How to Have Your Most Productive Year

Think about your business and your life. If I was to ask what you wish you had more of, chances are that you would tell me “Time,” “Love” or “Money.”

Am I right?

For some reason, there seems to be an extreme shortage of time, love, and money.

Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side?

And then there’s an idea that the grass is greener on the other side.

How is it that someone else might have all of these things, yet you don’t? Are they special? Are they lucky? Do they have something you don’t? Do they come from a better family? The reasons can go on and on.

The truth is, these people are not any more special than you are. In fact, some of the most successful people in the world have started out with nothing. Seriously! And those who do come from rich and wealthy families have their own emotional struggles and other types of responsibility that you wouldn’t even be able to wrap your head around. They too may be unhappy and may even wish for a simpler time. The bottom line is that everyone is struggling in one way shape or form.

With that said, wherever you are in your life at this point in time, have gratitude for how far you’ve come and all that you have. The mindset of gratitude will allow you to ACHIEVE MORE and BE MORE.

Damage Control

Now, the purpose of this article is to set you up for a better year. And how are you going to do that? You are going to get rid of some of the biggest misconceptions we’ve addressed earlier.

On January 1, you probably made a New Years resolution and I’m going to go on a limb and say that you have not followed through with it. If you have, then more power to you! However, if you are like millions of people who went back to your old ways (statistically, people give up on their new years resolutions by mid January), then keep reading.

So let’s begin. Today, we are going to talk about “Time.”

Lack of…Time

Tic toc tic toc. We are all given 24 hrs. in a day. So how is it that some people are able to get more done in a day than you are?

In all of my 10 years of experience coaching people, time seems to be the ultimate culprit.

The truth is, you do have time. If you really want something bad enough, you will make time for it.

For example, if your crush all of a sudden asked you on a date, would you tell me that you wouldn’t have time for that date? Of course you’d make time.

OR if all of a sudden a dream job or an opportunity of a lifetime presented itself, would you not have time for it? Of course you would!

The truth is, time is not the problem, the way you think about a certain goal IS the problem. Maybe you don’t believe in the goal as much and you’re not as motivated to pursue it. Or maybe it’s not as important to you right now and you feel that other matters need to take priority. That’s OK, just never tell yourself that you don’t have time, because this creates a negative thought pattern, which actually slows you down overall.

Possible Reasons Why You Have Less Time

Although we can’t magically turn a 24 hr. day into a 30 hr. day, the issue is not really in the quantity of hours, it’s how you spend the hours. Look at the points below and see if you can relate to any (or all) of the points below.

• Your mind always wonders off to other things
• E.g. You’re at a meeting and your mind is somewhere else.
• E.g. You’re about to fall asleep and your mind decides to think about the past or the future
• Stress
• You are disorganized
• No clarity as to what you want to accomplish
• Too many goals and not enough direction or planning
• Unrealistic expectations
• Negative self-talk
• Poor nutrition
• Lack of prioritizing

Do you notice a pattern in the list above? Luckily, it’s things you can change, because you have control of your day. Sure, sometimes other people and external circumstances play a role, but for the most part, you have the control.

Time flies by, so don’t let 2018 fly by!

How to Create More Time

Start with these simple exercise and you will be surprised how all of a sudden you’ll have more time.

• Any time your mind starts wondering, bring yourself to the current moment; focus on the task at hand.
• Plan your day the night before
• Studies show that if you plan your day the night before, you tend to accomplish more
• The night before (NOT in the morning or day of), make a checklist of everything you want to accomplish
• Meditate (start with 5 min. and move up to 10)
• Meditation helps your brain stay more positive and focused, which can help you come up with solutions much faster than before

Just start with the above three exercises; I don’t want to overload you with too much work. Give these a try and see what happens. Chances, you’ll notice that you are accomplishing more than you thought you could.

When Things Just Don’t Work Out

Don’t get discouraged. When you need a little push, reach out to me so we can identify what’s keeping you stuck. Coaching is extremely effective and the beauty of coaching is that it is results-driven. If you want quick results in business or any area of your life, you may need a coach, so feel free to reach out.