Why is it so hard to focus on the task at hand these days? Could it be because we live in a world of seemingly constant and endless distractions? Think back on the events of the last week or so. How often did your productivity fall victim to distractions? How many times a day did you start to do something, only to end up doing everything except what you wanted to do?
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It’s not just information overload that presents a challenge to our ability to focus. It’s everything overload. Our attention is being pulled in so many different directions that the simplest of tasks can seem impossible to get to.
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Multitasking does not work!
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Productivity is not about how many things you can do at once. It’s about how many things you complete. If you are jumping around, a few minutes here and a few minutes there, it’s very unlikely that you will actually see anything through to completion. Even if you do manage to complete something, chances are it took you way longer than it should have.
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When you try to do more than one thing at a time, what happens to your focus? It’s divided, right? The more divided your focus is, the busier you will be, and the less you will get done. I’m sure we all know from experience that we can be very busy and still accomplish very little. It happens to me much too often, and I’m guessing it happens to you as well.
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What’s the opposite of multitasking?
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The opposite of multitasking is doing one, and only one, thing at a time. What happens to your ability to focus when you restrict your efforts to just a single task? Your focus increases dramatically, doesn’t it?
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What if you are focused on a single task and you don’t experience any distractions or interruptions? You will probably be able to complete that task in record time. Now when you compare the way you feel after completing something in record time, compared to not being able to get anything done, which one makes you feel better?
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Let’s face it, productivity feels really good. 
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Everyone loves the feeling of accomplishment. It makes us feel like our efforts paid off, and now we have something to show for it. The quicker we can get something completed they better we feel about it.
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There are other benefits to increased productivity, like more free time to spend doing things we really want to do. All to often important personal or family activities get put on the back burner because we end up spending too much time working. This is not a very balanced way to live. It was happening to me and I got tired of it.
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Applied focus to the rescue!
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Is it possible to accomplish more, and to do it in less time? Yes it is, and the way we do that is by increasing our focus, while simultaneously eliminating ALL distractions. And it’s important to recognize that one really depends on the other. .
No matter how focused we are, one little distraction can derail us. If you stop what you’re doing long enough to answer the phone or check your email, you break your focus. When that happens it will take several minutes to get back in the zone. That means you have effectively delayed the completion of that particular task.
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How applied focus works
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Applied focus is a simple strategy that will quickly multiply your productivity based on the principles we just discussed. Here’s how it works. Each applied focus session is 45 minutes long, followed by a 15 minute focus shift. This means that you will intentionally stop focusing on the task at hand and do something completely different during the 15 minutes of focus shift.
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It also means that during your 45 minute applied focus session you will not allow anything (except dire emergencies) to distract you. No phone calls in or out, no checking emails, and no twitter, facebook or StumbleUpon. The goal is 45 minutes of uninterrupted focus on a single predetermined task.
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Here are some guidelines
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Because most of my work is done on a computer, I’m going to use that as an example. You can adjust these guidelines to fit your particular situation. The same principles can be applied to any task.
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1) Only one window open on your computer. For example, if you are writing an article the only thing on your computer screen is your favorite word processor. That means that your browser is closed. This will greatly reduce the temptation to wander from the task at hand.
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2) Time your sessions. One of the hardest things to do is stop in the middle of a task that you are totally focused on. It’s much easier to lose track of time and just keep working. Don’t do it! After 45 minutes of focus, your mind needs a few minutes to do some neurological organization. Otherwise, your ability to maintain optimal focus will suffer.
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3) Get up from your desk. If you work at a desk, get up and walk away during your 15 minutes of focus shift. Go get a drink, walk around, visit, have a snack, use the bathroom, whatever you need to do. Let your eyes look at something else, and give your mind a break.
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4) Get prepared ahead of time. If you are writing an article, do your outline and research during a separate, applied focus session. That way you can focus on the writing. If you have to stop writing to do some research, you have broken your focus and reduced your level of productivity. Use separate focus sessions to handle different aspects of the same task.
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5) Relegate email and telephone calls to their own session. Have one or two time slots specifically for “other necessary activities.” Make your calls, read and respond to emails, do your social networking, reply to comments on your blog, etc. Reserve an applied focus session just for those activities instead of allowing them to become interruptions.
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Ease into it slowly!
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Using applied focus sessions to increase your productivity takes some getting used to. Don’t start out by scheduling eight sessions your first day. You need to train yourself, and those around you, to a new way of thinking.
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To minimize interruptions, tell others that you are only available for brief phone conversations, for example, during the last 15 minutes of each hour. If they require more time, have them call back during the time slot you have set aside for that purpose.
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The rewards are worth the effort
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Once you become accustomed to using applied focus sessions it will change your life. Your increased productivity will carry the added benefit of more free time for personal pursuits. Even things like exercising can be consolidated and optimized using this approach.
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Your increased ability to focus will also improve your relationships. When you are with people you care about, you will be better at focusing on the moment. Conversations and other interactions will be enhanced because you won’t be so easily distracted. Learning to focus is truly an advanced life skill worth mastering.
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What is the greatest challenge to your ability to focus?
Which distractions do you struggle with the most?
The lines are open!
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Free updates via RSS feed or email
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Related Articles:
How Focus Defines Our Life
Where’s Your Focus?
5 Ways to Focus on Success
Clarity, Focus and Motivation
Do You Have A Plan of Action?

In this issue of Friday With Friends I decided to focus on ladies only. I have always appreciated the female perspective and these five bloggers really have a lot to offer.

The [read the article] link at the end of each preview will take you to their blogs so you can finish the article and have a look around. I hope you enjoy their work as much as I do.

Boost Your Productivity in 50 Ways
by Celestine Chua

Looking for ways to increase your productivity? Do more things in a faster manner, and with better output? Here’s a list of my recommended strategies and tips to increase your productivity. Each of them has its own set of contexts where it works the best in, so apply them accordingly:

1) Get a head-start: Wake up early – Start off your day ahead of others. When doing your tasks, start it 5 or 10 minutes earlier than the time you specify. Because you are an extra step ahead, you will feel especially good about it and be motivated to run fast to keep your lead.

2) Get the big rocks in: Big rocks are your quadrant 2 tasks – the important but non-urgent tasks. When big rocks are in place, you can easily get the small rocks, gravel, sand and water into the jar. Much easier than if you tried to do it the other way round, isn’t it?

3) Hardest task first: Within your quadrant 2 tasks, work on the most hardest one when you wake up in the morning. With that out of the way, everything else becomes a breeze. [read the article]

How to Strengthen Your Ability to be Decisive
by Dr. Annette Colby

If you find that your will to choose is not fully developed, you feel out of control. If you have not learned to use your free will, you feel fragile and vulnerable. If you were brought up to obey others while denying and disowning your unique personal choices, you feel lifeless. If your will is ignored, suppressed, or hidden, pain will arise.  

Look closely at your own will. Is it frequently:

- Pushed around by the will of other people?
- Influenced by the opinions of others?
- Suppressed by your own feelings, such as depression, guilt, anger, or fear?
- Immobilized by inaction and lack of direction?
- Weakened by self-doubt?

Notice if you generally do what you wish, from the core of your being, because you have willed it, or does some other factor dominate? Do you mold yourself to the expectations of others? What happens when you tell yourself, “I can create my life exactly the way I want it, in all dimensions — body, work, family, relationships, community, and the larger world?” How does your inner voice respond? [read the article]

10 Reasons It’s Awesome Life’s Not Fair
by Lori at Seeing Good

You work yourself exhausted but your boss’ son gets a promotion. Your friend the smoker is healthy as a horse while you suffer from chronic pneumonia. Your wife has an affair yet somehow takes you to the cleaners in your divorce. Things happen all the time that contradict our hope that good things will happen to good people. Hard work doesn’t always bring rewards. Good habits don’t guarantee health or happiness. Giving love and respect doesn’t ensure you’ll receive the same in return.

You may say life’s not fair—and I think you’d be right. But how does it serve us to dwell on that idea? Who benefits when we indulge bitterness, frustration, or anger? Or perhaps a better question is: who suffers?

I say we see we take this unavoidable truth and appreciate it for the possibilities it provides. Life isn’t fair, but that’s awesome because:

10. It helps you get better at accepting what is. When you don’t get what you feel you deserved, you could easily get stuck obsessing over how it should have been. I know–I’ve been there. It doesn’t help change the situation; and it only makes you feel you worse. When you accept what is you have power to change both yourself and your reality. How amazing that unfair situations allow you the opportunity to practice acceptance.

9. It encourages you to ask yourself the question: “Do I want to be a victim?” Every day we have countless opportunities to blame other people for situations in our lives. We can curse everyone from the mailman to the president for somehow screwing up our day. Or we can commit to taking responsibility for our future, and learn to repeatedly assess how we can accept and improve our life.

8. It reminds to appreciate what you have when you have it. It’s a harsh reality that you can lose anything at any time. Your boss could lay you off after a decade of loyal service; your husband could walk out the door even though you’ve been a faithful, loving wife. This tells me we need to cherish what we have at all times. And really, any reality that forces you to be present and grateful is a gift. [read the article]

Passion or Obsession?
By Giovanna at Imperfect Action is better than No Action

Passion is one of the most important keys to success in any arena of life. When you have passion in your life you wake up excited about your day. You make the right decisions, you get more done in less time, and things flow for you. If you harness your passion, people will believe in you, trust in you, and want to support you. No greatness can happen without a person’s passion behind it. But what exactly is passion? [read the article]

Who Will Take the First Step?
By Robin at Naked In Eden

Editor’s note: In this post Robin offers 10 answers to the question: “What do you do if someone hates you?”

1. When I feel hate from someone else, which almost never happens, I say to myself, “Although I’m not responsible for another’s choice to hate, is there anything real I might have done that I need to take responsibility for?”

2. Then I choose to look at the situation on a soul or psychic level. I like to distinguish what might be someone else’s feelings and what are mine. I can all too often and too easily feel another person’s feelings. So I like to separate their feelings from mine. It allows me to more clearly see the situation and let go.

3. I’ve always seen hate as a secondary emotion, the original or base emotion being fear. I’ve experienced life as two fundamental emotions: fear and love…with various off shoots from these two emotions. In many cases if we can get to the base emotion we can more readily understand what’s really happening. [read the article]

Benefits of Blogging – Becoming an Authority
by Kristi at Kikolani

Editor’s note: This post is the fifth in a series, where Kristi covers some of the many benefits of blogging.

What is authority?

I consider being an authority on a subject being someone that others can look to for solid, useful information. If someone is an authority on SEO, then you would know if you were having SEO related questions that this person would be the one to ask.

Do you have to know everything to become an authority?

Some people may assume that, because they may not be an expert on a subject, they cannot become an authority on it. I do not feel that is true. I think that an authority on a subject not only knows their subject, but also knows where to find information that they do not know. They continue to learn and expand their knowledge, as new information becomes available.

Consider someone who gained a master’s degree in a subject 5 years ago – at that time, they would have then been considered an authority on that subject. But if they have not maintained their education, chances are the subject has evolved. This is especially true in the areas of technology, science, medicine, etc. Their degree would be less valuable than someone who is either currently studying or gaining hands on experience in the same field today. [read the article]

Well, that’s it for this Friday with Friends.
Before you go, let me ask:

Did you find these articles useful?
Which ones did you like the best?
The lines are open!

Free updates via RSS feed or email

Related Articles:
Friday With Friends – June 19
Friday with Friends – May 29
Friday with Friends – May 15

Today I want to share three wonderful articles with you on subjects that directly affect the quality of your life. We are going to talk about money, productivity, and personal outlook.

In this challenging economic environment money is the focus of many conversations. Let’s begin by recognizing that money is probably the most emotionally charged inanimate substance there is. It has it’s own distinct energy.

For some, mixed feelings about money create internal conflict and confusion. This is a breeding ground for limiting beliefs that can interfere with the flow of abundance into our lives. But here’s the thing…

We all need money to function.

My friend and colleague Steve Aitchison wrote a very insightful article covering many of the different aspects of money, and the emotions that surround it. The article is titled: “The Energy of Money and How To Make More of It.” Here’s an excerpt…

“As I said in the beginning of this post we have been programmed to believe the pursuit of money and wealth is not good.  Get rid of this thought as quickly as you can for it will hinder you from making progress in your life’s goal to create more money in your life.  Money is the pathway to freedom for yourself and for others in your life.  You will have the ability to help more people by being wealthy than you will be by being poor.  Think of this for a moment.” [read the article]

About productivity.

Productivity is another area that lends itself to confusion. Is shear will power the secrete to increased productivity, or is there a more natural approach?

Personal development blogger Steve Olson helps us to appreciate the futility of trying to create by force in his article: “The Secret to Getting Things Done: Acceptance, Love, and Patience.” There is some valuable insight in this article that we can all benefit from. Here’s a taste…

We live in a culture where we are taught from our earliest days that problems are solved by the application of force. Popular culture action heroes and athletes delude us into thinking we can create a better world via physical strength, will power, and force. [read the article]

Your personal view of circumstances.

Are you in control of your life, or are you just a victim of circumstance? This is a question that cuts to the heart of the perception we have of our own reality. This week my good friend Stephen Mills dove right into the deep end of this subject. His article: “Stop Being the Victim” is both powerful and straight to the point. Here’s a quote…

When you play the victim and expect others to come to your rescue, you are shutting yourself off from that tremendous power you have to make a difference.  You are creating a self-limiting environment for yourself.  You are failing to be 100% responsible. [read the article]

Well, that’s it for this Friday with Friends.
Before you go, let me ask:

Did you find these articles useful?
Which ones did you like the best?
The lines are open!

Free updates via RSS feed or email

Related Articles:
Friday with Friends – May 15
Friday with Friends – May 29

In this issue of Friday with Friends I want to share some truly exceptional articles from some of the most insightful writers around. My world is better because of their work and I want to offer you the opportunity enjoy them as well.

This week I have chosen 5 articles on a variety of subjects including forgiveness, happiness, productivity, and success. I think you will enjoy and benefit from each of these choices, beginning with 8 powerful tips on forgiveness…

How to Let Go and Forgive
Written by Leo Babauta of zenhabits

We’ve all been hurt by another person at some time or another — we were treated badly, trust was broken, hearts were hurt.

And while this pain is normal, sometimes that pain lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over, and have a hard time letting go.

This causes problems. It not only causes us to be unhappy, but can strain or ruin relationships, distract us from work and family and other important things, make us reluctant to open up to new things and people. We get trapped in a cycle of anger and hurt, and miss out on the beauty of life as it happens.

We need to learn to let go. We need to be able to forgive, so we can move on and be happy.

This is something I learned the hard way — after years of holding onto anger at a loved one that stemmed from my childhood and teen-age years, I finally let go of this anger (about 8 years ago or so). I forgave, and not only has it improved my relationship with this loved one tremendously, it has also helped me to be happier.

Forgiveness can change your life.

Forgiveness does not mean you erase the past, or forget what has happened. It doesn’t even mean the other person will change his behavior — you cannot control that. All it means is that you are letting go of the anger and pain, and moving on to a better place.

It’s not easy. But you can learn to do it.

If you’re holding onto pain, reliving it, and can’t let go and forgive, read on for some things I’ve learned.

1) Commit to letting go. You aren’t going to do it in a second or maybe not even in a day. It can take time to get over something. So commit to changing, because you recognize that the pain is hurting you. [continue reading]

14 Timeless Ways to Live a Happy Life
Written by Alex Blackwell of The Bridge Maker

How we achieve happiness can be different for each one of us. Our passions, expectations, life experiences, and even our personalities all contribute to the level of happiness we experience in our lives. Some find happiness in their careers while others prefer the bliss found in their marriages or other intimate relationship.

No matter how you define happiness for yourself, there are certain universal and time-proven strategies to bring, and sustain, more happiness into your life. The following 14 timeless ways to live a happy life can be adapted and even customized to fit your needs. Over time, these strategies will become positive and life-changing habits that will begin to bring more happiness, joy and peace into your life.

1) Notice What’s Right
Some of us see the glass as being half-full, while others see the glass as half-empty. The next time you are caught in traffic, begin thinking how nice it is to have a few moments to reflect on the day, focus on a problem you have been trying to solve, or brainstorm on your next big idea. The next time you get in the slow line at the grocery store, take the opportunity to pick up a tabloid magazine and do some “guilty pleasure” reading. Take all that life throws out you and reframe it with what’s right about the situation. At the end of the day, you will more content, at peace and happy. Take the time to begin to notice what’s right and see the world change in front of your eyes.

2) Be Grateful
How many times do you say the words “thank you,” in a day? How many times do you hear these same words? If you are doing the first thing, saying the “thank yous,” the latter will naturally happen. Learn to be grateful and you will be open to receive an abundance of joy and happiness.

3) Remember the Kid You Were
Do you remember how to play? I’m not referring to playing a round of golf or a set of tennis. I’m talking about playing like you did when you were a child – a game of tag; leap frog, or street baseball when the bat is a broken broom handle and the bases are the parked cars. One way to find or maintain your happiness is to remember the kid you were and play! [continue reading]

Mono-Task and Work More Effectively
Written by Ali Hale for Dumb Little Man

A few years ago, “multi-tasking” was a big buzzword. When people wanted to sound busy, the common response was, “I am multi-tasking“. However, trying to write emails, talk on the phone, finish that big report and check Twitter all at the same time, is a sure recipe for doing all of them badly. Without focus, results suffer and thus multi-tasking has been relegated to a convenient excuse to procrastinate.

When you’ve got a difficult project to work on, you need to mono-task. Here’s a step-by-step mono-tasking plan to achieve true effectiveness in your work:

1) Step One: Switch Off Distractions
Whenever you sit down to work on an important task, you need to switch off any distractions. That might be the radio, television, Twitter, messenger programs and – most importantly – your email. Be honest, do you ever get emails that really can’t wait an hour for a response?

Constantly switching between different applications on your computer drains your ability to concentrate. You lose time whenever you switch – stopping to check your email breaks your concentration, and it can take several minutes to get back into the flow of what you were supposed to be doing. [continue reading]

The Productivity Map
by dragos of eDragonu – the choice of a personal path

Ever since I wrote The Productivity Trap article I felt there was something missing. The main point of that article was always valid, of course, but there was still a little bit of fog regarding the whole productivity concept. So, after taking some time to think it over, I came up with a productivity map, which made it clearer for me. Those of you accustomed with the urgent / important diagram will be instantly familiar with it.

Productivity Axis

There are 2 main axis of the productive citizen:

• goals axis
• discipline axis

Generally speaking, the goals are the motivators, the incentives, while the discipline is the facilitator for reaching those goals.

Goals are what are making us move forward, what makes us thrilled and enthusiastic. Goals is a technical term here, it can be substituted with dreams or passions. [view maps and continue reading]

What is Success?
Written by Kristi of Kikolani

I have seen this question posed on several other sites recently, mostly related to blogging success. So I wonder, in life, how do we define success?

It seems like, both in blogging and in life, people define success by numbers. As a blogger, the success is determined by the number of visitors per day, the dollar amount they can sell their ads, and the amount of diggs or tweets their posts received. As an author, the success is determined by how many books are sold, the number of positive reviews by large newspapers and magazines, and the number of movie offers that are made for their book. As a lawyer, the success is determined by the number of cases won and the dollar amount of settlement that is gained for their clients. As a family’s provider, the success is determined by the dollar amount of the salary he or she brings home, the dollar value of the home in which they live, and the amount of cars in their driveway.

But is that a real measure of success? Shouldn’t there be other things that determine if one is successful? Wouldn’t the quality of lives be different if there were other measures of success? [continue reading]

Well, that’s it for this issue of Friday with Friends.
Before you go, let me ask:

Did you find these articles useful?
Which ones did you like the best?
Do you have a recommendation?

Always be up to date with our RSS feed or email updates

Because life is such a multifaceted experience, achieving balance can be an extremely difficult challenge. Let’s face it, there is a lot to do and only so much time and energy to go around.

I’ve often thought that it would be nice to have an extra day in the week. Not just a normal day, but one that wasn’t counted and didn’t show on the calendar. Imagine, a totally free day to use however you wanted. What would you do with your extra day? Here’s something else to think about…

Why does the “free day” concept sound so good?

Isn’t it because there never seems to be enough time for everything? And why is that? It’s because we let work expand to fill the time available. This is why we convince ourselves that more time would solve the apparent shortage and allow us to get everything done. But is that really what would happen?

I don’t think so!

You see, if we only had six days in a week, then we would say the same thing about the possibility of having seven. Oh, if I only had an extra day so I could get everything done. It wouldn’t matter if we had 8, 9, or even 10 days in the week, we would still let work expand to fill the time available. That’s because…

Productive people always have a backlog of things they want to get done. That’s a good thing, unless we try to squeeze them into our schedule too tightly. When we do that it changes the dynamic of everything. You can only pack so many “to do things ” into your day before something has to give.

Compression always creates a rise in pressure

Doing more, more, more is not the answer. In fact, neither is continually operating at maximum capacity. There is a word for that approach. Maybe you’ve heard it, it’s called STRESSED OUT! And it is often followed by a close cousin named BURNED OUT.

Have you been down that road? If so, then you probably realize that stressed out is not a very productive state, and burned out is actually counterproductive. Oh, you can probably function under increasing stress for a while, but sooner or later it will bite you. What happens when you try to do 15 hours worth of work into an 8 hour work day? Unavoidably, the pressure (stress) goes up, it’s the law of compression. Adding an extra day won’t change things because…

It’s not about time, it’s about balance!

Balance means that we portion our time and energy in a way that benefits our whole life. We get out of balance when one aspect of our life is stealing time and energy from the others.

To be balanced, we need to give sufficient attention to all of life’s important areas, including our physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. We need to be creative, as well as productive. We need to care about what is going on in the lives of those around us instead of just focusing on the task at hand. Balance means that work is just a part of the picture, not the whole panorama.

You need to make a choice

Let’s face it, you can do quantity or you can do quality. If you want to do both, then you need to hire some good people. Otherwise, it’s one or the other, that’s just the way it is. To raise the quality of your life in all of the important areas requires you to set certain limits.

If you have a family, a business, and a few other obligations, then you have more than enough to do. Not only do you need to balance your time and energy in those areas, but you also need to avoid adding to the mix. Life is about choices, and sometimes that means being able to say no.

A universal truth

Quality always takes longer, it can’t be rushed. To have a quality family life you have to be willing to invest your time and energy. The same applies to your business. Do you want to maintain optimal health? That takes time as well. Everything done well takes time and time is something you only have so much of. So here’s what I suggest…

Do less, but do it better

This is the only reasonable approach to a life that is both high quality and balanced. Limit the number of commitments, so you can feel good about being deeply involved in the areas of your life that really matter. You will experience fewer distractions and feel less hurried. This will automatically bring a greater sense of joy and meaning to everything you do.

Learning to filter out the activities that don’t really matter is a great way to create more time and energy for the things that are truly important.

Here are a few simple guidelines for incorporating balance into your life.

1) Set priorities. Make a list of everything that you do with your time and energy, and then figure out your top priorities. Be realistic as you assign a value to each activity. Ask yourself, “Does this really contribute to the quality of life?” If there is any doubt, toss it out.

2) The highest priorities get the majority of your time. Don’t allow incidental activities to consume large amounts of time. If it is a low priority, that means it gets a very limited ration of time and energy. If you don’t put limits in place, you will waste valuable time on things that don‘t really matter.

3) Make a plan and stick to it. If you have scheduled family time, don’t let the predictable “something unexpected came up at work” change you plan. In your heart you already know how valuable your family is to you. Make sure that your life reflects those feelings!

4) Use your time efficiently. Always look for ways to accomplish more in less time and with less effort. Don’t think in terms of “hours of work.” Get away from the concept of making so much per hour. If your occupation allows for it, think in terms of making so much per project. Then look for ways to accomplish your projects in less time. If you do work by the hour, figure out how to make yourself way more valuable to your employer so he can justify paying you a much higher salary.

5) Take time to focus on others. This might sound strange, but spending some part of your day focused on other people will expose you to new, creative ways of thinking. Answers and solutions often appear when our attention is elsewhere. You can create opportunities for this to happen by purposely shifting your focus. Paying attention to others also builds the quality of your relationships on several levels. Remember, we’re all in it together.

6) Eat healthy foods and get regular exercise. Feeling good makes life better. Without your health, nothing else really matters. Don’t ride when you can walk. Choose nutritious food instead of fast food. Value your body and show your appreciation by treating it with respect. Not only will you feel better, but the quality of your whole life will improve.

7) Schedule some time to decompress. Don’t be a slave to productivity. A balanced life includes time to relax and enjoy a change of pace. When you take time out for yourself, you establish a more balanced perspective of everything else. Balance makes life seem easier and more rewarding, because that is exactly what it is.

Have something you would like to add?
Great, let’s here it!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed because you could not get everything done even if your day was 72 hours long? Do you feel ripped off because you seem to spend all your time doing what “needs to get done,” instead of what you would like to do?
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Three questions come to mind:
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1) Is this healthy?
2) Is it balanced?
3) Can it be changed?
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We all know how important it is to keep our life in balance. So why is it so incredibly easy to get out of balance, and so difficult to stay balance? Obviously, there are several contributing factors involved, and some of them are very subtle. For instance, how often do you say or think phrases like; I have to, I need to, I don’t have any choice, or I can’t because…?
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Self talk
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These are common phrases, but what kind of message do they send to your subconscious? You might as well say, “I am being forced to do things that I don’t want to do and I am helpless to do anything about it.”
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It sounds harsh, I know, but that is the message that your nervous system is dealing with. You are conditioning yourself to believe that what you want to do doesn’t really matter, because you are a slave to forces beyond your control.
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With this kind of mentality, your life can only become more out of balance as time goes by. You will progressively lessen the importance of the things that bring you pleasure, while the list of “need to dos” continues to grow.
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Of course, you will try to convince yourself that “as soon as I get this list under control I will take some time for me.”
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How many times have you said that? Does it ever happen?
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Embrace reality
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Don’t feel like you are the only one, we all struggle with this tendency. I think it comes from convincing ourselves that we are supper human. That somehow we can do all these things, and still make time for us.
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That will probably never happen unless we make it happen! And the only way to do that is to get a more realistic view of the situation, and make some necessary changes.
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What Kind of changes? I am glad you asked.
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Choose to have a choice
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The first thing we should change is the messages we sent to our subconscious about the necessary activities in our life. We are not slaves because we always have a choice. Let’s look at some more empowering ways that we can represent those necessary activities to our nervous systems.
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Instead of “I have to” or “I need to,” how about ‘I choose to”? As in, I choose to go to work today.” Now, the tendency here is to say, “No, I really do need to go to work because I have bills to pay.” That sounds logical, but the truth is, you still have a choice. How about this, “I choose to go to work today, because the money I make allows my to enjoy my current lifestyle.”
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So what’s different?
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The outcome doesn’t change, you are still going to work, but now it’s what you choose to do instead of what you have to do. Instead of being helplessly pushed around by your schedule, you are doing what you choose.
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You will be amazed at the difference this kind of self-talk will have on your life. Not only will it affect your stress levels and attitude, but it will also influence the way you view the importance of things that you really want to do. You know, the personal and family activities that contribute to your quality of life and sense of wellbeing.
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The practical side
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Now that we have a more balanced perspective, it’s a good idea to address the way our life is organized. We need to look for ways to actually make life more manageable. Try this: Write everything down so you are not trying to remember it all. This will serve you in several ways.

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1) Making a list will breath a healthy dose of reality into your schedule. In your mind, you may have a huge list of things to do today. Once you commit that list to paper, you will quickly see the need to trim things down. That’s why daily planners are so helpful; they have the day broken into time slots. This helps you control the urge to schedule more activities than time allows for.

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As you get comfortable with scheduling according to reality, you can purposely leave periodic blanks. In this way, you can systematically give yourself some meaningful space throughout the day.

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2) Focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking is largely a myth, unless you limit it to walking and chewing gum at the same time. Try to block out enough time to make significant progress on a single task without interruption.

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3) Make allowances for uncompleted tasks. Don’t get obsessed over getting everything done. Move it to the next available time slot and let it go emotionally.

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4) Learn to value of, and prioritize the activities that build you up and help you feel energized. Schedule time to do things that you really enjoy, a life without fun is just a rut. You will be more productive if you take time to enjoy yourself.

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5) Seek to adopt a more relaxed view of productivity. You are not a machine and there is no reason to try to become one. Do what you can reasonably do and all it good. Make it about quality, not quantity. Life is not measured solely by productivity; so don’t allow it to dominate yours. Take some time to reestablish your sense of balance and your perspective. Once you do, it will be much easier to enjoy the whole experience.

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PS. Once you understand the 7 Simple Steps needed to transform any aspect of your life, the rest will come naturally. Check out Life Transformation.

Do you wear a watch? Most people do, and just incase you forget yours; there’s a clock on your cell phone, dashboard, computer screen and hanging on the wall in almost every room you will enter today.
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Why are we humans so obsessed with knowing what time it is? The reason is rather obvious, don’t you think?
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We only have so much time!
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That’s right, we only have so many hours in a day, days in a week, and so on. Once they’re gone, there is simply no way to get them back.
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So we schedule and plan according to the clock. We make appointments and arrangement. We calculate travel time, meeting time, mealtime, bed time and wake up time. We use a schedule because the last thing we want to do is waste time.  We even try to schedule some down time and vacation time.
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What does all this scheduling say about the value of time?
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Time is our most valuable commodity.
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We buy it and sell it like it was the same as any other commodity, but it’s not.  We can change how we use it and who we spend it with, but once we run out there is no way to get more. So we use clocks and watches to keep track of this precious and limited commodity.
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On the surface, it all seems very reasonable, especially from a productivity standpoint. The trouble is, time is more than productivity. Time is not just something we exchange for money and it’s absolutely vital that we fully comprehend that.
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Time is the essence of life.
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There are plenty of things you can get by without, but time is not one of them. You can live for weeks without food and days without water. But you cannot live for one second without time, and that’s true no matter who you are. No amount of influence, power or money can change the fact that, when your time is up, you are done.

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Time is life itself.
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Time is not limited to the productive side of life because everything in life requires some of our precious time. Relationships are built from time. Every experience represents a certain amount of time. Amazingly, we spend about a third of our total time allotment sleeping.
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Our humanity is all about how we spend our time.
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What effect does the clock have on our humanity?

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Is it a positive effect or a negative one? Is time management according to the clock beneficial to our quality of life or does it have an adverse effect?
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These are great questions to ponder because we have all been convinced that the clock is our friend, even though it doesn’t always seem that way. It is true that the most financially productive people on the planet are generally strong proponents of time management. The results they produce seem to speak for themselves, don’t they?
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But statistics never tell the whole story!
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Remember, there is more to life than financial productivity. What about all the other aspects of their lives? Things like their family life, recreational activities, health and fitness levels, and sense of enjoyment and satisfaction. Well, for the most part we don’t know about those things. We just know that they have made a lot of money.
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So obviously, time management has its place in a balanced life. We would never want to assume that being financially successful means neglecting other important areas of life. Many times, the exact opposite is true. The skills that lead to a success mindset can be applied across the board. A truly successful life includes all those other aspects. 
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What about your natural rhythm?
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If you feel like a slave to the clock, what can you do? I think it is healthy to allow room in our lives for a more casual view of time. We all have natural rhythms and cycles, and living by the clock can cause us to lose touch with this part of life.
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Consider these two examples:

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1) Is it better to eat when we are hungry or when the clock says it’s time? Sure, we can condition ourselves to be hungry at certain times, but is that really the healthiest way to live?
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2) Do we know how much sleep is actually best for us personally, or does the clock control our sleeping patterns? Eight hours may work for the majority, but what does that have to do with your needs as an individual?
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Everything moves in cycles.
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Summer has more hours of daylight and this affects everything around us. The animals, birds and plants all change with the seasons. Summer is a time of increased activity. The amount of daylight has an undeniable influence on the natural world.
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Can we expect to feel the same and perform the same regardless of the season? Weather we are willing to admit it or not, we are susceptible to these influences. We may be able to force ourselves to ignore them, but how does that affect our internal balance?
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Reconnecting with you internal clock
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It’s not practical to think that we can completely break free of the clock and let nature take over. But is there something we can do to get more in touch with our place in the natural rhythm of life? Maybe.
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If you can make room for it, why not try this. One day a week try to avoid letting the clock run your life. On that day, don’t set the alarm or wear a watch, and don’t make a schedule. Wake up when you feel like it, eat when you get hungry, and let your day unfold at it’s own pace.
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Try to spend extra time in meaningful conversation and contemplation. Avoid the temptation to crowd your day with activities. Instead, relax and let go. The rhythm of life will make itself felt if you choose to allow it.

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What do you think?

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I wrote this article to raise some questions and stimulate some conversation. I do not have an agenda, just a curiosity. Time is a unique concept and I would love to here your thoughts. If no comment box is visible, just click on the article title and scroll to the bottom, you can comment to your hearts content. After all, it’s only time!
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You may also enjoy:
.Can Productivity be a Trap?
 .Time Is Not Money
.Do You Need More Time? Part 1
Do You Need More Time? Part 2
Time and Success

Do you look forward to work or do you dread it? Do your feelings about work depend solely on what you do, or does attitude play a role?
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Because work comprises such a large part of our life, perhaps we should take a closer look at some simple ways to make it more enjoyable. Some time ago I wrote an article called Pleasure & Pain Paradigms that talked about the ability to change the way we feel about different aspects of our lives. Work is an area of life that is often ripe for some paradigm modification.
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Frequently, it’s the simple tweaks that can make the biggest difference. Lately, Jonathan Mead of IlluminatedMind.net has written several excellent articles on work and productivity. He is the author of today’s guest post brought to you courtesy of Leo Babauta of Zen Habits.

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How to Make Work Feel Effortless

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Sometimes work can be a drag. You get caught up in trying to be more productive and suddenly your life turns into a series of to-do lists. You gauge your measure of success by how much you accomplish. You even determine how happy you allow yourself to be by how much you’ve gotten done in the day.
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Suddenly work feels like a chore. You don’t enjoy the work, you just to do it so it can be over with. Then you can feel good, right? But wait, there’s that thing you forgot about. You still need to do that. And oh yeah, there’s that other thing you haven’t done yet.
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Congratulations, you are a walking to-do list.
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But work doesn’t have to be like that. The point of work shouldn’t be just to finish. The point of work should be the work itself. That’s the way it’s supposed to be anyway.
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We spend a lot of time trying to find ways to be more productive. To do things faster, better, cheaper and spend our time more effectively. But instead of just doing more in less time, maybe we should focus on actually enjoying the work we’re doing instead.
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Here are 8 ways to make work seem like less of a chore and more like a gift:
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1. Follow your natural rhythms. A lot of the time I resent working is because I’m trying to force myself to do something I don’t feel like doing. Naturally there will always be some things you’re not crazy about doing (like cleaning the toilet). But how often do you force yourself to work more, when you really want to relax? When you force yourself to work when you’ve promised yourself a break, you’ll likely just end up distracting yourself with other things and put off working. Then you get stressed and end up resenting work. Instead, follow your natural rhythms. When you feel like working, work. When you don’t, don’t. Don’t over complicate things.
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2. Do, don’t think. I’m going to stay true to this point and not think about writing something elaborate. Just do, stop thinking about it. Make corrections later.
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3. Don’t put sugar in your tank. You wouldn’t put sugar in your gas tank right? It doesn’t make much sense to fill your body up with unhealthy fuel either. If you don’t have the energy to get the work you need to done, work will feel forced.
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4. Remove hidden roadblocks. What’s making you avoid working? What’s making your work seem like drudgery rather than joyful? It might have something to do with your beliefs about yourself. Maybe you believe you’re not good enough, smart enough or don’t have enough experience. Question your beliefs about what you can an can’t do.
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5. Only do your best. Work can easily become a chore when you’re trying to constantly be perfect. The truth is, some of your ideas might not be so great. Others will be mind blowing. If you can accept that and just do your best, you stop judging yourself. Guess what it feels like when you’re no longer picking over everything you do with a fine toothed comb? It feels extremely liberating. It feels like you can actually enjoy your experience, rather than worrying about how everything is going to turn out. That is working effortlessly.
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6. Act from your gut. When you think you have a great idea, believe it. Follow it. Chase it until you’re out of breath and can barely hold yourself up. Because if you don’t trust yourself, you’ll regret it later. The best way to live is to follow your intuition and trust life. If nothing else, trust yourself. Because if you can’t trust yourself, how can you trust your mistrust? That’s not very smart is it?
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7. Focus on what matters. Our minds are constantly pulling us in different directions. We have to wash the cat, buy more apple cinnamon oatmeal, finish writing that resignation letter to your no-longer-boss at your dead-end job, and all sorts of other things. We have a tendency to follow what’s urgent instead of what’s important. In order to get the important things done, we have to be ruthless at removing distractions. If it takes bringing a laptop (or notepad) to a cafe to write your grandiose novel, then do that.
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Avoid the vacuum of minutiae urgency. Remove all distractions so you can focus on the important things. I would much rather spend 4 hours working on an important project, then 4 hours spinning my wheels and scratching my head trying to figure out what I did today.
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8. Refuse to do what you don’t want to do. I often avoid working because I’m trying to do things I think I “should do.” I think I should read more because it will make me smarter. I think I should buy new clothes because it will make me cooler. I think I should work on this project because it will be good for my resume. Forget what you think you should do (except maybe… paying your rent). Do what you want to do. Other people will understand. In fact, they’ll probably envy you.
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I especially like points 6 and 7. It’s so easy to get sidetracked these days and wind up not having accomplished anything that really matters.
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How about you? Do you have some favorite tweaks or simple tricks you are willing to share? Why not leave a comment…
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You may also enjoy:
Do You Remember How to Relax?
Where’s the Happiness?
More Pleasure – Less Pain

Productivity is a good thing. The sense of accomplishment can be a genuine source of joy and satisfaction. Sometimes though, we forget why we are striving to be more productive.
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What’s really behind our drive for increased productivity?
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Isn’t the real reason we want to accomplish more in less time because we have other things we want to do besides work? We all have a mental list of enjoyable activities that we want to make time for.
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If you had the money and you had the time, what would you do? I’m pretty sure that there’s a good size list, right? Chances are that just thinking about it brings a smile to your face. There’s a strong anchor to happiness linked to that list, isn’t there? As soon as I have the time and the money I’m going to…
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So what do we do? Don’t we convince ourselves that increased productivity will ultimately result in increased happiness because it will allow us to do all those wonderful things on our list?
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Now let me ask, is that the way it’s worked out for you?
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The problem is that it’s way to easy to lose track of the big picture and become obsessed with becoming more and more efficient. Instead of spending the time we’ve created with our families or friends, we use it to get more done. We get sucked into doing more for the sake of increased productivity.

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Why does that happen? Is it because we all want to work our lives away without taking time to stop and smell the roses? Probably not!
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The real problem is that somewhere along the way we managed to confuse accomplishment with happiness. Those happy feelings attached to our list can become so closely associated with being productive; we start to think they’re the same.

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Happiness started as the inspiration for achievement, but somewhere along the way things got reversed. The problem is, when our happiness is anchored in achievement, we can easily fall into the trap of projecting our happiness into the future. We put conditions on when we will allow ourselves to be happy.
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We’ll take some time as soon as we:
- Pay off that last debt.
- Solve this one problem.
- Close this next deal.
- Get a little more money saved.
- Have a slowdown at work.

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Being more productive is great. Getting more done in less time is a good thing. But those are not legitimate reasons for putting your happiness off.
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Don’t lose your balance and allow the desire to accomplish more become an obsession. If this is what’s happening, take some time to think about your priorities. Make some adjustments now so your life doesn’t pass you by.
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It is absolutely vital that we strive to maintain a keen awareness of who we are right now, in this moment. Don’t get so caught up in compulsive accomplishment that you forget who and what are really important to you right now. Be happy now, don’t wait for someday because all to often, someday never comes.

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PS. Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment.