moment - The Time Finder with Paula Eder

The Time Finder with Paula Eder

The way you use your time is the way you live your life.

Find Time to Play Your Way Out of Paralyzing Procrastination

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Paula, under Time Choices, Time Management Skills.

Do you find looming deadlines stressful to the point of stopping you in your tracks? It can be a nightmarish feeling when the clock is ticking, your panic is mounting, and you feel like you’re losing ground with each passing moment. Sound familiar? The harder you try, the more your mind goes blank. Ideas and inspiration dry up.

Finding time to play your way out of stress and paralyzing procrastination is an enjoyable and empowering way to break through logjams and get back into the flow of things. Read on to learn one unbeatable breakthrough tip that you probably haven’t thought of – and that I think you’ll enjoy!

Quite often things like brainstorming and mind mapping can open up options when you’re stuck in overwhelm. But high stress sometimes invites self-criticism and self-consciousness onto the scene when you least need them. Then you give yourself undermining messages like:

“Nobody’s going to like that!”
“This just has to be perfect!”
“You’re running out of time!”
“Everyone’s going to see how ____ you are!”

As the tension mounts, you try things that have worked before, like taking a quick walk to step away and clear your head. But when you sit back down and start working again, you find that those critical voices are still there and still have lots to say.

When faced with a situation like this, try this one tip – it is a real life-saver, believe me! You can try it at other times, too, because aside from breaking up logjams and relieving stress, it’s a wonderful tool for stimulating your creativity.

Oh, and it’s an entirely counter-intuitive tip – and that’s its beauty.

Ready for the game? It’s called “Turn Your Inner Critic on Its Head!”

The next time you are stuck, make it your goal to generate the very worst version of whatever you are working on that you are capable of creating.

If you are writing a sales page, or a blog post, or copy for a press release, your goal is to shock and disappoint. Throw yourself into your task with the mindset that you are going to stretch the limits of boring, blasphemous, and bizarre. Use everything that you might have censored, and exaggerate it to the hilt. In other words, have fun with it.

What this does, as you may have guessed, is not only silence but absolutely flummox your inner critic. Actually, you put yourself in control of this voice by choosing to use it as a contributor to your project (rather than being a negative nay-sayer calling from the sidelines).

Harnessing the voice of your inner critic to overcome stress and stasis, ask yourself:

What does your inner critic think is a really terrible headline for your next E-zine article?
What would guarantee that your report would create shrieks of outrage?
What opening paragraph is least likely to capture your readers’ interest?

Go ahead and begin writing from this vantage point. Better than trying to drown out or silence your critical voice, you have neutralized its negativity and stripped it of its power. It provides comic relief and nothing more.

As you relax, you will find that your ideas begin to flow – possibly in new and unanticipated directions – and you can move ahead on your project with empowered energy. And I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the new inspirations that come about as a result of this counter-intuitive time management tip!

Now, how can you expand your life and make even more of your time using time management tips?

And are you interested in learning more about the Heart-Based Time Management™ Path? Here’s one way that you can transform and deepen your relationship to time in the Heart-Based Way … I invite you to explore Secrets of Heart-Based Time Management™ - my chapter in the book I co-authored - Stepping Stones to Success! In it I share my proven system for exploring and harnessing the power of your mind, your body and your spirit to help you deepen your experience of time and of your life.

As you work with the ideas I offer, you’ll explore your patterns, clarify your values, identify and prioritize your goals … and create your path for achieving them. You can give yourself the gift of this wonderful resource today, and get started on your journey toward success, Stepping Stone by Stepping Stone …just click this link to get the details!

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Find Time Using Soft Deadlines

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Paula, under Time Management Skills, Time Priorities.

Finding time by using Priority Power™ is empowering, energizing, and adds flow as you navigate your day. As you work with your time priorities, soft deadlines are a particularly useful tool.

“Soft deadlines? That sounds like an oxymoron! What are they?” you ask.

Soft deadlines are due dates that you set for yourself, ahead of whatever your final deadlines may be. You can think of them as brightly colored buoys bobbing over rocks and shoals, marking the entrance to your harbor.

These are friendly deadlines that serve a twofold purpose:

They help you spot potential snags and
They tell you when you are nearing home!

Your soft deadlines give you the chance to plan that much earlier for what’s coming up. And that planning makes your progress that much safer and more pleasurable.

Completing a task prior to the last minute not only supports your success – it also enhances your flexibility. Sudden changes and unexpected glitches won’t throw you when you routinely provide yourself with earlier, soft deadlines. You’ll find it easier to tie up loose ends and handle the unanticipated when you give yourself that cushion.

Ready to start?

Try creating some soft deadlines for your most significant tasks. Mark them in your calendar, and consider writing all soft deadlines in one color, and adding the hard deadlines in another to easily distinguish between the two. Then practice focusing on the soft deadline, so that you create some spaciousness in your schedule.

More spaciousness equals less stress, and a deeper capacity to enjoy the moment you are in. Now, that’s Priority Power™!

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Find Time for Some Expanded Spring Cleaning!

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Paula, under Time and Energy.

Finding time to make the most of your moments sometimes means letting go of the old, to let in the new – spring cleaning for your mind, if you will!

“You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.” Louise Smith

The weather here in New Hampshire has been unseasonably warm lately, and even though it’s still just the middle of March, I find my thoughts gravitating toward the turning of the season and the coming green. And along with that shift come thoughts of another ritual – spring cleaning!

The concreteness and power of this activity is something that I always look forward to on the farm, as we open windows to fresh air, let ourselves stretch in the expanding light, and breathe in a sense of renewal and rejuvenation. Almost like riding a wave of energy, I also like to stretch and expand the concept of spring cleaning, so that it includes not only clearing out winter’s debris and hanging out the clean sheets to snap and flap in the March wind, but also cleaning out old habits and thoughts that trip us up and keep us stuck.

As with any spring cleaning, what’s first necessary is a pause – an in-breath as you step back and survey the lay of the land. Let yourself just-see-what-is. Maybe clutter catches your eye – or maybe it’s some habits that you’re ready to let go of.

That’s the thing with clutter and habits – they become so embedded that we don’t even notice them. So it’s very important to pause and take in your landscape as if you’ve never seen it before. That way you’ll notice some of the things that may be tripping you up.

Once you know where you are and what’s around you, then you can begin to think about making changes. Stay tuned, as we set about exploring that next step … letting go and making changes … in your spring cleaning journey!

And in the meantime, want to learn more about how you can expand and deepen your time and efforts … in whatever areas you choose? Here’s a great way to explore avenues to increasing your time skills and heart-based power – whether it’s in your business, or your personal life. I am so pleased to be able to offer my expertise and support as The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to “Time Management”.

You can visit by clicking the link, and when you do you’ll find lots of time management articles by experts in the field, along with a vibrant and welcoming on-line community. Stop by my Expert Page and leave a comment or question … or just say hello. There are lots of ways to connect … let’s get started!

Find Time to Fuel Your Resilience With Empowered Compassion™ (thetimefinder.com)
3 Heart-Based Time Management™ Tips to Help You Find Time for a Lion-Hearted Holiday! (thetimefinder.com)
Finding Time to Enjoy the Ride: 5 Timely Tips about Time and Aging! (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time for Empowered Compassion™ (thetimefinder.com)

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Find Time to Welcome Change and Get Yourself Growing: 3 Timely Tips

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Paula, under Time and Energy, Time Choices.

Finding time to open ourselves to the constancy of change is one of the biggest challenges that we face as human beings. Change is an especially interesting subject to consider as we come to a time of seasonal transition. How we feel about the change from spring to summer (or from fall to winter) can tell us a lot about how we approach change in general.

There is an element of the unpredictable built into any change. It upsets the equilibrium that we had established for ourselves and sends things into flux. Even if a change is positive and, for the most part, expected, it still has a ripple effect and impacts lots of areas of our lives – some that we may not have even considered.

When it comes to change, I like to think of it on two different levels. On the one level there is the obvious fact of the change itself. The other, equally important level, is our attitude or our response to this change. Even more than the change itself, this is what often defines and determines what happens next!

So, what’s the best way to prepare for and welcome the changes that come our way every day?

Here are 3 tips that I find extremely helpful:

As much as you can, build in a little extra time every day for the unexpected. Think of your time the way the Shakers used to think of their crops, planting enough for themselves and then, always, a little extra for the marauding animals. The unexpected is going to visit you every single day in small or large ways. If you build in some time to accommodate it, you’re less likely to feel victimized.

When change does come, whether it’s unexpected or something you’ve chosen, spend a little time getting a handle on your attitude toward it. As soon as you sense a change, do you constrict and take a defensive stance? Work to transform that for yourself by consciously opening and welcoming this new thing. Give yourself clear and direct messages about your competence and power to choose. Say yes to this change, and see how your feelings about it are transformed!

Each time you let yourself open to a change, be sure to come back later and validate that effort. The more you practice the more you develop your flexibility and confidence. Giving yourself a pat on the back never hurts, and it definitely adds to your momentum.

As you successfully negotiate newness in your life you will find that door after door opens for you. You are always ripe to grow, and the more you embrace this process the more you’ll find yourself sprouting in all sorts of exciting directions!

Ready, set, grow! And as you take steps to welcome your changes, let me know how it goes … I’d love to hear!

And I am so pleased to share that I am The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to “Time Management”. When you visit you’ll find time management articles by experts in the field, along with a vibrant and welcoming on-line community. Are you inspired to explore time management tips and tools to increase your effectiveness, efficiency and enjoyment? Then, I invite you to check out SelfGrowth.com and explore the many resources available there. And don’t be shy – stop by my Expert Page and leave a comment or question … or just say hello. There are lots of ways to connect … let’s get started!

So, what if you could find another hour every day? You can! You are invited to sign up for your FREE Finding Time Success Kit. It puts 3 key tools for your time success right into your hands! Grab it and see how you can recharge your energy, reduce overwhelm and frustration, and come to learn that 24 hours really ARE enough!

Let’s explore time together …

Find Time to Get to Your Goals the Flexible Way-3 Time Tips! (thetimefinder.com)
Finding Time to Successfully Navigate Life Transitions (thetimefinder.com)

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Find Time to Reflect and Recharge – How Has 2011 Been Going for You So Far?

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Paula, under Time and Energy, Transitions and Time.

Finding time to make the most of transition times is a great skill to develop and hone. The beginning of a new year offers us a wonderful “moment” to do this, as we are generally very much aware that we are in transition.

The reality is, however, that we are in transition all the time. The more that we can accept (and even embrace) the fact that change is constant – the more we can harness the power of transitions for ourselves.

Power of transitions? Absolutely!

Any transition time, such as the end of a month, offers the opportunity to reflect and recharge. If we choose to, we can give ourselves this important gift by taking the time to make a conscious transition. How?

Well, first look back over the past month. Relax and look, without filter or judgment, at whatever bubbles up about that time: Scanning the vista, you’ll see:

Events,
New tasks taken on,
Tasks completed,
Anything that stands out.

Then, take a look at your calendar and To Do List to refresh your memory. If you keep a journal, it would be helpful to page through that as well. The goal is to give yourself a good sense of the terrain of the past month.

Now that you can see the terrain, it’s time to survey the landscape more closely. Here’s where you ask yourself 3 Questions to Help You Reflect and Recharge:

What did I accomplish this month? (Make a list and CELEBRATE it!)
What did I learn this month … and how will I use it next month?
What is one thing from this month that I am going to let go of next month? (At the end of the coming month, you’ll want to review this and see how you did.)

You may want to add to this list of questions, but it makes for a great start. What I love about the process is that it sends you into your new month feeling positive, validated, and actually LIGHTER, because you are looking at what you can let go of.

Do this BEFORE you ask yourself about things you want to accomplish or focus on in the coming month. You work hard and have no lack of tasks and projects. So how about lightening your load, at least by a factor of one, as you step into February?

Give yourself the gift of some time, over the next 3 days to reflect and recharge … and please drop me a line to let me know how it’s going for you – I’d love to hear!

What if you could find another hour every day? You can! You are invited to sign up for your FREE Finding Time Success Kit. It puts 3 key tools for your time success right into your hands! Grab it and see how you can recharge your energy, reduce overwhelm and frustration, and come to learn that 24 hours really ARE enough!

Let’s explore time together …

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Find Time to Begin and Begin and Begin … and Then Begin Again!

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Paula, under Transitions and Time.

Finding time to make new beginnings is a refreshing and energizing way to approach the moments of your life. So often we think of our time as linear and static. But it really isn’t. Right down to the cellular level, we are in a constant rhythm of beginnings and endings … endings and beginnings. Breathing is an excellent and fundamental example of the taking in and letting go that forms the weave of our lives.

So, if you are attuned to them, new beginnings are everywhere! This coming Friday night marks the turning of the year around the globe – a transition that much of the world celebrates as a new start.

But what about this morning? Isn’t that a new start, too? Or how about the moment after a snowstorm, when the air has cleared and the sun breaks through, revealing a world transformed? What a nice opportunity to pause, stretch and welcome a new beginning!

Any transition point, large or small, offers an opportunity to go inside before stepping toward the new. How deeply and how long you want to explore is entirely up to you. The wonderful gift of this process is that the more you invest, the more you receive.

Whenever you choose to reflect on your values, goals, priorities and time choices, you are giving yourself the chance to form the most solid base possible for your new beginning. So why wait for particular dates to do that kind of personal reflecting?

If you accept that change really is a constant in your life and that transitions are happening all the time … then you start to see all sorts of opportunities to take a breath and … begin!

You can give yourself the gift of small rituals, throughout your day, to transition into new beginnings. How about this morning? Can you find time in there to reflect and welcome your brand new day? Or what about the time right before bed? Could you pause and check in with yourself then?

You have to stop before you can begin. Making a new beginning is always a refreshing and proactive choice you can make for yourself. The more you notice and honor the change taking place in your life, the more often you are able to pause, reflect, and begin again!

So, how often do you make new beginnings for yourself? It’s great to do it at the turning of the year … but how can you find more time for new beginnings in your life?

I hope this post was helpful, and would love to hear your experiences with this … and what you think!

Let’s explore time together …

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