Articles
Clear Your Desk Without Setting it on Fire
July, 2008
Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. Independence Day. What does independence mean to you? To most of us it means having the freedom to go where we want, do what we want and say what we want. Not that we necessarily will, we just like to know we can. That means a lot to us, doesn't it? To me, real freedom means freedom from the tyranny of my own busy mind. A clear, uncluttered mind is, I think, the ultimate freedom. I am honored this month to feature guest contributor, Gloria Bullock of Glorified Organizing. Scroll down to read her article about organizing your desk to promote efficiency and sanity. An uncluttered desk can help unclutter the mind. Thank you, Gloria.
Studies show that organized people save time, money, and have lower levels of stress. The effects of visual chaos unconsciously clutter the mind. A cluttered mind is less creative and less productive. The key to working as efficiently as possible is to minimize distractions. An organized desk, free of surface clutter, is one way to accomplish this. You can usually clean a desk in a day of focused effort. If you don't want to spend a day, clear one area at a time - the surface first and then each drawer.
Think of your workspace as having three zones: zone A is within easy, forearm's reach (desktop and top drawers); zone B is at full arm's reach (bottom drawers); zone C is near the desk and can be reached with out-stretched arms and some movement.
Assuming you will clean the whole desk, take everything off the surface and out of the drawers. Sort everything into categories: incoming mail/papers, papers requiring action; office supplies; reference files that you want handy; personal effects; etc.
First, bring back the things you use on a daily basis and place them in zone A. That may be your phone, computer, planner, a few pens/pencils, and papers requiring action. Separate papers requiring action into 'action files', each labeled with the next action required (do, file, pay, read, etc.). Paper is not as overwhelming when you can find your bills, you know how much reading you have, and what else requires action.
Second, bring in three to four personal effects that inspire you. One photo of spouse, children, or pets can give you a brief respite but a collage of photos can be distracting. A picture of nature can recharge your energy but a garden of plants beckons for attention. An inspirational quote or a single goal can lift your spirits and motivate but a list of goals can feel like a burden of more work to do.
Next, bring in items that you use weekly and place them in zone B. This may be reference material and a few office supplies. You need only a few note tablets and pens nearby, not your whole office supply store.
Last, bring into zone C the things you use on a monthly basis. This may be your filing system. Keep a few extra folders handy but keep the major stash out of your primary work area.
Everything left over can be located farther away from your workspace, even in another room. Don't clog your prime real estate with things you don't need on a regular basis.
Have an organized work area, adequate lighting and noise levels conducive to working. Keep up daily routines to stay on top of the workflow and watch your efficiency improve. Be sure to spend the extra time you will have on activities that nurture and recharge you. When you're happy, rested, and relaxed you can be more productive than if you never take time for yourself.
© 2008 by Gloria Bullock. All rights reserved.
Click here to read more about Gloria
The Midas Touch (not mufflers)
June, 2008
Thank you so much to everyone who attended the workshop Lessons of Oz - The Yellow Brick Road to Successful Change. We met June 5th at the San Ramon Library. The participants had some amazing and powerful insights. We really are all geniuses. And when we get together and pool our resources real magic happens. If you missed the event, I will be offering it again soon in several locations.
Last month I talked about the great Wealth & Prosperity workshops that are happening a lot now. it gets me thinking. How and where do we get our ideas about money? I remember a big one for me. The Midas Touch. Do you remember the story of King Midas? I first heard it in the fifth grade. It's a story from Greek mythology.
King Midas was a kindly ruler. In return for a good deed, the god Dionysus granted the King one wish. The King wished that everything he touch turn to gold. Well, this was pretty exciting for him for a while. Everything he touched did, indeed, turn to gold and he loved it. Then came the down side. His food, his prized roses and his drinking water all became useless when turned to gold. The worst came when he touched his beloved daughter Marigold and she became a golden statue. King Midas learned his lesson. He was so unhappy about all this that he begged Dionysus to undo everything. He got that wish, too. Everything went back the way it had been. He realized that what really counted in life could not be bought by gold. The King was poorer and wiser.
This story had quite an effect on me as a fifth grader. I actually remember very clearly understanding this story quite well and taking it in as truth. I also knew something wasn't right, but didn't know what it was. Now as an adult, I get it. What do you learn from this story? I learned that either we are rich, greedy and miserable or we are poor, loving and happy. I grew up believing this either/or. Now I say phooey on that.
Wealth & Prosperity is really about understanding we are entitled to all the abundance that life has to offer. We can earn money (even lots of it), enjoy the roses and have loving relationships at the same time. This may sound obvious. But, you never know. Why not spend some time considering how you feel about money and people who have it? What lessons did you learn about money when you were young? Do these lessons now stand in your way or help you move forward? Looking at our beliefs about money can be an important step on The Yellow Brick Road to Successful Change.
A Secret About Making Money
May, 2008
When I checked my email I found invitations to 4 different Wealth & Prosperity workshops. That is fabulous. It's great that people are out there teaching abundance. And it's really great to see a growing awareness that abundance is our birthright. So, four different workshops? Do I go to all four? Only one? None? How do I decide?
Want to know a secret about building wealth and prosperity? It's not about what workshop you attend, what technique you use, not at all. It's about being relaxed and comfortable and not worrying about money. Relaxing and letting abundance flow while you take the necessary steps to make money is the secret. Easy to say, you say?
If you are interested in methods of building wealth & prosperity, you may want to look into the workshops. Get all the information you can about the different trainers and then go with what feels comfortable for you. If a particular trainer's words, attitude, track record and even their looks resonates for you and helps you to feel relaxed and confident, than it's probably right for you. It may not be right for your sister or your next door neighbor. But this makes total sense, right? You wouldn't tell everyone in the world to play tennis. Just as there are different forms of exercise to appeal to different people, there are different success methods for each of us.
Do you know the story about the farmer who was looking for water? He dug a well 10 feet deep, no water. He dug another well 10 feet deep, again no water. He dug a total of 10 wells, had no water and a lot of holes. His smart neighbor said to him that instead of digging 10 wells 10 feet deep, dig one well 100 feet deep and you'll find what you're looking for. So when you find a wealth and prosperity teacher you trust and have confidence in follow their instructions. As long as it feels right to you, stick with it and see where it takes you.
Finally, a dual approach to building wealth can be beneficial. Study and practice the money-making techniques you like and also study and practice relaxation techniques designed to help you let go of fears of not having or being enough. This is my specialty. I love to connect people with their inner power of strength, wisdom and confidence. Yes, you do have it even when you don't feel it. Look for my ebook coming soon to help you relax and feel more comfortable and at ease.
Multi-task Your Way to Happiness
April, 2008
During the 1960's TV viewers watched "The Dobie Gillis Show". It was about a group of zany teenagers. Dobie had a best friend named Maynard G. Krebs (played by Bob Denver, very pre-Gilligan's Island). Have I lost you? Anyway, Maynard G. Krebs was a "beatnik". A beatnik was a nonconformist, an early hippie. In this show, though, they used the term to mean what we now call a slacker. Maynard was not in school and whenever he heard the word "work" he would repeat it in a high-pitched squeaky voice fraught with alarm. "Work!" he would croak and the laugh track would go nuts. He was "allergic" to work. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) he didn't seem to need to work. Magically, things worked out.
In the non-television world most of us have to earn a living somehow. So how are you with having to work? On a scale from one to ten give yourself a rating. One is "I can't wait to get into the office today" and ten is "If I have to see that person's face one more time I'm going to kick something". What is it about work that may cause unpleasant "allergy symptoms" such as fits of anger, irritability, sleeplessness, confusion and general lack of fun? Well, one common complaint is never getting anything done because of constant interruptions.
Does this happen to you? You're working on a deadline. You have lots of messages from clients expecting you to call them back or email them right now, people are showing up unexpectedly, your stomach has given up growling because it figures why waste energy reminding you to eat when you keep ignoring the message and if only everyone would go away and let you finish what you are supposed to be doing everything would be fine. Whew. Take a breath!
Good news!
An attitude shift can go a long way to relieving the pain and pressure of this "allergy symptom." Instead of seeing all the demand on you as constant interruptions, just see them all as part of your day. Begin your day with the intention and belief that you can handle each thing that comes to you calmly and efficiently. That's really what multi-tasking is: experiencing the phone calls, the reports, the emails, the visits all as part of your work day and not as interruptions to your work day. When you do this, you can effectively evaluate all your tasks and divide them into categories: what really needs to be done today; what can wait till tomorrow or be scheduled later on; and what tasks you may need to delegate. If you work for someone else, delegating may not be so easy to do. If you work for yourself, guess what? It really is ok to hire someone to help you. Take the time to figure out in dollars (and sense) how much time and aggravation you'll save in the long run by hiring help.
As Above, So Below
March 2008
Spring is very close. The trees are blossoming pink and white. The birds around my house seem to be going nuts as if simply thrilled by the ability to fly. The hills are that glorious green that is so peaceful and calming. Spring is, of course, a time of renewal, refreshment and rejuvenation. Each year we get another chance to "spring forward" in our lives and in our business.
Nature is such a great role model, don't you think? Letting go of the old and welcoming in the new. So why not take some time to relax and notice the beauty of Spring? You may find yourself able to think more clearly and make easier decisions. Of course, relaxation does seem to be more and more difficult to come by nowadays. Everyone is in such a hurry all the time. The truth is that relaxation is as close to you as your own breath. Here's a relaxation exercise:
Find a comfortable place where you can sit by yourself undisturbed. Close your eyes, say the word "relax" to yourself and breathe in deeply. Allow your abdomen to rise first, then your chest. Allow your ribcage to expand in all directions. Then reverse the order as you exhale, your ribcage falling first, then your abdomen. Pause, and do it again. Do this as many times as is comfortable. If you feel light-headed stop and resume your usual breathing. The increased oxygen to your brain and body can take some getting used to. If you like, do the exercise again later or the next day.
In Chinese Medicine, it is believed that the inside of the body mirrors what is outside in the world. They say, "as above, so below". Thus the interior of the body is said to contain rivers, valleys, wind and everything we find outside in nature. This is a fun idea to play with. Just as the wind can reshape the external landscape, allow your breath to reshape your "internal landscape". As you breathe in and out imagine all the sharp edges and uncomfortable places in your body smoothing out, softening, just as the wind can wear down a jagged mountain into a soft, gentle hill. Try it. If it feels good to you practice every day.
Connect with Your Inner Power
February 2008
What is power?
Power is a feeling that comes from deep within. It's knowing. It's tapping into the knowledge that we can. Power is a feeling of certainty. It is silent and quiet and assured and steady and radiates outward in all directions like the sun. The truth is that real power is knowing the depth of greatness that lies within each of us. We are all geniuses in our own way.
So how do we get at that inner power? One good way is to pay attention to what is happening in your life and how you are responding to it. For example, several months ago a business acquaintance and I decided to look into doing email newsletters. It was new to both of us and we felt uncomfortable and somewhat intimidated by the idea. When I checked my email a couple weeks ago I found an email newsletter from her. She had gone and done it and not even told me. Isn't it interesting where our minds take us? As if she had to tell me. I was surprised to find I felt envious and even hurt. Well, this did not feel very good to me, so I took a deep breath and made the choice to feel inspired by her accomplishment rather than bothered. If she could do it so could I.
So notice what people around you are doing and how you respond to it. If you admire what they have done, ask yourself what qualities they must have. Then remind yourself that you also have those same qualities. You must have them, you see, or you wouldn't recognize them in someone else. Allow what they have done to energize and motivate you to take action. If you don't feel it right away, that's fine. It takes practice to turn it around. Then appreciate yourself for your good qualities. We all like to get noticed, and when your good qualities get noticed they will keep coming back.
