boosters during the day.
7. Analyze the quality and quantity of your sleep, Get help from the wonderful sleep clinics that abound. Create a sleep ritual every night.
8. Exercise regularly and take short bursts of rest between tasks.
9. Stand up, stretch, and move your body.
10. Plan your tasks properly so there is sufficient energy for each.

 Mental Energy

 Our mental energy level can be compromised when we hear depressing news; work too much; deal with sickness, death or interpersonal hassles. Poor management as well as too many or too few people around us can also be cause for concern. Boredom is a factor as well as doing something you do not like to do.

 Stay on Track

1.  Know who you are and what you want in life so you stay on track.
2. Break tasks up into smaller chunks to avoid multi-tasking. You will accomplish more by concentrating on only one task at a time.
3. Switch gears. If you’re struggling to focus, take a quick break and research something new. Changing tasks can help increase your productivity late in the day.
4. Become more independent. Lower your expectations and get rid of the guilt.
5. Utilize bio-feedback and creative visualization to determine your needs and expectations.
6. Love what you do or change careers.
7. Do not overthink, overanalyze or over control. Let that energy flow by opening up your creative mentality.
    

Emotional Energy

 As much as you can plan your day efficiently, your own energy level is not the only reason for your fatigue. There are certain energy drainers that also affect your productivity and your reactions. They include loss of self, deprivation, holding on to a loss, excess baggage, envy, worry, unfinished business and over commitment. The biggest drainer of all is trying to live up to other people’s expectations. No wonder you are pooped!

Deal with your emotions

•  Connect with positive and uplifting emotionssuch   as enjoyment, adventure, opportunity, challenge and feeling inspired.
• Reconnect with good friends.
• Play with children.
• Become a team player.
• Learn to appreciate others and receive recognition in return.
• Identify the source of the problem and deal with it.
• Do one thing that brings you a step closer to coping with difficulties.
• Create an energizing environment where you are at your best.
• Laugh and smile more.
• Add pleasure, beauty and fun to your life.

Spiritual Energy

While the most fundamental source of energy is physical, the most significant is spiritual. If we are aligned with our spiritual energy, it directly flows and replenishes the other three interconnected sources of your energy bowl, physical, mental and emotional.

According to Teya Skae, founder of Empowered Living, “spiritual energy aligns our actions, motivations and ambitions, with the end result that we feel more alive, engaged, connected and able to judge more clearly our next step. At this level, we are able to access and use our innate gifts and talents, so that we have a source of “energy on tap”. Spiritual energy is the most powerful source of our motivation, perseverance and direction; it makes sense to use it daily.”

Energise

• Concentrate on being fully engaged at all times.
• Get out into the sunshine.
• Take time to stop and smell the roses.
• Create a spiritual area in your home or office where you can be alone.
• Read inspirational material.
• Listen to upbeat music.
• Count your blessings and stop to enjoy each and every one.
   

With more energy, we can enjoy life more and do more. If we can achieve a balance of being physically energised, emotionally connected, mentally focused and spiritually aligned, we are well on the way to health and happiness.

We ate too much, spent too much, indulged in too many forbidden things over the holidays. Now it’s time to get “back on track”. But we also spent time with family and friends, got a much needed vacation and/or rest from work and enjoyed the festive season. So why do we need New Year’s Resolutions? Maybe we do, and maybe we don’t.

The beginning of January is just a natural point in the calendar where we reflect on the year ahead and what was accomplished during the past year. We feel that we need to get a new start on life. Hope and anticipation prevail. However, if you are really leading the life you want, then January 1st is just another day. No resolutions for you, because you have been practicing and resolving all year round.

The creation of New Year’s resolutions reminds me of spring cleaning. In April, when the sun starts shining on the dust particles on our windows and we are sick and tired of the cold and snow, we decide to clean. We scrub, dust and renew all areas in a mad whirlwind of activity and settle in for the rest of the year. If we had planned this out on a monthly basis all-year round, allocating a room per week to take care of, then this mad whirlwind of activity could be eliminated and we could get back to enjoying life. The same rings true for resolutions…why not have goals all year round?

Yes, resolutions are just that. Goals. In order to attain your goals, several steps have to be taken.
1. Look at what is working now and resolve to maintain it. We tend to look more at what is not working and lose sight of the good things that continue to be part of our lives. This is a recipe for disaster. According to a random telephone survey conducted by Stephen Shapiro, president of Goalfree.com, with the assistance of Opinion Research Corp. of Princeton NJ ,”We sacrifice today in the hope that a better future will emerge – only to discover that achievement rarely leads to true joy.”
2. Set goals that can lead you to your own individual happiness, not based on the expectations of others. Take time to brainstorm and journal answers to questions like: What is an ideal day, week, life? What is bothering me right now; physically, mentally and emotionally? What would I do if I had a million dollars? Concentrate on improvement, not radical change.
3. Do not set more than three resolutions. We are busy enough without putting too much on our plate.
4. Do your “homework” before you decide to change anything. Organize your space; improve your time management; get your systems and processes in order. If your basic foundation is not solid, you will go “off track” trying to get anything done.
5. Research all the steps necessary to reach your goals. Don’t just plunge in, without testing the waters. Information is power and the more you receive, the better prepared you will be.
6. Make sure your goals are SMART.

a. Specific. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions:
Who: Who is involved?
What: What do I want to accomplish?
Where: Identify a location.
When: Establish a time frame.
Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal. Like a 4 year-old child, keep asking yourself “why?” and post the answers beside your goal. Do you want to lose weight to wear fashionable clothes? To be able to run with your kids? Just to feel better? You need some sort of reminder, whether it is a picture or a list to keep in mind positive aspects of the end result.
b. Measurable: Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress. Do you want to finish your MBA within 3 years? Then how will your measure it? How will you reach deadlines and stay on track? How will you know when it is accomplished?
c. Achievable: Am I capable of graduating with this MBA? Perhaps you don’t have certain pre-qualifications and need to take some extra courses before you apply. Do you have the aptitudes, abilities, time and financial resources to do this?
d. Realistic: Can you really finish your MBA in 3 years? Is that realistic with your lifestyle? You may be willing but you have a spouse, three kids, a mortgage and a full-time job. Perhaps you would be more confident of completion if you extended the time. We should always calculate extra time for attaining our resolutions to allow for contingencies – it’s just good time management.
e. Timely: Create a definite date and time frame for your goal. Establish benchmarks along the way. Write down each goal and break it up into tiny, tiny steps. The harder the accomplishment, the more you will procrastinate so you need small chunks to get through the process. Take and complete only one step at a time.
7. Write down and post your goals for all to see. Tell the world, so they can cheer you on.
8. Team up with a buddy to encourage, reward and motivate each other to keep to the program.
9. Reward and inspire yourself each step of the way. Don’t wait to accomplish your goal to feel good. Allocate small “surprises” to celebrate each tiny success. Encourage others to do the same for you.
10. Get back on the horse. So you fell “off the wagon”. Dust yourself off, hike up your pants and get back on. Do not beat yourself up. Note all your past accomplishments and concentrate on the positive. Focus on your written goals, reasons and timelines and just start over. Perhaps your small chunks are a little too big? Try breaking them up again into smaller amounts or time frames.
So, whether your resolutions revolve around your wallet, your waistline, your head or your heart, practice setting, maintaining and achieving your resolutions not only today, but all year round.