If you are like most of us, you are bombarded with distractions from the minute you begin your day. So many things are constantly vying for our attention: e-mail, television, requests, etc. What is the result? Although you often begin the day with good intentions, by the end the day your find yourself wondering where the time went. That is fine occasionally; however, when it becomes a way of life, it can cause you to become frustrated, scattered and ineffective. If you are frequently feeling that way, you are dealing with a much bigger problem than just productivity. You are dealing with chronic stress and a lack of fulfillment and both can impact your level happiness or physical health.
I would like to share a simple technique that can make you more productive and increase your energy when your plate is overloaded. It is all about what you decide to do within the first 30 minutes after you awaken, the first 30 minutes at work, and with the first portion of your income. Being intentional about what you first give attention to ensures that no matter how overloaded you are, your most important priorities will not become lost in that sea of distractions. When we complete the things that are most important to us first, we free up energy for everything else on our list. Make it simple to accomplish "first things first." by making them them automatic. Following are five simple things that you can do "first" to improve the quality of your life beginning this week:
1. Tackle the looming project.
Whether it is a report that you need to complete, a meeting that needs to be scheduled, or a project requiring your attention, get started early in the day. Reserve a window of time and get it done. You should find that you will have more energy because the burden of the work that you have been putting off will be lifted.
2. Connect with the one you love.
Begin the day with a kiss, a hug, a telephone call to someone who matters to you. Do not allow loving gestures to diminish as your schedule become busy. Staying connected to others is one of the most important ingredients for our well-being.
3. Drink water.
Drink a bottle of water immediately after you awaken. Sit it by your bed before going to sleep the night before. Drinking water after arising gets your system moving and your metabolism kicking.
4. Meditate on the things you are grateful for.
While you are drinking your bottle of water, why not consider the things that are good in your life. Research shows that expressing gratitude has many health benefits and meditation actually changes your brain chemistry for the better. So first thing in the morning, make gratitude statements.
5. Save some of your money and give some of it away.
It is difficult to give and save money when you do not do it first. No matter how hard you try, if giving and saving comes last, you will find that you rarely have much left over. But somehow, when you give first and save first, your spending becomes aligned with your goals. That is because you have made your goal, saving and giving, top priority. Set up automatic debits from your paycheck or checking account so that you will not have to think about it.
What priority is not first on your action list today? When do you intend to make time for it? How can you guarantee that it becomes first on a regular basis?
Big hugs!
Rachel
Rachel Lavern is a Certified LifeSuccess Coach and a business partner of Bob Proctor. She coaches individuals and businesses that want to gain greater personal or business success. She specializes in using Bob Proctor’s principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses. She provides workshops and keynote speeches across the country and is passionate about teaching people how to create financial, emotional and spiritual prosperity– instructing them on what to do, why they do it and how they do it. We only have one precious life–shouldn’t it be a life that we love?
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