Here’s a great time management tip or time management activity that can really save you time!

Overwhelmed by a large project? Having a hard time getting motivated? Finding yourself procrastinating?

Ever heard the expression or question, “how do you eat an elephant? “ The answer? – one bite at a time.  Well that same principle applies when you’re feeling overwhelmed by a project, procrastinating, or having a hard time getting motivated.  You’ve got to break it down into small manageable action steps.

Usually looking at, focusing on one step and one step only allows emotional space for you to become motivated and see the light of getting something done. Once you write out actionable, reasonable steps your emotions become diffused and your brain begins saying…”hey, I can do that.”

In fact something additionally I employ is something called, “the one minute challenge.”  I challenge myself to work on one little thing, task, etc. for only one minute.  I even use a kitchen timer.

The result?…I get focused on the “thing” enough to generate motivation to keep going.  If it’s not enough, I say, “ok…just one more minute.”  It’s like tricking yourself into gaining motivation in a fun way!

Coaching Tip: Break it down, focus on the first small step and give yourself the one minute challenge!

If you need a time management seminar or training brought to your organization – learn more here

Or …ever considered “time management coaching” – to learn more about coaching, click here.

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It’s almost as if we don’t have a choice.  Earlier this year…(and when I checked it was January…phew has time gone fast)…I wrote a post about integrating social networking into your career management strategy, which includes career search. In that article, I mentioned being careful about what’s out there about you, at least in terms of what you have control over.

I recently ran across a site that offers a useful tool that can help you actively manage your on-line presence or brand. One of the things this tool/service helps you do is regularly monitor if your name shows up in a search and what it says.  Why does that matter?…because people are becoming more “free wheeling” with information not just about themselves but about US TOO!  AND….it may not be all good.  I mean some of the stuff I’ve read has absolutely NO discretion.  Remember recruiters search…those who hire search…for stuff about you – online!!!

Though I’ve not engaged this service yet, I wanted to bring it to your attention to consider…to let you know it exists.  This service for some of us will be a save time issue.  I mean how many of us have time to consistently do searches on ourselves one line. (Though I do recommend that’s done  at least once a quarter.) The site is Brand-Yourself.com.

In fact what drew me to the site was an article of how someone found a job using Twitter. Rather than comment, I’ve provided the link for you to read in full. Hey ready for a career move?….be ready to “tweet.”

Here’s the bottom line.  Social networking is here to stay. It is only going to gain more of an influential foothold in our lives AND in our professional lives.  My coaching tip is to embrace it, leverage it, and effectively manage it.  In fact make it a career goal to do so.

Coaching Question:  How can you use social sites more strategically than you are right now?  My next post will have  at least one practical answer to that.

Should you need help in this area, don’t hesitate to contact me…if it’s just for free advice or formal career coaching:  Work Life 911 is the link you should have and use….and pass it on to friends…just in case they need it!

To your success, JoAnn

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One key area of note is that of management…how we see it, how we define it, and our relationship to it.

I would like to propose a new way of looking at management. Here’s what I suggest…let’s look at the concept of management as one in which everyone is engaged…everyone is one and doing it! What do I mean? Upon closer inspection, the word manage or management goes way beyond a title and using it that way limits the use of the potential of every employee.

In fact when you look at the primary definition of the word manage, here is what you’ll find: to handle or direct with a degree of skill. In looking at this definition, you’ll determine that in order to be a successful professional in any content you need to effectively “manage” whatever is required.

Management is not necessarily a title – it is a behavior…a behavior that is done with a needed level of skill…by everyone!

Now with that said, in order to ensure professional success, the question then is what key areas should be considered to be managed…where do the essentials skills need to lie? Here is my core list:
Your ability to manage…
1. Yourself
2. Information
3. Stuff & Work Space
4. Time
5. Priorities
6. People/Relationships (which includes your boss)
7. Your role in a process
8. Your knowledge and use of technology
9. Your career/work-life

In future posts, I’ll expand on each of these and in my Management-in-Minutes Library there are plenty of tips and lessons that will help you build effectiveness in each of these areas. A sample of one is included in the link at the end of this post.

Coaching Tip: Review this list… assess on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the highest) where you are in your skill set. Where there are gaps, create a PDP (Personal Development Plan) which creates a plan for you to gain knowledge and increase your skills in these key areas.

Here’s a lesson from the Management-in-Minutes Library that addresses area #1 – Managing Yourself.  The lesson is entitled: Your Power Point (and that doesn’t mean the slides.)

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Change for many can be a great source of stress, even positive change can create “negative” stress. As a coach, I work with helping navigate stress in constructive, advantageous ways.  My attitude, “Don’t just survive change, but thrive on change.”

So I’ll be periodically posting stress management techniques and strategies I share with my clients. Please pass these on to those you care about.  I’m going to guess we could all use a little stress relief from time to time.

Stress Management Tip #1: Write A Gratitude List (this is my favorite)…
When you’re feeling stress, when possible stop and take a moment and begin to recount the things that you are grateful for. In fact challenge yourself to a considerably long list.

The great thing about this list…you can do this anywhere. You’ll get the maximum effect of this power tip if you’re writing down what you’re recounting. However, I’ve this is standing in line, in the bathroom, while driving.

Once it was late winter in Detroit and due to a flight delay ended up waiting for a rental car in the snow, knowing I had to drive 2 1/2hours to another town. I challenged myself to 100…by number 25, my mood had changed. Alright I had to start again while driving in the know to my next location.

Here’s a twist on the above tip:
I think there are things on a list or a similar list call  The Little Things I’m Grateful For…this is really a cool because it makes this list much more personal. I bet if I asked 10 people what’s on their gratitude list they would all say, health, family..etc…and rightly so. Now ask someone what’s on their Little Things list…and variety would abound.

Here’s a few of mine:
A garage…I finally have a garage for my car…even though I moved from Chicago to Georgia.

A neighbor that’s aware. Newly moved in, I wasn’t in the habit of pulling in my garbage can. One day I came home to find it pulled up against my garage and my drive is not that short. How thoughtful and watchful. As someone who travels alot, that’s comforting.

Free food…my sister owns a very successful restaurant in the area where I live. When I don’t feel like cooking, which admittedly is often, I can always swing over there for a free awesome meal! (See what I mean by personalized?…it’s the little things.)

Tip: Make your “little things” list….have fun with it….and challenge your friends to do the same!

To your happiness!  JoAnn

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