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A Simple Secret to Adding More Time to Your Day

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Watching Less TV

Do you feel like you don’t have time to do the things you’d like to do?

Do you wish you had more time to exercise or take up that hobby you’ve always been interested in?

Do you wish you had more quality time with the people you care about?

The answer to these dilemmas may be in the middle of your living room. After work and sleep, TV viewing is the most commonly reported activity in the U.S., taking up just over half of all leisure time. In the U.S., people average about five hours of TV time each day. TV Watching:

Need more reasons to stop watching television? Check out Kill Your TV.

About three years ago, I made the commitment to stop watching television, and for the most part, have been able to stick to that.  For almost a year, I didn’t even own a television. While I will still occasionally watch a movie or catch a short clip of The Daily Show on my iPad, I no longer spend my evenings or weekends in front of the television. Not watching television has allowed me to focus more energy on:

  • Learning yoga and starting a yoga practice,
  • Going to the gym and working out on a regular basis,
  • Working on completing my Master’s degree,
  • Starting my own businesses and blogs,
  • Planting and working on my garden,
  • Learning photography and offering my photos for sale on two photo websites,
  • And perhaps most importantly, meeting and marrying my husband!

Enjoy Replacement Activities – What things would you love to have more of in your life? These may include:

  • Exercise – start a new activity, get a gym membership, train for a 5k, or just enjoy an evening walk.
  • Improve your relationships – spend time with friends and family members.
  • Start a new hobby or learn new skills– learn how to knit, sew, make candles, garden, or cook.
  • Go back to school – finish your degree, start a master’s program, or learn new skills such as graphic design, photography, massage therapy.
  • Organizing and decluttering your home or office – to simplify your life.
  • Start a blog and share your knowledge with others.
  • Join a Meetup Group – where you can learn salsa dancing, wine tasting, public speaking, computer skills, or just meet new friends.
  • Develop a spiritual practice – visit a new church, learn meditation, or practice gratitude.

What are your thoughts? Share below.

 

 

(1) Harvard School of Public Health Article

Are You Struggling with Focus and Time Management? Try Pomodoro

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Time Management

 “Lost time is never found again.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

At times, do you feel overwhelmed?

Does it feel like you have far more projects and tasks on your to-do list than you can possibly accomplish?

I’ve had days like that. Days where I’ve spent so much time thinking about all the things I need to do that I don’t get anything done. Sometimes even small tasks seem like giant mountains to be climbed. In truth, these projects may only take a few minutes to complete once you set your mind to it.

Over the years, I’ve read a lot of time management books and articles  trying to find the perfect system, tool, or time saving trick to make myself more productive and able to  accomplish more in my day. While I have picked up a few useful tips along the way, nothing has transformed my work day like the Pomodoro Technique.

My job allows me to work from home which means most days, I don’t have a boss looking over my shoulder. I’m judged primarily on the work that I complete. For me, that kind of freedom is crucial to my happiness. With that freedom, also comes responsibility. I’m far from perfect, but most days, I get up at 6:00 a.m. and go to the gym, getting back in time to be showered and dressed to start work at my computer at 8:00 a.m. The rest of the day, it’s up to me to stay focused and create and complete a wide range of projects.

The Tomato for Time Management

If I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed, it’s hard to be fully engaged in what I need to do. That’s where the Pomodoro Technique comes in. The word pomodoro is Italian for “tomato”. The Pomodoro Technique was named after the tomato by Francesco Cirillo, its creator, because of the tomato timer that is often used.

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Do You Need to Fire that Client? Your Peace of Mind May Thank You For It

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Peace of Mind

“Real Peace of mind has no ups and downs; it cannot be partial in adversity and whole in prosperity.” ~Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Do you have a client that continually drains your energy and saps your peace of mind?

It can happen in many different ways, including clients that don’t respect your time, are hypercritical, have unrealistic expectations, or by just generally being a difficult person. These clients, while maybe well meaning, may not be worth their overall cost to you or your business.

I once had a client that met all the criteria above. She would call, text, or email requests and questions at all hours of the day and night, including weekends. There was always some emergency, something frantic that needed to be completed right away. Her problems quickly became my problems. If I didn’t respond immediately, a text or email was often quickly followed by a phone call asking why I hadn’t responded yet.

At first, I tried to accommodate the requests even when I was spending time with my daughter, at the gym, or trying to take some of my very little time off. It became clear that these continuous interruptions were hurting my overall productivity, service to my other clients, and my personal and family time.

I tried to establish boundaries, setting up times to respond to requests during normal  business hours but the requests kept coming. It got to the point where every time my phone chirped with a new message, I would cringe.  I felt trapped, after all, I was trying to build a business, I needed to be responsive.

When I took a weekend off and was relaxing and walking along the beach on New Year’s Eve, I received a text message with some requests and questions from said client. I realized right there and then that the cost of having this client was too high for me personally, my peace of mind, and my overall business. I finally made the decision to fire that client. Immediately, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

If you have a client like this that saps your energy, constantly pulls your attention away from your path, doesn’t respect your time or abilities, or worse, consider the following:

1.) Set boundaries – it’s easier to do this from the beginning but it’s always worth a try later on as well.

2.) Realize you can’t please all the people all the time – that’s an old saying but is so true. Some clients, no matter how hard you try, will always want more.

3.) Communicate – try voicing your issues and concerns with the client.

4.) Try shifting your own energy – if you are difficult or disregarding your own time, your clients will too.

And if those things don’t work, consider firing that client. Your peace of mind, your business, your family, and your bottom line will thank you for it.

Have you had difficult clients? What solutions did you try and did they work? Share your thoughts below.