Elevate Others: The Simplest Leadership Practice

People crave recognition. Everyone needs to know that they are doing well, that they are appreciated, that what they do matters. It is hard-wired into us. Watch someone after they have received a compliment for their work. They shine.

Yet we so rarely call a meeting to discuss what's going right in the organization and who's responsible. We think that its our job to solve problems, not hand out praise. Wrong. It's our job to act like a leader. And leaders make everyone around them better. More capable. More engaged. More positive.

Giving honest praise is one of the most powerful leadership actions you can take. (And remember: if you consume oxygen you are a leader.) No matter where you are in the organization you can find someone doing something right and recognize them. Whether it's a vendor who is impeccably polite, a colleague who is outrageously punctual or a supervisor who listens deeply. Every one of them is a human being who deserves and craves recognition. And when you give them that recognition they will go out and make someone else's day better. What a powerful way to spread leadership.

So think about your organization, your community or your family and try some of the following simple strategies for elevating others. Observe how people respond, the results will astound you.

1. Honest praise. Tell someone what you admire about their performance or their attitude.
2. Public praise. Share someone's victory with the rest of the team.
3. Thank you notes. A handwritten card thanking someone for their help will be the highlight of their day.
4. Support them. Say yes to a colleague's ideas. Find a way to incorporate their input into your plan.

EXCESSIVE OVERTIME IS NOT TIME-EFFECTIVE

EXCESSIVE OVERTIME IS NOT TIME-EFFECTIVE

Sometimes we have to work overtime in order to get a rush job completed or put the finishing touches on a priority project. But if we work overtime on a regular basis, we seldom gain the productivity return that we expect. In fact, the law of diminishing returns takes over, and every extra hour of work brings increasingly less than an equivalent hour of results.

PERFECTIONISM

It is more important to do than to do well.

PLANNERS ARE UNDER-UTILIZED

Too many people are missing appointments or pre-scheduled activities because they forget to look at their planner. This is usually a sign that the planner is not being used as it should. The more you use it, the less chance you have of forgetting to look at it. Make it a habit to check your planner morning, noon and night.

TIMELY TIP

The antidote for short-term stress is long-term planning.

 

POOR COMMUNICATION WASTES TIME

When talking to staff members or co-workers, listen carefully, catching the intent as well as the context of any questions. Repeat the question to be sure you have it right, answer it directly, and if you don’t know the answer, say so.

TIME MANAGEMENT, A PRIORITY

A University of North Carolina research project asked 4000 retired executives what they would change if they had their lives to live over again. The majority said they would make better use of their time. (Source: Wearing Lots of Hats: A Retailers Guide to Better Management, by Debbie Allen)

DON'T KNOW WHERE TO FILE IT?

DON’T KNOW WHERE TO FILE IT?

The Every Manager’s Desk Reference (Alpha Books, 2002) suggests a file labeled ‘Don’t Know Where to File” for items you want to retain but don’t fit any category.

MAKE ROOM FOR PRIORITIES

If you have a high priority to do, never ask yourself, “When will I ever get time to do it?” If it is important enough, you have time to do it. Instead, you should be asking, “When will I get time to do all the other stuff?”

INFORMATION CONTINUES TO EXPLODE

According to The Every Manager’s Desk Reference (Alpha Books, 2002), every minute, more information is generated on earth than you can possibly absorb in the rest of your life.

 

PLAN TO ACHIEVE GOALS

It’s great to have goals. But don’t stop there. Draw up a plan of action so you will achieve them.

SEEING THE LIGHT

If you don’t get sufficient sleep, blame Edison. Before he invented the light bulb in 1878, people averaged 10 hours of sleep per night. Within a few years, that dropped to 8. Now it’s even less. (Source: Every Manager’s Desk Reference, Penguin Group, 2002)

REDUCE READING TIME

Don’t read the entire book (non-fiction). Select chapters based on the content pages, scan quickly and read those chapters that provide the best value.

MIND OVER CLUTTER

If everything seems too valuable or important or meaningful to throw away, pretend your house is on fire. If you wouldn’t risk your life to save the stuff, toss it.

INCENTIVE TO TOSS

Alan Trides, a Newport Beach Realtor, claims that the less we keep, the bigger our homes look. (Source: Janet Eastman in the Dec. 30, 2004 issue of Los Angeles Times)

 

TIME FOR TRAVELERS

TIME FOR TRAVELERS

If you’re traveling across the country, check out the time zones before you leave at http://www.time.gov. International travelers can refer to http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/

NETWORKING AT CONFERENCES

Having business cards handy for networking opportunities at conventions and conferences could earn you money as well as save time. Keep a dozen or so in your plastic lapel badge so they’ll be fresh and unspoiled as well as quickly available.

ENTHUSIASM ALLEVIATES BOREDOM

Enthusiasm and boredom cannot co-exist. Give every task your best shot. Pretend your future depends on it – because it does. Don’t wait until you feel good to show exuberance. Act out how you want to feel and the feelings will follow. Researchers believe that the mere act of smiling produces a flood of brain chemicals that sets you on the road to feeling good.

MEETING TIME SAVER

Seldom does a ten-minute break consume less than twenty minutes.
For longer meetings, announce in advance when you will take a break. When the time comes, instead of saying, “Let’s take a ten minute break”, say, “Let’s break now, and be back at 3:35”. Most people have no idea how long ten minutes is. Also write the time of return on a flip chart, PowerPoint slide or overhead.

TIMELY HUMOR

The best meeting is a meeting of two people, with one of them absent.

HUMOR IN THE WORKPLACE

Humor helps in many ways. It takes our attention away from the upsets, releases tension, allows us to take an objective view of the source of our aggravation, and actually gives us uplift. It is also good for our health. Allen Klein, in his book, The Healing Power of Laughter (Jeremy F. Tarcher Inc., 1989) reports “Men who are cynical or angry have been shown to be more prone to heart attacks than those with a more positive outlook. Hospital patients who had surgery healed quicker if they had a park view out of their window than those who did not.”

WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY

WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY

People who enjoy their jobs are more productive, according to Psychologist Dean Keith Simonton from the University of California at Davis. According to Psychology Today (March, 1989) he has studied such incredibly productive figures as Mozart (600 compositions) and Thomas Edison (1,093 patents). His conclusion: “Exceptional achievers in almost any domain consider their endeavor their main hobby.”

DEVELOP THE “DO IT NOW” HABIT

Resist the urge to procrastinate and increase your effectiveness. For example, answer the e-mail as soon as you’ve read it, put away the file once you’ve finished with it, scrap the magazine once you’ve clipped the relevant articles and clean up the room once the meeting is over.

TELEPHONE VS. E-MAIL

Robert Pitman of America Online says “It could easily take a dozen rounds of e-mail for two people to achieve the same level of communication and understanding that is possible in just two minutes of conversation.”

IN SUPPORT OF TIDINESS

Haworth Inc. of Holland, Michigan conducted a study of desk tidiness, finding that many people are mentally wired to more readily recall papers when they were placed in vertical, rather than horizontal arrangements. (Source: Tech Times, March 20, 2000)

 

MANAGING STRESS IS ESSENTIAL

A Heart and Stroke Foundation report issued in February 2000 revealed that 80 percent of us know that stress can lead to heart problems, but only 26 percent say they know how to handle their own stress. (Source: Toronto Star, February 15, 2000)

WHERE QUALITY TIME COMES FROM

WHERE QUALITY TIME COMES FROM

A survey of 300 mothers revealed they spend more time with their children, but in order to do so, they sleep 5 or 6 hours less each week, have 12 fewer hours of free time and tend to do less housework. (Source: St. Petersburg Times, March 28, 2000)

STRESS AND ABSENTEEISM

A survey of HR managers at 305 U.S. companies found stress has caused unscheduled absences to triple during the period from 1995 to 1999. Source: The Emotional Tightrope by Louisa Wah, Management Review, January 2000)

INTERRUPTIONS ARE THE NORM

On a typical day, the average office worker sees or receives: 52 telephone calls, 18 pieces of inter-office mail, 15 faxes, 18 pieces of mail, 22 voice-mail messages, 11 sticky notes, 30 electronic mail messages, 3 cell phone calls, 10 telephone message slips, 4 pages on a beeper and 7 overnight packages or courier delivered items. (Source: The Toronto Star, July 19, 1998)

TIMELY QUOTE

It’s easier to face difficult tasks that to avoid them.

 

WORKING SMARTER AND FASTER

How fast is too fast? Norman Bodek, in an article reprinted in Quality Digest (Jan/87 issue) illustrates that breakneck speeds do not result in quality workmanship. He uses the example of a person attempting to draw a straight line freehand. Try it. Draw the first one very quickly, the next one quickly, but not as fast as the first, and draw the last one very slowly. The second line you draw is probably the straightest indicating that working quickly is the best way to proceed. Bodek suggests that if we go too fast, we become exhausted and if we go too slowly the tedium is stressful.

TIME IS RELATIVE

Two weeks on vacation is not the same as two weeks on a diet.

Enjoy your job or get a new one

Marshall Cook, author of the book, Slow Down and Get More Done, suggests that if you have a great deal of freedom in structuring your work day, can take responsibility for the outcome, and can see the value in what you do, you're more likely to achieve satisfaction from your work.

Unfortunately, not everyone is happy with his or her job. According to researchers at the University of Michigan, only 43% of white collar workers said they would choose the same type of work again. This figure dropped to 24% for blue collar workers. However, 93% of university professors and 82% of journalists enthusiastically confirm their career choices.

According to author and researcher Juliet Schor, many of us become trapped in an "earned-spend cycle." We drain our time and energy into jobs we don't like out of economic necessity. This is not good. We spend a lot of time at our jobs. We owe it to ourselves as well as to our employers to enjoy what we do. This may require that we set a personal goal to change careers within five years. This might involve starting our own business. Or it may only require that we build interest into our present job - making the most of what we have already. The more we have control of our lives the less stress we will experience.
           
Carol Colman, author of Late Bloomers: How to Achieve Your Potential at Any Age, suggests that we must reach the point at which our need for change surpasses our need for security. She urges her readers not to let short-term gratification stand in the way of lifetime satisfaction.

 

MAKE TIME FOR HEALTH

MAKE TIME FOR HEALTH

Regardless of how busy you are, never sacrifice time for exercise, getting medical check-ups and leisure activities. Keeping well is easier and more time-effective than getting well.

PERFECTIONISM WASTES TIME

Ann Smith in her book, Overcoming Perfectionism, suggests you ask three people who care about you whether or not they think you're a perfectionist. If they do, take action.

SPENDING TIME VS. INVESTING TIME

When you spend time, you are trading it for the accomplishment of a task. When you invest time, you are working on goals that will further your life's mission. Growing physically, mentally and spiritually is investing time. Simply growing older is spending time.

CLUTTER IN THE HOME

Don Aslett, in his book, Not For Packrats Only, claims that clutter steals 50 percent of useable space in a home and that 40 percent of housework is actually picking up and shifting junk and clutter.

TIMELY THOUGHT

An idea only has value when it's acted upon.

 

EVERYTHING MUST HAVE A REASON

David Allen, in his book, Getting Things Done, says he's amazed at how many people have forgotten why they're doing what they're doing. He suggests they ask a simple question. "Why are you doing that?" to get back on track.

WHERE YOU WORK IS IMPORTANT

Choose a physical location unique to the project to maintain focus and creativity. For example, do your report writing at your desk, financial planning at the boardroom table etc.

PUT YOUR THOUGHTS IN WRITING

PUT YOUR THOUGHTS IN WRITING

Your mind creates while you walk, rest or exercise; but get the ideas down on paper as soon as possible. Once the ideas are out of your head and onto paper where you can see them the likelihood of doing something with them is greatly increased.

FILE, DON'T CRAM

Don't go beyond 80 percent of the capacity of the file drawer. Jamming too much stuff makes both filing and retrieval difficult. Use manila folders inside hanging folders. Thin the files on a regular basis and if you need another filing cabinet, get one.

TIMELY THOUGHT

No failure can ever be as bad as the failure to try.

 

 

DEADLINES CAN REDUCE STRESS

Alec Mackenzie, author of Time for Success, suggests the stress of incomplete tasks and last minute rushing can be eliminated by establishing realistic deadlines and checkpoints.

SET DEADLINE FOR E-MAIL REPLY

When requesting information or a reply, always include a deadline so your e-mail doesn't linger in the recipient's in-box

GOALS VS PRIORITIES

Prioritizing means deciding in advance what is important to you so you can utilize your time wisely. Goals and prioritizing go hand and hand. Once you have established your goals, you know your priorities.

TIMELY THOUGHT

A plan without action is like a car without a driver, it goes nowhere.

TIMELY QUOTE

"Keep the big picture in mind while attending to the daily details."
- Donald Trump in his book, How to Get Rich.

TIME WASTAGE

TIME WASTAGE

Most office employees waste at least 45 percent of their day once they get to their desks, according to the book, First Thing Monday Morning, by Dianna Booher. A study showed that only 22 percent of the employees said they work at full potential.

PROCRASTINATION IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH

According to Michelle Tullier, in her book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Overcoming Procrastination, it can cause stress, anxiety, low self-esteem and even depression.

THE GREAT PUT-OFF

One Survey revealed that exercise is the number one thing that people procrastinate on. A worthy goal for this year is to persist in a regular exercise program until it becomes habitual. A longer and healthier life can be a great time saver.

TIMELY QUOTE

"The secret to success is setting priorities."
-Denis Waitley
 

DEADLINES CAN REDUCE STRESS

Alec Mackenzie, author of Time for Success, suggests the stress of incomplete tasks and last minute rushing can be eliminated by establishing realistic deadlines and checkpoints.

SET DEADLINE FOR E-MAIL REPLY

When requesting information or a reply, always include a deadline so your e-mail doesn't linger in the recipient's in-box

GOALS VS PRIORITIES

GOALS VS PRIORITIES

Prioritizing means deciding in advance what is important to you so you can utilize your time wisely. Goals and prioritizing go hand and hand. Once you have established your goals, you know your priorities.

TIMELY THOUGHT

A plan without action is like a car without a driver, it goes nowhere.

TIMELY QUOTE

"Keep the big picture in mind while attending to the daily details."
- Donald Trump in his book, How to Get Rich.
 

CELL PHONES AND DRIVING

A study by the AAA Foundation back in 1992 showed that holding a complex conversation via cellular increases the chance that you'll be distracted by 30 percent.

ORGANIZERS WON'T NECESSARILY GET YOU ORGANIZED

According to Lucy Hedrick, author of Five Days To An Organized Life (Dell Publishing, 1990) there were at that time over 300 organizers or personal planning aids on the market, with sales expected to exceed $200 million. Yet many people are still disorganized. Organizers are of little use if the person using them lacks the self-discipline to make then work.

MAKE COMMITMENTS TO GET THINGS DONE

You cannot postpone a commitment, you can only cancel it. If you postpone it, it's no longer a commitment.

A PLANNER IS A CONSTANT REFERENCE TOOL

Your planner should contain scheduled activities and events, lists of things to do, follow-ups required and projects due. Check it every morning - and throughout the day.

TIMELY QUOTE

"When you make a goal, you're building a bridge between who you are now and who you want to be in the future."   - Amy Dean, Author of Life Goals

 

 

ORGANIZE YOUR CD ROMS

ORGANIZE YOUR CD ROMS

Have an organized filing system for the various CDs and drivers you receive with software and electronic devices. Don't waste time searching for CDs when you have to reinstall a program. A minute or two invested at the time of purchase could save hours later.

BUSINESS CARD TIP

If you have an extension number for your telephone, include it on your business card so callers don't have to use the automated directory or go through an operator to reach you.

PAPER USE STILL INCREASING

Baha and Margaret Habashy's book, Overloaded ( www.integrity-plus.com), quoting David Shark, author of Data Smog states that paper consumption per capita in the U.S. tripled between 1940 and 1980 and tripled again between 1980 and 1990.

TIMELY QUOTE

Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether.

 

GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING

If you have time management problems at work, have a brain storming session with your staff to generate solutions.

A SLEEPLESS SOCIETY

According to Matthew Edlund, in his book, The Body Clock Advantage, Americans are sleeping two hours less each night than they did 100 years ago.

KEEP CALLS SHORT

To keep telephone conversations brief, don't lean back with your feet up. Keep alert and time conscious, even if it means taking your calls standing up.

TIDY DOES NOT MEAN IMMACULATE

TIDY DOES NOT MEAN IMMACULATE

The purpose of keeping a tidy desk is not to promote neatness, but to provide ample working space, reduce distractions and ensure items are easily accessible. Don't carry organization too far.

KEEP YOUR PLANNER OPEN

An open planner on your desk makes it easy to enter meetings, appointments, things to do and future activities as you read your e-mail, dispense with paperwork or carry on telephone conversations.

 

RETRIEVING INFORMATION FROM BOOKS

To retrieve information from books, it is time effective to do two things as you read. Highlight the relevant passage and mark the page. 3M are marketing a highlighter with a built-in supply of flags for that purpose. Available in office supply stores, it is called Post-it® Flag Highlighter.

A WARNING TO NIGHT OWLS

Don't sacrifice sleep to get more done. Most serious accidents occur between midnight and 6 a.m. For example, trucking fatalities increase up to forty times during that time period. (Source: The Body Clock Advantage by Matthew Edlund. Adams Media, 2003)

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Never schedule priority tasks late in the day or week or they may be the victim of accumulated problems that occur during the morning and early afternoon.

SCHEDULE TIME FOR YOU

The airlines tell you to put your own oxygen mask on before attempting to help others. Similarly, you should make sure you schedule enough time for your own needs before responding to the time needs of others.

SUGGEST A DEADLINE

SUGGEST A DEADLINE

Never ask others when they would like a request completed. Suggest a time that fits your schedule instead. Otherwise you may be stuck with unrealistic deadlines.
 

MORNING PEOPLE

As we grow older, our prime time - when we are most mentally alert - comes earlier. You should probably be getting up an hour earlier than you did thirty years ago if you want to maximize your productivity.

HANDLING INTERRUPTIONS

Robert K. Cooper, Author of The Other 90%, claims we should never use the negative expression "I only have two minutes" to an unscheduled visitor. Tell them you can spend two minutes with them now and can schedule more time later if needed. That tells them you're not brushing them off.

TAKE INTERRUPTIONS SITTING DOWN

Neuroscientists claim that when people are rushed, the brain is programmed to perceive standing conversation as far less genuine than seated talk. One minute standing can feel like nothing while one minute sitting can feel like ten. (Source: The Other 90% by Robert K. Cooper, Three Rivers Press, 2001)

SIMPLIFY YOUR TO DO LIST

Most people have more things on their To Do Lists than they'll ever have time to complete. The trivial talks only serve to distract you from the important ones. Get rid of items that don't have long-term consequences.

LONGER COMMUTE TIMES

In Great Britain the average trip to work in 1998 took 25 minutes, compared with 23 minutes in 1993. If the trend is to longer, slower trips to and from work, this time loss has to be made up in other ways. It is best to do it by increasing productivity at work than in stealing time from leisure time or sleep.

 

DULL OFFICES DECREASE CREATIVITY

According to Paul Dickinson, in his book, It's Not About Size, dull offices that lack good-natured joking and lighthearted banter produce bored and uninspired people who do not innovate.

TV TIME WASTER

According to AC Neilson Co., the average American watches 3 hours and 46 minutes of TV each day - more than 52 days of nonstop TV watching per year. So if you want to get all the important things done, stay away from the TV set.

REPLY TO EMAIL

With filters, e-mails being bounced back or disappearing into cyberspace, it's disconcerting not to know whether your e-mail actually arrived. You might want to invest a few seconds by acknowledging electronic business correspondence.

DON'T SCRIMP ON SLEEP

Researchers find that students who sleep six or fewer hours learned less and had difficulty remembering material.

ORGANIZING YOUR WORK SPACE

Lesley Bolton, in her book, Fastread Time Management, tells us not to skimp on ergonomics. Investing in a good chair, for instance, will help both your posture and your productivity.

 

RESPOND VS REACT

Reacting to interruptions means you are being distracted from your goal. Responding means you are handling the interruption in stride without losing sight of your original goal.

GOALS SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE

John C. Maxwell, in his book Be All You Can Be, warns not to set goals in concrete. To quote, ""If your goal is not expandable, it's expendable."

URGENT VS. IMPORTANT

Don't let the tyranny of the urgent distract you from jobs that promise permanent value.

TELECOMMUTERS

TELECOMMUTERS

People working from home increase their productivity by 40 to 50 percent due to fewer interruptions, absence of office politics and lack of travel time. (Source: Working at Home by Lindsay O'Connor.)

TIMELY QUOTE

"An excess of paper and possessions and an overload of commitments slows you down and leads to procrastination."
- Michelle Tullier, Ph.D., author and speaker

POWER OF WRITTEN GOALS

Those who write down their goals are 90 times more likely to accomplish them than those who don't. (Source unavailable)

ORGANIZING FOR COMFORT

Your work surface for writing should be 28 ½ inches from the floor. Your computer keyboard should be 24 to 27 inches from the floor. The monitor should 16 to 28 inches from your face. (Source: Working at Home by Lindsay O'Connor.)

PLAN & DON"T QUIT

Denis Waitley and Rani L. Witt, in their book, The Joy of Working, claims the majority of people never achieve their goals because first, they fail to plan, and second, if they do plan they fail to plan again.

THE PROOF IS IN THE PUTTING

If you're reluctant to throw things out because you might need them some day, try this. Put the contents of your junk drawer into a carton, quickly seal it, mark it and store it out of sight. When you next open it, perhaps several years later, you will find that you never missed, needed or looked for any of this stuff in the meantime.

TIMELY QUOTE

Trying times is no time to be not trying.

 

THE COST OF CLUTTER

THE COST OF CLUTTER

Michelle Tullier, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Overcoming Procrastination, suggests you calculate the cost of the office space your are leasing to store things you don't use or need. This could be an incentive to toss things out.

SAY NO QUICKLY

If you put people off, you will be making things more difficult for them and increasing the likelihood of your saying yes - if only out of a feeling of guilt. Quickly assess requests on the basis of your priorities, and make your decision without too much delay.

QUICK PRINTING

With the advent of e-mail the term quick print brings on a whole new meaning. Don't waste time bringing your flyers, brochures or other jobs to the printer. Simply e-mail them with your instructions. If you have them delivered, so much the better.

COMPUTER CLUTTER

Don't overlook your electronic files when it's time to purge. The more documents and files you maintain, the more time is wasted locating something. Make it a habit of deleting a few documents before turning off your computer for the day.

TIMELY QUOTE

"It's not what happens to us; it's what happens in us."
- John C. Maxwell, author of Be All You Can Be.

COMMITMENT TO YOUR FUTURE

Setting goals without commitment is a formula for failure. Goals don't get reached on their own. You must make a commitment to work on those goals on a regular basis. Let your daily activities reflect your aspirations.

Our Internal clocks

The Secrets of Our Body Clocks by Susan Perry and Jim Dawson, discusses
biological rhythms. Everyone's clock is unique, and some may peak at 11 a.m. instead of 12 noon, but even extreme morning people and extreme night people are no greater than 2 hours apart with their circadian cycles. Some of the conclusions of the book may help us manage our time more effectively.

1. Most of us reach our peak of alertness around noon. So perhaps delaying lunch until 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. might capitalize on our most productive period.

2. There's a sudden drop in the early afternoon that lasts until about 3:00 p.m., at which time our mental alertness once again begins to rise. Schedule the mundane, low-energy tasks for that part of the day.

3. Short-term memory is best during the morning hours, so studying for a test that morning or reviewing notes of a meeting would be a good idea. But long-term memory is best in the afternoon, so that's the time to study material for the following week - or for that training session for the new employee. How well you remember things depends on when you learn them, not when you recall them.

4. Mornings are a great time for creative sessions or meetings where tough decisions must be made. But don't let them run into the early afternoon doldrums.

5. Just because you’re a morning person, don't expect everyone else to be the same way. Biological rhythms are innate, and we should organize our lives so as to work with them, not against them.

In general, morning people should do all their heavy thinking and creative work in the morning and reserve the late afternoons for the routine. Night people, although similarly alert at 11 a.m., do not experience the same late afternoon sag.

 

TAKE A TECHNOLOGY BREAK

TAKE A TECHNOLOGY BREAK

 

What would happen if you didn't use your computer, fax machine, cell phone, e-mail or electronic gadgets for a full day? Well, the recent power failure indicated we would take time to actually speak to one another, be helpful, exhibit creativity and make the most of a bad situation. If the blackout had been planned, would it have relieved stress as well? It makes you think that a periodic break from technology might not be a bad idea.

 

IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES

 

If money were no object, 43% of the respondents would travel and 29% would spend time with family and friends. It usually doesn't take much money to spend time with family and friends. Have you identified what's important to you? And if so, are those priorities reflected in your planner?

 

BEING KIND COULD BE A TIME SAVER

 

Studies have shown that helpful people live 2 ½ times longer than ungiving people. That figure seems extreme, but even a small extension of lifespan is a significant gift of time.

 

TIME FOR EXERCISE

 

If you don't have time for that daily walk, suggests the following: Drive your car to the far end of the office parking lot and walk, use the stairs instead of the elevator, and bring your lunch to work and use the extra

time to take a walk.

 

WHEN VACATIONING, TAKE YOUR MIND ALONG

 

When you take a vacation, leave your office work behind. It makes no sense to get away from it all and then take it all with you.

 

PLAN IN THE EVENING

PLAN IN THE EVENING

 

Spend at least 15 or 20 minutes at the end of each day to plan for tomorrow. If you leave it until the morning you may walk into a crisis and never plan at all. If you plan the evening before, you will be reserving your prime time for action, not reflection.

 

THE POSITIVE APPROACH TO TIME MANAGEMENT

 

Your prime purpose at work should not be to avoid wasting time, but to achieve significant results. The former

Mindset encourages you to keep busy; the latter encourages you to be productive.

 

E-MAIL ETIQUETTE

 

Every e-mail should have a salutation and closing. Don't  assume your e-mail address will identify you.

 

DISTRACTED DRIVERS

 

30 percent of the drivers used cell phones while driving, 97 percent leaned over to reach for something and 91 percent fiddled with radio controls. Swerving was most likely to occur while reaching, eating, using cell phones or tending to infants.

 

PERFECTIONISM IS UNHEALTHY

 

Perfectionists are 75% more likely to get sick than other people.

 

THE FIGHT AGAINST SPAM

 

25 percent of all e-mail is Spam. That's reason enough to investigate Spam-fighting software.

 

PERSONAL E-MAIL CONSUMES TIME

 

One-quarter of employees are receiving 5 to 10 non work-related e-mails at the office every day.

 

LONG HOURS MEAN SHORT RESULTS

LONG HOURS MEAN SHORT RESULTS

 

Performance declines 25% after a 60-hour workweek. The fatigue factor tends to reduce both concentration and productivity.

 

PROCRASTINATION IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH

 

Procrastination is physically harmful. College students who procrastinate have higher levels of drinking, smoking, insomnia, stomach problems, cold and flu.

 

DISORGANIZATION AND SELF-ESTEEM

 

A disorganized home or office can be frustrating but it doesn't make you a bad person. Separate yourself from the condition. Being disorganized does not make you inferior. Don't feel guilty. Simply decide now to get organized and work at it gradually.

 

SPAM ON THE INCREASE

 

Nearly 76 billion Spam e-mails were delivered over the Internet this year. Can you imagine the time consumed simply deleting them?

 

DON'T SEND E-MAIL ON MONDAY MORNING

 

Most people have overflowing in-boxes on Monday morning and have itchy tigger fingers as they delete as many messages as possible. Yours stands a greater chance of being deleted.

 

WEEK AT A GLANCE PLANNERS ARE BEST

WEEK AT A GLANCE PLANNERS ARE BEST

Robert M. Hochheiser, in his book Time Management (Barrons, 1998), claims that with day-by-day calendars you would have to turn pages four times to go from the beginning to the end of the week. He further suggests that monthly calendars usually don’t have sufficient space to allow for detailed action plans.

CONTROLLING TELEPHONE TIME

Keep telephone calls brief by directing the caller to the business at the beginning. For example, “Hi Bill, What can I do for you?” or “Good Morning Sally. How can I help you?” If you make the call, get right to the reason for the call. “Jim, I have two quick questions for you concerning the new hiring policy.”

STRESS CAN BE DEVASTATING

Everyone has heard about the traditional diseases that can be brought on by excessive stress, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and ulcers etc. but according to Woman’s Day Magazine (11/18/97, Is Stress Making You Sick? By Stephanie Wood) other illnesses aggravated by stress include: Acne, asthma, colds, diabetes, diarrhea, flu, hives, infertility, PMS, psoriasis and stomachaches.

HIGH COST OF DISORGANIZATION

Statistics reported in the May 1993 issue of Inc. Magazine revealed that 7.5 percent of documents get lost completely and 3 percent of the remainder gets misfiled. $120 in labor is spent finding a misfiled document and $250 in labor is spent recreating a lost document.

UNCLUTTER THE HOME

If you can’t bear to part with all those infrequently used possessions, rent some storage space. It’s cheaper than a bigger home or apartment. If you haven’t missed anything after one year, get rid of the stuff permanently.
 

EARLY RISERS

 

Only a few men live to old age, and fewer still become successful who are not early risers.

 

ORGANIZE MEETINGS BY E-MAIL

 

The average time it takes to arrange a meeting by phone is ten minutes compared to three minutes by e-mail.

 

THE PAUSE THAT REFOCUSES

THE PAUSE THAT REFOCUSES

 

I read that a pigeon's eyes can't focus as it moves, accounting for it's strange walk. The bird has to pause between steps In order to refocus. It reminds me that we should frequently pause to refocus as well. If we proceed at a frantic pace without pausing, we could easily lose sight of our mission. Periodically review your goals and make sure your motion is moving you towards your mission.

 

PUT A STOP TO POP-UPS

 

It takes time to close those ads that pop-up unannounced when you're connected to the Internet. If you have that problem, you might consider downloading the free Pop-up Stopper software from www.download.com.

 

COLLEGE STUDENTS PRONE TO PROCRASTINATION

 

70 percent of college students report problems with overdue papers and delayed studying.

 

MULTITASKING

 

Your computer is great at multitasking. You can write articles while performing downloads or scan for viruses as you send e-mail. But your brain is not programmed that way. So beware of trying to do two things at once, especially if they are complex or require your undivided attention. Studies indicate a drop in efficiency between 30 percent and 50 percent on the individual tasks performed while multitasking.

 

DO IT NOW

 

It's more important to do something than to do it well. Never delay something that could cause problems later simply because you're not good at it. You learn by doing, not by delaying.

 

FINISH WHAT YOU START

 

There's a limit to how many projects you can juggle at the same time. Don't start another project if the incomplete ones are already consuming most of your time. Getting the Best of Yourself, when you begin multiple projects, you usually end up with multiple incompletions.

 

WHEN IDEAS DON'T WORK

WHEN IDEAS DON'T WORK

 

If you make changes only to find that you slip back into your original time wasting habits, it could be that you have not bought into the idea. Changing your behavior without changing your mind seldom results in permanent behavior change.

 

DEFINITION

 

Ineffectiveness: Doing perfectly that which is unnecessary.

 

STICKY PAD

 

If you use your car dashboard to house sunglasses, cell phone or wallet while driving, you could be wasting time retrieving the items from the floor or under the seat after the trip. You can stop these items from sliding every time you turn a corner or come to a sudden stop by applying the new Sticky Pad. Sticky Pad is only a few inches in diameter, conforms to any dashboard, is removable, washable, reusable, and believe it or not, works!

 

BE IN THE MOMENT

 

Our mind is always working in the future or the past and that we should slow down and dwell on the present as it happens. Otherwise we will miss much of what life has to offer.

 

STAY SEATED

 

Once you commit yourself to work on a task for an hour or so, you should stay seated until the time is up. Resist the urge to interrupt yourself, even to get a coffee. Self-discipline is the key to personal productivity.

 

EASY ACCESS MORE IMPORTANT

 

We have been trained to focus on neatness at the expense of accessibility. Make sure your materials are accessible first, then consider neatness as a secondary factor.

 

E-MAIL OBSESSION

 

Unless both parties can type faster that they speak, it's usually more time effective to schedule a phone call or a meeting rather than carry on lengthy discussions by e-mail.

 

QUIET HOURS ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE

QUIET HOURS ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE

                           

If your office is as busy as a bus terminal, you may try being unavailable at a specific time period each day. This may involve closing your door between 11 AM and noon or disappearing into a vacant boardroom. Make sure your staff is aware of your routine.

 

CONTROLLING MEETINGS

 

Procedures be drawn up for meetings. For example, the maximum length of time, limits on the number of participants and blackout times when no meetings are to be called.

 

LACK OF TRAINING WASTES TIME

 

If you find you are searching the office for the one person who is able to clear a paper jam or change the voice mail message or repair the fax machine, it's time to start training. There should be more than one person who is able to perform the various tasks around an office.

 

NO LONGER LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER

 

Don't ease up on your stress-relieving activities during the summer months. Everyone's more prone to stress during the summer than at other times of the year.

 

LESS IS SOMETIMES MORE

 

When he was younger he thought that living life to the fullest meant doing as much as possible. But  later he felt empty and dissatisfied. He realized that while he was doing more, he felt as though he were experiencing less.

 

SELECTIVE READING

 

More information is generated in a 24-hour period than you could take in for the rest of your life. We are being swamped with information. Recreational reading aside, zero in on information that serves a productive purpose; don't feel you have to read the entire book, article or report.

 

ALWAYS KEEP A SPARE

 

When you install the last copier cartridge, printer ink, projector bulb etc., always replace it immediately. Don't

Be caught running to the office supply store to keep a piece of machinery going.

 

Plan of (in)action?

Haven't you termed that 'completely organised' colleague of yours as a 'perfectionist'? We think you did it  more  out of jealousy than jest. There is a reason for it though: it is that far from being perfect, you know you aren't 'completely organised' either. There is a way through which you emulate the perfectionist though, if you are ready to put in some efforts and have a knack of pursuing your goals. Be assured, what follows is no gyaan on developing a new skill, rather these are just tips to organise your skills so you and your team fare better at the workplace. And by the way, it's still not late to make a New Year resolution. So we suggest you read on…

CONTROL SHIFT

With full schedules, there are daily problems that will occur and will need immediate attention. This means that other tasks will have to be kept aside. Impromptu meetings, absence of fellow team-members and other situations can make getting through the workday almost impossible. Staying organised i.e. having a time-plan is essential if you want to stay true to your deadlines. If you're a team-leader, your schedules will assume more importance. This will help you delegate additional responsibilities when necessary. The following tips will help you (and even your colleagues and superiors) stay on track even on the stormiest days at your workplace.

• Invest in a planner or calendar with big blocks so that you can write down not only your schedule, but also your team members' schedules. Ideally, this should be on your desk all the time, but many prefer to make use of software for this. You will only have to use it regularly to realise how it helps you to keep track of your projects, deadlines and productivity in general.

• Get into the habit of 'separating' things according to their importance or priority. Using files and folders would do you quite some service (if you don't care about people calling you 'boring'). Make sure you file all material in designated spots. Each morning, take out what will be needed and keep it close by. Carrying things to office in a bulky bag is something worth doing on days of presentations – since you have materials ready, you will feel a sense of completeness, which in turn will also boost your confidence.

• Use technology! Pen drives, flash drives and several other USB-based devices are now available in our markets at dirt-cheap prices. And since it is a matter of a right click to create virtual folders, why not do it? USB drives (which double up as key chains, bottle openers and even neck pieces these days) are a cool, convenient option to carry all your contacts, presentations, files and a load of things with you – all the time.

• Enlist your daily tasks and reminders and mark them off as you complete them. If you own a funky cellphone, we're sure it'll have a pretty decent 'organiser' too! Why not feed it with alarms and reminders everyday on your way to work? It will not only catch you napping, but also let you know what all you have done and what remains.

• If you're a team-leader, here's something worth doing: create a list of your team members and their strengths and skills in a particular area. When planning a project, refer to the list when deciding which roles people will fill. If a team member specifically asks for a role, write it down on their list so that next time, you will remember to consider them for it.

OUT OF WORK

While all the above is important to help you save the blushes at work, planning time for your family, work or a hobby too is crucial. For, the work-free time balance itself will let you be more organised and keep stress levels low. If you are taking work home everyday, even more planning needs to be done to keep your near ones happy.

 DEADLY SINS OF TIME MANAGEMENT

Keeping Too Many Things in Your Head

A common time management mistake is trying to keep track of all the things you need to do and places you need to be at. The fact is that you simply cannot rely on your memory alone to keep track of all these details without getting overloaded. Use technology, or simply a pen and paper. Most urban officers think the overload is a part of their life, but they can be more productive only if they use a well-designed productivity system to conquer the chaos.

Doing Whatever Grabs Your Attention Next

Many people don't stop long enough to even think about what to do next when one task is accomplished, they just jump right in and do whatever grabs their attention next (experts call it "tyranny of the urgent"). Working on impulses may be cool enough for your personality, but your company might like you more if you prioritise smartly. Instead of doing whatever grabs your attention next, use your plan to figure out the best way to use your time based on your top priorities for the week.

Doing Very Efficiently That Which Need Not Be Done At All

Surely one of the worst ways you can waste your time, experts say. Having a to-do list and a weekly plan really helps because you automatically assign more time to important things and less time to trivial ones. And if you say that's the way 'you are', don't expect increments.

Poor Planning

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Poor planning is one of the main reasons projects fail, fall behind schedule or miss their deadlines. (And why you and your company, even the biggest governments of the world stumble on this one). The best way to escape the practice of poor planning is to learn how to plan effectively, and to do it consistently. If you don't want to read those fat 'help-yourself' manuals, simply start emulating a meticulous planner at your workplace!

 

IF IN DOUBT, ASK

IF IN DOUBT, ASK

Nothing wastes time more than poor communications. Never guess, assume or interpret when receiving incomplete information. Get clarification when following instructions.

TIMELY QUOTE

"People who can't be punctual can't be trusted."
- Dan Kennedy, author of No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs

PUT DEADLINES ON ALL TASKS

More work is accomplished when there are deadlines to meet. So put deadlines on your personal tasks. Set deadlines so they are challenging, but realistic.

HAVE TWO E-MAIL ADDRESSES

With most people spending an hour each day on e-mail, it becomes practical to have two addresses, one for work related communications and one for personal messages that don't have that high a priority.

DELAY THE ELECTRONICS

Complete at least one priority task before turning on your computer, getting involved in e-mail or listening to your voice mail messages. Once you get involved in your electronic world there may be little time left in the day.

PURGE THE FILES

In 1992 Kathryn Alesandrini reported that nearly half of all file cabinets house duplicate records. (Source: Overloaded, by Baha & Margaret Habashy, Integrity + Consulting, 2003)

TIMELY QUOTE

"Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through trying to save." - Will Rogers

AVOIDING PROCRASTINATION

AVOIDING PROCRASTINATION

Jeff Davidson, author of The 60 Second Procrastinator, suggests you ask the following question when you are tempted to delay an unpleasant task. "Will it be any easier later?"

ADDING TIME TO YOUR LIFE

People who survive longer do similar things at the same times most days, such as go to bed, and rise at the same time each day, eat, exercise, do routine jobs etc. They also don't rush, but pace their lives without losing time. (Source: Matthew Edlund, author of The Body Clock Advantage.)

BEST TIME FOR MEETINGS

Since companies employ both early birds and night owls, the best time for a creative meeting when everyone is alert is about 11:00 a.m.

E-MAIL OVERLOAD

The volume of e-mail has increased by 2000% between 1998 and 2003 and is expected to double over the coming years. (Source: Overloaded? by Baha and Margaret Habashy, Integrity+Consulting, 2003, www.integrity-plus.com)

DON'T KEEP PAST DIRECTORIES

As soon as you receive a new directory, catalog, or telephone book, get rid of the old one. How useful are the last ten years of an association membership directory for instance?

 

QUICK NAPS INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

According to Matthew Edlund, in his book, The Body Clock Advantage, short naps of 10 minutes seem to do the most for promoting alertness at work, especially in the mid-afternoon.

LIMIT MEETING ATTENDANCE

LIMIT MEETING ATTENDANCE

The more attendees you invite to meetings, the longer the meetings last.

ONE THING AT A TIME

Dallen Peterson, founder of Merry Maids and author of Rags, Riches, & Real Success, believes that multitasking simply increases stress and impairs relationships.

TIMELY QUOTE

"Time management isn't about maximizing the number of items you can check off in a day or a lifetime. It's about living fully, productively, joyfully - by your own definition of those terms."
-Lesley Bolton, author of Fastread Time Management
 

DELEGATE

Enlist the aid of others to get the important things done. As Andrew Carnegie once said, "The secret of success lies not in doing your own work but in recognizing the right person to do it."

ORGANIZE YOUR DESK

Keep your desk clear except for the things you use on a daily basis such as stapler and paperclips. Items you use less frequently such as stamps, scissors and ruler should be readily accessible in a drawer.

KEEPING MEETINGS BRIEF

Jeff Davidson, in his book The 60 Second Organizer, suggests that participants stand when they speak. He claims this tends to limit the time they speak since most people prefer to stay seated.

PAPERWORK IS STILL INCREASING

PAPERWORK IS STILL INCREASING

The volume of office paper and commercial printing increased 245 percent between 1960 and 1994, according to an article posted at
http://www.organizetips.com/office2.htm

DON'T HANG ON TO READING MATERIAL

Don Aslett & Carol Cartaino, in their book, Get Organized, Get Published, suggest that if you have not read or even touched a saved article in two months, you should get rid of it.

INVESTING TIME

Tracy Lyn Moland's book, Mom Management, contains a sobering question: "What do you think the kids will remember more - our nights of playing games or a clean house?"

NOT TOO EARLY

Arrive at meetings a few minutes early, but not early enough to get involved in time-consuming conversations of little value.

TIMELY QUOTE

A bend in the road is not the end of the road - unless you fail to make the turn. (Source unknown)

 

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION

Almost 25 percent of those people making New Years resolutions lose their momentum after one week, according to Mike Sion, writing in Woman's Day magazine (Save Time Next Year, 1/7/97)

BE SELECTIVE WHEN CHOOSING WHAT TO DO

If someone scattered $11,100 dollars throughout a park, consisting of an equal number of bills of $1, $10, and $100 denominations, and told you to keep whatever you could gather in one minute, which ones would you go after? You could grab a lot more bills if you simply grabbed whatever you encountered first. And no doubt, those $1 bills would add up. But I dare say if you ignored the small ones and went after all those more valuable $100 bills, you would be a lot richer. Life provides more than one minute, but the principle is the same. There isn't time for everything, so go after those more valuable projects and activities.

MULTI-TASKING SAVES TIME, NOT LIVES

MULTI-TASKING SAVES TIME, NOT LIVES

Talking on a cell phone while driving makes you four times as likely to get into an accident and 11 times as likely to be killed while driving. (Source: New England Journal of Medicine cited in The 60-Second Organizer by Jeff Davidson)

THE VANISHING LUNCH HOUR

An English survey showed that the lunch hour has decreased to 36 minutes, with 14 percent of workers, not taking lunch at all. Give me a break! (preferably an hour) (Source: The Change Agents by Liz Nickles, published in 2001 by St. Martin's Press)

TIMELY QUOTE

If you think getting organized is time consuming, try disorganization.
- Jeff Davidson

 

TIME vs. MONEY

According to a 1999 Wall Street Journal Survey, 40 percent of Americans claimed that lack of time was a bigger problem than lack of money. (Source: The Change Agents by Liz Nickles, 2001, St. Martin's Press)

ARE MEETINGS BECOMING COOL?

Author Jeff Davidson suggests your choose a cool room over a warm one if possible since it will keep participants fresh and alert.

ARE YOU CONSUMED BY WORK?

A study conducted by American Online in 2000 revealed that 47 percent of it's subscribers took their laptops on vacation, and 26 percent continued to check their e-mail everyday - Source: The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz.)

DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR SOMETHING?

There's no such thing as "not having enough time." It's just that you would rather spend the time on other things. When you want something badly enough, there will time for it.

TIMELY QUOTE

While men talk of killing time, slowly time kills men.

MAINTAINING FOCUS

To become more focused, plan your day the night before, start the day with top priority projects, and use ten minute breaks throughout the day to refresh and refocus.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES

List your top three priorities and make sure you're spending adequate time on them. In a survey (reported in the book Fastread Time Management by Lesley Bolton) the top priorities for Americans were family life, spiritual life and health - followed by financial situation and job.

TAKE REGULAR BREAKS

The brain represents just 2 percent of the body's weight but requires almost 25 percent of it's oxygen (The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz) Insufficient time for rejuvenation could results in poor decisions, lower creativity and more mistakes.

BALANCE IS THE KEY

Michael Gebb, author of How to Think Like Leonardo daVinci, asked the question "Where are you when you get your best ideas?" The answer is seldom "At work." It's usually while walking, taking a shower, listening to music or some other non-work related activity. Making work your whole life is detrimental to your work.

 

LUNCHEON MEETINGS

If you're having a business lunch, have the other party meet you at the office, not the restaurant. Then you can get productive work done if they're late.

INFORMATION EXPLOSION

According to University Microfilms, we're creating one billion pages of information every day in the U.S. alone. (Source: No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs by Dan Kennedy, Entrepreneur Media, 2004)

MOTIVATION

"Motivation is like love and happiness. it's a by-product. When
you've actively engaged in doing something, the motivation to
keep on doing it sneaks up and zaps you when you least expect it."
John Bruner


"Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but
you can't be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy
down the line and get him to inspire his people."
Lee Iacocca


"Motivation is like nutrition. It must be taken daily and in healthy
doses to keep it going."
Norman Vincent Peale, from "the Power of Positive Thinking"


"The motivation for all personal behavior is to produce a sense
of 'FEEL GOOD,' a sense of inner peace and well being."
Sidney Madwed


"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what
you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."
Lou Holtz


"The only lifelong, reliable motivations are those that come from
within, and one of the strongest of those is the joy and pride that
grow from knowing that you've just done something as well as you can
do it."
Lloyd Dobens and Clare Crawford-Mason, "Thinking About Quality"


"Envy can be a positive motivator. Let it inspire you to work harder
for what you want."

Ph.D IN SUCCESS

Do You Have a Ph.D. in Success?

Many people become success experts and never have much
success.

Why does this happen?

Because many people get caught in the trap of learning but
never applying what they learn.

If you have read a few of the classic books on success you
already know 90% of what it takes to succeed on a massive
scale in life.

You already know what to do and why to do it.

In fact, there is nothing whatsoever stopping you from
being happier, more successful and more content than you
have ever been.

Why then are you not already living the life of your dreams?

Because you have acquired a Ph.D. in success rather than a
successful life. You have confused knowing what to do with
actually doing it.

And you have incorrectly assumed that when you understand
the strategies of success that you will automatically be
successful. This is not how it works.

-- You only know what you can do --

From now on you might like to use this statement as the way
you measure your progress. This will stop you from
confusing knowledge with the implementation of that
knowledge.

You truly know something only when you can do it - not when
you can only describe how to do it.

A Ph.D. in success is easy to acquire but worth very
little. On the other hand the sincere application of those
very same principles and strategies can transform the
quality of your life very quickly.

All you need to do is unlock your personal motivation
blueprint - when you know what motivates you and how to
stay motivated your life will change.

You will have become one of the winners in life - those
people who apply time tested success principles.

A Creed for Self-Discipline

Willpower:
Recognizing that the power of will is the Supreme Court over all other departments of my mind, I will exercise it daily, when I need the urge to action for any purpose; and I will form habits designed to bring the power of my will into action at least once daily.

 

Emotions:
Realizing that my emotions are both positive and negative I will form daily habits which will encourage the development of the positive emotions, and aid me in converting the negative emotions into some form of useful action.

 

Reason:
Recognizing that both my positive emotions and my negative emotions may be dangerous if they are not controlled and guided to desirable ends, I will submit all my desires, aims and purposes to my faculty of reason, and I will be guided by it in giving expression to these.

 

Imagination:
Recognizing the need for sound plans and ideas for the attainment of my desires, I will develop my imagination by calling upon it daily for help in the formation of my plans.

 

Conscience:
Recognizing that my emotions often err in their over-enthusiasm, and my faculty of reason often is without the warmth of feeling that is necessary to enable me to combine justice with mercy in my judgments, I will encourage my conscience to guide me as to what is right and what is wrong, but I will never set aside the verdicts it renders, no matter what may be the cost of carrying them out.

 

Memory:
Recognizing the value of an alert memory, I will encourage mine to become alert by taking care to impress it clearly with all thoughts I wish to recall, and by associating those thoughts with related subjects which I may call to mind frequently.

 

Subconscious Mind:
Recognizing the influence of my subconscious mind over my power of will, I shall take care to submit to it a clear and definite picture of my major purpose in life and all minor purposes leading to my major purpose, and I shall keep this picture constantly before my subconscious mind by repeating it daily.

 

Signed_____________________________

Discipline over the mind is gained, little by little, by the formation of habits which one may control. Habits begin in the mind; therefore, a daily repetition of this creed will make one habit-conscious in connection with the particular kind of habits which are needed to develop and control the six departments of the mind.

The mere act of repeating the names of these departments has an important effect. It makes one conscious that these departments exist; that they are important; that they can be controlled by the formation of thought-habits; that the nature of these habits determines one's success or failure in the matter of self-discipline.