Would You Start A Business Without A Plan?

Would you have a wedding without a plan?  Would you take a trip without a plan?  Would you start a business without a plan?    Well, why would you expect to live your most fulfilled life without a plan?   Why would expect to garner the perfect job, business, family, home, or partner without a plan.  Without a plan, how would you know when you’ve reached your goal?  How would you know the best ways to proceed?

A Plan Is Not a Luxury; It Is Essential!

You’ve heard these wise quotes on planning before, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”  And, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Plan thoroughly and review daily if you want to stay on track.  There are far too many distractions in this world to keep us from doing what we want to do.  A plan is not a luxury; it is essential!

A Plan Is Just A Written Itinerary of Your Intentions

The human mind needs focus in order to be the most productive.  It needs a program to follow and a place to direct your energies, otherwise it is bored, scattered, or confused.  A plan is just the written itinerary of your intentions.   As I’ve said before, “You can’t live on purpose by accident!”   Everyone wants to lead a purposeful, meaningful life, don’t they?  But, we’ve got to be an active participant in making that happen.  What you see is what you get.  If you don’t see where you’re going, how do you expect to ever get there?

A Plan Gives The Conscious Mind Direction and Focus

The word plan is both a verb and a noun and answers the questions, What? and How? As a noun, the plan is the written document of your intentions.   A plan gives the conscious mind direction and focus.   Without focus it will be difficult to achieve any real goals or meaningful results.  A well defined plan answers  the questions.  Where are you going in life?  What do you want out of this life? Why do you want what you want? How do you plan to get it?  And, when do you want it by?  Verbs imply action.  As a verb, planning means to prepare, map out, or state your intentions.  That means you have to act!  You have to do something.  Even with the best plan, you have to make it happen.

Your Results Will Only Be As Good As Your Plans

Planning requires time to think, reflect, and strategize.  Your results will only be as good as your plan.  Your plan will be only as good as your reflections.   Spend some time on your plan.  Your plan will be your marching orders, your blueprint, and clarifies your vision and intentions.   Some people like to graphically depict their plans as vision boards.  Some write them as small written affirmations.  Others create detailed charts, goals, and task lists.   A plan is like a map and clearly defines where you are going and how you intend to get there.  So, what are you waiting for?  Pull out your map and get going.  If you don’t have a map, a plan, or a strategy for living your best life, get one.

Barbara Talley is a Poet, Author, Publisher, and Keynote speaker who speaks on Time Management, Goal Setting, Empowerment, Communications, Diversity, Leadership, and Women’s Issue. To book Barbara for an event, phone 301.428.4831, email her at barbara@thepoetspeaks.com or visit her website at www.thepoetspeaks.com.

Every day like clockwork, each of us gets the same daily allotment of 24 hours to use as we choose.  Some are able to accomplish a lot each day, others however are  unable to complete the tasks that bring meaning, joy, and fulfillment to their lives.  In my Time Management and  Superwoman Doesn’t Live Here Anymore workshops,  I discuss the G+E+T formula for goal achievement.  The G stands for Goals and the T stands for Time.  The E stands for energy and is just as critical as having goals and time.   We may get the same amount of time, but it is the difference in energy levels that largely affects our results.  And, managing our energy is something that we have control over.

When We Run Out of Energy, We Stop!

We are not the energizer bunny, who keeps going and going.  When we run out of energy, we stop doing the things on our lists.  So before you fill in all the available time slots on your calendar, consider your energy level.  Unless you take really good care of yourself by eating nutritious foods, getting the appropriate amount of sleep and exercise, and by getting enough fresh air, water, and sunshine, you’ll probably run out of energy long before you run out of time.

Rethink How You View Requests for Your Time

When I said to “throw away your To-Do list,” in Time Tip#1,  many of you probably cringed.  Actually I’m only talking semantics.  I’m asking you you to re-think how you view requests for your time.  Instead of an automatic debit of your time, think of each To-Do item as a request for your energy.   You must guard your energy.  You are not a machine and your body has its limitations.  It  can’t just keep “going and going” like the Energizer Bunny.  It can get run-down and then there are serious health consequences.   Don’t commit all of your time to tasks, save some for yourself.  Your body needs time to rest and rejuvenate.

Each Request Is Requesting Your Energy

If you only consider your calendar’s open slots when you receive a request, you’ll find that there is usually ample space to write in yet another task.   But, lines on a planner do not necessarily map equally with the energy you have to perform the task.  When you are being asked to do something,  you need to be clear about what is being asked of you.  Most people think that people are asking for their time, and since we get more time each day, we commit without much thought.  But let’s be very clear, they not only requesting your time, but also your energy.

More Energy Means More Accomplishments

Most of us will run out of energy long before we run out of time.  That’s why it’s critically important to take care of your health.  Instead of trying to find more time (which you won’t), instead commit to finding more energy.   More energy means more accomplishments.  So before you say yes to that next request, think about how much energy you have left in your energy reserves.  If you are chronically fatigued, sick, or feel run-down, accepting more tasks will only increase your stress.  Instead, take care of yourself, get your energy back, and then tackle that list of tasks.    Continue to Time Tip #3: Write Yourself into Your Calendar In Ink

Barbara Talley teaches time management, goal setting, leadership, effective communications, and diversity.  Check out her website at http://www.thepoetspeaks.com. To book Barbara for an event, phone 301.428.4831, email her at barbara@thepoetspeaks.com or visit her website at www.thepoetspeaks.com.

Why Can’t We Be Happy With The Tasks We’ve Completed?

Check, check, check.  Each check mark represents another completed task and a sense of accomplishment.   Each day you happily check the items you’ve completed off of your To-Do list, one by one.  Yet overwhelmingly most find that there are always items left on the list undone at the end of the day.   And, instead of being happy about the tasks they we’re able to complete, too often many feel frustrated about the tasks still  left undone.  To some, it’s downright annoying to not check everything off.  For others, it triggers a sense a failure or overwhelm.   That’s why I use an Energy Request form in my TalleyUP System. http://www.thepoetspeaks.com

You Have 4 Choices: Do, Discard, Delegate, or Delay

I have found many problems with the traditional To-Do List.  First of all, these two words do not imply choice.    And, in reality, we all have many choices.  We can do it, delay it, discard it, or delegate it. If it is something that we want to do and we have the time and energy to do it, then we should.  If we have chosen to do it, then we must decide if we can do it now or if we will delay the task.

Remember, “No,” Is a Good Answer Too!

However if we know we won’t be able to do it now or later, we need to consider other options so that we do not stress ourselves out needlessly.  We must ask ourselves, “Can someone else do this?”  If so, delegate the task and save your energy for the tasks that move you closer towards your goals.  If you do not want to do, delay, or delegate the task, then your only option left  is to discard it.   Let it go.  You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.  Even though you are capable of doing anything, still you can’t do everything!  So just say, “No,”  and remember that no is a good answer too.                       Continue to Time Tip#2: Monitor Your Energy Levels

Barbara Talley is a Poet, Author, Publisher, and Keynote speaker who speaks on Time Management, Goal Setting, Empowerment, Communications, Diversity, Leadership, and Women’s Issue. To book Barbara for an event, phone 301.428.4831, email her at barbara@thepoetspeaks.com or visit her website at www.thepoetspeaks.com.