productivity - 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 by Factoring Dependencies Into Collaboration: Increase Your Priority Power™

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Paula, under Time Management Skills, Time Priorities.

Finding time requires working in collaboration sometimes. And working closely with others can be complicated; there are lots of variables to consider.

So, to combine forces as effectively as possible, try thinking in terms of dependencies. When you do, your Priority Power™ will rise appreciably.

Is “dependency” in project management a term that you’re familiar with?

Basically, when an enterprise you’re engaged in calls for collaboration, the “dependency” is someone outside of your immediate work group who plays an essential role in your achieving your goals. When you prioritize tasks, dependencies must be factored in and accounted for.

Let’s say, for example, that you work closely with a number of different departments at your job. You establish a working budget for each quarter, and the finance department supplies you with the figures. Since they usually take four weeks to gather and compile the necessary data, you prioritize your request and make it well in advance of your due date. This way, you get the data you need with time to spare.

And of course, others depend on YOU, too.

Maybe it’s your daughter, who counts on you to create her costume for the school play. To be ready to play her part, she depends on you to do yours. And, without a second thought, you give this task top priority. Your openhearted commitment to support your child, and her reliance upon you, establish this project’s high priority as you plan your week.

So try consciously welcoming dependencies as you frame your collaborative work. See how your productivity increases with every incremental step forward.

Notice, too, how your greater sensitivity to others’ schedules and needs creates more flow and good will. That is a time-enhancer that not only makes you more efficient and effective, but also adds quality and inner quietude to your busy day.

So, 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!

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Finding Time for Decisiveness and Productivity with Priority Power™

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Paula, under Time Choices, Time Priorities.

Finding time and using it well becomes so much easier when you are clear about your priorities and give yourself permission to be decisive about following through on them. That’s what I call Priority Power™!

What needs to change from day to day? What’s indispensable?

You see, the power lies entirely in your hands. You’re the one who decides. And it’s a back-and-forth process, in that your decisions shape your priorities, and then your priorities can skillfully shape future decisions.

Building Priority Power™ can help you right from square one, as you create an ideal start to your day. With your priorities in place, you know your path and everything that’s likely to be on it. Even setbacks and surprises feel more manageable, because you’re familiar with the factors you need to weigh.

Sounds rewarding, doesn’t it?

Prioritizing is a Heart-Based Time Management™ Tool. It links your heart, your mind, and your responsiveness to ongoing change. Here are some benefits you enjoy when you proactively and consistently prioritize:

You feel safe. When you calmly weigh your options, your time choices are grounded and realistic.

You feel relaxed. When your priorities are clear, you have made your peace with what comes first and what might need to wait.

Your time is uncluttered. When you prioritize, you simplify. The more you exercise decisiveness, the stronger your “prioritizing muscles” become.

You feel confident. Your skill at prioritizing helps you stay nimble as new situations arise.

You experience inner abundance. You know, right down to your toes, that fulfillment arises from heart-based prioritizing. So you commit to use your time accordingly.

In upcoming posts, we’ll explore other aspects of Priority Power™ and how you can positively enjoy its role in your life! And, in the meantime, I’d love to know how you increase your decisiveness and productivity? Are there particular practices or tools that you find helpful?

And are there time topics that you’d like to read more about here? Please feel invited to drop me a line – I’d love to hear from you and serve your time finding needs!

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Find Time to Expand Your Possibilities With the 5-Minute Solution!

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Paula, under Time and Energy, Time Choices.

Finding time when time is short can be a challenge, but don’t give up. You’d be amazed at what you can accomplish in small bits of time.

In fact, as we discussed last week, the 5-Minute Solution is a practical and effective way to step out of procrastination and give yourself a path toward productivity. And the really good news? It only takes 5-minutes!

In response to that post last week, a number of readers contacted me with uses for that 5-minute span, so I thought I’d share a few, and expand the list (and the possibilities) with a 5-minute brainstorming session – right here, right now! So, here goes:

Chunk down my tasks into smaller pieces (this was from a reader);
Go for a brief walk – gets my ideas flowing again (also from a reader);
Straighten up my desk;
Send a friend an e-mail;
Post on my Facebook page;
Meditate (another idea shared by a reader);
Do some stretches;
Empty the dish drainer;
Clean out my in-box;
Pay a bill;
Journal;
Do some jumping jacks;
Doodle;
Take a quick shower;
Start a shopping list;
Surf the web;
Write a quick note to a friend or colleague (to be mailed);
Spend 5 minutes just starting somewhere on a writing project;
etc.

Does this list spark any ideas for you? Notice how there are really two categories of activities here – and both can be very helpful.

On the one hand, something like chunking your tasks or just starting to write is directly task oriented and aimed at getting you unstuck by getting you started.

On the other hand, something like meditating or doing jumping jacks will help get you started, too – but by stepping away and doing something very different.

What works best for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Just take 5-minutes and jot me a note! ;>)

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 for “Movement Moments” in Your Day!

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Paula, under Self-Care Time, Time and Energy.

Finding time to get everything done in a day doesn’t always leave a lot of space for giving yourself what you need. And did you know that what you need includes movement?

If you spend a lot of time working on-line, your day might easily have you glued to the computer hour upon hour. It can be engrossing work, but in order to be productive and take good care of yourself, it’s imperative that you find time to move.

Notice, I didn’t say find time to exercise. That is very important, too – but right now it’s really just moving that I am talking about. And all you need is a minute to give yourself what you need.

You see, our bodies are built to move. Inside, we are perpetually moving, as our hearts beat, our blood flows, and our in-breaths are followed by out-breaths. Sitting still for hours on end is a strain. It leaves our bodies stiffening while our energy pools and gets sluggish.

The solution?

I suggest that you make sure that you create brief Movement Moments for yourself every 45-minutes or so. Use a timer if that helps you stay on track. At 45-minute intervals stop what you are doing, get up, and move in whatever way feels good to you. (Do this in privacy, if you can, so that you don’t feel constrained.) Here are some ideas for what you could do:

Jumping jacks;
Leg lunges;
Lifting small weights;
Going up and down stairs;
Doing sit-up’s or leg-lifts;
Stretching;
Whatever feels right at the moment!

Do the movements you choose vigorously for about a minute, then go back to work. It hardly interrupts your flow, and it offers immense refreshment while it also gets your energy flowing again.

In addition, this kind of movement helps you avoid injury and health issues that can arise from lives that, while very busy, can also be very sedentary.

As you give yourself the gift of Movement Moments throughout your day, notice how they affect your energy, focus, and productivity. Try keeping track of this for a week, and see what you discover.

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Find Time to Bring Along What You Need for Each Day’s Journey

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Paula, under Time Choices, Time Management Skills.

Finding time to give yourself what you need is probably the most powerful productivity tool there is. It is what makes everything possible; and yet, for many, this is the item that constantly falls to the bottom of the list.

So, maybe it will help if you think of your day as a journey. Picture yourself setting off for London or New York or whatever destination captures your fancy.

Would you hop on the plane empty-handed? (I am guessing probably not!)

My guess is that you would have made a list of things that you knew you’d need. You’d have assembled them, along with some items that you ‘might’ want. In order to gather what you need, you’d have thought about what you’d be doing, where you’d be going, and also (based on your self knowledge) the things that would help keep you comfortable along the way.

Well, that same process offers a very helpful frame for scanning and planning your day!

You might try doing this in the evening or morning, either before bed or with your breakfast or first cup of coffee. Think about what you’ll be doing and what you’ll need to be as productive and present as possible in each moment.

I suggest that, for starters, you write down one of the things that you know you’ll need, and plan to give it to yourself. Then, at the end of the day, check in with yourself and see whether you actually did it. This will begin to build your self-awareness, and as you follow-through, it also builds your self-trust.

If you think about it, each day truly is a journey! The familiarity of our routines can sometimes mask or mute the adventure. You may not be heading off to Paris or Montreal or San Francisco this morning, but you most definitely are heading off on the unique and precious adventure that is your new day. So, bring what you need and take care of yourself along the way!

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”.

Find Time for the Amazing Adventure That Comes Your Way Every Single Day (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time for Empowered Compassion™ (thetimefinder.com)
Finding Time to Nourish Yourself (thetimefinder.com)

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Find Time Make a Commitment to Love Your Business

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Paula, under Time Choices, Time Priorities.

I’m so pleased, today, to share a guest post by Ideapreneur™, Entrepreneur, and Creator of Your Brand in Bloom, Ally Piper … enjoy!

Love was in the air yesterday! But do you love your business?

As a small business owner, your relationship with your business is important to your success. But unlike the attention we give our personal relationships (especially on days like Valentine’s Day) we often ignore the critical elements in our business that will help us get ahead and create the life we dream of … by getting busy in the day-to-day activities.

How often do you take time away from working IN your business to work ON your business? It’s easy to get caught up in what you think you should do versus what you need to be doing as the owner/entrepreneur. If you’re not familiar with this concept you need to read Michael Gerber’s The E-Myth Revisited. It will open your eyes. More than likely you spend most of your time as a technician working in your business instead of as an entrepreneur controlling the big vision and working on your business.

Your time away from the day-to-day activates should allow you time to plan, get inspired and learn new things. And I’ve found no better way to do that than by learning from other successful people!

In fact, I’m such a believer in learning from others that I have created a free telesummit happening this week designed especially for women in business called Your Brand in Bloom.

I created Your Brand in Bloom because while building my successful marketing business I ended up creating a J–O–B and I found the other business owners I admired had this “behind the scenes magic” that I needed to know more about. I understood marketing, but this was more than that. This was about giving myself and my business the attention it deserved so I could create the life I wanted, the business that supported it … and thrive.

And when I was struggling with productivity (who doesn’t?!), I found Paula. Her Finding Time Tips were practical and completely doable. It wasn’t about adding one more thing to my already busy plate. It was about actually finding time!

Give your business the gift of love this week. You can listen in for free as I interview 14 successful women in business about topics like personal branding, leadership, style health and wellness and more. On Friday, Paula will join me to talk about How to Jump-Start Your Creative Productivity™ Today: Unlock Your Heart-Based Power.

I hope you’ll join us!

Meet Ally Piper

Ally Piper is an Ideapreneur™ + Marketing Director for nonprofits and small businesses on a mission. She helps her clients turn napkin notes into marketing plans and take advantage of high-impact, low-cost marketing methods to build buzz and get noticed. Read her blog at www.BrightIdeasForBiz.com.

Ally is also an entrepreneur, wife, sister, daughter and mother (to three furkids!), blogger, recovering workaholic and all around busy woman who is always trying to find a balance between success at work and the realities life throws at you. Get FREE registration to her Your Brand in Bloom Telesummit happening Feb. 13-17.