personal development

  • Blog, Business, leadership, mindset, personal development

    Why time management tips aren’t actually working for you

    Time management remains one of the most asked for personal development topics, and for good reason.

    Time is our number 1 resource…we can’t get any more of it no matter what we do, and there’s always a lot to fit into a very small 16 hour daily window (assuming we sleep for 8 hours a night that is!)

    But the thing is that time management tips are everywhere. I could list loads right now and you’d probably know them all.

    Things like:

    • Turn the notifications of on your email / phone
    • Use a to-do list (and a done list)
    • Get good at saying no
    • Create buffers in between your meetings
    • Delegate

    See…none of these are rocket science (although all of them do actually work wonders).

    So the real question isn’t ‘how do I manage my time?

    But why aren’t I actually doing the things that will actually help me manage my time?’

    What’s actually stopping you from putting into practice the things that you know would work?

    Over the years I’ve asked a lot of people that question…and more often than not it comes down to your thinking.

    For example:

    ‘I need to keep checking my emails in case something happens’

    ‘I don’t want to let anyone down so I have to work this weekend’

    ‘It’s the nature of the job to work long hours’

    ‘I’m the boss so people have to be able to get hold of me’

    ‘It’s just expected of me’

    ‘If I don’t do it no-one will’

    ‘It’s quicker if I do it myself’

    Any of these familiar?

    We all have thoughts, beliefs and ideas about what we think we should be doing, or how we think we’re expected to show up…but when was the last time you actually challenged your own thinking and asked ‘is this really true?’

    And…if the answer is ‘no’ what could you do instead?

    Chances are a lot of what you’re thinking that’s causing you to work in a certain way is just some out of date thinking or habit that’s no longer true.

    Sure once upon a time it might have been true.

    Or it might have even be true for someone else who had some influence on you at some point (like an old boss) but it might not actually be true for you right now.

    And chances are if you changed that thinking and did something different…nothing bad would actually happen.

    You might even find yourself thinking ‘why didn’t I do this years ago?’

    So, my question is…what are you telling yourself about the way you manage your time that might not be true for you anymore?

    Here’s how:

    1. Look at all the things you don’t like about your day. The things that just serve to sap your time and energy…and make a list.
    2. Now write down why you keep doing them…and see what comes up. If you’re lucky you might have a real A-Ha moment and change them right now. If not, keep going and write down all the reasons why.
    3. Look at each of the reasons and challenge each one…one by one, asking yourself ‘is this really true?’ If it isn’t…it’s time to switch your thinking.

    Give it a go and see what comes up for you.

     

     

    Ready for the next steps?

    Take the Confident Leaders Quiz – and see where you need to focus your attention to get the results you really want – Click here to take the Quiz)

    Listen to the podcast – Smash Your Own Ceiling (click here for apple) (click here for spotify)

  • Blog, confidence, personal development

    I got a whole room to do the power pose…here’s what happened

    Last week I ran an event focused purely on growing your confidence.

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE doing these as having tools in your back pocket to boost your confidence when you need it most, or improve your mindset in the moment is probably the BEST thing you can have in your personal development tool box.

    There we were, doing our thing, when the topic of the Power Pose came up (if you don’t know what this is watch this TED talk, it’s a good one) and the person was nervous about giving it a try…even on their own.

    You see the benefits of doing a Power Pose are that they discovered a link between doing the power pose, and an increase in testosterone and a decrease in cortisol (which is the stress hormone) and an increased feeling of being powerful.

    So, without even thinking about it I invited the whole room to join me for 2 minutes and stand like wonder woman (hands on hips, head in the air…the whole deal)

    I set the timer on my phone and we were off…and here’s what happened!!

    The first 30 seconds felt like a life time. People were fidgeting. Looking embarrassed struggling to find their place…

    Then all of a sudden the room fell into a quiet state of calm and the energy shifted and everyone just embraced it.

    After the full 2 minutes I asked everyone how they felt and they said ‘Amazing’

    Now, I have no idea whether there were any changes to hormones but in that moment we felt great…and all it took was 2 minutes to stand (30 seconds to feel a bit silly and 1.5 minutes to go with it) and you’ve got something you can use in the moment when you need it.

    It all starts with you!!

  • Business, mindset, personal development, Podcast

    How to get out of the weeds in your business with Gary King

    Welcome to another episode of the podcast.

    This week I’m delighted to share a cuppa that I had with the fantastic Gary King.

    Gary helps business owners to have the freedom to choose where, when and how they work.

    After 25 years in high-growth businesses delivering results at a senior level, Gary knew he could use his skills to help SMEs. A straight-talking, no-nonsense Yorkshireman, he now helps ambitious business owners create the freedom to make choices about their life through a range of online and in-person programmes.

    Having turned around his business and his lifestyle when struggling in the first few years, Gary now runs three successful businesses and it’s his experience he uses to help other entrepreneurs ditch the guilt, start earning what they are worth, and have the ability to make choices about how they spend their time. He creates what many hard-working business owners are missing – the freedom to choose.

    In this episode Gary shares:

    – Why he started his business in the first place

    – How he got stuck in the weeds and how that affected his life

    – What he did to get himself out of the weeds

    – And loads of golden nuggets to help you if you can relate

    Have a listen here

    Gary is also Director & Northern Regional Head for the Association of Business Mentors.

    To get in touch with Gary visit: https://www.tendo-uk.com/https://www.tendo-uk.com/