I was humming in the office one morning when a colleague came up to me and asked why I was so happy. Puzzled for a minute, I asked him what made him think I was happy. He chuckled a little and said, “You’re singing. You must be happy if you’re singing!” That made me stop…
We’ve all heard, “Just keep doing what you’re doing. Practice makes perfect, you know!” Sounds good on the surface, but is it true? Well, yes and no. If you practice something over and over, you will, indeed, become perfect at executing it. But … Imagine a young pianist who wants to improve her playing skills. So,…
In the ‘80s, I was a CPA and exceedingly unhappy working in one of the “Big 8” accounting firms in Las Vegas. I needed a change. A woman I knew asked me to go to lunch with her. Over lunch, we talked business, of course. Eventually, she got to her reason for our lunch: Would…
Eliminate Distractions: 4 of 4 We’ve talked about Step 1 in the process of eliminating distractions: What is distracting you, and what type of distraction is it. You have the What’s Bugging You? worksheet to help you with this step. We’ve been talking about Step 2 and creating strategies to eliminate distractions. So far, we’ve covered things, events, and other people’s behaviors. You have…
Eliminate Distractions: 3 of 4 Creating strong boundaries is the strategy of choice for distractions involving other people. Whether we’re talking about others or ourselves, people can be the most challenging types of distractions to eliminate. People are complicated, and it shows in our relationships. (Read the first and second parts about distractions if you haven’t yet – then this…
Eliminate Distractions: 2 of 4 A messy desk is a distraction. Clean and organize it for greater focus and energy. You have your list of the things you put up with: something that distracts you, diverts your attention, and robs you of time. (If you didn’t read the first post about distractions, you can read it…
Eliminate Distractions: 1 of 4 You’ve learned to put up with a lot over the years: things that bug you, irritate and annoy you, and distract you from what you want to focus on. All of those things drain your energy a little (or a lot) and rob you of time. Every single day. How…
“NO” is likely the most under-used word in a business woman’s life. Think about: How many women do you know who are overwhelmed, overloaded, and overworked? How many feel like there’s they just don’t have enough time to do everything that’s on their plate? Worse, how many feel guilty if they don’t get something done?…
One of the first things I learned as a professional communicator is the words we use are only 7% of the communication process. Being such a small part of the entire process, how is it that words can make or break you? Here are two specific ways your words can make a difference to your success.…
An adrenaline rush can be fun ad has it’s place. But adrenaline shouldn’t be part of your daily life. Our world is becoming increasingly complex. The demands of balancing work, family, and time for ourselves are overwhelming. We rush through each day doing, accomplishing and performing – getting things done while adding to a growing…