Are you controlling your time or is time controlling you?

Time management is a skill and like anything else needs to be planned and practiced.

What is time management?

By definition time management is the act or process of exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity.

What can time management do for you?

-help you meet your goals?
-help you gain control of  your life
-help you achieve greater productivity
-help you increase your confidence
-help give you more time to include fun in your life
-help decrease the stress level in your life

There are many strageties and techniques to time management.  Below are some simple steps to start applying time management to your life.

1) Figure out what you need to get done.  Make a list.

2) Look at your list and prioritize it.  Write # 1 by the first task, # 2 by the second task, and # 3 by the third task etc.......

3) Structure your day.  Use an agenda or any other method to write down when and at what time you will work on your tasks.  Estimate the amount of time you will need to complete each task.

4) Apply yourself.  No procrasination.  Just do it as Nike says and you will find that in time you will become more accomplished, productive, and have time for fun and other important things in your life.

* Don"t forget to get enough rest and have fun.  It is good to get things done, but balance is always the key.

*Remember time cannot be replaced so learn to value it and make the most of it.

How balanced is your life?

 

Try this exercise to discover how balanced your life is

Take a piece of paper and draw a big circle.  Now divide the circle into 10 equal pieces. Label each piece of the pie with one of the following headings.  Label every piece of the pie making sure that each piece has a different heading.

Significant other (romance)

Spiritual

Career

Finances

Health and Fitness

Physical Environment/ Possessions

Fun/ Recreation/ Self care

Personal development/ Education

Friends/ Community

Family

To complete the exercise you will need 10 different coloured pencil crayons.  Think about each heading of your pie and shade it in to represent how satisfied you are with each aspect of your life.  For example if you are 100% satisfied with your career shade in the whole piece of pie labelled career.

The circle (whole pie) represents your entire life.  Each piece of the pie is a part of your life.

When you are done coloring the pieces of your pie reflect on your new discovery.

What aspects of your life do you need to work on?

What steps will you take to balance out your life?

What are the benefits of a balanced life?

Poetry " Spring is Coming "

Spring is coming
It's just around the corner
A new year has just begun
The birds are singing
The children are playing
The flowers are beginning to grow

Are you the driver or the passenger in your life?

Life is like driving a car.  You can be the driver or the passenger.  When you jump into your car one usually has a destination.  The object is generally to get from point A to point B.

So where are you in your life?


Point A is where you are now

Point B is where you want to go

In order to get to point B you need a plan.

The formula is pretty simple

(GOAL) +(PLAN) + (IMPLEMENT THE PLAN) + (FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE PLAN) + (PERSISTENCE) = (GOAL ACHIEVED)

Are you applying this formula to your life?

Try it out.  Pick a small, simple, and achievable goal to work on.  Make a plan and a timeline to complete it.  Follow through with your plan and don't give up. Enjoy the fruits of your labour and continue achieving your goals.  Think of this process as a game.  Are you winning and having fun at the same time?

One step at a time and you will achieve great results.

Everyday is Valentine's Day

How to celebrate Valentine's Day everyday:

1) Grab a journal and start writing down all the things you can do for yourself to show yourself love.
Read what you have written.

2) When you are done start writing down all the things you can do to show other people love.
Read what you have written.

3) Do one loving thing for yourself and someone else everyday for the next 7 days; make sure to journal about your experience(s).

 4) After 7 days have passed read about your 7 days of experience displaying acts of love towards yourself and others.

5) Reflect on this experience.  What are your feelings and thoughts?

6) What are the benefits of loving yourself and others?

*Celebrate your love for yourself and others everyday.  You don't have to wait for valentines day.

Challenge your thoughts

Have you ever spent the day keeping track of your thoughts?


Here is an exercise to check out how negative or positive your thoughts are. 

What you willl need:

A journal, pen, or pencil, a watch or timer, and some time.

Directions:

1) As soon as you wake up record your first thought(s); then continue your day and record 1 to 3 thoughts every hour during a 5 hour period.

2) When 5 hours has passed look at your journal where you recorded your thoughts.  Were most of your thoughts negative, positive, or a mixture of both?

3) Rewrite the negative thoughts into positive thoughts.

* Next time you process a thought be conscious of what you are thinking and change each negative thought into a positive thought.

* You will find in time that you will become a more positive person and will eventually begin to see the positive side in every situation.

It makes for a happier life.

What are you waiting for?  Experiment with yourself and give it a try.  You have nothing to loose and everything to gain.  The best part is that it is absolutely FREE.

So is the glass half empty or half full?

Reflecting on Life

Although life can be challenging and not always fun, I hope you have something to smile about or at least laugh about.  Happiness and love are two things most people yearn for and yet find so unattainable.

Happiness is defined on an individual bases and only you know exactly what makes you happy.  Look around you and find something to be grateful about.  Focus on the positive things and find out ways to change negative situations into positive situations.  Take the first step no matter how scary it can be.  It is only when plans are put into action does a change occur.

If you want to attract love practive giving love.  If you believe in the law or attraction then the love you give with eventually return to you.

Have a happy heart, laugh, and smile.    Contain your problems and don't let them control your life.

After all isn't being given the gift of life enough already?

You are in control of your life.  So where do you want to go?  What do you want to achieve?  What is your purpose in life?

Take a deep breath and just relax.  Everything will be okay.

Rest well.  Tomorrow is another day.  Make the most of it.

Poetry "What is your Story "

Tell me your story
I love happy endings
Did you fall in love?
Did you create children?
Have you experienced all you wanted?
Have you done everything you wanted to do?
It's not over, you have only just begun
Never give up through the good and the bad
Life is about challenges, experiences, and change
Write your own story don't live someone elses

By Candice Hung February 2, 2011

Poetry-" Tippy Toes "

Tippy, tippy toes
Please be quiet
The children are sleeping
No need for waking
Walk very quietly
One foot at a time
The children need their rest
It's time to do our best
Hush, hush, talk in a low voice
Whisper softly not in a loud voice
Good night children
Sweet dreams I wish you
I long to see you early in the morning

By Candice Hung February 2, 2011

Poetry- "Growing Up"

Growing up is hard to do
To find my own way in this kind of way
The heart aches one feels
Takes time to heal
All in time one my find
Things get better each and every day
The pain subsides
Deep down inside
Eventually a smile may appear
The heart will open up without fear
For it will find love again
And learn to mend again and again

By Candice Hung February 2, 2011