Motivate Mehttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/Breaking the Procrastination Habiten-GB2008-10-11T07:58:43ZSquarespace Site Server v5.0.0 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Intense workloadshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/10/8/intense-workloads.htmlElle2008-10-08T12:25:42Z
My workload has just gone from its normal "manic" to insane. For those of you who don't know me, won't know I am a technical writer by day, which means I am the webmistress for the employment agency, consultancy and training company I work for. I am also the author or several publications and newsletters and peer reviewed journals. But I am also the editor of the Australian Record Retention Manual, Marketing Manager and Training Coordinator. Yes I wear many hats during the day. My days are normally hectic, but with the annual publication (the ARRM) due to be re-released my days have just become insane. I have to re-index the entire publication, which means re-building the indexes. Why then with the advent of databases, can't this be done automatically?

Well to be polite, it never got put into a database, and I don't have the time to do it. The manual is a document - as in a word kind of document, which means the re-build is done by hand - and eye.

And just to add to the fun and games of today, the fluoro light above my desk has just started blinking and no-one is tall enough to reach it, so it was a quick dart round next door to see if one of our taller male building occupants was in - sorry not today, but we do have a ladder! So now I am working in the semi-dark, which makes life rather interesting.

So this time of year, my brain goes into "brain strain" mode and I spend far too long staring at legislation. If you've ever tried to edit a document you will understand how time consuming and painful it can be. Well my document contains over 2,000 pieces of legislation - and that's just one part of the manual. It's a long, hard job - and I must confess I find it physically and mentally exhausting.

But as you know I also look after my own website and training clients, not to mention a house, two children and two cats. So how do you switch from one to the other and still have time to get some down time? Well if you ever find out, can you let me know. The only thing that seems to work is exercise. Home, dinner for the little people, then I turn on the computer, send the Daily Dose and then put on the shoes and walk for about an hour. It's the only way I can do it. Then I get home, eat and start answering my emails and writing my books and training programs, maybe watch a bit of TV with the kids and then hit the sack.

How do you cope with hectic lifestyles? I'd love to know
]]>Getting aheadhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/10/5/getting-ahead.htmlElle2008-10-05T00:41:50ZTime ManagementWeekends are a great way of moving projects on in leaps and bounds. But if you stop and think about it - these two days should form the basis of what your ideal life would be like if you could live your life like this - all the time.

I know they are also the time to catch up with everything. You know - the laundry, the housework and gardening as well as family and friends. But lets just assume for a minute that's all been taken care of - you are absolutely on top of everything and you have two days ahead of you that you can use in any way you want. What would you be doing?

It's an interesting question isn't it? Well I think it is. For me - being able to get up when my body says its time rather than being woken by the alarm clock is a good start. But I am also fortunate to have a built in clock that says, hey - it's morning - there's things to do.

And I love the fact that I don't HAVE to eat at a certain time. You know - it's lunch time, so therefore I must eat something whether I want it or not, because there isn't going to be another opportunity today.

Yesterday I finally finished cleaning the spare room. I've been slowly going through the many piles of "stuff" I had sitting in the wardrobe and the drawers and have been able to throw away quite a lot of things we really don't need to keep any longer. Boxes, old papers, instruction manuals for things we don't have any more - you know - those sorts of things we keep just in case. But there was a major reason why I needed to do it...a friend and her partner were dropping off a sofa bed for me. Rather than have a spare bed, I wanted a room I could use for somehing other than sleeping in. Given that the room is rarely used for sleeping in, I thought it sensible to be able to utilise the space more often. The only thing missing now is curtains, and we're done.

But to go back to the beginning of this piece. How would you be living your life if the weekend days are a good indication of what you enjoy doing? As you can probably tell, I spend a lot of my time writing. Interspersed with cleaning and exercise. But I'm fortunate in that I can make money from my passion, which of course enables me to do everything else.

So have a good look at your days and see if you can't translate one of your hobbies into monetary gain.

]]>Bank holiday weekend passionshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/9/29/bank-holiday-weekend-passions.htmlElle2008-09-29T05:38:52ZTime ManagementIt's a long weekend here in Perth, Western Australia, and we have been blessed with beautiful weather. "Great drying weather" as my mum would say. But it's also a great time to open windows and doors and to let the stale air out and the fresh, clean air into your homes. It's also a great opportunity to spend time with your kids.

Today I offered my son and his mates a lift to the skatepark - we took my daughter along for the ride and we stopped off at the golden arches for a pit stop and breakfast. Well they indulged, I just had the coffee ... well I don't eat red meat these days (in fact not since I read the book "fast food nation" actually...I got half way through the book and stopped eating red meat....but I digress.

So, onwards to the skatepark. The boys had found the park last year and now whenever school holidays or long weekends roll around, they will catch the bus and spend the day "pushing wood" around. And they always rave about how good this park is....so I decided to see for myself.

Why would they spend an hour on the bus getting to a concrete dip with bumps and grinds, so they can wear themselves out? Because it is their passion. It' is what they enjoy doing. They love the variety of the park, and would quite happily spend every day there if they could. Given they take most of their drinks and snacks it's a cheap day of entertainment for them.

So I took my camera with me. I've got some pics which I will share with you at some point and a bit of video - but the camera battery didn't last very long - but I did get my boy as he did one of his tricks. The hours of endless practising were obviously paying off because it looked effortless as he landed the trick...

And isn't that the same for all of us. If we are willing to put in the hours of practice, it will look effortless to anyone watching.

My daughter and I headed home soon after, time to get back into the gardening project for me and a chance to soak up some spring sunshine for my daughter.

]]>I should be workinghttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/9/10/i-should-be-working.htmlElle2008-09-10T11:14:59ZI have a lot to do. Things to make, clean, tidy and sort. But not today. Today I need to sit and reflect on a life that was cut rather short. Today is the anniversary my brother died. Granted it was a few years ago now, and I have tried to give time - time. But every year I take a moment to reflect that my brother would have loved Australia, and I wish he were able to share this with me.

Normally I must confess I shed a tear or two over what might have been had he lived. But not today. Today all I can see is his smile. He had a wonderfully wicked smile that managed to light a dull room. That was my brother. And that's how I want to remember him from now on. Happy and smiling. I can actually see him "up there" chucking a massive party tonight - and this year dad, aunt pauline and uncle ray are invited - damn its going to be a big one this year !! and not just because of the extra guests. No, today is going to be big because he's decided we should celebrate life. No matter how long we have to "live" we need to live big and enjoy every single moment. And that's what I shall be doing this week as I head towards my birthday and of course my own personal new year.

Do I set New Year's Resolutions? Of course, what new year would be complete without a scrawled bit of paper with some impossible things written on it. Of course I could always pull out last years list, dust it off and change the date....I mean isn't that what everyone else does?

Saying that though - I have achieved many great things this year. And more will be coming - no i am not saying that to try and persuade you that I haven't been procrastinating. Actually I haven't been procrastinating - just busy and productive as you will find out in the not too distant future.

Anyway, enough rambling from me this evening. I have washing to put on the line and more to fetch in. And a book to read as I drink a glass or two of wine in honour of my folks. Have a great party guys, but don't get too loud I have to go to work in the morning.

Love you always

Elle xoxo

]]>Hair dye and supplementshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/9/9/hair-dye-and-supplements.htmlElle2008-09-09T04:51:29ZIt sounds like an advertisement for something doesn't it. Hair dye and supplements !! but the truth is, my day started with a decision. Do I get up and dye my hair or go for a walk? I'm sorry to say, but the hair dye won. Genetics and age are finally catching up with me. I suppose I should be grateful, mum had to start dying her hair when she was in her mid 20's - I've made it to 43 years and 361 days before admitting defeat and dying my hair for something other than fun reasons.

And the other reason I've opted for hair dye over exercise is quite simple - my 15km walk on Saturday morning, and my 4km walk yesterday morning has given my right knee something to complain about and I have had to add Glucosamine and Chondritin to my list of supplements and vitamins I take. Imagine then my horror / amazement when I opened the container to find the darn stuff was granules - and not the usual tablet, which meant of course I had to read the label - properly. I know I should have read it properly in the first place - but anyway - a tsp of sterrf twice a day - but excess consumption may have a laxative effect - you're absolutely right - it does give me the shits to think my body is no longer able to do what I want it to do without it hurting badly for days afterwards.

Too many sporting injuries over the years. Too many times I've carried on when I should have stopped and given the injury a chance to heal properly - but with age sometimes comes wisdom. So I have added the extra supplement to the diet and have put on a long skirt to cover up the knee brace. Well I may not have gone "for a walk" today, but I shall be doing incedental exercise throughout the course of my day, so thought it prudent to take the precautionary measure.

But getting up at 5.45 this morning to do my hair also gave me time to do other things. As my hair "took" I carried on cleaning out my closet. Too many things that no longer fit as they should. These items have been put into the spare room closet - which proves to me I need to get my knee back on track so I can up the exercise and lose the size that has crept up on me without me knowing. So it's also time to cut out the excess carbs again too, which also goes to remind me that the word "diet" should be replace by the word "lifestyle."
]]>To do lists and half completed taskshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/9/1/to-do-lists-and-half-completed-tasks.htmlElle2008-09-01T11:48:24ZI have quite a few projects that have been sitting around half - finished for some time. Part of the reason is simple - I start things when I have the time...but rather under-estimate the actual time I'm going to need to complete them. So I put them down - things get added to my daily job / task list and these "would be nice to have / do" projects get left behind.

I have the usual list of excuses - I work full time, I run MotivateMe! in my spare time, and am geting ready to launch a range of new training products "Ready to Change" - which means there is a lot of development work to be done. I also have two beautiful teenage kids I need to spend more time with, a house to keep clean and maintain and a garden that is being re-modelled....and find time to exercise and sleep occassionally.

So, how do you cope when all of a sudden you are faced with the possibility that your mother and sister are coming out for a visit and you're running out of time?

Well I have tried to enlist the help of some people to assist me with things like hole drilling for curtain tracks - but they've got as many excuses as I have....so may have to enlist the professional help of a handy "man" - but in the mean time I am tackling one major project area per "spare" evening and weekend.

Last weekend for instance I moved two trees, filled the bin with more garden waste from the re-modelling / dead tree removal process we started a few months back .... and finished a dress I was sewing. Medieaval style - red velvet. For those of you who know me well - will say "RED" but - you ALWAYS wear black ....

As I write this - dinner is cooking...and when I press send on tonight's edition of the daily dose shall clean the kitchen and wash the dishes. And then I shall carry on ripping my CD collection onto the computer (backup purposes) and then I am going to start on the sorting out the spare room.

You see - you can achieve many things if you have a clear idea of what it is you want to do and achieve. And you can multi-task at least some of them.

But first you need to know what you want to achieve...and more importantly - why.

So, an action item for you - take a quick walk through your house and see what projects you have started but failed to complete. Then you need to determine whether you still want to work on the item - and why....the why is important. If it is busy work - then what are you not doing when you are doing what you have decided to do....Everyone, and I do mean everyone can pick up the pace and completion rate of jobs, tasks and to do lists, by not determining the why you want to achieve these things. Get more determined, you can get more done.
]]>Tap into the law of attractionhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/8/26/tap-into-the-law-of-attraction.htmlElle2008-08-26T02:23:00ZVisualisation is one of the key concepts about manifesting things into your life - that an ACTION of course. I was sent a link to a short video and a chance to download some mind movies - http://MindMovies.com/vid1/?10397 - lets see if it works !! :-)

]]>Focus on your own personal developmenthttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/8/18/focus-on-your-own-personal-development.htmlElle2008-08-18T13:25:00ZAre you guilty of doing the same things in the same way every day? Are they good things? As in - are these "things" allowing you to achieve your goals and dreams or are they just "things" you do without consciously thinking about them? Yes I mean your habitual behaviour.

I have been focussing on entirely the wrong things of late. I know what. Yet I find I cannot switch my mind away from them very easily. Unfortunately because they are the "wrong" things, I have been unable to devote any thinking or doing time to the right things. I have to admit I am working on me just as much as you are working on you. But I have identified my behaviours, my thought processes are being pulled back in line and I am now beginning to focus on what matters most to me.

Of course everyone will have a different sphere of focus. But for me - it is making a better life for myself and my children. I need to lead by example and normally do - but I too can be guilty of wasting time. So, if my time is precious - would I be happy with today's performace so far or could I do better? I know I've been sick - real flu that has knocked me for six - as opposed to a cold that people say is the flu (if you know what i mean) - but feel like I am spinning my wheels. And the reason is - because my focus was on the wrong things.

If you've ever tried to meditate you will know how hard it can be to focus on a simple thing to clear your mind and allow it to stay clear, focussing on your goals can be the same thing. Hard if your mind keeps wandering off onto unimportant matters. So, one way to ensure your mind stays focused is - to get excited about your goals. If they don't inspire you to think about them - you are not going to do the work you should on them. The other thing to do is to think about what your life would be like when you have achieved that particular goal item, or in my case - series of goal items.

I want to move house. I know where I want to go and what the house will look like and contain....and I know what i need to do in order to get there...so I am working backwards, but living my new life forwards. What do I do each day in my new life...and is that better than my current life. You bet it is. But I am not just "day dreaming" because I know that in order to get to that point - I need to think big and work harder.... so please excuse me, but I need to get back to my work.

Speak soon

Elle


]]>Fitness can't be bottled and saved for a rainy dayhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/8/16/fitness-cant-be-bottled-and-saved-for-a-rainy-day.htmlElle2008-08-16T05:11:22ZHealthAs you know I've been suffering with the flu and associated infections - ear, throat and chest. I even had to have a test for whooping cough - but that appears to be negative (the doc said they would call otherwise). I'm now through the anti-biotics and the steroids (to clear up the chesty cough) thankfully - but as you can imagine I've really not had the energy or inclination to do any kind of exercise for several weeks now.

This is all very well but I was relatively fit. Dance classes, cardio, lots of walking and so on ... to nothing. And as a consequence I've lost any kind of fitness I had gained. It's amazing how fast it leaves you, especially given the length of time it takes to get fit in the first place. So I have to start again from scratch (or so it seems). I decided to do some gardening yesterday. The sun was shining, nice breeze to keep things cool but not cold and a garden that seems to grow weeds without impunity.

Today I am sore. My quads especially, that and my lower back. So I know that if I can get sore from doing not very much on the gardening front, I will hurt when I decide to exercise properly. I am not looking forward to the after effects if today is anything to go by. But I also know that if I don't my immune system will suffer as a result and I will be more susceptible to the next round of colds and flu doing the rounds that marks winter. But I also know I should remember that thing about balance. I need to find it.

Speak soon xoxo

]]>Inspirational reflectionshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/8/5/inspirational-reflections.htmlElle2008-08-05T00:28:45ZOver the years as this website has developed and people like you have found the site, I have been amazed and awed by the simple fact you have joined me. Some of you have joined out of desperation and some from the hope that I can inspire you to do more, be more and yes achieve more. Thank you for having the faith in me to do just that.

In recent times - in fact this week, 2 readers of the daily dose of motivational medicine have been inspired to give up jobs they don't like in order to follow their dreams. Both have credited this newsletter and this site as having helped them to clarify their thinking and to take the plunge and do it. My hat goes off to both of you as you allow your dreams and your goals to fulfil you.

And that's what it is if you think about it. If your dreams don't inspire you. If you can't "see" yourself achieving them - at whatever cost, you won't put in the time or the energy to achieve them. I know - been there and done that many times, and no doubt I will go down that path again.

At the moment i am recuperating from a bout of flu and infections, ear, throat and chest. For the first time in months I am having to rest and its giving me time to think and reflect. What am I doing? What am I doing that is right and is working well for me, and what is not working well for me. It is also giving me some serious writing time. Or will do from today onwards, I've not had the energy to put fingers to keyboard or pen to paper in about a week. Must be sick.

Down time. A time to think and reflect. A time to get out the old journals and re-read the history of your lives. Because it is the patterns of behaviour over time that will eventually inspire you to break those habits. Believe me when I say - some of things I was talking about 2 years ago are still rearing their heads today....and believe me this is not a good thing. But it is there in black and white and I can no longer hide behind busy work. My soul laid bare in black and white.

So my friends, what will it take for you to make massive change? What have you tried to fix and have failed at many times? Where are your repeated patterns of behaviour? And are you willing to admit that perhaps it is time to do something about them? Or are you going to continue to hide behind "stuff" and busy work?

Speak again soon

Elle

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