Masterful Mindsets

"Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is rest and let your angels wrap you in their loving wings. They've got you covered." ~ Anna Taylor

Where do you get your inspiration from? How do you stay productive, especially when you're overwhelmed and exhausted?

I've got to admit something to you... I was feeling less than inspired to write this week's Masterful Mindset. I started writing four different blog posts this week. I even wrote the word "poop" after a long pause in a sentence, as I was trying to think of what to say. (Yes, sometimes my posts require a lot of editing before you see them.) 

I also wrote down nine - yes - NINE different quotes, looking for inspiration. I got nothing... then I decided to just sit on my back porch and watch the sun set. Partially because I was so frustrated that I just had to stop but mostly because I knew it was a sure sign that I needed a break. I've had a lot going on lately... and I've been working long hours. (Can you relate?) It...

“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” ~ Alan Cohen

We are coming to the end of the mini-series on how to organize your day for maximum efficiency. Today I’ll take on the last of the concepts that caused resistance from my original article. So, if you feel guilty for taking breaks or just believe you are too busy to pause during your work day, this post is for you. Because pushing yourself to keep working without taking breaks in hopes of getting more done, is actually causing you to get less done. The truth is, taking a break isn't a luxury, it's a necessity! Studies show time and time again that there are huge benefits to taking breaks - and increased productivity is just one of the many benefits.

I was talking with a colleague recently who was feeling extremely overwhelmed and overworked. She was under a deadline for a project she was working on and felt so much pressure to finish that she’d been skipping...

"Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort." ~Paul J. Meyer

Over the last several weeks I’ve shared with you that productivity is a key component to success so today, let’s review and get you ready to win!

Your level of productivity and success can be directly affected by your level of clarity, your level of energy and your level of courage.

Clarity - Setting yourself up for success when it comes to productivity starts with making sure you have a clear vision for what your goals and dreams are. Knowing what you want and why you want it. The deeper connection you have to why you want it, the more it will help you stay motivated.

Then preparing and creating a clear plan is extremely helpful for keeping yourself on track. Make sure you have a timeline for completion of the project as well as the tasks/actions necessary to move you in the direction you want to go to get you to the...

“You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fear.” ~ Sammy Davis, Jr.

You commit to a project or goal… maybe you’re excited about it or maybe it’s just one of those must do kind of things. Either way, as you get started, you feel something shift inside. Fear starts to creep in. Can I do this? Do I know what I’m doing? Am I good enough? And suddenly, every little excuse and distraction seem to work to keep you from making progress. You no longer know what your next action should be. You aren’t even clear anymore on the goal or how to get there. You procrastinate and you’re tired even thinking about it… Sound familiar?

Over the last few weeks, I’ve shared that if you want to be highly productive, it’s important to have clarity about what your goal is plus the plan for reaching it. As well as how important your mental and physical energy are to being productive. But if you don’t have courage to...

“Without gas in your car, it doesn’t matter if you know where you’re going. You won’t reach your destination. Likewise, without mental and physical energy, you probably won’t reach your goals either.” ~MW

Let’s face it, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. But some people manage to get so much more done than others. You look at them and wonder how they do it. Or more specifically, you may wonder how they have the energy to do it all!

See the reality is, often it’s not that we need more time to get things done but rather, more energy.

Do you have enough energy to get everything you want accomplished each day or do you find that you are so tired by mid-day that it’s hard to focus and finish the day strong?  

The best laid plans will not come to fruition if you don’t have the mental and physical energy needed to take action toward achieving them. That’s why high levels of energy are a key element to high...

“Each minute is a little thing, and yet, with respect to our personal productivity, to manage the minute is the secret of success.” ~ Joseph B. Wirthlin

How successful you are, can often be equated to how productive you are. It certainly isn’t the only factor to success. But let’s be real here… if you aren’t productive, you probably aren’t going to get far in your quest for success and you’re definitely not going to get there very fast. Of course, it’s important to remember that just being busy, marking things off a to-do list, it isn’t enough.

The tasks and actions you choose to focus on need to be in alignment with your ultimate goals in order for that productivity to really be of value. Anything otherwise, is just a distraction or detour from your true path to your desired life.

Sadly though, most people struggle with consistent, high levels of productivity. (And remember if we are making the parallel here that...

“When we throw out the physical clutter, we clear our minds. When we throw out the mental clutter, we clear our souls.”  ~ Gail Blanke

I’m hopeful that last week’s article inspired and motivated you to do a little spring cleaning and remove some of the old, unwanted items you’ve been hanging on to for way too long. I don’t know about you but for me, clearing out the clutter feels so freeing. Not only is the physical space lighter but so is my mental space. I swear I’m able to think more clearly and creatively when my space is free of clutter.

As a matter of fact, that feeling is so important to me that I actually clear off my desk every night before I leave my office because I want to start my next day fresh, empowered and full of inspiring energy. Clearing the clutter does that for me!

But do you know what else can leave you feeling light and free? Getting rid of the old unwanted mental clutter that you’ve been hanging on to for...

“As I unclutter my life, I free myself to answer the callings of my soul.” ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer

Spring is well in bloom here and before we know it, summer will be shining down on us. This past weekend, having been Mother’s Day, I was able to get my family to do something that probably wouldn’t have happened had they not been wanting to do something nice for me. 

See every year for Mother’s Day, they ask me what they can do for me. They know that my Love Language is “Acts of Service”. So this year, I told them I wanted the storage room clean. Oh, the groans! But they were accommodating nonetheless.

What I don’t think they realized was just how important that was to me… And why clearing the clutter is important for you too!

Here's the deal, clutter really bothers me because when you allow too much clutter to fill up a space it can actually cause you to become distracted, lose focus and become less productive. Not to mention the...