50 ways to get your life in order

There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of chaos in your life. As Albert Einstein once stated, “Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity, from discord find harmony, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Unexpected challenges are what make us stronger, so don’t avoid them. Keep in mind the following 50 tips and you’ll be able to streamline your life and get back on track in the New Year. 1.Recycle old papers that are filling drawers in your house. If you’re anything like me, you have drawers overflowing with old receipts, junk mail, records, and notes to myself. Get rid of all of this. Invest in a paper shredder to reduce clutter and maintain privacy. 2.Mentally prepare yourself for change by visualizing your ideal self. Who do you admire the most? How do you envision yourself in the future? Who do you want to be? Visualize yourself to be that person. 3.Realize that unexpected events can be a good thing. As the Dalai Lama once said, “Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.” 4.Ask people you admire how they got where they are today. I’ve always admired my grandfather. Learning more about how he started up his business, dealt with difficulty throughout his life, and maintained grace throughout it all has helped me in my personal endeavors. 5.Cut back on alcohol, cigarettes and other vices. These can be crutches that cloud judgment. The money saved by not purchasing or cutting back on this type of material can then be put into something rewarding such as a vacation. 6.Remove elements of negativity from your life, be they people or a job you don’t want to do. If you have friends who are bringing you down, there’s no need to keep hanging out with them out of obligation. Cut your ties and cut your losses. 7.Start each day with a clear to-do list along with your cup of morning coffee. Knowing what you need to do in the day ahead helps keep you on track. 8.Clean your house from top to bottom and throw away anything outdated. Not only receipts, as mentioned above, but any old junk that should be donated to charity or sold in a garage sale. 9.Institute a clear filing system for your personal records. Investing in a simple filing cabinet and folders with labels is something you don’t need a personal secretary for and makes your life much easier when you are looking for a specific item. 10.Do your grocery shopping for the week on the day it’s most convenient. Make a list, budget, and get only what you need to save time and money. 11.Take a career test that will help you identify your strengths. If you are unhappy with your career but don’t even know where to begin in the process of moving on, this can be a good way to identify strengths and new possibilities. 12.Meet with a professional counselor if there are issues you need to discuss. Many people are struggling with dead weight from the past or emotional baggage that is holding them back. Deal with them and move on with professional assistance. 13.Go through cabinets and throw out expired medications or food items. The last time I did this, I found everything from 3-year-old curry powder to 5-year-old aspirin. Throw them out. 14.Make a clear diet plan with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet plan has a tremendous effect on your overall energy levels. 15.Add vitamin pills to your daily diet. Vitamin supplements can help reduce the possibility of cancer and osteoporosis, among other disorders. 16.Work out a clear exercise plan with an activity that you enjoy such as dancing or biking. My girlfriend loves yoga, and I am a soccer enthusiast. As long as it’s active, it counts. 17.Set appointments you’ve been putting off. It’s easy to put off going to the doctor or dentist until we are sick, but preventive care is extremely important in overall health levels. 18.Take up a mental exercise. Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or other word games along these lines are more than just a good way to pass time. They have been shown in studies to help improve overall mental capabilities. 19.Publish your own book. This is easier than ever before with Internet publishing. You can get your ideas out there and start making money from them. I’ve published my own eBook, The 77 Traits of Highly Successful People, check it out. 20.Make a reading list and join a book club. Most people state that they want to read more, but without an actual plan you may not make the time to do this. Joining a book club not only serves as a social activity but also keeps you up to date with your own reading list. 21.Spend time with yourself each day. Susan Taylor states that “spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order.” 22.Practice breathing exercises or meditation. Stress can have an overarching effect on our overall productivity levels. When stressed, I personally forget to breathe at times. Take the time to take deep breaths and improve oxygen flow to the brain. 23.Speak and act with honesty. Are you able to stand by what you do and say? If not, it may be time to reexamine your own words and learn to articulate your thoughts in an open, honest way. This helps eliminate mistakes down the road. 24.Learn from past mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Usually, we make a lot of them during our lifetime. As long as they aren’t repeated too many times, and are looked at as a learning experience, they can in fact be a good thing in the long run. 25.Volunteer to help others in your community. Helping others is a rewarding way to get your own life together. 26.Take up a new language or hobby. 27.Read inspirational biographies. For new ideas, find out how others got their lives in order. 28.Talk to a stranger. Unplanned conversations can be surprisingly inspiring. 29.Reconnect with friends and relatives who live far away. Call those people you miss but keep putting off calling. With the Internet and Skype at your disposal, even an online chat can help you reconnect. 30.Change your toothbrush. It can be a hotbed of bacteria. 31.Take more naps. Sleep is often sadly underrated in its ability to boost energy, mood, and keep reaction times sharp. 32.Drink at least 6 cups of water per day. Staying hydrated helps keep energy levels up. 33.Organize your photo collection. Get both digital files and physical printouts in albums. If you’re anything like my family, your photographs could be sadly sitting tucked away in shoeboxes in the closet, taking up space. 34.Take an interest in art in your community. Visiting galleries can help introduce you to the artists in your community and help stimulate thinking. 35.Join a hobbyist club. My friend decided to learn more about building model airplanes and was so deeply into it that he recently obtained his commercial pilot’s license. You never know where a simple hobby can lead you in life. 36.Keep a calendar with commitments. Having a visual reminder in front of you can be extremely helpful. We are all different types of learners. 37.Don’t put off difficult conversations. Deal with problems directly and immediately. This will result in a much lower level of anxiety for all involved. 38.Make a list of priorities and do what makes you happy. If you have lost touch with your own priorities lately, it can be beneficial to take the time to sit and think about what actually makes you happy. Work toward achieving this as much as possible. 39.Spend more time outdoors. Nature has an ability to help soothe a troubled mind and clear your thoughts. Taking a walk in the woods or climbing a mountain, at any level of difficulty, gives a sense of pride and accomplishment. 40.Attend lectures. These could be science lectures or other types, but it’s helpful to keep up-to-date on what’s going on in the world and plan accordingly. Keeping the mind active helps you in all aspects of your daily life. 41.Take the time to stretch muscles. Get a massage to improve muscle tone and circulation, then use this new energy and apply it to your work routine. 42.Make laughter a priority. Hang out with some of your most entertaining friends for a good laugh, or simply sit back with some favorite old comedies. Laughter counts as exercise and has been shown to expand your life span. 43.Clear some time each day to do nothing. As a child, I remember that we had “free time” scheduled into our school activities every day. This could be used for reading, drawing, or simply staring into space if that’s what we felt like doing. What a novel idea, and one that keeps the brain at ease. 44.Schedule a much-needed vacation. 45.Learn new tips for entertaining. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to throw a great dinner party, and learning how to be a host or hostess with minimal effort can give a big boost to your confidence levels. 46.Throw out old clothing that doesn’t fit. Too many of us are squeezing into outdated clothes that are doing us no favors. Look and feel your best with clothes that are tailored to fit. 47.Live in the present, not the past. The past is over. Move on and enjoy every moment as it occurs. Take stock of what needs to be accomplished and move forward with this information. 48.Learn from past mistakes and move forward with your life. Get your life in order by looking forward, not back. 49.Get your car checked up. You go to the doctor to have your body checked up. Don’t wait until it is too late to perform maintenance on your car. I once got stuck on a road trip to Ipoh (Malaysia) as a result of this oversight, and it wasn’t pleasant. 50.Budget for possible home repairs. Set aside some money in the proverbial cookie jar to keep home maintenance within the realm of possibility in this coming year.

Whirlwind

It is hard to believe it is December already. Maybe that is because it isn’t snowing in right now and I’m not very used to December in Iowa without snow (which I am thankful for every day of right now). This time of year is always crazy. As soon as you get to Thanksgiving and all of the traveling that happens during Thanksgiving and the Holidays it is just a jam packed period of time. During college this was the crazy end of the semester blitz and in high school this was the end of the semester and the heart of basketball season. I think the last time this wasn’t the busiest time of the year for me was maybe before Junior High. Now this season is filled with end of the year reports and traveling for the Holidays. I have done more traveling this Holiday season than what will probably be normal but this is still just a busy time. Even with all of the business and the difficulty to stay on top of the things I want to get done personally especially goal setting I am still very excited about this holiday season. House-giving was amazing and I think house Christmas will be even better. I really hope to focus on time with roommates, friends, and family this December. Because of all of the extra things going on and the time all of those things take up I have to be extra intentional to work hard to use the small amounts of time I have wisely to continue on towards my goals. Because honestly my life might not even slow down very much once the Holiday season is over because I might be doing some traveling in January to see friends. Thankfully I will be around town the next two weekends and I need to make the most of them. So its time to throw down two great weeks of chasing down my goals and crossing them off of my list as well as enjoying some downtime around the house. Can you say Christmas Movies???

10 things I'm thankful for.

The Thanksgiving Holiday is over…. 361 days till my favorite holiday happens again. I think I had one of the most enjoyable Thanksgivings in years. But one thing I feel like I missed out on this year was really taking some time to be thankful, I mean that is what the holiday is about, isn’t it? So I’ve decided that this early Monday morning after Thanksgiving would be a good time to reflect on some of the things I have to be thankful for and to start the week with a good perspective. 1. I’m thankful for living in America. I feel like I spent a decent amount of time discussing the Occupy Movement, Politics, the Penn State situation, Capitalism, and religion this Thanksgiving. So much of the discussion seemed negative and so much of politics is frustrating to me but I appreciate that I live in a place where we have an opportunity to vote and to be educated and to create change in the system (Even if it is more difficult than I would like). 2. I’m thankful for my health. This is probably the only positive that comes out of being sick (Except for being able to skip class in college). Being healthy and having the physical ability to take part in sports and activities that I truly enjoy is something that I take for granted way too often. 3. I’m thankful for family. My family is frequently I source of stress and frustration for me but my family has also given me so many opportunities and has helped me out in so many different ways. Growing up in a home with two parents that believe in Jesus Christ, have a good work ethic, and are good stewards of their money has taught me many valuable lessons. 4. I’m thankful for my internship. Working at Principal has been a huge opportunity. I feel like I have gained so much knowledge and experience to start out my career and will most likely have an opportunity for a fresh start in a new department pretty soon. 5. I’m thankful for safety. Safety is another thing that I constantly take for granted. I’m so used to being able to leave a front door unlocked, go for a run without telling people or worrying about where I am going and for always feeling pretty safe. 6. I'm thankful for Recreational Sports. I love sports and I love having the opportunity to continue to do things that I really enjoy. 7. My living situation. I feel extremely blessed to be living in the quality of place that I live in and to be part of a group of guys that desire to be good friends and help each other out. I love that I live with guys that desire to have a special bond because we are roommates. Some of the best times I have had since moving to Des Moines have been when we have had roommate nights or house Thanksgiving. 8. I’m thankful for my Friends. I’ve been very lucky to have the number and quality of friendships that I have had. I hope that each one of those friendships will grow deeper this next year. 9. I’m thankful for Coffee and Books. I love both of those things! 10. Goal setting. Goal setting/accountability/ living life together has been a roaring fire and smoldering coals at times in my life the past 3 months. More often smoldering coals than I hope it will be moving forward. It has been a constant source of encouragement and motivation for me that has helped me to continue to pursue “True North”. I pray that it only continues to become more encouraging, motivating, helpful and challenging as we invest more time in it. Thanks for being a brother Charlie! 3 months man can’t wait to celebrate 6 (and 3 for that matter).

Back on track

Nov. 2nd. That is the last time one of us made and entry. :( That is sad. We have missed opportunities in the last 3 weeks. We have slowed down, dulled, stalled, regressed... but no more. Getting back on track is one of the hardest things but getting back on track shows true determination. "THE CHIEF CAUSE OF FAILURE AND UNHAPPINESS IS TRADING WHAT YOU WANT THE MOST FOR WHAT YOU WANT NOW" Zig Ziglar The first time I read I was shaken by how true I think it is. I feel like this sentence so adequately summarizes why I have struggled with consistence, determination, commitment and reaching my goals. If I can continue to remind my self of this truth then I will push forward and keep the right perspective that will make it easier to reach my goals and help me push on through the difficult times. Today is a difficult time. I have worked a 12 hour day at work. I spent the weekend traveling, my room is a disaster, I am behind on sleep..... alright that is enough excuses. Life happens and I will choose to make sacrifices and show determination to achieve my goals. I will own this day (well what is left of it). Time to go own the rest of this day.

Slam your fist against the table..

“The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you want the most for what you want now.” Zig Ziglar Wow what an incredible quote. When I read this it just rang so true for me and my life. How often has what I wanted in the moment kept me from staying on the course toward what I truly wanted, how many times have I said I was going to loose some weight and get in shape and then I had a momentary want for unhealthy food? Or a momentary desire to not exercise because I was tired in the moment? I believe that people who have this perspective are often people who are truly happy and successful or are more likely to be. The people that consistently overcome momentary desires in order to achieve a longer term goal or accomplishment are the people that get where they want to go in life. It is kind of amazing to me how good I was at doing this for sports. I don’t enjoy working out or two-a-days or lifting and there were many days I didn’t want to do those things but I had an iron clad commitment to the goal of being a better athlete and making my team better because of it. I was also very passionate about sports and enjoyed sports. I think the lack of passion is what made school so difficult for me. I was seldom passionate about what I was studying and I didn’t have the long term commitment to getting good grades so I could get a good job… etc. I’m trying to figure out what the driving forces in my life are and how to harness those driving forces. I have a desire to be successful and that is what motivates me day in and day out to try to become better. Maybe even more than a desire to be successful I have a fear of not being successful. I have a strong sense of fear that I could waste my life. I am afraid of looking back when I am old and thinking I wasted my time. So is that the driving force in my life, or one of them that will cause me to overcome obstacles or persevere through difficulties and achieve the things I desire? Maybe that isn’t the best driving force or maybe that is only one of many. I think perspective can be a driving force. When you are able to put things into perspective it helps you to make decisions that are based on long term desires or true desires instead of temporary desires. I believe goals help with perspective and help to be a motivator and that I was I am committed to making, tracking, discussing, tweaking and ultimately achieving my goals. But to find real joy in life I believe that passion can not be removed from the equation. It makes sense doesn’t it? I believe we were created by the Creator and given talents and passions or tendencies towards certain things. And it brings glory to God when we use our talents and passions to the fullest. Let me preface that last part about passion. Last night I was at K-life and Ric was giving a message but we were also supposed to discuss some of the topics he was bringing up. Well one of his points that struck me was “What are you passionate about?” which then we were asked to discuss in our small groups and Dana asked me to kick it off. I quickly created some answer while I was trying to figure out my real answer that sounded something like “well, I am passionate about progress, the process of becoming better at things, I’m also passionate about relationships and continuing do grow and deepen the relationships that I have been blessed to have in my life. I am also passionate about my faith.” I don’t know why but I felt very fake during my answer, I don’t necessarily think that the things I said were untrue but I think I was just still very unsure of what I thought. Ric used the analogy of “what makes you slam your fist against the table? What gets you so worked up that you would slam your first against the table” Honestly my instant reaction while I was thinking was nothing. I started trying to think of things hoping something would just pop into my head and nothing did which made me think nothing. But I know that isn’t true. So on the drive home I continued to think about this idea of “What makes you slam your fist against the table?” To be honest I’m still very much wrestling with my answer, as well as the guilt that my initial response wasn’t “The advancement of the Kingdom of the Lord.” Since that wasn’t my answer or even an answer that feels real right now I’m stuck with the why. Why don’t I feel that way? Do I want to change that? How do I develop that passion? Can I develop that passion? That is a lot to think about and I don’t want to get to removed from my starting point. So what are the things in my personal life that make me slam my fist against the table? I’m going to pause here because I’m going to spend some time considering my answer and write a follow up blog. So I guess the most logical ending is to ask “What makes you slam your fist against the table?”

Remembering to Celebrate

I have not done a great job of celebrating my successes in goal setting since we started 2 months ago. I think it is because I can become very task oriented and I'm glad to cross it off the list and feel good about it but I don't take time to say "hey that was a product of goalsetting and I did it" I finally took the bike I have been borrowing into the shop, which doesn't seem like a big accomplishment but I had been intending to do it for 2 months. So it felt really good to get that taken care of on Friday and finally cross it off my to-do list. Also getting my bike fixed up got me to go for a ride on Sunday because the weather was so nice and the bike was ready to go. I was thinking this morning about writing a blog and wasn't sure what I was going to blog about that was when I decided to focus on something I have accomplished. But as I have been thinking about this blog I started thinking about what a friend told me 2 1/2 years ago when we were working at camp together. She was talking about her faith and about how we so frequently are focused on the "big events" or big moments of our faith. Which is interesting because big moments are such a small percentage of our life. She was trying to focus on living in faith through the mundane, because the largest percentage of our time is the day to day stuff. I have been thinking about this and how it applies to faith as well as success and goalsetting. It is the small decisions in life that I have struggled greatly with and at times of kept me from attaining different things over a longer period of time. It is something that is so easy to overlook because the are decisions we make so often but if I want to be healthy that small decision of eating meal after the bar or not made many times has a real impact. I think this idea of being intentional in the mundane is what I have been striving for. I want to increase the amount of good small decisions I make and the consistency with which I make a decision witht he view of "spending vs investing". I want to be someone who has an investing mindset because I think that its one of the keys to success and being a good steward of your personal resources. Consistency is what really develops something. Being consistent over a long period of time will develop whatever you are being consistent doing and who you as a person are. If I am consistently nice for a long period of time I will be a nice person because it will become part of who I am. I will be intentional with the rest of my day and be focused on making small decisions that are in line with my larger purpose.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Proverbs 13:4,

"The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied"

I might be the dumbest person on earth. Or as our recent favorite Greek yogurt commercial put it, "possibly the dumbest person on earth".

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results, I know I am quite sane. However, knowing the results of my actions, while holding a deep desire for said results, and not doing the same thing over and over is just stupid. Let me explain.

Scripture has always been a source of life for me... Feeling close to God has lead me to the most prosperous periods of my life. I look at times in my life when I have felt the best of about everything that has happened to me, and I recognize that they all resulted from a spiritual tranquility/vitality. I know that spiritual fuel is more important than any other source of strength, however, it is often the last thing I think of needing when I feel overwhelmed or in need.

Reading my Bible this morning shed so much light on so many things in my life, and that verse hit me square in the face of what we're trying to accomplish. I know that so many of the things I do on a daily basis would be so much more effective if I took the time to pray and spend time orienting myself spiritually (In my mind this is a fact, not contested at all), however, I fail to do this every day. Stupid.

I know what I want, I am convinced of the things I need to do to achieve my desires, and I don't do it... I am really frustrated. I think about our goals, and part of me thinks that I should make it a goal to be disciplined more and commit to reading my Bible every day, however part of me thinks that mere discipline isn't the answer to this issue. If you have any advice or thoughts on this I would greatly appreciate it...

I do have some thoughts for this week...

I am going to try and spend time every morning or evening in scripture or dedicated prayer.

I want to get some groceries and commit to paying for prepared meals only once a day.

I want to try and drink beers at Hotsy only 2 nights this week, focusing on productivity for the other evenings of the week.

After spending some time here this afternoon preparing for the week at work, I want to have goals for this week at work ready to go, and attach them as comments to this post.

I want to clean out the garage and have it ready for someone to park in for the winter.

I want to exercise 4 times this week.

I want to have breakfast with Dave Applegate.

These are just a few of the things that come to mind at this point... More may follow, but I feel good having a handle on how I expect things to shake out.

I am going to try and have a vision of my day in mind every morning when I leave so I will be ready and prepared for all that I have to accomplish.

Lack of Discipline

The theme of K-life this year is "Obsessed". This is a humbling theme for me, because I am not Obsessed and frankly never have been. The idea behind the theme is obviously being Obsessed with Christ. Which is a very interesting theme for Jr. Highers and even High Schoolers. I get frustrated by the theme at times because I think that it sounds great but is poor in application. Maybe it is because I don't have an obsessive personality. I think it is because I don't think it is that reasonable and honestly I don't believe one kid in my ministry will become "Obsessed' with Christ. I think that belief comes from my experiences with falling short. How many times in life have I said I wanted to do something or was going to do something and didn't. For example recommiting my life to Christ and leave camp/conference/retreat with a fire to "Be a disciple of Christ" only we go back to business as usual in a couple weeks. My past of not achieving what I set out to has greatly impacted who am I and has affected my confidence in myself. Too many times I have started a bible study or accountability group with the idea of transformation to see it be very short lived. Those experiences has stayed with me. I'm someone who really struggles with commitment and discipline. I want to see myself overcome these weaknesses and develop those two qualities within myself because the failures have taken a toll on me. I know that to be the person I want to be I need those two qualities to be a part of who I am. I believe most people that have made great impacts have excelled at those two qualities. It is a scary thing to be so real and vulnerable about the things you have failed at. I have lived a pretty consistent unchanging life and I have a burning desire to see change. I refuse to give up on myself and my personal development. I do not want to settle for the path of least resistance or what is easy. I want to overcome great obstacles and persevere. I desire to see my capabilities being exercised and be able to look back on achievements. I am committed to working hard than I have by being more consistent blogging (entering another blog before next Tuesday), Setting aside more time to read the books that help motivate me, attacking my to-do list to keep my motivation and sense of progess high (I will have my bike in the shop and my computer in the shop by next tuesday), I will come to next Mondays meeting prepared and ready to push forward and I commit to praying for our time together and motivation on our own.

Healthy

Starting this blog post has been one of the most difficult experiences of the past couple of weeks for me. I've put a lot of thought into the initiation of this composition, and yet writing it has been extremely difficult. I don't know why... I think that the thoughts that are most weary are that by setting goals I am inviting the prospect of failure into my life. Something that is difficult to deal with...

I almost feel as though life has been rather stale as of lately. Not that I have anything to complain about, but rather in a sense that I have cut a lot of feeling out of life. I think that a fear of failure or thoughts of disappointment have crippled me to the point that I am no longer willing to set marks that result in neither bliss or disappointment. Life currently has its ups and downs but the ups are fleeting and the downs seem insignificant. It feels as though something is going on that is fundamentally flawed and I am stuck in the middle of a rut that has me avoiding the extremes of the human condition.

With these posts I want to create an avenue of experiencing life from one extreme to another, in a brutally honest fashion with both myself and Phil, whom I have entrusted as a brother in life.

I havent posted my goals, because I don't think my goals are the problem. In all honestly it would take a matter of minutes to assess my goals and move on... but yet I have avoided doing so for so long because I feel hesitant to own up to the progress I've made on the things I determined to be important. I feel as though the thing I've been neglecting is not my own aspirations, but rather my own feelings. I go through life convincing myself that all is well and will be well, with no other authority to contest such thoughts.

I know that the reason for meeting with Phil was not to accomplish our goals, but rather to keep each other accountable for setting goals and striving in life to be focused on whats important.

I will not list my goals on this page, because I will speak with Phil about them tomorrow. But rather I will promise myself and Phil that before next week I will post another blog. I will write about my life in an honest fashion and address the things that together we ascribe value.

My only real goal is to buy into a life lived intentionally. That to experience the fullness of life you must pay the ante, I must put myself in a position of vulnerability, in which failure is a very real option.

By 8:00 PM next Tuesday night, I will have listed things that are important to me. Things that have potential to hurt or disperse great joy in my life.

I don't believe this blog to be a goal oriented blog. I believe it to be a life oriented blog, which is why this evening I chose to bring up the things in my life that have been hindrances to real progress. I feel confident now that I am sold out on what is happening here, and will strive to uphold the commitment to continue to contribute to this process, and hold my end in the upkeep of this record.

Common Time Management Mistakes

How well do you manage your time? If you're like many people, your answer may not be completely positive! Perhaps you feel overloaded, and you often have to work late to hit your deadlines. Or maybe your days seem to go from one crisis to another, and this is stressful and demoralizing. Many of us know that we could be managing our time more effectively; but it can be difficult to identify the mistakes that we're making, and to know how we could improve. When we do manage our time well, however, we're exceptionally productive at work, and our stress levels drop. We can devote time to the interesting, high-reward projects that can make a real difference to a career. In short, we're happier! In this article, we're looking at ten of the most common time management mistakes, as well as identifying strategies and tips that you can use to overcome them. These ten mistakes are: Mistake #1. Failing to Keep a To-Do List Do you ever have that nagging feeling that you've forgotten to do an important piece of work? If so, you probably don't use a To-Do List to keep on top of things. (Or, if you do, you might not be using it effectively!) The trick with using To-Do Lists effectively lies in prioritizing the tasks on your list. Many people use an A - F coding system (A for high priority items, F for very low priorities). Alternatively, you can simplify this by using A through D, or by using numbers. If you have large projects on your list, then, unless you're careful, the entries for these can be vague and ineffective. For instance, you may have written down "Start on budget proposal." But what does this entail? The lack of specifics here might cause you to procrastinate, or miss key steps. So make sure that you break large tasks or projects down into specific, actionable steps - then you won't overlook something important. You can also use Action Programs to manage your work when you have many large projects happening at once. (Action Programs are "industrial strength" versions of To-Do Lists.) Mistake #2. Not Setting Personal Goals Do you know where you'd like to be in six months? What about this time next year, or even 10 years from now? If not, it's time to set some personal goals! Personal goal setting is essential to managing your time well, because goals give you a destination and vision to work toward. When you know where you want to go, you can manage your priorities, time, and resources to get there. Goals also help you decide what's worth spending your time on, and what's just a distraction. To learn how to set SMART, effective goals, read up on Locke's Goal Setting Theory. Here, you'll learn how to set clearly defined goals that will keep you motivated. You might also enjoy our Book Insight into "Long Fuse, Big Bang" by Eric Haseltine. This book teaches you how to focus on your long-term goals without overlooking your short term priorities. Mistake #3. Not Prioritizing Your assistant has just walked in with a crisis that she needs you to deal with right now, but you're in the middle of brainstorming ideas for a new client. You're sure that you've almost come up with a brilliant idea for their marketing campaign, but now you risk losing the thread of your thinking because of this "emergency." Sometimes, it's hard to know how to prioritize, especially when you're facing a flood of seemingly-urgent tasks. However, it's essential to learn how to prioritize tasks effectively if you want to manage your time better. One tool that will help you prioritize effectively is the Urgent/Important Matrix. This helps you understand the difference between urgent activities, and important activities. You'll also learn how to overcome the tendency to focus on the urgent. The Action Priority Matrix is another useful tool, which will help you determine if a task is high-yield and high-priority, or low-value, "fill in" work. You'll manage your time much better during the day if you know the difference. Mistake #4. Failing to Manage Distractions Do you know that some of us can lose as much as two hours a day to distractions? Think how much you could get done if you had that time back! Whether they come from emails, IM chats, colleagues in a crisis, or phone calls from clients, distractions prevent us from achieving flow, which is the satisfying and seemingly effortless work that we do when we're 100 percent engaged in a task. If you want to gain control of your day and do your best work, it's vital to know how to minimize distractions and manage interruptions effectively. For instance, turn off your IM chat when you need to focus, and let people know if they're distracting you too often. You should also learn how to improve your concentration, even when you're faced with distractions. Additionally, our article on managing email effectively teaches you how to gain control of your email, so that it doesn't eat up your entire day. Mistake #5. Procrastination Procrastination occurs when you put off tasks that you should be focusing on right now. When you procrastinate, you feel guilty that you haven't started; you come to dread doing the task; and, eventually, everything catches up with you when you fail to complete the work on time. Start by taking our Procrastination Quiz to find out if procrastination is a problem in your life. If it is, then learn the strategies you need to beat procrastination. For instance, one useful strategy is to tell yourself that you're only going to start on a project for ten minutes. Often, procrastinators feel that they have to complete a task from start to finish, and this high expectation makes them feel overwhelmed and anxious. Instead, focus on devoting a small amount of time to starting. That's all! You might also find it helpful to use Action Plans. These help you break large projects down into manageable steps, so that it's easy to see everything that you need to get done, and so that you can complete small chunks at a time. Doing this can stop you from feeling overwhelmed at the start of a new project. Mistake #6. Taking on too Much Are you a person who has a hard time saying "no" to people? If so, you probably have far too many projects and commitments on your plate. This can lead to poor performance, stress, and low morale. Or, you might be a micromanager: someone who insists on controlling or doing all of the work themselves, because they can't trust anyone else to do it correctly. (This can be a problem for everyone - not just managers!) Either way, taking on too much is a poor use of your time, and it can get you a reputation for producing rushed, sloppy work. To stop this, learn the subtle art of saying "yes" to the person, but "no" to the task. This skill helps you assert yourself, while still maintaining good feelings within the group. If the other person starts leaning on you to say "yes" to their request, learn how to think on your feet, and stay cool under pressure. Mistake #7. Thriving on "Busy" Some people get a rush from being busy. The narrowly-met deadlines, the endless emails, the piles of files needing attention on the desk, the frantic race to the meeting... What an adrenaline buzz! The problem is that an "addiction to busyness" rarely means that you're effective, and it can lead to stress. Instead, try to slow down, and learn to manage your time better. Tip: "Do More Great Work", by Michael Bungay Stanier, is full of ideas and tips to reduce the "busywork" that you're doing, so that you're more excited and engaged in the work that matters. Mistake #8. Multitasking To get on top of her workload, Linda regularly writes emails while she chats on the phone to her clients. However, while Linda thinks that this is a good use of her time, the truth is that it can take 20-40 percent more time to finish a list of jobs when you multitask, compared with completing the same list of tasks in sequence. The result is also that she does both tasks poorly - her emails are full of errors, and her clients are frustrated by her lack of concentration. So, the best thing is to forget about multitasking, and, instead, focus on one task at a time. That way, you'll produce higher quality work. Mistake #9. Not Taking Breaks It's nice to think that you can work for 8-10 hours straight, especially when you're working to a deadline. But it's impossible for anyone to focus and produce really high-quality work without giving their brains some time to rest and recharge. So, don't dismiss breaks as "wasting time." They provide valuable down-time, which will enable you to think creatively and work effectively. If it's hard for you to stop working, then schedule breaks for yourself, or set an alarm as a reminder. Go for a quick walk, grab a cup of coffee, or just sit and meditate at your desk. Try to take a five minute break every hour or two. And make sure that you give yourself ample time for lunch - you won't produce top quality work if you're hungry! Mistake #10. Ineffectively Scheduling Tasks Are you a morning person? Or do you find your energy picking up once the sun begins to set in the evening? All of us have different rhythms, that is, different times of day when we feel most productive and energetic. You can make best use of your time by scheduling high-value work during your peak time, and low-energy work (like returning phone calls and checking email), during your "down" time. Our article, Is This a Morning Task? will teach you how to do this. Key Points One of the most effective ways of improving your productivity is to recognize and rectify time management mistakes. When you take the time to overcome these mistakes, it will make a huge difference in your productivity - and you'll also be happier, and experience less stress!

Phil's Goals

Goals: 1 Year (Sep. 25) • Professional- Have full-time employment in a Real Estate position. Own 1 property. • Physical- Compete in an Olympic triathlon. Be Healthy. • Spiritual- Be part of an intentional one on one disciplining relationship • Financial- Live within a budget. • Social- Maintain relationships with current friends. Be an active member of a church. Maintain Goals and goal setting. 6 Months (Mar. 28) • Professional- Be active in due period diligence for property. Be a Full-time employee. • Physical- Be Healthy. Cook Meals. Develop recipe book. • Spiritual- Involved in Church. Involved in consistent service. Be in discipleship relationship. Be involved in a bible study. • Financial- Live within a Budget. Have a credit card. Have 3 savings accounts (Savings, car and emergency). • Social- Use calendar to stay in touch with friends. Identify friendships to maintain. Maintain goals and goal setting. 3 Months (Dec. 20) • Professional- Make decision on employment. Update Resume. Build Connections. Be intentional about meeting with business men. Meet with everyone from Michael’s list. • Physical- Be disciplined in a workout routine. Play in a b-ball league. • Spiritual- Involved in church. K-life. Join a bible study. Read Christian literature. • Financial- Meet with banker. Read Financial planning book. Use mint.com. Automate bill pay. • Social- Maintain goals and Goal setting. Hang out 1 on 1 with Ryan, Ian, Josh, Grieser, Colby and Scott. Have lunch with everyone on list. 1 Month (Oct. 25) • Professional- Learn to polish dress shoes. Get internship job description. Update resume. Update linked-in with current resume and info. Read professional dress article. • Physical- Begin workout routine. Sign up for living history farms race. Decide on health club membership. • Spiritual- Maintain commitment to K-life. Start attending church. Select new book to read. • Financial- Update Budget. Get started on mint.com. • Social- Maintain goals and goal setting.

Interesting Article!

10 Ways to Find Time for Exercise Busting the #1 Exercise Excuse: Lack of Time -- By Jennipher Walters, Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor What's the No. 1 excuse for not working out? Lack of time. Sure, we're all busy handling multiple priorities and rushing around from here and there every day. However, I promise that no matter how busy you are, someone even busier than you are is working out right now. If you look closer, you'll discover that you do have the time to work out—and you deserve to use that time for yourself. Squeezing in just a few minutes of physical exercise a day has huge benefits on your health, gives you energy and perks up your mood. In fact, a new study published by The Lancet found that if inactive people increased their physical activity by just 15 minutes per day, they could reduce their risk of premature death by 14% and increase their life expectancy by three years. Also, remember that "working out" doesn't have to happen in the gym or last for an hour! Short 10-minute bursts of exercise, accumulated over the course of the day, can add up to big fitness and health gains, too. Still not convinced that you have the time to exercise? Here's how to start fitting fitness into your busy life today! 10 Practical Tips to Fit Fitness into Your Busy Life 1. Wake up earlier. Sleep is definitely important for overall health and weight-loss, but could you hit the sheets just 30 minutes earlier, so that you could get up and work out before your day starts? Working out in the morning has numerous benefits including regulating appetite, boosting energy and—perhaps the biggest benefit of all—an A.M. sweat session ensures that your workout is checked off first thing each day! Because really, how many times have you had the best intentions to exercise in the evening, only to have to work late, help your kids with a project or generally just feel too exhausted to get off the couch? With morning workouts, the time problem is solved! 2. Cut down on media. For just a few days, record how much time you spend surfing the Internet, checking personal email, watching tv and playing video games whether it's on your computer or your phone. You just might be surprised at how much time you spend on Facebook or playing Angry Birds. Just a few minutes here and there can add up to an hour or more each day. Cut out just some of that screen time and, voila, you suddenly have time to squeeze in at least 10 or 15 minutes of exercise into even the busiest day. 3. Be an active TV watcher. It's unrealistic to never watch TV or to shun the Internet forever (how would you get your Spark points fix?). So when you do, try to incorporate some physical activity. When watching TV, make it a point to do some jumping jacks or push-ups during commercials. Doing a little exercise during the commercial breaks can add up to almost 20 minutes of fitness for every hour of TV you watch. And instead of sitting in a chair when on the computer, try sitting on a stability ball or stack your computer up on some books so that you have a standing desk to surf from. No matter how you do it, try not to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time! 4. Try an active commute. One of the best ways to fit exercise into your life is by incorporating it into your school or work transportation routine. If you live close enough, consider biking to work, If you take the bus, walk to a bus stop that's an extra block or two away, or get off the bus a stop sooner than usual and get a few more steps in. And if you drive to work, park as far away as you can—even a few blocks away, if possible. 5. Make it part of your routine. One reason it's so challenging to fit exercise into a busy schedule is because we're not used to doing it. Heck, it takes time to brush your teeth in the morning, but you do it, don't you? You brush your teeth every day because it's important and because it's almost second nature to get up and do it. Start making some form of exercise—whether it's walking the dog, doing 10 minutes of yoga or going for a bike ride after dinner—a daily tradition, just like showering, brushing your teeth or hitting the coffee shop on the way to work. It's easy to fit in exercise for a few days here or there, but by incorporating it into your daily routine like you would your hygiene, you take the process of working out away from willpower and into habit. Need help getting into the habit? Try SparkGuy's Daily Workout Streak Challenge! 6. Mix socializing with exercising. Do you normally spend time with your family or friends by going to dinner, watching sports on TV or going to movies? Make your social time more active by planning events that get all of you moving. Go for a family hike on a beautiful Saturday morning, play a game of tag football with your buddies during halftime, or make a date with your significant other or best friend on the treadmill. There are so many options for squeezing more activity into your social calendar! 7. Turn chores into exercise. While cleaning might not be the most fun activity, it's something we all have to do, and it can definitely be a workout if you want it to be. Set a kitchen timer for 20 minutes and see how much of the house you can clean. Try to be as efficient and quick-paced as possible, and I guarantee you'll work up a sweat. If you're doing lighter housework that is harder to get your heart rate up (like laundry or organizing), throw in some lunges or push-ups every few minutes to start feeling the burn! 8. Schedule an appointment. If you had scheduled a doctor's appointment, you wouldn't miss it would you? How about that important business meeting? Of course not. Working out is actually as important as going to the doctor or any other obligation that you prioritize, because it helps you perform better as a worker, parent, student or volunteer, and keeps you in tip-top shape. So whether it's scheduling in an hour to go to that group exercise class, investing in personal training sessions or even making a date with yourself to do that workout DVD over your lunch break, write it in pen in your calendar and treat it like any other appointment you can't miss! 9. Find an activity you love. Think of your favorite hobby or pastime. Do you have trouble finding time to do it? Most likely, you make time for it because you enjoy it so much. It's the things we don't enjoy that we put off and don't feel bad about missing. That's why it's best to choose a physical activity that you actually enjoy and look forward to. Not only are you more likely to do it, but it also adds more fun into your life. And we all could use some more fun in our busy lives, right? 10. Say no. If you've gone through this entire list of tips and don't think a single one will work in your life, then it's time to look at your priorities and responsibilities. Do you really have to bake cookies for that fundraiser? Babysit for your sister? Take on that extra project at work? Attend that wedding shower of your second cousin? Remember that there's nothing wrong in saying no. Yes, we all have obligations to others, but don't forget about the obligation you have to yourself to take care of your body and your health! Remember, exercise gives you energy and keeps you healthy to keep going in that busy life of yours! So don't think of exercise as another to-do to squeeze in on your already busy schedule. Instead, think of it as maintenance for your health and a way to de-stress and do something for you!

Phil's thoughts

Here we go! I'm very excited for the direction this goal setting has started going and I feel like if we stick with it we are going to accomplish some amazing things. I honestly could see us looking back in a few years and agreeing that this is one of the best things we have done. A couple of thoughts: We both are wanting to do more physical exercise so I had a few ideas. Maybe we could do Insanity together, start doing a few runs a week together, both get memberships to aspen, look into maybe doing farrells or I think it would be fun to do the Living History Farms race as a house. We should really push hard to do coffee one morning of the weekend and if we don't do it on the weekend then that next week we should grab coffee together one morning or get up an run. We both mention Christian community in our goals so I think we should start going to a church consistently. Grieser said he was interested in the new Hope campus which would be fine with me. I think it would be really cool if we came up with a shared goal or two. Like something we have to do together. So maybe a project around the house, the living history farms race, some type of community service, working on our cooking skills, or house book club. It doesn't have to be any of those but I think it would be really fun to have a shared goal or two. I also think it would be really cool to spend some time talking about our relationship and different ways to grow and strengthen that. We need to come up with some different "incentive" ideas to go along with some goals. I think it will be really helpful to have incentives as well as making sure we celebrate some successes. Pray to start and end goal setting. I think it is somthing simple that would add signficiantly to our time together. Well I went to lunch and lost my train of thought. I was also going to make this my goal entry but this turned into something different so I will upload my goals tonight on a new post. Phil

New Beginnings?

Alright Phil and future Charlie... Ima be real honest right now. Starting this blog brings back a muriad of memmories of such endeavors when I've been real ambitious about documenting my life and writing out everything I'm experiencing in hopes of some therapuetic release of thoughts and internal strife, or perhaps for the benefit of one day looking through all my posts or old journals and gaining some sort of enjoyment through a retrospective look at my life and trials of the past. At this point I know myself well enought to have figured out two things as fact in regards to blogging, journaling, writing, etc... 1. Writing is definitely therapeutic for me, I enjoy it immensely and it helps me organize my thoughts in a way that gives me a greater confidence for the future. However, I have a tendency of neglecting the things that are in my long term self interest and therefore usually end up failing to follow up on any commitments I make to myself in terms of investing the time to organize my thoughts and life. 2. I really have no interest in re-reading my own self-recorded documentation of the past to this point...

All that being said, I want to try and use this as a tool that isn't aimed at recording the various events of my life, but rather just an organizational device that allows me to hone in and focus on things that I desire and establish as goals. I will write what feels important to write, and I will be honest to myself and with Phil.

A few weeks ago, after spending time with Phil, I was able to come up with a list of goals. It's always difficult for me to just start making lists of anything because my mind has a tendency to wander untamed for hours down various and irrelevant paths that yield little as far as progressive and insightful ideas. Phil suggested with me that it might be easier for me to set some goals for a period in the future that might force me to think only of large over-arching aspirations and then work backwards towards specific and relevant goals to employ in my day-to-day life. I found this approach to be helpful as well as challenging and set out to develop 5 goals for the next year of my life that coincide with several different aspects of my life. They are I. Professional
II. Physical
III. Spiritual
IV. Financial
V. Social/Communal

The 1-Year Goals I've identified for these categories are:
I. Have a new position with Hotsy. Be spending more time in oversight of the company versus being in a day-to-day sales position. I feel this is vital for my long term vitality as I have spent so much of my time in the past year living as I work... Spending day after day putting out fires and only addressing things that are the most problematic in life. I want to be in a position where my concerns are not that of the current day, but rather of the long term sustainability of the company.
II. I want to be ready to run another marathon. I love running. I miss running. I miss being in shape. I miss living a disciplined life. I want to make it my goal to lose some weight, spend time treating my body like a temple, commit myself to a routine that focuses on investing in myself the time and energy to be healthy.
III. Be plugged in with a faith based community. This goal is somewhat abstract. I don't know what I really mean by it, however I want to be surrounded by true believers in the God I know and love. I love the community I'm currently in, however, without the reassurance of like-minded believers I feel as though I'm not standing for anything and ready to fall for everything. It is important to me that I find a group that I am comfortable enough with to worship and acknowledge the many blessings I've recieved and where they truly came from...
IV. I want to invest my money in things that will result in a positive yield, and use them to support things that really matter. The accumulation of wealth has become an endeavor of mine, however I'm worried that it might turn into the mere accumulation of money. I want to be a steward of all the resources I've been given. I want to take what I have and make it grow into a multitude of sustainable resources, however I want to make sure I am using money as an avenue to provide wealth of relationships, of ministries, and of passion. I want to stay grounded in using my money to provide love for as many people possible, not just material items.
V. I want to develop new and deeper relationships. Again, rather vague, but it is something that is extremely important to me. I want to be intentional with people. Weather it be with new friends or with room mates or with a potential girlfriend/spouse. I want to be unsettled with the current state of all my relationships and strive for true community amongst my various social circles.

Taking these goals, and narrowing them down to a 6-Month period, by March 25, 2012, I want the following things to have been accomplished:
I. Have a clear vision of my professional future. I want to have a plan, and a timeline, and a good idea of the steps I need to take to enact said plan in a timely manner to take the next step with Hotsy.
II. I want to be exercising regularly, and paying attention to my diet.
III. I want to be meeting with faith mentors regularly. Identify older people that have advice and experience I respect investing in me and my life.
IV. I want to have a clear budget established in order to know how much I should be spending on a monthly basis, and how much I can afford to invest in other peoples lives and missions.
V. I want to have an idea about the timeline of the house I'm living in, evaluate its current state and the exit strategy for moving out of it while maintaining close relationships.

Getting more specific, by October 25th, I want to have accomplished the following:
I. Discuss with my father my future at Hotsy and establish goals for the future.
II. Develop a plan for regular exercise and healthy habbits.
III. Talk to Dave Applegate about establishing regular meetings.
IV. Monitor spending habbits and determine how to lean out expenses.
V. Determine community goals, and develop healthy habbits around the house. Have some projects and goals lined up to accomplish before winter.

Every Week I want some things to keep in mind. I could call them goals or just monitoring metrics that will help me evaluate my progress. For each category I'm going to try and think of three practical steps that I can shoot for to try and track my progress.
I.
1. Talk with Dad and tell him about my goals.
2. Reflect on how I've done at Hotsy, and try to identify ways my skills can benefit the company in a greater capacity.
3. Create goals for myself from week to week and share with Phil.
II.
1. Determin a reasonable start date for gym
2. Stop smoking habitually.
3. Figure out way to buy groceries and stop eating out so often.
III.
1. Read my bible
2. Pray (talk with God)
3. Find a good audio book to listen to on the road.
IV.
1. Email Dave
2. Gather information on who I'm currently contributing to and Why
3. Talk with Phil about ways to best utilize money.
V.
1. Spend time being thankful for house and room mates
2. Have house meeting planned.
3. Pick weekend to landscape

So that's that. I hope I can follow through with all this, I already feel better about a lot of things.

Phil, please share your thoughts, or post your goals and we can get rolling.