by Linden | Feb 25, 2020 | Life Coaching Resources
Knowing how to prioritise your daily tasks and demonstrate that you are working effectively is about making timely decisions for where to spend your time and attention on which tasks.
Using a priority matrix tool will help you to focus on the most important priorities. Stephen Covey developed a simple matrix framework for prioritising time and importance of tasks during the 1980’s and the tool is still relevant to use today.
When you use the tool for all your incoming work tasks the decisions about prioritising can be made simple for you by the way that you classify the tasks.
For example, the following categories are placed on the matrix:
1 High importance, High urgency
2 High Importance, Low urgency
3 High urgency, Low importance
4 Low urgency, Low importance
1 High importance, High urgency
- Work on these tasks before they become urgent
- Set clear expectations and deadlines when delegating work to others
- Reduce procrastination by planning and scheduling
- Point out other people’s behaviour when their urgency is not your urgency
2 High Importance, Low urgency
- Schedule the work for the appropriate time
- Check your schedule regularly – is this the work I should be doing
- Allow your objectives to drive the urgency, and not other people’s urgency
3 High urgency, Low importance
- Delegate what you can, depending on your work level
- Give work delegates directions, but allow them to do the work
- Say no to less important tasks
- Do the task correctly the first time, so no repeat work is created
- Encourage people to provide solutions, not just problems
4 Low urgency, Low importance
- Reduce procrastination by using a daily schedule or plan
- Eliminate low value work as it is received
- Don’t get caught in the office chat or politics if you are busy.
- Learn to say no
Working within prioritised task schedules can help you remain on task and focused about what is coming up throughout the day. You will be doing the most important work at the right time, and then completing the less important work when you have time to clear it.
by Linden | Feb 19, 2020 | Goal Setting, Life Coaching Resources, Life Purpose
Knowing how to get promoted is key if you are wanting more job responsibility. It may take some time to establish yourself as a top performer in your workplace, and there are some effective ways to increase your chances.
You won’t get a promotion for the length of time you have been in the job, nor if you engage in office politics and gossip regularly. That will get you noticed, but not in the best way.
Your career growth is your responsibility and there are many ways to show your work ethic and enthusiasm. It is an area that I work in and can help you with your career growth.
Here are my top tips to put into practice:
1 Give your company great value for the time you are there. Know your job and do it well. Discuss the priorities for your responsibilities and tasks with your boss so you are working towards the organisation’s goals.
2 Be a team player and collaborate with your co-workers. Your boss needs people who are committed to their job, but also committed to the team objectives and take up responsibilities on projects.
3 Ask how you can help. Make yourself irreplaceable as the known ‘go-to’ for a particular office function such as ensuring customer contact is met within a short timeframe, or conversations in difficult situations remain calm and resolved quickly. Keep cool under pressure.
4 Learn new skills. By knowing the promotional job you are targeting you can research the role and the higher-level skills required. Learn online or through the company, building soft skills such as self-discipline, focus, creativity, work ethic and problem-solving skills. Note down any specific improvements that you contribute to for the company to add to your resume.
5 Get noticed for the right reasons by being engaged in the organisation’s activities. Contribute your ideas at staff meetings, put you hand up for projects and committees to expand your skills base, and dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
Remember to smile and enjoy your job, even though you may be wishing you already had that promotion. Think leadership and cultivate a good working relationship with your boss as well as your colleagues. Allow your boss to know you and the great value that you bring to your role.
Know that preparation is key to planning for a new role, and that is where I can help you. With many years engaged in roles at all levels of organisations I am in a good position to provide valuable advice.
Know your ‘why’. Knowing why you want to succeed and build a lasting career for yourself should be your guide. And I can help you to determine this.
by Linden | Jan 27, 2020 | Life Coaching Resources, Life Purpose
I have recently posted a lot about change in social media, being ready for change, and seeking changes at work. The following information can assist your awareness and understanding of the Stages of Behaviour Change and provide the foundations for your successful navigation to successful realisation of your goals.
How to get started changing your habits or behaviour
Whether you want to lose weight, change jobs, or run a marathon, you may need to try several different ways to reach that goal. The key to maintaining focus on the change that you want is to find ways to motivate yourself and have small wins.
Understanding the stages of change and the steps that you will most likely go through will help you to work through each stage and reach your goals.
By taking the idea of change into smaller steps or elements it is easier to recognise the ways to work through each stage to help you achieve and motivate yourself for the total change to occur.
The three most important components of changing a behaviour involve being ready to change, recognising any barriers you might find to that change, and having strategies in place if a relapse to the former habit crops up.
The Stages of Change
One of the well-known change models is the Stages of Change or Transtheoretical Model, introduced in the late 1970s by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente who based their study on ways too help people to give up smoking.
Stage 1: Pre-contemplation
Not aware of a problem and no willingness to change. Regular self-analysis to assess your behaviour is recommended to avoid any negative or problem behaviour.
Stage 2: Contemplation
You might become aware of benefits of making a change, but some factors create a sense of conflicted emotions about changing. Strategies include evaluating your readiness and ability to change; and identifying barriers to change. This stage in the model can last for substantial periods of time.
Stage 3: Preparation
Beginning with small changes in preparation for a larger change, or steps being taken with the intention to make real changes shortly. Strategies can include writing out your goals, preparing action plans and positive affirmations or other motivating elements such as visualisation boards.
Stage 4: Action
Start some direct action to make real change in your life. Enjoy new ways of doing or thinking about your goals and celebrate any positive steps you have taken. Support from friends or your coach is very important in helping maintain your positive steps forward. Take time to refresh your progress and written goals to maintain momentum and motivation.
Stage 5: Maintenance
This stage involves successful behaviour change and importantly successful mindset to a new way of thinking. New strategies for coping with temptations and rewards for new milestones met are important to cement the change. Your chances of lapsing into old unwanted behaviours is now much diminished.
Stage 6: Relapse
If you do relapse, remind yourself that you have made fantastic progress so far, and this disappointment is a minor setback. Call on the commitment to your goals that led to your changed behaviour, identify the triggers to that led to this upset, and recognise any barriers. Remain positive and motivated to continue success in your new state and reaffirm your goals and self-confidence.
If you find a need for a structured support program to reach the action and maintenance stages, then engaging a coach or other professional program would be advisable.
by Linden | Dec 29, 2019 | Life Coaching Resources
A few days until we leave 2019 behind and move into a new year. A single word can play a role in bringing you happiness, and emotional and spiritual healing: Forgiveness.
Personal growth requires self-forgiveness as well as forgiveness of others.
Forgiveness is about how you can change your life — bringing you the peace you need to move on.
We hold anger and hurt in our hearts while we have expectations of other people and life situations we can’t control. We have a personal sphere of influence and can control our own thoughts and behaviour, not those of others.
With a growth mindset, the end of a relationship requires a goal of forgiveness – as the saying goes – “forgive and forget.”
The first person you need to forgive is yourself. Forgiveness is understanding that the only person you hurt when you’re upset – no matter how justified it may be – is yourself.
With a fixed mindset, blaming another when something goes wrong is a usual reaction. Fixed mindset people find it difficult to forgive.
According to mindset expert Carol S Dweck:
“In a relationship, the growth mindset lets you rise above blame, understand the problem, and try to fix it – together.”
There is a well-known saying:
“To understand all is to forgive all.”
Even if everything in you wants to blame someone else, consider giving yourself the gift of forgiving your expectations.
Swap your expectations for appreciation and transformation. Letting go of blaming means you can move on and serve your best interests.
“Forgiveness is a gift to yourself, not to the events or people who created hurt in your life.”
Recognise the importance of self-care not only for your mental wellbeing but also for your professional success. Your life is what you make it.
by Linden | Dec 8, 2019 | Aromatherapy for coaching, Life Coaching Resources, Life Purpose
Lean into the holiday feeling…
“STRESS BEATER BREATHING”
A One-Week Challenge
This one-week challenge is all about feeling relaxed, calm, and stress-free … how magical will that be!?
This breathing technique will help you feel less stressed almost instantly! It’s called Four-Square Breathing”. And no, it doesn’t involve an actual square or box. 🙂
If you haven’t already noticed, stress can sneak up on you during the day. You might start out feeling great, but then all of a sudden you notice your shoulders are tight and you are holding your breath.
Four-Square Breathing, otherwise known as Box Breathing, or Controlled Breathing, is a great way to reduce stress and to give your mind a break for a few minutes. Special Forces, public speakers, and surgeons use tactical breathing to help control their thoughts and emotions when faced with challenging situations that obscure their clarity.
Square Breathing is an effective breath exercise to combat feelings of worry, anxiety and panic. It regulates the breath and heart rate, alleviates tension and feelings of confusion and panic and brings a general sense of peace and order to the mind and body.
- Be sure to draw out the inhale and exhale so it fills the full four counts
- Relax! Try not to hold tension in your face.
Are you in? Just do ONE SESSION a day.
Try this and let me know how you go in the comment space below.
by Linden | Dec 8, 2019 | Goal Setting, Life Coaching Resources, Life Purpose
Wow, December already.
And with that comes another birthday for me. This one is a remember and reflect birthday because for me it is a significant number in years.
December is also the time that begins decorations for the festive season, reflecting on family and friends and what to buy as gifts that they will love, and a time to consider holidays and good times ahead. Joy! My word of 2019.
What does December mean to you?
Do you look forward to celebrations with friends and family, or start to dread the hustle of shopping in overcrowded stores trying to find that something just right for your significant purchases? Or just a parking spot?
As 2019 nears drawing to a close I seem to reflect more on the highlights and not so highs of the past year and think about what I can take forward into the new year, and this time new decade.
Undertaking study as a life coach and taking on coaching for myself as a self-discovery and self-reflection program has been so very rewarding personally and spiritually and given me the chance to meet so many incredible and wonderful people who have expanded my world and my perspective on my life and my influence in this world.
I have valued the opportunity to reflect on and appreciate all my many complex life experiences and gain lessons that I know passing on to others through coaching will enrich their personal perspective. Living life so fully focused on the best I can be for myself has brought the highs and also the not so highs, as perfectionism and hyper- achievement are huge saboteurs for me.
How will you reflect on yourself and your impact in the world in 2019?
Will you take the best of your learnings and plan for even better for 2020?
Time is running out quickly as December starts it’s race to the finish, so take some time to reflect.
What is your dream for 2020? What does the reflection of you look like in the mirror? Make that reflection a happy one, one that looks back at you proud of what you have achieved, and purposeful for what you know you can achieve in 2020.
If you want to uncover what that purpose is, book my Complimentary Discovery Call and we can start your discovery today. www.essentialyoulifecoaching.com/connect/
