4 Steps You Should Take to Become More Productive

If you’d like to learn how to become more productive so you can accomplish more on a daily basis, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.

---

Last night, a friend of mine (let’s call him Jameel) took me to his mentor. He was going to get some business advice and wanted someone to tag along for the ride. Having nothing to do for the rest of the day, I decided to go. After waiting for about an hour at his office, we finally got that chance to meet him: A simple looking guy (supposed to be a guru in his field) with a twitchy left eye.

Jameel and his mentor talked for about half an hour or so, and I sat there quietly nodding my head. To be honest, the entire discourse was quite engrossing and truly inspiring to say the least. But if there is one thing that clicked (and that I’d like to share it with you guys) is his reply to my friend’s doubts of failure.

“I am doing everything right,” asked the now vulnerable Jameel, “but there is this looming fear, this doubt that is eating me alive. What should I do about it?” “I am not the kind of person you should be asking this question,” was the reply. “I have never had the fear of failure so I don’t know what to say to you. All I have ever done in my life is done each day’s work to the best of my abilities. That’s it, and I would advise you to do the same.”

“Will you succeed?” He went on. “Will you fail? No one can guarantee that. That is something out of your jurisdiction. Even if you do everything right, there is still a chance that you might fail. And even if you do fail, then what? Will the Earth shatter? Or will the skies fall over? Businesses fail, that’s the fact of life and you should be strong enough to take that bet.

Either you do everything right, one step a time, one task a day and trust the journey and increase your chances of success. Or you keep on obsessing about the future, fretting about failure, instead of doing the actual work and increasing your chances of failure.

Your best bet is to do each task to the best of your abilities and leave the rest to God.”

The reason this mini-speech hit me is because that is exactly what I did to become a better person than I was a couple of years ago. And even if you’re not a proponent of fate or a believer in God, there’s a practical truth to what the mentor said. In fact, the great stoics also had a similar approach to life.

“Do right. Do your best. Treat others as you want to be treated.” – Lou Holtz

What did the ancient stoics say?

Stoics are proponents of Stoicism, a philosophical school of thought that believes human virtue lies in knowledge, and the wise are the ones that are at peace with providence (good or bad).

The great stoic Epictetus put forth his “dichotomy of control” illustrating that the world is divided into things that are in our control (thoughts, emotions, and actions) and things that are out of our control (possessions, looks, or privilege).

If you carefully differentiate the things that are in your control from the things that are not, you influence the things that are in your control to make your life the way you visualize it. You also stop worrying about things that are not under your control. You come to realize how pointless it is and that saves you a great deal of time and energy.

Putting the philosophy into practice

What’s the point to philosophy when there is little to no practicality when it comes to actual meaningful changes in your life? That is exactly why I am a strong proponent of Stoicism as it is the most practical of all philosophies.

Still, being stuck in a place for too long tends to make it difficult to get out and one needs a little more than philosophy to get one out of the mess. 

Here are a few practical steps that I took to make my life a little bit better:

1. Write down your goals

I know how big of a cliché this is, but there’s a reason why it is such a big cliché, it works. Take out a pen and a paper, and write down all of the things you want to achieve.

Think of something that you want to do or need to do. It can be anything from your homework to an art project or maybe as trivial as cleaning up your room. List out as many things as possible.

“Everybody has their own Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.” – Seth Godin

2. Prioritize your goals

Divide them based on priorities. An assignment due this week should be at the top, an art project, a bit lower.

3. Break them down

Break down each goal into little ones that you know you can easily accomplish. Make sure to also spread them across a few weeks or months (depending upon the estimated time for the project).

For example, if your goal is to read a book. Don’t force yourself to read a hundred pages in one go because that’s plain stupid. Think about it this way, if you want to become a swimmer, would you simply dive into a sea or would you first start learning in a pool?

Start by reading 10 pages a day. After a week, turn it up to 12 or 15 a day and keep on increasing each week until you have reached your goal of reading 100 pages a day.

4. Become accountable

The ultimate goal is to live a better life and to do that we have to take one step at a time and for that we require consistency. How do you ensure consistency in productivity?

Here’s how I did it:

At the start of my freelancing career, I only took projects when I felt like it. Some months I’d earn more while on others I’d be asking for financial help. After months of going nowhere and almost sabotaging my career, I decided to do a simple thing that changed everything for the better.

I committed myself to writing 1000 words a day, except weekends, for the entire month. This was an easy goal because there were days when I wrote 2500-3000 words a day when one of my deadlines was tight.

The idea was to become consistent. To keep track of it, I decided to create a simple spreadsheet on google docs. The first couple of days were easy because I was feeling motivated. The third day was a bit difficult because I was losing motivation. The magic happened on the fourth day when I didn’t feel like doing the work but ended up doing it because of the sheer fact that I had to report it on my spreadsheet.

At the end of this little experiment, I had earned more than I had ever earned in a month. If there is anything that I would like you to take away from all this is to set yourself a goal every night and complete it every day without fearing the outcome.

Do you have any tactics on how to become more productive? Share them with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/4-steps-you-should-take-to-become-more-productive/

The 7 Things that Are Preventing You from Enjoying Life to the Fullest

If you’d like to learn how to live each moment to the fullest and succeed in all aspects of your life so you can be happy, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.

---

To some people, life is unfair. To some, life is good. And to others, life is great. It all depends on your perspective and how much responsibility you take for your personal development and income.

But regardless of how we see life, we all want the same thing – to live each moment to the fullest. It doesn’t matter if you are the richest person alive or the poorest. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the happiest person on earth or the saddest, we all want to enjoy life to the fullest.

The problem is – there are some things hindering us from this goal that our mind is hiding from us. It might be difficult to discover these things on your own, but if you don’t just want to exit, but also live; if you don’t just want to survive, but also thrive, you must get rid of these things.

Today we will examine the 7 things that are preventing you from living each moment to the fullest and how to break free from them:

1. Trying to Please Everyone

There are many reasons this is futile. The dominant one is that you’ll never be happy being someone else because you’ll put yourself under immense pressure trying to pull it off. And when it’s all been said and done, you still won’t be able to please everybody because different people want different things for you. The question is – what do you want for yourself?

The second reason is even worse for life-changing decisions like career, business, or marriage. The people you’re trying to please won’t suffer the consequences with you daily. They won’t be the ones going about with the burden of that poor decision. In fact, you might end up resenting them for the poor decisions you made to please them.

If you always try to please everyone, you will never, ever enjoy life to the fullest.

2. Waiting for Permission

If you think someone won’t give you their blessing to do what is really important to you, don’t go to them to ask for permission. Just do it anyway and apologize later if need be. If it is so important to you, then do it. You have to be bold enough to stand up for yourself.

“Do what makes YOU happy. Focus on what brings YOU joy. Appreciate and do more things that make YOU smile. Live your life for yourself. You matter! You count! You’re deserving of true happiness! This is YOUR life. Live it to the fullest! Live life with no regrets.” – Stephanie Lahart

3. Waiting for the Right Time

The problem with waiting for the right time is – it never comes. Weeks will pass, then months, and even years, and you will always find an excuse to procrastinate. Then you will regret not starting now.

The right time is now; when you have the motivation. Happiness isn’t something you can find, you have to create it. And if you do that, years will pass by and you would be happy that you started now.

Sure it might not go as expected, but as Mark Twain Said, “Twenty years from now, you will be disappointed more by the things you didn’t do than by the things you do.”

4. Comparing Yourself to Others

The danger of comparing yourself to others is that you might think you’re doing so well that you’ll relax too much. Or you might find out that the people you’re comparing yourself to are miles ahead of you and you might get discouraged. 

Sure, you should be competing with someone; but that person isn’t your someone else rather than the person you were yesterday. As long as you do better today than you did yesterday, and you do that every day, you are already successful. 

“A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it, it just blooms.” – Zen Shin

5. Taking Self-Education Lightly

A wise man, Jim Rohn, once said, “formal education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune.” and there’s a lot of truth in that.

They don’t teach you the concept of lifestyle design for absolute freedom in school. You can only learn that by reading books (or listening to audiobooks) like the 4-hour workweek by Tim Ferriss.

In school, they don’t teach you the life-changing concept of goal setting. But you can learn from books like Goals! By Brian Tracy; that shows you how to achieve everything you want faster than you ever thought possible.

Your parents might not teach you how to achieve financial freedom (maybe they aren’t financially independent themselves); but you can learn something like that in Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki.

The point is, it doesn’t matter whether you are a doctor who also wants to do better; a businessman who wants to get ahead faster; or a person who just wants to live happier, there are blogs, books, podcasts, and other things out there that can save you years of hard work and learning the hard way.

As the popular saying goes, knowledge is power.

6. Being Afraid of Failure

Many people are afraid of failure because they think it’s a bad thing. But failure gives you experience, which they say, is the best teacher. It teaches you everything you need to succeed. Plus, you can use Tim Ferriss’ fear setting to master it. 

You can also avoid failure easily if you love self-education – aka learning from history. And finally, you can overcome it if you are willing to live with the possibility of failure and you plan to learn from it to become smarter.

7. Missing out on the Benefits of Meditation

Some people think they don’t have time for meditation. But given the fact that it literally increases focus and attention, reduces stress, preserves the aging brain, physically changes the brain structure for the better, reduces anxiety and depression, helps overcome addictions, and has a bunch of other benefits; I think it is safe to say that you don’t have the time not to meditate.

And Don’t Forget to do This

Define what success means to you. To some people, it means becoming rich and living the billionaire lifestyle. Some people just want to climb to the top of the corporate ladder, have a wonderful family, and live happily ever after. Some people would love to join or create their own NGO to achieve a higher purpose.

But all that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you know exactly what it is you want to do with your life. You need to define success in your own terms. What does success mean to you? Use your answer to devise a plan to make it happen.

It will make your life a lot easier and your decision making swift every time. So the next time you have a big decision to make, you can ask yourself, does it take me closer to my goal? Or farther from it?

What activity makes you enjoy your life to the fullest? Share your thoughts with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/the-7-things-that-are-preventing-you-from-enjoying-life-to-the-fullest/

The Most Important Money Lesson I’ve Ever Learned

If you’d like to learn how to care for your money so you can make it grow exponentially over time, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.

---

Airports are a strange place. Time feels like it does not exist, massage places occur right next to restaurants, and strangers will talk to anyone within sight. It only seems fitting then that I got one of the best pieces of advice from this place where water is worth its weight in gold. I was waiting at the terminal in one of the eternally sticky polyester chairs, and I set my purse on the floor. Immediately, a woman looked up from her magazine at me and said, “Don’t put your purse on the ground.”

Initially, I thought it was for safety reasons, like making it an easy target for pickpockets. This woman proceeded to tell me that by putting my money on the ground, I am disrespecting the value of the work that went into obtaining it. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

When I put my money on the ground, I showed less pride in it by failing to keep it in a safe place. I was neglecting it, leading to the possibility that it could be stolen or lost.

If we don’t want to leave our money in a state of disarray in our purse or wallet on the floor, then why would we have the same mentality toward the organization of our budgets and business accounts?

Show Your Money Its Worth

Money’s worth may be determined by the markets on any given day, but it’s true value differs for each individual. In your budgets, you want to make sure you have employees that augment your understanding of what your services are worth.

Look for people who will work well with your company by fitting into one of two categories. In business, it is a common error to think one person can do multiple roles and save you more money as a result. Realistically, you cannot get everything out of one person, and it is more cost effective to have two people do more specific jobs for less hours.

Also make sure your employees respect the resources you decide merit your money. If they do not see what a program or campaign costs, there is greater the possibility of misusing or misunderstanding the materials. Showing pricing saves you money, because by attaching a value to a service, there is less likelihood of overspending on a project.

“Measure your wealth not by the things you have, but by the things for which you would not take money.” – Dave Ramsey

Don’t Take Your Money for Granted

Like the purse on the ground scenario, when you let your money out of your hands, you lose control over it. Automatic payment systems are both a blessing and a curse with how easily money can be transferred for services.

If there are non-essential or necessary autopay systems you have set up, monitor it monthly so you are keeping track of where money is going in your budget. Check your accounts to ensure it is not being used for an unnecessary expense that you may be unaware of. Also, contact your vendor to see if there are promotions you may be missing. If you do have to keep an automatic payment system, make sure to set up alerts, so you have a realistic grasp of your finances.

Ask About Your Money

If I had never questioned the woman in the airport, I would have never had that life-changing lesson about managing my budgets in business. This questioning mindset for your finances particularly benefits your assets when negotiating. When bargaining, there are two ideas to keep in mind to save costs.

The first is when working with another party in a deal, know there are more options than just money. The goal is creating an exchange that accommodates both parties’ demands, trading resources like people or time. By substituting these other options in a negotiation, you allow for your money to be spent on other important items in your budget.

When dialoguing with another company, it is important to focus on more than just making an exemplary agreement with them..Oftentimes, we want to offer a bargain, so we cut down the price of our services or product. By doing so, we devalue our company, because we now accept less money for a service and a smaller amount of revenue. When negotiating, we must not lose sight of the goal just for the sake of possibly gaining a sale.

“If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.” – Ben Franklin

If I had never put my purse on the floor of that airport, I would have lost an opportunity to learn one of the most important tips about money I have experienced in my life. Money is portrayed as being most powerful when spent, but there is often more success in saving. By valuing and caring for your money through budgeting with these mindsets, you are creating a legacy for a prosperous business. So as you visualize your life, take today to organize your dollars and, please, learn from my mistake of never putting your money on the ground.

What’s the most important money lesson you’ve ever learned? Share it with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/the-most-important-money-lesson-ive-ever-learned/

How to Launch Your Startup in 7 Easy Steps

We all want to manifest success in our lives. It fuels our desires to attain something. People perceive success differently as we have different desires. Some go after enriching themselves with material things to get financial freedom. Others study further to advance to the next level in their academic career.

Nevertheless, it’s necessary to identify clearly what we truly desire to achieve in life. This will give you a clear vision of which path you should go and what steps to take.

Bill Gates’s top secrets in achieving success includes starting as early as you can. He was only 13 years old when he started working with computers and looked how successful and influential he has become.

Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerburg built up his now multi-billion dollar company while he was still a student at Harvard University. Facebook has become one of the most popular and widely used social media platforms around the globe. 

These people proved that age is not a determining factor of success. Therefore, we don’t need to wait until we are old and stable enough to launch our start-up business. 

“If you believe in something, work nights and weekends. It won’t feel like work.” – Kevin Rose

The Key Elements to Achieving Success: Learning from the Best

Contrary to what we believe our elders have told us about hard work being the key to achieving success in life, Vishen Lakhiani, the Founder of Mindvalley said otherwise. He said that “Hard work has very, very, very little to do with success”.

According to his theory, there are four levels of consciousness that we need to achieve so that we can attain success in life: first, you need hard work; secondly, [you need to] learn how to do more with less work; thirdly, you need to [tap into your consciousness] and lastly, “Flow” “MOJO” and “Becoming Limitless”.

Vishen’s theory of success drops the binary ideas of success being a result of hard work or surrender alone. He believes that to be able to succeed in life, one must go through four different levels of consciousness stated above.

How to Attain Success in life?

We usually look after successful businessmen and personalities, hoping that we can use the same strategies they use to attain our own success. However, we must carefully consider which among their strategies are applicable to us. That being said, the following steps are guaranteed to help you attain success in your stat-up.

Step one: Have a clear vision of your goals in life

The title pretty much explains itself. For you to be able to achieve success in life, you must have a vivid vision of your goals in life. Ask yourself, “What is it that I truly want to achieve?” If you desire to achieve a lot of things in your life, listing them chronologically according to the degree or intensity of your desire pertaining to each goal will help you identify which among them are you going to prioritize and which comes next.

Step two: Find motivation

Your goal/s should be enough motivation for you already however, sometimes when our goal/s takes a lot of time to materialize or even seem impossible to happen as we planned—we lost our hope. In times like these, we need to motivate ourselves to remind us that giving up on our dreams would lead us nowhere, rather, we need to assess what we’ve been doing wrong and analyse if everything else is still in alignment with our goals. 

Step three: Create a timeline

Time is of the essence. It is important to have a timeline in achieving your goals. This prevents you from procrastinating and helps you control loss at worst case scenario. If your goal is time-bound, you will be forced to do everything just to achieve it within the time frame you set for yourself. 

Step four: Make your plan of actions

This pertains to your course of actions. What are the things that you need to do to enable your goals to materialize? Planning without taking the necessary actions to make it happen is merely dreaming. Likewise, doing things without a plan is futile and just a waste of time and resources. Hence, planning and taking actions are equally important in achieving success. Using your timeline, create a list of the necessary course of actions that you’ll take in every stage to ultimately achieve your end goals.

Step five: Create a contingency plan

Change is constant thus it is only natural to create your plans and goals flexible enough to deal with inevitable changes. However, it is also important to have a contingency plan so that if things go south, you are well-prepared to change course. Oftentimes, having something to fallback with gives us the assurance that there is still another way to achieve our goals. It also helps us cut further losses and refocus our actions to our vision even though it might be totally different from what we originally planned.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs

Step six: Have faith

You already followed every step diligently, now the next step would be to simply believe that luck is on your side and that everything will unfold the way you envisioned it.

Step seven: Share your blessings

It’s always a great practice to share your blessings with other people. This is not only a form of giving back to the community or to the people who have helped you to become who you are now, it also brings you closer to God and lessen your enemies. Sharing your blessings helps you build a more positive environment where people are collaborating and working harmoniously, helping one another to succeed in life.

from
https://addicted2success.com/startups/how-to-launch-your-startup-in-7-easy-steps/

4 Proactive Ways to Get Terrifically Closer to the Success You’re Striving For

Does your story resonate with what follows? You want a successful, non-mediocre life, but even after watching hundreds of motivational videos, reading thousands of self-improvement blogs and applying various productivity techniques, you can’t make a significant difference in your life. I know it can be demotivating. But fortunately, nothing is forever and you can soon be on the greener side. You can change your life for the better.

These 4 proactive ways can bring you closer to your dreams:

1. Awareness

Imagine you are planning to make something different, texture filled for today’s dinner. You go to a supermarket and suddenly realise that you haven’t actually decided what you are making. Can you be successful? No. And that is why being aware of what you want in your life is important. If you don’t know what you want, you surely aren’t getting it. So, first and foremost decide what you want. Is it peace, money, status, a healthy body or anything else?

Let’s assume you have decided you are making a cheese pizza. But, do you know how big? Or with what toppings? If this isn’t specified, you won’t know how much and what to buy. So, knowing how it would be like when you achieve your goals is important. For example, if you want to achieve peace, you know that you’ll be happier, able to control your emotions, etc. If you want money you know that you’ll have 3 Lamborghinis, 1 beachside mansion, and likewise.

“Awareness allows us to get outside of our mind and observe it in action.” – Dan Brule

2. Self Assessment

You decided on making a large cheese pizza with toppings of capsicum and onion. Now, the most important part is do you have the skills to make it? Can you cut or bake? Half of us are stuck here. We know what we want, we know how it will be but we don’t know whether we have what it takes. 

However, the good part is you can always figure out and this is how:

• Make a list of 10 skills you need to achieve what you want. For example, if you want Peace, you must know how to get rid of negative influences in your life. For the money, you should have a business plan or knowledge of the field you are entering in. 

• Make a Likert scale for these 10 things. Suppose you are thinking of becoming a writer and you decide 10 skills that you will need for it. For now, let’s take writing skills. Frame statements like I am happy with my vocabulary, I am happy with my grammar, etc. Each statement will be followed by a 5 point scale like strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, neutral, somewhat agree, strongly agree. Do the same for other skills.

• Rank and study the scale. Work on improving the areas that you lag in by framing an action plan.

3. Belief

Maybe you are self-aware and you know what you have to do. Great! But do you certainly and firmly believe you can achieve your goals? 

Case 1: Yes, I do!

Good! Because you think you can, you will do things which make it possible for you. No matter what happens, you stick to your commitments to yourself and get things done. You stay away from excuses. You are ready to prioritize because you know you can achieve your goals and nothing comes without a price. 

Case 2: I don’t know! Maybe or maybe not!

Red Alert! Because you don’t believe you can, you take things lightly. You justify when you are unable to stick to your commitments. You love excuses. You start thinking of Plan B more than Plan A. Slowly, plan B starts turning into plan A. You feel demotivated and shortly give up plan A completely.

Bitter as a pill but “If you don’t believe you can, you can’t”

“Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.” – Gandhi

4. How LONG?

You are self-aware and you believe you can, but still, it isn’t happening? “Keep trying until you don’t get there”, I won’t say that. Every goal must have a wisely calculated deadline. It isn’t practical if you don’t know how long you can keep trying.

It is possible that even after many efforts you don’t see your goals being accomplished. With all due respect for your hard work and dedication, maybe it’s time to explore new possibilities. Tweaks and changes in plans can become your turning points. So, don’t hesitate to give a second thought, if at all necessary. 

But, how will you decide if you should give a second thought or not? Would it actually kill you to keep going? This means, do you have the resources to keep going? By resources, I mean physical, mental and emotional capabilities. 

So, if you think you aren’t making the 20 million dollars you aimed for and you are wondering whether you should continue working towards it. See if you have the physical resources, which can be further loan taking capacity for your business plans. See if you have the mental and emotional resources, which can be working with the same motivation and optimism you had earlier. 

So, “Do you have the resources?”

Yes. Then pause! Resume!

No. Then stop! Recalculate!

These aren’t some hard and fast rules and you can make changes and learn from your experience. Just make sure you are working towards your goals and not away from them. Hope you are feeling powered up and if you wish to keep feeling that way, make sure your thoughts turn into actions. 

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/4-proactive-ways-to-get-terrifically-closer-to-the-success-youre-striving-for/

5 Basketball Lessons That Taught Me How To Close Consistent Sales

If you’d like to learn how to close consistent sales in your business so you can make money and be successful, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.

---

Heart pounding. Skin prickling. Unsure of what the outcome will be. Reminding myself to focus and breathe. Sales and competitive basketball have more in common than you’d think. The same tenacity, drive, and commitment that were required for success in my athletic career were the same things I needed to become successful in sales. 

When I became a mortgage loan officer, I was surprised to find that my adrenaline and nerves would spike as I picked up the phone to talk to a prospect, similar to when I was waiting for the ref’s whistle to blow to start a make or break play. 

If you’re new to making sales or haven’t quite found your footing yet, these transferable lessons can help you strengthen your skills:

1. Intentional Reps Equal Success

Intention plus action creates momentum. You can be good at anything if you get the reps in and focus on getting better with every set. Taking action for the sake of taking action can exacerbate poor habits, and make you feel like selling just isn’t your thing. The truth is that you need intentional practice so you consistently get better. 

Athletes are taught to focus on their form while executing different drills and exercises so that they can get the results they want. For example, in basketball, if you wanted to dribble better with your left hand, you would do everything with your left hand for 30 days to increase your coordination and familiarity with your non-dominant side. In sales, if you’re nervous about talking to people on the phone, you want to talk to five people minimum on the phone every day for 30 days. 

By pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, you’re able to grow. This is what differentiates the people who just get by and the people who consistently close.

“There are no shortcuts—everything is reps, reps, reps.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

2. Little Actions Yield Big Results

Small things can make a big difference, especially over time. If you can commit to doing the little things that make you better, you’ll see bigger results. For example, by putting yourself in more sales situations, you have increased your number of leads and chances for closing a sale. 

Likewise, if you increase your successful lead generating activities (the ones that you know work) by 20%, you now have more opportunities to sell to the right prospects. The same goes for implementing a 30-minute reach out session each week to existing and potential referral partners. When you put effort into small, important actions, you can actually yield big results in your closing numbers.

3. Learn How To Prioritize

You constantly hear about time management, but how often do you receive help understanding how to manage your time? Time management, in a nutshell, is valuing your time to make sure that you’re taking action in a way that actually moves you forward instead of digging you deeper. 

For example, doing paperwork and administrative tasks may be an important part of your duties, but if you get lost in those activities, you’ll miss out on the opportunity to make more sales. 

The truth is that time management is actually priority management. When you think about time management like that, it’s easier to see what activities are actually at the top of the list. Here’s an exercise that can help you develop a time and priority management system for yourself:

• Write out all of your business and sales needs.
• Once you have that list, break down your needs into three categories: urgent, important, and nice to have. 
• Sort your list by category: urgent first, important second, and nice to have last. If you’re not sure how to sort these needs, use this question as a guideline: “Is it improving my prospects or process? If no, then it’s not urgent.”
• Looking at your sorted list, how have you been prioritizing up until now? Do you find yourself spending more time than you thought focused on other needs instead of “urgent” needs?

If you realized you’ve been focusing on needs that are lower priority, it’s okay. Most people find out that’s what has been happening the first time they do this exercise. The goal is to recognize it and put a system in place that will help you focus on your needs in the proper priority hierarchy.

“The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time.” – Mozart

4. Discipline Matters

There are things that you’re not going to want to do that are central to achieving your goals. Discipline is about not giving up and sticking with the plan, even when you don’t feel like it. You can see this easily in sports. 

For example, there was a difference between the athletes who slacked on offseason and those who stuck to their workout and practice regimens. There was a significant difference between showing up for my workouts consistently or taking a week off, only to feel like I was starting at the beginning again. 

It’s in the consistency of pushing your boundaries, being willing to be uncomfortable, and taking intentional action that you grow your skill set. This approach increases your mental toughness and makes it easier for you to handle the ups and downs of sales. Discipline gives you the power of process, so there’s always something meaningful to do whenever an unexpected stressor hits. 

5. Learn To Win & Lose Properly

In sales, you’ll often hear about overcoming objections or turning a “no” into a “yes.” This advice is a little different. If a prospect gives you a genuine “no,” you have to learn how to take that loss as a good sport. Their answer does not automatically mean you did something bad or wrong, nor is it a reflection on how they feel about you as a person. Sometimes, an offer will not fit the needs of a prospect or for some reason, they’re not ready to move forward. 

Keep in mind that every interaction you have with a prospect is either a relationship-building experience or a relationship-detracting experience, and healthy relationships require you to know how to win and lose with grace. 

Where Will You Start?

Your sales journey is going to be full of hills and valleys. There will be moments where you feel like you’re treading water and moments where you feel invincible. The key to making that ratio more wins than losses is in how you approach your sales game. 

Which of the above lessons will you focus on first to improve your sales game? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/5-basketball-lessons-that-taught-me-how-to-close-consistent-sales/

6 Simple but Important Ways for Entrepreneurs to Avoid Burnout

If you’d like to learn how to avoid burning out so you can have a long and successful career, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.

---

Burnout affects professionals in every industry, but it can be particularly problematic being an entrepreneur because when it’s their own business, it can be on their mind all day, every day. It is more than just a sense of being tired. It is the state of being overwhelmed emotionally, mentally and physically, to the point that you need a break in order to keep functioning. 

Burnout is easy to find but difficult to avoid for entrepreneurs. There are, however, 6 things that entrepreneurs can do to minimize burnout:

1. Set a ‘Normal’ Schedule

One of the worst things an entrepreneur can do is be available all the time. Sometimes, when we start a new business, we want to be available all the time to make sure that things are being done correctly. While this is a noble idea, it is not practical at all. 

We need to be able to stop, rest and spend time with friends and family from time to time. You can be “on-call” for emergencies only but allow your employees to handle the running of day-today tasks. 

Be sure that you train them to understand what to do in typical situations and provide guidance on how you make difficult decisions. If you own a retail business, consider being there some days for opening schedules and on other days closing schedules. Don’t forget to schedule days off too. 

Especially try to avoid the “clopen” if you own a retail business that is open late and opens early by staying late and then being in very early the following morning. Encourage your employees to avoid doing this as often as possible, as well. Of course, sometimes this may be necessary, but don’t make a habit of it.

2. Hire Good People

This one sounds like a no brainer, but sometimes people do not often realize how important it really is. If you hire people who can do their jobs effectively, you can focus on the important things and be much less stressed. Remember as well that good doesn’t mean average, they need to be really good for you to relax.

“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” – Steve Jobs

3. Plan

This is different from your schedule and you must plan what to do with your schedule. Your schedule is the hours you work and the plan is what to do with those hours. For example, you could have Meeting Monday, Business Building Tuesday, Work from Home Wednesday, Training Thursdays and Free Fridays. These may be the extent of your planned agenda, but you should also have a plan for each day. If you know Mondays are your days to plan meetings, don’t schedule one while you are training an employee on Thursday.

You could also plan blocks of time. For instance, 8-10 Meetings, 10-2 Training and Lunch, 2-5 Business building phone calls, 5-6 Free Hour. Nothing has to be uniform either. You could schedule in 10-minute blocks or 2-hour ones. You might even schedule some of each.

4. Schedule Catch Up Time

Sometimes we get behind on work. Things go wrong at home, work, or in our personal lives that command our attention. Without a time to work on catching up, we can begin to feel perpetually behind. Give yourself a day here and there to do nothing but catch up. Do not schedule anything on these days.

“Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week.” – Charles Richards

5. Sleep

Sleep is good. Schedule one day a week to start later and sleep in if you can. If you have children to get ready for their day, consider leaving early one day and going to bed earlier or plan a midday nap. 

Sleep is important and can increase productivity as well. The more tired our brains are, the slower we are and the more mistakes we make. Get some rest! Even if it is not sleep, relax. You need to be able to rest.

6. Let Go

Mistakes will happen, things will go wrong and ideas will fail. These are just simple truths of life. Let them go. If your favorite worker quits, do not beat yourself up. You can certainly ask them if there was something more you could have done, but try not to let it get you down.

On the other hand, if they quit because they felt underappreciated and overworked, consider what you might do differently with the next employee. Keep in mind, some people will leave and there is no changing that. Do not let everything be the end of the world. Make peace with the way things are and change what you can. Let everything else go.

Burnout is easier to avoid than you realize but you may need to work at it a little. It’s very easy to recommend taking breaks, sticking to a schedule and letting things go but putting the advice into action can be difficult. 

You owe it to yourself and your business to learn to avoid the triggers of burnout. Own your time, mistakes and plans. Could you still wind up feeling burnt out? Sure, but these steps will minimize the risk of it happening. 

How do you make sure you avoid burning out in your career? Share your thoughts with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/6-simple-but-important-ways-for-entrepreneurs-to-avoid-burnout/

How to Harness Your Own Uniqueness

If you’d like to learn how to harness your own unique personality traits so you can be successful in pursuing your passions, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.

---

No two people are exactly alike. Yet, we were all created in God’s image. Each one of us has their own preferences when it comes to things that they hold dear to their heart and things that do not matter to them.

The small things that bring you joy and the unique things that you find fascinating are the most beautiful things about you. They are unique to you and there can never be the exact same duplicate of you elsewhere on the face of the Earth. Even identical twins have certain aspects of their life or persona that make them different.

Unfortunately, we all have a tendency of comparing ourselves to others. We think that by using people we admire in some way as a standard, we will improve who we are and make ourselves better people.

We believe that by doing that we will be happier; instead what this does is trick our feelings and our imagination into thinking we are not good enough. It makes us want to change several aspects of our lives including the unchangeable ones.

“What sets you apart can sometimes feel like a burden and it’s not. And a lot of the time, it’s what makes you great.” – Emma Stone

Where we go wrong

When we compare ourselves to someone else, we are pursuing an unattainable ideal. We often tend to think if I could have that car, that house, that dress, or that job then I would be happy but then this is futile. These external changes only bring momentary happiness at best. The only thing that results is that when we get that car, that house, that dress and that job, we just want something else.

If only I had a better nose, bigger hips, were thinner, more muscular, a size 0, then I will be happy, be loved and love myself. What standards do we use to measure the ideal situation or the ideal life? When is bigger or thinner ever big or thin enough?

All these standards that we try to fit ourselves into are things that our minds have been conditioned to believe are ideal. God created us different and when he did that he knew the reason why. If he had wanted us to be the same in any way, it wouldn’t be a problem for him to make it happen. He created us differently on purpose.

The elusive goal

Each of us is unique in our own way. When God created us, He made us beautiful and wonderful. Trying to compare ourselves to others squashes our uniqueness. It takes away our creativity to make the world a better place to live in.

What we really need to know is that comparison is a moving target. It will never give us what we need. At some point, each person we compare ourselves to is revealed as flawed, not as perfect as we thought.

Then we turn to another ideal but it too will remain elusive. Years pass as we keep pursuing ideals that keep changing because we are disappointed time and time again. We become disappointed in ourselves and unhappy because there is no achievement to show for as the goals keep changing. Every time you try to be like someone else, a piece of the best part of you dies.

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Conclusion

It is time to embrace your uniqueness, face the world with boldness and bring out the best in you. The world is waiting on the uniqueness that you have. Look inside you and bring out that which you have been trying to hold on for the longest time because you think it is not good enough for the world to see.

Martha Graham famously said, “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.”

Those who dared to dream have seen major changes in their lives at a time when they least expected. If you read most success stories, you will notice that those people were nowhere close to perfect.

It is their zeal and their willingness to work and show the world their uniqueness that placed them in front of the rest.

Today could be your day to shine, but that will not find you seated on a couch in your house chilling on Netflix. You have to get up and work. Put some work and genuine effort in those ideas that you have been pushing aside for so long. The world awaits to embrace your uniqueness. 

How do you practice self-love and embrace your own uniqueness? Share your thoughts with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/how-to-harness-your-own-uniqueness/

Read This If You Are Tired Of Finding Excuses For Your Inconsistency

If you’d like to learn how to build strong and consistent habits so you can achieve your goals, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.

---

You are the main factor limiting the growth of your business because of your fears, limiting beliefs, inability to focus, and inconsistency. Three years into running my first business, one thought sits deeply with me: I might have the best strategies, yet nothing would work until my habits (or the lack of those) stand in the way.

On a journey of teaching myself consistency, I wanted to share a few of my findings:

1. How many things are you trying to be consistent with?

I’m trying to test new digital networking strategies in addition to dedicating time regularly to building products, keeping up with social media games, and more. About 15 times during my workday I say to myself: “This is it, now I just need to do this ONE thing EVERY DAY and the result won’t take long to show up.” I create spreadsheets for tracking this new process I came up with. The issue is I’ll probably never open most of those spreadsheets ever again. 

You can’t start exercising, eating healthy, reading before bed, and dedicating time to your passions all in one day. Consistency is friends with focus and best friends with priorities. 

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” – The Rock

2. Make a decision

One day, almost 5 years ago, I decided to train for a marathon. It took me 8 months and 9 days from the day the decision was made until I crossed the finish line. 

For 8 months and 9 days, I did not care about any external conditions. I trained through pouring tropical rains until the point I was running in water up to my ankles. I kept the schedule during family vacations halfway across the world. I left every party at 11pm, even If I just got there at 10pm. I organized my eating, sleeping, and working schedules around running.

The day I decided to train, I also decided on how I would do it and set a schedule. I calculated what time I needed to wake up to do all that and set alarms. There was no rethinking and adjusting the plan to weather family vacations or any other factors. 

Many times, when trying to develop consistent habits, our good intentions are compromised with the complexity of execution. That’s why the first point of this list is still really important: you gotta know what the habit you are trying to be consistent with is so you can organize your life around it. 

3. Willpower is limited, don’t waste in on “how to’s”

We covered the schedule – you do it once. Same with all the other aspects of your new habit. Decide once and for all where you are doing it, what you are wearing while doing it, and how long you are doing it for. 

Have everything ready for yourself at the scheduled hour. If it’s a new business process you are working on, how about blocking time off in your calendar and switching off the distractions. If you are practicing daily writing, close all tabs except for your text editor the night before. 

4. Have a plan

In today’s reality, consistent content is one of the key elements of any online brand presence. Suddenly, even if you are an IT founder, you’re faced with a need to also be a writer. And to do it consistently, you must share your ideas on various channels. 

Amy Blaschka is a social media ghostwriter and storyteller who’s started every morning for the last nine years with her trusty MacBook Air and a cup of almond milk latte. She shares some hacks that helped her to maintain consistency:

“I’ve found that carving out dedicated time to write and create content is crucial. For me, morning is best for my deep creative work, so as much as possible, and always write my Forbes articles on Sunday morning. I also tend to batch my content, creating more than one piece at a time, and map out my content for the month ahead.”

“Consistency is what matters the most in triggering something important to your life.” – Abdul Rauf

5. Stack the habits 

Janice Wald who runs her blogging business together with her husband, shared how he brought a new sense of discipline into the business when she “hired” him to help her grow. She states, “My husband and I have both problem and solution hours each day. The idea is quite domestic. Over breakfast at 10:00 am, we review the problems our business will seek to tackle that day. During dog walking time at 6:00 pm, we review how we handled the day’s problems.”

Many experts recommend habit stacking, as it’s often easier to add something to an existing daily routine, rather than creating a completely new one.

How do you maintain consistency in your daily life? Share your ideas below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/read-this-if-you-are-tired-of-finding-excuses-for-your-inconsistency/

The One Question to Ask if You Are Struggling with a Decision

If you’d like to learn how to make strategic decisions so you can be successful, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.

---

A number of years ago, I was struggling with a big decision. I was a full time instructor at a local college. I was in charge of their multimedia program – training students on fun things like video editing and web design and graphic design. 

Students came to class motivated. They enjoyed it as much as I did! It was a great setting! Yet, I noticed the longer I was there, the more extracurricular activities I was expected to take part in – review other academic programs, fill out a great amount of paperwork about interviews and classes and proposed courses, be a part of improvement-process teams, etc. 

It began to feel like the ‘other stuff’ was keeping me away from what I enjoyed most – being in the classroom and helping the students. Then there was this other unique opportunity that was growing. Since I was the main contact within the community for knowing web design and graphic design, the local businesses started calling me. 

They wondered about getting a website, a logo, a flyer, or a video. Some of the projects were ideal projects for students, and the local business was ok with that. Other projects were either beyond the scope of a student project or the business wanted me to do it. Since I had always had an entrepreneurial spirit, I began to wonder if these opportunities were more than just a side hustle.

After a few years of balancing out the full time instructor position with the ‘side’ projects, I realized I had a decision to make.

The Options

I could continue as is – although one of my ‘jobs’ would ‘suffer’ and it would likely be the ‘side hustle.’ I tend to be loyal to my commitments and I wasn’t willing for my full-time job to suffer if I was taking projects on the side. 

If I chose the full time instructor option, the projects on the side would suffer. Not suffer in quality, but suffer in quantity. Maybe it was more that I would ‘suffer’ because I wouldn’t be able to do as many of them as I would like.

Or, I could just choose one of the options. I could forget the side hustle and focus on being an instructor at the college, along with the other commitments that were expected of me. Although, even with this option, I knew I would continue doing at least 1-2 side projects. It was part of my philosophy of being an instructor. I needed to stay in touch with the real world to be of most benefit for my students. 

The other option would be to walk away from the instructor position, even though I knew I’d miss the student interaction. Instead, I’d go full time into doing my own business.

Both of these had similar pros and cons list. One’s pro list was the other con’s list and vice versa.  It wasn’t that one was necessarily better than the other, although there was one that was probably right for me.

As I struggled with the decision, there was one question that kept coming up, and it was the answer to this question that showed me the right decision for me.

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” – Sheryl Sandberg

The One Question

The question to ask: Will you regret not taking this opportunity if you were to look back at this moment in 5, 10, or 20 years from now?

Back to my situation of choosing between staying a full-time instructor or doing my own business full time. I knew I would not regret not staying a full-time instructor. I could always find a similar position elsewhere. But, I did know that I would regret not taking this opportunity to go full time into my own business. Yes, I could go full time into my business at any time, but the stars seemed to be aligned at that moment.

I could not not take the opportunity to grow my own business. I knew that in the future I would regret not taking advantage of the opportunity that was kind of being handed to me.

I knew my next step. The answer to the question, ‘Would you regret…?’ told me the right decision for me.

It’s Not Without Risks

Yes, it meant missing the classroom – although I had ideas on how I could do that within my business and not have to get involved in the politics of being an instructor at a college. By the way, that happened to work out just like I had hoped!

Yes, it meant taking a bigger risk of not having a regular paycheck, not having benefits, having a lot more unknowns – but doing something I’ve always dreamed of doing – having my own business.

Knowing what I would regret if I was to look back at this moment in the future, helped me make the decision I needed to make at that time. And, in hindsight, nearly 20 years later, I’m so glad I did!

“Don’t be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Would you regret …?

What is the decision you are facing? More importantly, what is it you would regret in the future if you were not to make this move, or take this job, or …?

What would you regret not doing, if you were to look back 10 or 20 years from now, or maybe even 1 year or 5 years from now?

The one thing you hear most from people nearing the end of their life on earth are the words ‘I regret.’ 

Let that stark reality be the motivator and inspiration when it comes to making decisions about your life. Next time you are faced with a decision and are not sure what to do, ask yourself, “Would I regret not doing ….?” If the answer is yes, you know the right decision for you.

What strategic ways do you use to make a decision you’re struggling with? Share it with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/the-one-question-to-ask-if-you-are-struggling-with-a-decision/

My Company Went Vegan to Change Our Workplace and the World

At my company, a team lunch involves veggie burgers, coconut curry with tofu, and flavorful vegan falafel. When new employees on-board, we host our welcome lunches at plant-based taquerias and delis. At our off-site gatherings, you might spot employees socializing alongside our pet dogs, cats, or our office chicken, Chickpea. 

When establishing my company in 2018, I made the vegan lifestyle a part of our company culture. Being vegan is not a prerequisite for employment, but any meal purchased by or expensed under our brand name must be entirely plant-based. Although not all companies have such strict dietary preferences, we are not alone in our decision to go vegan. There’s a growing presence of vegan workplace initiatives happening across the spectrum of Fortune 500 companies, and what was once seen as a fringe lifestyle is becoming increasingly mainstream. 

According to Google Trends, curiosity about vegan topics has doubled over the past decade as more people are choosing to limit their consumption of animal products. This growing interest in plant-based diets is particularly relevant now, as more than half of infectious diseases come from animals, and the coronavirus pandemic has been directly linked to the conditions of animals in wet markets. 

While motivations for adopting a vegan diet can range from animal rights, to health and wellness, to concerns about climate change, the reason my company went vegan is rather straightforward: I wanted to do it, so we did. For other business leaders who want to adopt environmentally-friendly policies into their workplaces, pursuing company-wide commitments doesn’t have to be complicated. Also, it has rewards and ripple effects that extend outward far beyond your office walls. 

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” – Jackie Robinson

Personal Convictions Matter

When I was 12-years old, I witnessed the horrible conditions of animals in slaughterhouses in India. At that young age, I made the commitment to stop eating meat. Later in my twenties, I met my current partner, who was involved in animal rights and activism. From her I learned more about the harm that factory farming has not only on animals, but on rural communities, people of color, and the global climate we all share.

Viewing the documentary, “Dominion,” (narrated by Joaquin Phoenix), solidified my commitment to forgo animal products entirely. And when the time came to build a business, abandoning that conviction under my brand’s name felt impossible. If I was going to create a company, I wanted kindness toward animals and the environment to be equally a part of our workplace practice as it was a part of my daily life. 

Too often, entrepreneurs abandon their personal convictions under the banner of their brand name. But the brands we build are not only reflections of our innovations and expertise, but of the values that we hold and the future we want to build. I’m proud to know that my company has never spent a dollar of our budget contributing to the system that harms animals, increases carbon emissions, and risks the public health of peoples and communities across the globe. 

Company Culture Benefits

My brand’s commitment to plant-based consumption has nothing to do with wanting to change my employees’ eating habits. Many of my employees are still meat eaters, and they are free to consume meat and dairy at company functions, but on their own dime. Our vegan policy has always been explicitly communicated, and for the most part welcomed. 

Because when it comes to a meaty lunch or a free one, most choose the latter. Many of my employees have enjoyed exploring vegan dining options. Others have expressed their enthusiasm in practicing more healthy eating habits at work. 

For those meat-lovers who have had a harder time mustering up enthusiasm when the delivery guy drops off meatless sandwiches, they always show respect for the company policy. Even if their personal convictions about animal rights are not equal to mine, they are glad to be a part of a mission-driven organization. 

Revenue is abstract, but impact is real. Organizations with commitments to causes beyond profit and growth have stronger retention and motivation among employees. It’s also easier to recruit talent, because people care about what impact their company is having in the world. Our clients have also responded positively to our commitments because they want to work with good people who demonstrate strong ethics. In turn, we have been able to attract the right kinds of customers who have ethical standards as high as our own. 

More companies are learning that having a social-conscience is not only good-hearted, it’s good business. An individual who forgoes animal products plays a small part in helping the environment, but a company with hundreds of employees who transitions their employee dining room to a plant-based kitchen can make a much larger dent. There are many resources available for companies to learn how to incorporate vegan initiatives affordably, and it’s time for more to start doing so on both large and small scales.

“Genius is in the idea. Impact, howe ver, comes from action.” – Simon Sinek

The Brands We Build Have a Global Impact

As the company’s founder, my vegan policy was my way of acknowledging that in our globalized world, the brands we build become society’s biggest consumers. Corporations and businesses utilize resources and contribute to global problems at a far greater scale than individual employees ever could. Right now, a third of all carbon emissions come from just 20 companies. The majority of the plastics polluting our oceans are labeled with beloved American brand names. 

The emergence of zoonotic diseases is also increasing, and with coronavirus, we have now seen in our lifetime the power of a deadly disease outbreak to impact every part of our global economy. Until we make drastic changes in our food consumption–on both personal and professional levels–it is only a matter of time before another pandemic arrives.

Although I don’t expect my industry peers to adopt my company’s vegan policies overnight, I do challenge them to consider the potential environmental impact that even the smallest change to workplace policy and practice can have. Many businesses currently show generosity and kindness in response to crises like recessions, pandemics, or natural disasters, but what’s more important is how we operate our companies in the time of normalcy, long before these crises arrive. 

With the economy reopening and our offices returning to full operation, business leaders and entrepreneurs have an opportunity to rethink our priorities and make more daring commitments. We can build businesses that change the world, as long as we make the simple choice to do it. 

Why not start the discussion at your workplace over a vegan lunch?

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/my-company-went-vegan-to-change-our-workplace-and-the-world/

8 Ways A Digital Detox Will Increase Your Productivity

There is a downside to being constantly plugged in. We all know that spending too much time online can be tiring and dulls our focus. A trade-off we must make for the benefits of living in a more connected world. If we aren’t careful however, the amazing technology that helps us to reach more people, be more informed, and do better business can really hinder our productivity. 

Luckily, there’s an easy way to kick your productivity levels back into high gear – a digital detox. A digital detox can mean anything from completely restricting access to all electronic devices, to simply taking a few hours off of Twitter. To do your own digital detox, simply identify a social platform or device that eats up your attention and abstain from it for as long as you can.

Here’s how you will benefit:

1. Easier to get in the zone

Have you ever been working on something and realised that you are completely in the zone? Your fingers are typing at maximum speed, your ideas are clear and constructed, and the work is simply flowing out of you. Ah, the blissful zone of productivity. Removing the constant distractions of the online world makes it easier to get in the zone and do your best work.

2. Increased attention

What you nurture grows, and there is no more powerful nourishment than your full attention. In order to get the best results on a task, consistent sustained attention is required. That’s hard to do if you keep being distracted by a barrage of emails or the compulsion to see how your ex is doing on Instagram. Switching off is the best way to ensure that you give any task the attention it requires, and guarantees that you will get the best possible results in the least amount of time.

“Disconnecting from our technology to reconnect with ourselves is absolutely essential for wisdom.” – Arianna Huffington

3. Constructive passive thinking

Picture the scene. You take a stroll to the kitchen to make some coffee. Now that you’re partaking in a digital detox, and aren’t allowing yourself to have any online distractions, you must come up with some other way to entertain your brain. So, you allow your mind to wander as you wait for the kettle to boil. Before you know it, you’re thinking about different ways to approach a tough problem and are brainstorming new ideas. In fact, you’re being noticeably more productive, and the best part is that you’re not even trying at all.

4. Improved memory and better decision-making

Constantly being distracted by pop-up notifications steals our focus and makes it more difficult to recall information. This inattentiveness makes it easy to forget valuable nuggets of information, leading to inefficiency and poor decisions. Thankfully, the simple act of unplugging from online distractions is all you need to restore focus, be more productive, and engage in better decision-making.

5. Better relationships

Spending too much time on social media makes you less present in real social situations and damages relationships. This is important because the impact of your relationships with others on your productivity levels is deceptively high. Being able to bounce ideas off of a colleague, learning new perspectives from a mentor, talking about worries with a friend, or getting fired up to complete a task with your team are all things that improve your productivity levels.

Not allowing yourself to become distracted by the digital world and instead using that time to cultivate deeper relationships will pay off dividends with regard to productivity – both for you and for those around you.

6. Less stress, more success

Our constant connection to the digital world is a big contributor to stress, and never being able to fully relax or unwind leaves us feeling pent-up and anxious. This is of course, far from the ideal state for maximum productivity. When we are stressed, we are more likely to procrastinate on a project and feel overwhelmed by it, which in turn makes us even more stressed! A short reprieve from the stressors of the digital world can be enough to break free from this loop and it’s productivity-killing effects. 

“Are you using your device or is your device using you?” – Denzel Washington

7. Physical health benefits

Too much screen time can lead to eye strain and muscular discomfort, and the horrible neck and back pain that results from spending too much time hunching over your phone can prevent you from doing your best work. When it comes to easing the stress on your body, every minute counts. Why not take the time you would have spent scrolling through cat memes in the afternoon to take a walk or stretch out a bit and see how much more energetic and productive you feel.

8. Saying no to FOMO

Constantly being online where everyone only shares the highlight reel of their day can leave you with the dreaded Fear Of Missing Out. This FOMO leads us to neglect the things that we are currently working toward, in pursuit of a hollow ideal. Ironically, being influenced by FOMO online means that we’re already missing out – by losing sight of our own goals and getting lost in the sea of what others deem valuable.

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/8-ways-a-digital-detox-will-increase-your-productivity/

5 Essential Tips for Dealing With Uncertainty

Change is hard. Some of us are devoted creatures of habit, adhering to routines and avoiding anything that feels uncomfortable. On the opposite end are adventure enthusiasts, always seeking a new challenge. But, no matter where you fall on that spectrum, everyone has a limit when change is forced upon them.

We’re currently finding our way through a season of forced change. We’re dealing with the fallout of a deadly virus, and many of us have felt completely unprepared at one time or another. Human lives are in jeopardy, unemployment rates have skyrocketed, and on top of it all, we are still separated from our friends and loved ones.

It’s understandable to feel helpless and heartbroken at the devastating effects that the coronavirus pandemic is having on much of the world. We did not want or ask for this kind of change, and yet, we need to find a way to move forward.

So how do we deal with something so unexpected? How do we manage change during such troubled times? The following five tips will help guide you through this process and provide applicable ways to stay positive and make the most of this uncertain time.

1. Be Honest and Allow Yourself Time to Grieve

The coronavirus has impacted each of us in different ways. It’s important to give yourself the space to feel all the emotions that come along with this kind of unexpected change. Be honest and give yourself the space to explore what you’re feeling; you’re human, after all. It may be anger, sadness, frustration, confusion, or some combination of all of the above.

You don’t have to pretend that you have it all together. Whether you’ve lost loved ones, your job, or are feeling weighed down by uncertainty, you need time to process and grieve. It’s important to address your emotions head-on. If you bottle them up or ignore the problem, they’re more likely to manifest in unhealthy or harmful ways.

There’s no easy fix or cure-all, but by honestly acknowledging pain, you can start the healing process. It won’t be easy, but you’ll be one step closer to finding a solution and moving forward.

“Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most exciting moments in life take us completely by surprise.” – Lori Deschene

2. Practice Gratitude

Your life has been disrupted. Daily routines, future plans, and social circles have been tossed out the window. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when all you can see is the negativity in your life. That said, the best way to fight negativity is to focus on the positive.

Find small things to be grateful for every day. You might struggle with this at first, but try to shift your perspective. Try keeping a gratitude journal and jot down a few things you are thankful for every day. If writing isn’t your thing, you can share what you are grateful for with a spouse, family member, or friend.

If you are intentional about focusing on the positive, no matter the situation, it will soon become a habit. It’s a challenging time for everyone, but by choosing gratitude, there will be small moments of light, joy, and laughter that might make the weight of change easier to bear.

3. Find a Rhythm to the New Normal

It takes time to adjust whenever you encounter change. This is especially true when it’s an unwanted change for which you didn’t ask.

To ease this process, try to add structure to your day. Find order amidst the chaos; if you’re newly unemployed, for example, be intentional about setting an alarm and getting up at a regular time. It might seem silly, but by going through the motions of daily life, you can help jumpstart your motivation and free yourself from a negative mindset.

In contrast, if you’re working remotely for the first time, try following a strict schedule to help you stay productive and focused. When most of the things in your life feel out of control, it’s helpful to focus on what you can control. It’s possible to find a rhythm to the new normal, and to add consistency and stability to your day.

4. Surround Yourself With Support

When going through unexpected change, it’s important to surround yourself with a strong support system. The coronavirus pandemic has made this especially hard, though; most of the population is still separated, and normal social engagement just isn’t as simple as it once was.

Although it’s going to take more effort and creativity, it’s still possible to stay in touch with friends and family. There are countless virtual communication platforms such as Skype, Zoom, Facetime, and Facebook Messenger.

We all need to feel heard and understood during times of hardship. If you’re struggling with feelings of loneliness and anxiety, reach out to a friend or loved one. It’s critical to remember that, even when you’re physically isolated, you are never alone.

5. Invest in Yourself

You might suddenly find yourself with a lot more time on your hands than before. Rather than giving in to boredom, though, you can leverage this as an opportunity to expand your knowledge and skill set.

Use this time to do some of the things you wanted to try, but never had a minute to spare. This could be learning a new language, trying out a new recipe, picking up a new instrument, reading a book, or simply spending more time with your children.

It’s okay to take time for yourself. You might feel like your world is falling apart, and that’s understandable. Invest in yourself. Setting aside time for yourself and participating in activities or hobbies that you love will help ease the pain and fear of navigating this uncertain time.

“Fear is often our immediate response to uncertainty. There’s nothing wrong with experiencing fear. The key is not to get stuck in it.” – Gabrielle Bernstein

Keep Moving Forward

During a time of worldwide unrest, self-isolation, and economic upheaval, it’s hard not to feel helpless. The urge to give up and spend your day binging Netflix is all too appealing. That’s not to say you shouldn’t give yourself the space to unwind and do nothing; in fact, that’s going to be necessary to help you recharge from time to time.

I encourage you to keep moving forward, though. Keep setting goals and continue planning for the future. We won’t be in this situation forever, and hope can be found in the act of movement and of reaching towards something.

The unexpected change brought about by the coronavirus outbreak affects people across the globe and from all walks of life. It’s possible, though, to process and deal with this change in a healthy way. We will get through this. It won’t always be easy, but you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to try.

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/5-essential-tips-for-dealing-with-uncertainty/