Our ability to have a productive day at work, does not depend on the amount of time we spent on a task, but rather the energy we bring to the task. We cannot control the amount of time we have, but we can make it more valuable and productive by changing our energy. This energy is also referred to as our capacity to do the work. What we spend our time on, shows us what we are prioritizing in our lives. If we are not intentional about how we show up in our time, we cannot always give our best. You can have a great day by starting your day with a sincere exchange of energy. Like sharing what you are grateful for, a funny story or just building connections through fun experiences. Make sure you are fully present in any conversations you have with people and avoid multi-tasking. And be sure to take time to think and reflect. This ...
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The Unpredictable Rhythm of Life
I cannot even remember where it all started. We never had any issues or problems in kindergarten. He was a lively, outspoken little boy and loved testing the status quo. I mean he challenged everything. He was never satisfied with an answer that would pretty much tell him to just "do what I say". He always wanted to know why. "Why should I not put my finger in the socket?", "Why should I flush the toilet?". Until we enrolled him into primary school. The teachers couldn't stand him. He was too busy. He spoke too much. He wasn't paying attention. I mean, I understand at some point or the other during any child's school years, you're likely to receive complaints regarding their behaviour and their performance. But this was too much. We were constantly referred to psychologists, therapists, play therapists and we did everything the school ...
It’s Time To Invest In Yourself
I need a long bath tonight… It’s Friday and I’m just exhausted. It’s been a ridiculous week. I’ve been working like crazy, I ‘ve started a strict Keto diet, I have to complete an eBook this weekend, I need to set-up two bots for Facebook pages, I forgot our 21st wedding anniversary, my house is dirty and full of dust, and I have over 30 fitness businesses that I will be working with the next 3-6 months to help them with their social media marketing. Well, I must admit, the latter is a great problem to have. But I’m still exhausted. Although I choose not to dwell in exhaustion. It’s tough. You must speak to your mind the entire day so that you make sure you’re not caught up on those toxic thoughts. So at least that’s awesome - I can tell my brain what to do. I’ve already lost 3 kg’s. But having said that, I don’t’ know ...
New Year’s Resolutions – Make it Stick This Time
The sad truth is that you won't meet your New Year's Resolution. At least that's what statistics tell us. But you're probably telling yourself that it will be different this year. Reality check. Past behavior predicts future behavior... I hate New Year's resolutions. Exactly for that reason. All they do is make you feel miserable 2 weeks into January. I do however have a few things I want to focus on in the next 90 days. Once I'm done, I'll focus on something else for the next 90 days. Focusing on something short term, have helped me stay focused on the important tasks. It's easier to meet a short-term actionable goal, than to focus on some airy fairy goal in the future. So, for me, for the next 90 days my focus will be: Nutrition I had knee surgery 3 weeks ago and will not be able to train at full intensity probably still ...
New Year? New Job? Here’s What To Expect During Your Job Orientation.
Starting a new job can be very exciting. But I'm not gonna lie. It's unlike anything you've ever experienced. And no, it's not the same as your volunteer job at the church. And neither is it the same as your part-time job at the coffee shop. Your experience in the workplace have a large role in shaping your personality and your life. You will meet new people and build new relationships. You will face challenges and get opportunities that will test your character. There will be a period of learning and adjustment. And many employers will conduct an orientation week where they will lay out the expectations of the new job. New employee orientation refers to the process where employees are given access to the basic company information. This includes products and services about the company with the intention of providing you with ...
The Beginning of a Journey to a Better Life
I wasn't really anybody special at school. Neither did I have a bunch of friends. I was just a teenager, trying to get through life and school. Life was hard. My mom was an alcoholic and substance abuser. My stepdad a weirdo, just abusing his power in the house. The only good thing I can say about him was that he took us to church and my mom stopped drinking because now she had to go to church. But it's not like he was a good person. He believed in the Bible, but he believed that my mom was a slave to him. Because that's what the bible said a women should be. I went through a phase of feeling sorry for myself and resentful of those who had seemingly 'normal' parents and a normal life. My only goal after school was to get out of there. I went to study, got a job, got married to the most amazing husband. And I started to live a ...
Confessions of A Corporate Director – I Hate Policing People
I remember many years ago when I started at a new company as the head of the office, I saw a small little table just outside my office with something that looked like a roster on it. I was immediately curious. A saw the same roster-type journal in random places in the office. I would later come to learn that each manager has one of these rosters. A closer look revealed a "smoking check-in/check-out" roster. Oh my gosh! It was the first time in my life that I saw something like that. I mean, I know managers were checking up on people that regularly go out for a smoke break, but having a sign-out/sign-in roster everytime you take a smoke break, was something completely new to me. You see, I don't smoke. I've never smoked. So I never had the need to take a smoke break. But I know about all the complaints from the non-smokers. ...
Performance Reviews – Start With The End In Mind
It's that time of the year again. Performance Reviews are almost like a swear word for some employees in the workplace. Some dread it because they just don't have time for another meeting and feel it's a top-down approach which they cannot avoid. Some dread it because they are nervous about the outcome and really need a decent increase to make ends meet next year. Let's face it, very few people look forward to performance reviews for the above reasons. Generally, people feel that performance reviews serve no meaningful purpose as it doesn't help in improving work performance, nor does it help to improve working relationships. But before we get into what you can do make it a fruitful discussion with your manager, let's first understand exactly what the purpose of a performance review is. Per the dictionary, a performance review ...
Resourceful People – How Do They Do It
My youngest and I was working on a school assignment for the past few days. I used the opportunity to teach him how to properly use Google to do some research. Strangely enough, this topic also came up during a conversation we had last night with some friends at a barbeque. Apparently, being able to do research with resources the majority of people now have available, doesn't always come naturally to people. I've seen it in the workplace as well. People will ask me questions. I will google it or search on the intranet. And in 99.9% I will always find my answer. And then people are astonished about the "wealth of information I have". No, it's not that. I've just come to learn that if you really want to get ahead in your career, you have to learn how to be resourceful. A person is resourceful if they are able to achieve ...
The Face of Grit and Determination
It was a week full of rich learning with my own business coach. Yes, I do spend money on my own personal development to ensure I can continue to bring you the best I can offer. Anyhoo...my homework? Go and buy some magazines in our niche and see what they do for ads and headlines. Great. It's been a while since I laid my hands on a physical magazine and I very much looked forward to it. Because this meant only one thing - some quiet time in the bath with me and my mag. I bought a few which also included some fitness magazines. I love health and fitness. What could possibly go wrong? In the first magazine the editor's note talk about living fit and being authentic you. Great, sounds like my jam. She goes on to cover the #BeAuthentic movement. Something I know nothing about. It's great because I need to do some hashtag ...