New Year's Resolution #2
Get organised - another common resolution – by the way, you’ll notice that these continue to come although it’s not January 1st. This is because that doesn’t matter. Whenever you decide to make a difference is fine, don’t put it off till next year, or even next Monday.
Being organised is often lumped together with decluttering. While you can do one without the other, it’s really a two-step process. If it’s worth doing…
Refer back to the top ten tips, they hold true for all resolutions. Especially be clear about your reasons for wanting to do this – what are the benefits? The first step, the initial sorting and decluttering is often the most difficult – and time-consuming part – it gets much easier once you’ve done that. Plus knowing how much effort that took will motivate you to keep up the good work.
As always, don’t be extreme. Decluttering doesn’t mean throwing out everything – is minimalist still in, you see, it passed me by. William Morris said, ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’ The way I’ve chosen to interpret this in my life, is that if I love something, or it has sentimental worth to me, I don’t need to part with it, that stops me from feeling guilty that I’m not being brutal enough with my purge.
No one’s making you do this, it’s not like your mum making you tidy your room, so don’t approach it in that way. As with all tasks, break it down into manageable steps. Complete one area of your life, home, desk, whatever, then you have it there to prove that you can do it, experience the difference it has made to you and to motivate you to complete all the areas you wish to address.
Key to being organised is list-making in whatever guise it takes and whatever fancy name you want to give it – to do list, time management, project plan, gant chart – it’s how you’ll see everything that’s to be done, prioritise it and have a record of your progress. The satisfaction of crossing things off our to do list is not to be underestimated – I have a friend who includes things she’s already done so that she can start by crossing things off. Whatever gets you going. However, don’t kid yourself that the action of making a list is action in itself, it’s really not. It’s the first step in making progress, but it’s preparation rather than results.
Take action as soon as you can. If something is quick to do, do it. Don’t even take the time to put it on your list. In the time it takes to do that and review it, you could’ve done it. Having beaten my piles of filing, I now deal with post as it arrives. When I pick post up from the mat, I open it straight away and decide what to do with it. An awful lot goes straight in the recycling which I found to be a bit positive step in itself, it didn’t even get a chance to make my admin pile any larger.
At The Work Foundation, I attended a great workshop run by the Enterprise Development Group about innovation. One of the most useful tools I learnt on that course that I’ve used with coaching clients since is a way of prioritising our tasks. Make a grid of four boxes. On the vertical axis is URGENT - LESS URGENT and on the horizontal axis IMPORTANT - INTERESTING. (You'll gather from this, I can't manage to draw this on here. Drop me a note if you'd like me to e-mail this to you).
Write your tasks into the quadrant which is most appropriate – it helps prioritise when you feel overwhelmed by all there is to be done.
Once you’ve organised yourself, keep doing it, otherwise you’ve only completed the first couple of steps towards your goal which is about being organised. Sorting yourself out in the first instance is what you need to do so that you can be organised.
If you don’t like the sound of any of this. Find yourself a Virgo – they’re excellent at it and seem to like it…
Monday, 11 January 2010
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
New Year’s Resolution #1
Told you I’d be back with more New Year’s stuff – this is one of five
Go to the gym, get thin…
I’ve rolled all the wellbeing goals together for the sake of this exercise – lose weight, get fit, exercise more…
Going to the gym is a good start, but you have to do something when you get there. It’s like joining a gym or buying a diet book thinking that will be enough. We know it’s not, but for some reason, there’s always this hope.
I asked Personal Trainer, Jonathan Owen how people who have these wellness goals as their New Year’s resolution can give themselves the best chance of success. He says it’s necessary to address three areas:
1. Exercise – the right variety and often enough
2. Diet – what you eat and when you eat it
3. Lifestyle – addressing bad habits, getting enough sleep…
He said that those most likely to succeed have clear motivation for making change – often a health scare which has shocked them into taking action – and are working with a professional to help them meet their targets. You can do it yourself, but as with many coaching topics, if we could do it, we’d already be doing so.
A wellness professional – like a Personal Trainer – should be able to work with you in all three areas. In terms of exercise, for instance, a personal trainer will make sure that you train ‘smart’, meaning that you have a balanced work out. You work in all areas of the gym, don’t just slog away on the cross trainer for half an hour while reading your paper and then have a little stretch. Smart training will result in weight loss, improved muscle tone, increased strength and better aerobic capacity.
A trainer will also give you new things to do all the time, this means that you develop your capability and don’t get bored when you have sessions by yourself. S/he will also help with motivation – it’s someone to answer to, and you’re paying them money, so you might as well get some benefit.
Jonathan says that as with many goals, it’s important to set your intention- why do you want improved wellness? Other than it being a ‘good thing’ know what your personal benefits will be. Be able to visualise yourself getting fit, or losing weight, and how you will be when you reach your goal – not just what you look like, but how you feel.
If it helps you, put pictures, photographs or encouraging words where you will see them often to keep you going. You’ll need this positive mind set to help you when you don’t feel like taking action – to get you to the gym and not let yourself off once you’re there. To step away from the pastry and have the fruit smoothie instead. And feel good about it.
As with all goals, know what your small steps are that are going to get you to your larger goal. Jonathan says, ‘Day-to-day change results in a year’s worth of difference’. Remind yourself of your progress as you go – look back to where you’ve come from as well as forwards to where you’re going. You can do this.
According to Jonathan, the two most important things to have to achieve your wellness goals are discipline and commitment – these you have to bring for yourself. He says it takes 90 days before you can see substantial difference, though smaller changes will be eveident sooner. He also recommends training every other day and at least 3-5 times a week. Don’t become obsessive though. Jonathan recommends the 80:20 rule – do what you’re meant to most of the time and you can afford to relax a bit one or two days a week. Remember, you’re doing this because you want to. He also doesn’t value fixating on weight. Rather than weighing yourself, it’s much better to review how you feel, how you look in the mirror, how your clothes are fitting, what others are noticing about you…
So, on you go, or do you not want to look better, feel better, reduce your stress, have better posture, have more energy, have improved self esteem, be able to run for the train without passing out…
Told you I’d be back with more New Year’s stuff – this is one of five
Go to the gym, get thin…
I’ve rolled all the wellbeing goals together for the sake of this exercise – lose weight, get fit, exercise more…
Going to the gym is a good start, but you have to do something when you get there. It’s like joining a gym or buying a diet book thinking that will be enough. We know it’s not, but for some reason, there’s always this hope.
I asked Personal Trainer, Jonathan Owen how people who have these wellness goals as their New Year’s resolution can give themselves the best chance of success. He says it’s necessary to address three areas:
1. Exercise – the right variety and often enough
2. Diet – what you eat and when you eat it
3. Lifestyle – addressing bad habits, getting enough sleep…
He said that those most likely to succeed have clear motivation for making change – often a health scare which has shocked them into taking action – and are working with a professional to help them meet their targets. You can do it yourself, but as with many coaching topics, if we could do it, we’d already be doing so.
A wellness professional – like a Personal Trainer – should be able to work with you in all three areas. In terms of exercise, for instance, a personal trainer will make sure that you train ‘smart’, meaning that you have a balanced work out. You work in all areas of the gym, don’t just slog away on the cross trainer for half an hour while reading your paper and then have a little stretch. Smart training will result in weight loss, improved muscle tone, increased strength and better aerobic capacity.
A trainer will also give you new things to do all the time, this means that you develop your capability and don’t get bored when you have sessions by yourself. S/he will also help with motivation – it’s someone to answer to, and you’re paying them money, so you might as well get some benefit.
Jonathan says that as with many goals, it’s important to set your intention- why do you want improved wellness? Other than it being a ‘good thing’ know what your personal benefits will be. Be able to visualise yourself getting fit, or losing weight, and how you will be when you reach your goal – not just what you look like, but how you feel.
If it helps you, put pictures, photographs or encouraging words where you will see them often to keep you going. You’ll need this positive mind set to help you when you don’t feel like taking action – to get you to the gym and not let yourself off once you’re there. To step away from the pastry and have the fruit smoothie instead. And feel good about it.
As with all goals, know what your small steps are that are going to get you to your larger goal. Jonathan says, ‘Day-to-day change results in a year’s worth of difference’. Remind yourself of your progress as you go – look back to where you’ve come from as well as forwards to where you’re going. You can do this.
According to Jonathan, the two most important things to have to achieve your wellness goals are discipline and commitment – these you have to bring for yourself. He says it takes 90 days before you can see substantial difference, though smaller changes will be eveident sooner. He also recommends training every other day and at least 3-5 times a week. Don’t become obsessive though. Jonathan recommends the 80:20 rule – do what you’re meant to most of the time and you can afford to relax a bit one or two days a week. Remember, you’re doing this because you want to. He also doesn’t value fixating on weight. Rather than weighing yourself, it’s much better to review how you feel, how you look in the mirror, how your clothes are fitting, what others are noticing about you…
So, on you go, or do you not want to look better, feel better, reduce your stress, have better posture, have more energy, have improved self esteem, be able to run for the train without passing out…
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Happy New Year!
Those of you who know me, will know that I can be a little contrary. I don’t really hold with New Year’s Resolutions – why should I do something just because everyone else is? I prefer to work to new goals when it makes sense to me to do so, I like Spring in terms of feeling of new beginnings. Not in terms of the first day of Spring, but that day when you first notice that the windows need washing.
If you’re going to have a crack at this resolution lark (at whatever time of year), here are my top ten tips:
1. Whatever it is, really want to do it otherwise you’re unlikely to succeed
and it will be one more thing for you to beat yourself up about
2. Be very clear about what your goal is
3. List the benefits to you and others of achieving your resolution:
a. What will be different?
b. How will you feel?
c. What will others notice about you?
4. What’s the consequence of not carrying out your resolution?
5. Be able to visualise yourself doing it, whatever it is, and of yourself
once you’ve reached your goal
6. Find a picture or some words that are relevant for you and your goal and
put them where you will see them when you waver – which you will, so be
prepared to power on through
7. Start with your goal and work back to now, identify small steps along the
way. Then you’ll know what your first action is and be able to take it
without delay
8. Set realistic deadlines for each step
9. Be kind to yourself and celebrate each step as it’s achieved
10. Work with others. Either find yourself a resolution buddy so that you can
keep each other going, or work with a coach!
Good luck – you can do this.
I'll be back with other New Year things this week.
Happy 2010 – you see, that doesn’t even look like a year…
Those of you who know me, will know that I can be a little contrary. I don’t really hold with New Year’s Resolutions – why should I do something just because everyone else is? I prefer to work to new goals when it makes sense to me to do so, I like Spring in terms of feeling of new beginnings. Not in terms of the first day of Spring, but that day when you first notice that the windows need washing.
If you’re going to have a crack at this resolution lark (at whatever time of year), here are my top ten tips:
1. Whatever it is, really want to do it otherwise you’re unlikely to succeed
and it will be one more thing for you to beat yourself up about
2. Be very clear about what your goal is
3. List the benefits to you and others of achieving your resolution:
a. What will be different?
b. How will you feel?
c. What will others notice about you?
4. What’s the consequence of not carrying out your resolution?
5. Be able to visualise yourself doing it, whatever it is, and of yourself
once you’ve reached your goal
6. Find a picture or some words that are relevant for you and your goal and
put them where you will see them when you waver – which you will, so be
prepared to power on through
7. Start with your goal and work back to now, identify small steps along the
way. Then you’ll know what your first action is and be able to take it
without delay
8. Set realistic deadlines for each step
9. Be kind to yourself and celebrate each step as it’s achieved
10. Work with others. Either find yourself a resolution buddy so that you can
keep each other going, or work with a coach!
Good luck – you can do this.
I'll be back with other New Year things this week.
Happy 2010 – you see, that doesn’t even look like a year…
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