Self Improvement – Page 5 – Career Life Institute

Daily Planning

This time of year I feel a stronger urge to hibernate than any other, a desire to be still and enjoy these precious days when the sun arcs across the southern sky and fills my kitchen. I'm drawn to sit there, like a cat, or to work quietly in my journal.

But the days in which I work-for clients, employers, friends, myself–I revert to a time management tool I learned in a goal setting class many years ago, daily planning. Since learning it (and even teaching it in time management classes for a couple of years), I've found it to be the simplest "trick" for getting tasks prioritized and accomplished.

Start by gathering your calendars and "to-do" lists.
On your calendar pages for the next week, write down all the things you are already scheduled to do in the times they're scheduled-business appointment, dentist appointments, and driving the carpool. Don't forget preparation time for business appointments.
Next, block out time each day (preferably in the morning) that you would like to have a ten-minute daily planning session with yourself in which you'll do this exercise. Make sure it's at a time that you can work uninterrupted. Write it in the appropriate time on your calendar. Then commit yourself to keeping this appointment!
Now look at the rest of the list and think about your schedule for the next few days. Write tasks on the daily calendar only when you think you can realistically accomplish them. For instance, if you have several errands to run, write them together on the day when you anticipate having time for them.
If you have a big project to get ready for next week, include a small block of time each day to accomplish part of it.
Can any of your tasks be delegated to someone else?
Make sure each day contains some personal as well as professional tasks-time with your children, spouse, friends, yourself. Adding personal "appointment" it a good way to balance your calendar and your life. Be sure to put the family appointment on your calendar–kids'' plays, spouse's business dinners, movies.
Use your daily planner as a tickler file-when someone's birthday is coming up, write a note the week before to buy a birthday card.
Try to keep from moving unfinished tasks forward everyday. Instead, during your daily planning session, thoughtfully consider when you can really accomplish something. If you find you're moving a task forward every day, write the task on a post-it or on a bigger goals list-this may not be the season you really want to accomplish it!

This is the bare-bones list, and if you just do this daily planning exercise at the same time everyday, you'll be amazed at the "extra" time you seem to create for yourself.

Completing the Year

As we move into each new year, it's smart to recognize who, what and where we've been. In our personal lives, as well as our careers, taking time to recognize and appreciate our personal foundation lets us continue to create goals in alignment with our vision for the future.

Here are some great questions you can use to:

remind you of what you've accomplished
recognize things that you have completed
create completion on things yet undone
recognize what you'd rather not 'do' anymore!
re-evaluate the vision of what you desire/want

We encourage you to play big here, jump in and have fun doing this…get some real answers and enjoy the process along the way.

Ready to play?

____________Completing This Year______________

Think about what you created this year. Which have given you satisfaction and joy? Which ones didn't turn out the way you wanted? Which would you like to change?
Now think about what have you completed (accomplished) this year. As you identify what you've completed, ask yourself what did you learn as a result? And how has that increased or solidified your foundation?
Is there anything that is incomplete for which you would like completion? What will it take to be complete, finished, over?
Now ask yourself, what are you through learning – that you don't ever have to learn again? And how has that added to your foundational strength?

__________Moving into the New Year___________
Now, think about who and where you are today. What do you want to create in the next year? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to start?
What do you want to complete (from 1999 – or earlier!!) and what are you finally ready to let go of once and for all?
And finally, as you think about the next year, who do you need to become in order to have your life be exactly the way you want?

The most important step to creating the life you love is clarity – about who you are and what you want. Who you become creates the environment for having what you want. And remember, this as a work in progress, rather than a finished piece (just like life!!).

You can start whenever you'd like.Personally, I like to take stock each year on my birthday, rather than on December 31. It is the beginning of my Personal New Year. Many businesses use April 1 or July 1 as the beginning of their new year.

What matters is that you take stock and chose the path that takes you where you want to go.

Thanks to Business and Personal Coach, Alison Hendren (www.transitioning.com) for suggesting this process and providing some foundational questions that led to this article.

MegaTraits: 12 Traits of Successful People

Book Summary

Top achievers usually share key traits, says an expert who interviewed 1,000 of America's most successful people. Here are some of the characteristics they tend to have in common according to Doris Lee McCoy, Ph.D., author of MegaTraits: 12 Traits of Successful People.

Successful people enjoy their work. "These people are having the time of their lives. They work with a total involvement that seems to shut out everything else," said McCoy.
They have a positive attitude and plenty of confidence. "The successful never seem to doubt that they will achieve," she said. "And when they do, it contributes even more strongly to their self-esteem."
They use negative experiences to discover their strengths. For example, TV producer Norman Lear grew up with parents who were always screaming at each other, but he learned to find humor in the situation—and then used it to develop All in the Family.
They're decisive, disciplined goal setters. Most achievers have a clear idea what they want out of life, and they take the shortest route to go after it.
They have integrity and help others succeed. Karl Eller, chairman of Circle K Store told McCoy, "With any deal, I've been careful that I was fair to the other side, so both parties were happy. " That fairness is an integral part of success.

This book is currently out of print. You may request a search at Amazon.com

Life’s Little Goodies: The Lie About David

David grew up poor. He started working in the 7th grade and by high school he was only going to school half days, leaving at 11 a.m. to go to work. Lack of money meant lack of educational opportunities, but he had a hunger to learn. He devoured books on human development and motivation, mental and spiritual tomes, vocabulary builders and other educational and motivational resource materials.

He was a hard worker and rose above his lack of formal education and skills to provide decently for his family, but the factory life was taking it's toll on him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It was, in his mind, killing him.

Three years ago he bought his first computer. He worked 48 or more hours a week in the factory and worked another 40 or more hours a week teaching himself computer skills. He worked harder than he ever had in his life, logging over 100 hours a week on many, many occasions. He taught himself everything he could to find a place on the professional side of the internet. He saw it as his best bet out of the factory and lack of education that had him boxed in for so long.

David has been applying for jobs in the internet and computer fields. His lack of 'formal' education has shot him down many times but he never gave up. He had a goal and kept after it even when he didn't feel like it. That kind of drive and perseverance almost always pays off.

I'm happy to say David has finally left the factory and taken a job in the computing field. He beat out college educated applicants with 4 year degrees with his 3 years of self-taught skills.

This is a true story about determination. It's a story about believing in yourself. It's a story about finding what you love to do and following your dreams, and I've only told one lie while relating it to you. You see, David isn't a real person…

…this story is about me. All the hard work has indeed landed me a job at Mom's Computers here where I live. My official title is Internet Specialist, and I'm being paid more to do work I love, and I work from home now. It doesn't get much better than that.

I guess I'm an official nerd now, and I'm feeling pretty darn good as I write this. I hope if you have a dream you'll be inspired enough to see it through. Don't think it can't happen because I'm proof it can, but it's up to you to make it so. To get to Somewhere, you must start Here, right where you are. Even the farthest journey always starts with the first step.

"Your future depends on many things, but mostly on you." – Frank Tyger

"A break in the established order is never the work of chance. It is the outcome of a man's resolve to turn life to account." – Andre Malraux

Never give up!
~ 23 publishers rejected Dr. Seuss's first book.
~ Michael Jordan's high school basketball team cut him.
~ 21 publishers rejected M*A*S*H
~ Henry Ford went broke five times before succeeding.

Visit his website at www.boogiejack.com – and find help along with a sense of humor at this resource for do-it-yourself webmasters. Boogie Jack provides professional grade graphics, html and graphics tutorials, and much more. Spend some time and check out the entertainment and fun things like the "guess the celebrity" contest.