Save Time Enjoy More Of Your Weekend - Shop Online

I don't usually venture into the supermarket on a Sunday but weather disrupted plans for today so while I was out I popped in to pick up a few things.  More than a few things as it turned out but I was surprised at how full it was for a Sunday morning.

Perhaps like me people were planning something else until the weather changed their plans or more likely the weekend is the only time they get to go shopping, although I can think of other things I'd rather be doing on my day off.

If you'd really rather be doing something else with your weekend, save the two hours you spend shopping - allowing for time spend wandering up and down the aisles, travelling there and back and unpacking and storing said shopping.  Shop online - do your shopping from the comfort of your home, takes minutes, delivered to your door.  Great for the basics and your regular shopping items, not so good if you like to select your fruit and veg but does save the temptation of those 'special offers'.

Tips For Busy Working Mums

Before she even gets to work, the average working mum has already spent two hours sorting out herself, her children, her home and her other half before leaving for the workplace - according to a recent survey by Stylist magazine.

The research found that eight in 10 working mothers feel they have “already done a day’s work before they even arrive at the office” and more than half of those without children think the same.

Streamline your early morning routine to make life easier on yourself and those around you.

• Have a planner pinned up so you know who's meant to be where when ... and of course check it every day.
  
• Put things away at the end of the day so you know where to find them the next morning.
• Keep gym kit, dancing kit etc all together, so you're not searching around for it when the children are off to school.

 General time-saving tips:

• Order your shopping online - saves hours traipsing round the supermarket aisles.
• Plan your meals - a weekend roast can be made into stew > risotto > pasta meal > soup. You'll also know what you're eating when.
• Batch cook - make enough for more than one meal at a time - freeze the rest for later when you don't have time to cook.
• Get the rest of the family to help out - Mum doesn't have to do everything.  Keeping rooms tidy, putting things away, getting dressed - even helping out with household chores.

More time tips, articles and resources on my website.

June/July Newsletter - Planning For Profit

Most of us are currently tightening our belts and being careful about how and where we spend our money, in the current economic climate. How many of us are as careful about where we spend our time?

Time Management might not seem like a particularly exciting subject but when you think about where you spend your time and what it's actually costing you, it puts the importance of good time habits into perspective ...


Read the rest of the article in this month's free newsletter, just sign up on my website and you'll also receive free tips, advice, information and news on how to improve your time management for your business and personal life.

Guilt Free Holidays

My latest newsletter is just out. This month's main article is about how to have a guilt-free holiday.

It’s coming up to that holiday time of year when in the next couple of months, most people will be looking forward to their annual two week holiday.

It’s also a time of year when things get busier and you’re more likely to be stressed (and in need of a break).

If you want to be able to leave for a guilt-free break having got everything done then read the rest of the newsletter, just sign up on my website and you'll also receive the latest issue and free Power Time Tips.

Superb Time Management

... or that's what I thought to myself as I cycled into town earlier today in the lovely Spring sunshine while everyone was back at work.

Although I spent all of the Bank Holiday working on my book, I don't tend to do much on Bank Holiday weekends anyway. There's nothing worse than being stuck in a traffic jam - especially on a hot, sunny day and we had a few of those over the weekend ... sunny days AND traffic jams and hoards of people. Everyone else is out and about as they don't have an option if they want to make the most of their weekend. They don't have a choice, whereas I did. I did make one abortive attempt to go into town but as soon as I hit the traffic jam at the end of my road, I turned round and came back as I had less than 30 minutes to get into town and I knew it was going to take a lot longer with all that traffic.

So today, I attended a breakfast meeting first thing this morning, spent a couple of hours working when I got back home, then headed into town on my bike to catch up with a friend for lunch and then see another couple of friends and their new baby. A gloriously sunny day. Cycling meant I got a couple of hours of exercise and avoided the traffic and agro of parking, another bonus with the roadworks taking place along the coast road at the moment making things even worse. Also being a weekday, when most people were back at work, there were a lot less people around on the seafront wandering across the cycle lane. I did have a close miss with a car that decided to do a u-turn in front of me without even looking.

Returned home to head out for my second networking meeting of the day and then a relaxing yoga session. How to mix business and pleasure without having to fit into a conventional 9-5.

How long is your working week?

MPs reckon they work on average 85 hours a week when Parliament is sitting. How much of that time is spent snoozing in the Chamber or out on boozy lunches I'm not sure (it did include travel/commuting time). Of course my ears pricked up on hearing this

They're voting on how much of a pay rise they're going to reward themselves and obviously feel that they deserve a big pay rise because they work such long hours.

Apart from rushing up to the House of Commons and offering them all time management courses ... can you really have a life when you're working an average 80 hours a week? That's 16 hours a day, so not a lot of time for eating, sleeping and socialising.

We're renowned for working longer hours in the UK than our counterparts in Europe. As many people here run their own business - do you work longer hours than you would if you were working for someone else because it's your own business or are you happy with the hours you're working. You chose your hours, you have the lifestyle you want and have plenty of time for family, friends and to enjoy the rest of your life? Many people who run their own businesses feel that in order to make a success of the business they have to put in long hours in order to make it work.

Even in the corporate world there's an unwritten expectation that if you're only working 9-5, you're not working hard enough. Eyebrows are raised or tutting occurs if you attempt to leave 'on-time'. The threat of job cuts and redundancy means that if you can give the impression that you're working really hard (because obviously if you have to come in at 7.30am and leave at 7.30 every day - you must be) then you'll be so indispensable your name won't be on the list should the worst happen. Say yes to everything the boss throws at you - of course you can handle it - you'll just stay a couple of hours longer. It doesn't have to be this way - unless of course you enjoy working 60-80 hours a week (does that include weekends?).

Learning to say No - whether to the boss or to yourself (the boss) is one way to start cutting back.

Plan your time - appropriately and effectively.

Obvious - but how many of us actually do it or are you just reacting to things as they come in - dealing with them on a first come first saved basis or whoever or whatever shouts the loudest?

Get control of your time and you can reduce your hours.

Finishing On Time

If you work from home do you find that you’re getting tempted to work extended hours just because your office is in the room next-door or that you end up working sporadically throughout the day or late into the evening?

Just because you work from home doesn't mean that you can't create structure in your day. While you might not want to work 9-5, think about hours that work for you. How many hours a day do you need/want to work? Would you like to have some time off during the day/week? Make sure that you spend time planning what needs to be done each day and that it fits with your business plan and goals. What would be a good start time ... 7.30am, 9.30am? What is a good/reasonable time to finish ... 3.30pm, 6.30pm? If you’re in the habit of working most evenings, aim to finish work a little earlier on at least a couple of evenings a week. Take a half-day off during the week and work a little later one evening if you need to.

Make sure that you plan in breaks too. All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy (or Jill). You won't work as effectively or be as productive if you're working constantly and not taking breaks. Even if you work from home, so the 'office' is never far way, set yourself a cut-off time each evening and make sure you get breaks during the day. Take at least one day off at the weekend. If you're doing what needs to be done then you're working more efficiently, you won't get so tired out or feel guilty when you're not working. After all, why should you?

Think about what you need to get done, plan it in accordingly and don't work for the sake of it. If you want to cut down your hours - look at prioritising what's currently on your list of roles and responsibilities and see what you can change about the way you're currently working.

Busy Being Busy

If you're working long hours, there's probably a chance you're working on 'busy stuff' rather than the 'productive stuff' or perhaps just taking on too much at once. I always get concerned when people say they're working 60-65 hours (or more) a week, whether they're running their own business or not. Particularly if the rest of their life is suffering as a result and it's not what they really want to be doing.

If you love what you do and your partner, family and friends are happy for you to spend the majority of your waking hours working, that's one thing. Working long hours for a short burst of time or for a specific longer-term goal, is sometimes necessary but if you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel and every week consists of long hours, your health and social life is suffering as a result, then perhaps it's time to start looking at how you can work smarter not harder.

I once had a client who loved his job - went in early every day (about 6.30) and often worked late and over weekends, he was the only person who the quote "Nobody on his deathbed ever said, I wish I had spent more time at the office" might not have applied.

However, even he realised that his health was suffering - he was overweight, as he had a terrible diet, never made time to exercise, he had a limited social life and not surprisingly no girlfriend. A few months later, he'd reduced his working hours quite considerably - still enjoyed his job, taken his first holiday in years, lost weight, had a girlfriend (and is now married) and had got a more balanced life as a result.

If you feel you've got too much on your plate, take a look at the important priorities in your life. What do you really need to focus your time and energy on and what can you let go? How can you work smarter and not harder?

Give me a call to find out.

Some Inspiration On Father's Day

One amazing Dad!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE&eurl=

http://www.teamhoyt.com/history.shtml

If You Had One More Hour In The Day ...

... how would you spend it?


If you're on Linked In - you can connect and answer by click the link here:-
http://www.linkedin.com/answers/startups-small-businesses/small-business/STR_SMB/49894-1082216


Or just add a comment.

Working At The Weekend

Why do we do it? Because we can.

I'm not saying that we should but if you run your own business then you are in a better position to choose when to work than people who work for someone else. Obviously, if you have families - you're more likely NOT to be working at weekends and stick to a more traditional working week (or are you?)

I'm working this weekend - catching up on things I missed or wasn't able to do because my broadband was out all week. That said, I quite often seem to do some work at weekends. Most of my weekend work revolves around reading emails, planning and writing, updating my blogs - more of the fun stuff.

What better way to have work life balance than to spread your working hours throughout the week including the weekend? Weekends are a good time to catch-up or get things done depending how I've spent my week. I'd rather do my shopping in the week than on a Saturday morning along with everyone else, who 'has' to do it then. I do the gardening when the weather is fine - more often during the week. I arrange to meet up with friends for coffee/lunch to coincide with client meetings during the week. I can do non-time limited work in the evening and weekends. I also volunteer on a couple of days a month, which I can also do during the week.

It does depend on your reason for working weekends. If it's because you have to - in order to get all your work done because there just isn't enough time in the week, then you need to look at improving your planning and prioritising what you do.

Don't spend too long working and if you're seeing it as a problem, then it probably is. That's when you need to do something about it.

I'm off out into the garden again ...

In-built Filters

Having completed my newsletter yesterday - the main topic of which was "Are You On Autopilot", I was watching the BBC's Horizon programme "Mad but Glad" about mental illness and creativity - specifically Tourettes. It would appear that Tourettes sufferers and some schizophrenics, are unable to filter out the everyday input that our brain takes in.

I realised that this was the reverse of what I'd been writing about. When our minds are on autopilot our filters are working the other way and we filter out too much and lose sight of the detail. In a Tourettes sufferer they have no filters, so every sight, sound and smell is bombarding their brain and they see every detail which we quite happily ignore and just focus on what is important to us at the time.

What would it be like to live in a world where your senses are being constantly bombarded? There's a balance in being more aware of what's going on around you without switching off into automatic pilot all the time.

What a great week!

Not only did the sun come out and it's been warm but I got some time to enjoy it too. Well, you've got to get the work life balance right haven't you and having spent much of last weekend working, I decided to make the most of the fine weather and spend less time indoors.

Not only did I manage to cycle into town twice - exercise and sunshine, although the wind was still cold, so not quite as warm as it seemed, but I got to sit in the sunshine and enjoy a coffee at the Meeting Place one day and catch-up with a friend for lunch later in the week.

All change by Thursday. I spent the day up at Kingston dewpond near Lewes on a grey day with a particularly cold wind whipping across the Downs. As part of the South Down volunteer rangers, we were finishing the fencing round the pond and installing a gate. It was a joint effort between the Central and Eastern groups - although only two of us had turned up from Central this time, there are usually half a dozen. It took us about an hour to get the truck loaded up with posts, rails, gates etc. The rest of the team were waiting for us at the bottom of the hill by the time we got there.

It's incredibly hard work digging post holes, especially down into the chalk and flint. It took four of us the whole day to dig the holes for four posts round the gate, put in the bolts and rail. There were a variety of tools to break up the flint and extract the earth from the hole but most of it down to good old manual labour.

Much to Robin's delight - we managed to complete all the fencing and install the gate just in time. We'd been watching a large, ominous cloud getting gradually nearer and nearer. The rain started and the hail began just as we finished tightening the last bolts and hurried to get all the tools loaded up.

It made a change from sitting in-front of the laptop all day but I certainly ached afterwards.

Spring Evening Run

Now that the clocks have changed, I finally got out for a run this evening just as the sun was setting but after a productive day.

It was good to stretch out on the run having been either hunched over the laptop or bent over digging. Why is it that I always seem to have a better run after a few days break. Not that I've been exercise free this week. I did run earlier in the week, had two cycle rides into town and a climbing session at the local wall on Friday.

I have to say, I spent most of the weekend working but with stints of getting out in the garden - clearing more of the beds of plants which have spread or seeded themselves where they shouldn't. The local cats will no doubt enjoy the newly tilled soil (aarggh!). Nothing against cats as such - just their toilet habits.

I find that I tend to get quite a lot of work done at the weekend, when I seem to have more uninterrupted time - especially if I don't have anything else planned and I can focus on one thing. That's the beauty of working for yourself, if you are able to plan your time flexibly and make the best use of the day.

March Newsletter

Out now.

In this week's main topic - find out how to communicate more effectively by email. You might think you know what you’ve said, but have you?

Plus:

• What Is Coaching?
• Recommended Reading
• Fun Website Clip
• This Month’s Quote

Get free weekly Time Tips - just register HERE.

A Reason, a Season or a Lifetime

I was part of an online chat this week and someone shared the following with us, which I wanted to pass on.

Given the ups and down of last year and the people who left and came into my life - it helps to put a different perspective on things.

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong-doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

Many of my good friends have come into my life at just the right time. Many of them have stayed with me over the years, even if we don't see each other that regularly. Likewise, I like to think that I've come into people's life at the right time for them.

While the reason may not be obvious at the time and particularly, with a close, personal relationship, letting go can be hard, there's always a lesson to be learned, no matter how tough or painful the lesson might be.

Working From Home

If you work from home, do you find it isolating? Did you escape from the corporate world and start out on your own because you wanted a better lifestyle and the freedom and flexibility of working on your own? Are you now finding that you miss the office banter and a chat over coffee or at the water cooler?

More and more of us are working from home - which is great in one respect but it isn't all it's cracked up to be. Here are a few ways to avoid 'cabin fever' as part of your work routine.

• Join an online networking group - this is great but it doesn't always take the place of face-to-face human contact.
• Attend local networking events - these are a good way to meet people and even develop a support system around your business.
• Start up your own network group and meet for a social coffee, lunch or evening drink.
• Use Skype and Messenger 'chat' functions to interact with others but use it in the same way you would take a break from work - don't get sucked in for hours!

And, of course, don't forget to go out and have fun with your partner, friends and family at the end of a working day or at the end of the week.

Wouldn't it be great to have an environment where we can work on our businesses but get the benefits of a community, without the office politics. Here in the UK we have business centres, incubators for science/technology groups, where different businesses share an office and facilities but these can be an expensive solution. Something smaller and more low key would be ideal.

What ideas would you like to see for the work from home business?

Work Life Balance - Could You Do Better?

Apparently today is Blue Monday - the Worst Day Of The Year.

It all comes down to a matter of perspective. Even if we're feeling really down and blue there's a lot we have to smile about, especially if we think about others that are a lot worse off than we are.

It might be a conscious choice about how we feel but sometimes our subconscious has a lot to do with it too. It's all very well saying 'pull yourself together', 'cheer up - things can't be that bad'. Depression might be a state of mind but it's not a nice place to be and sometimes you just can't help yourself being down. Just make sure you don't stay there too long as it can make things worse. Negativity tends to lead to further negativity. While being positive can be hard. Needing time to yourself is fine but we all need to have people around us - friends and family are great and will rally round if you just ask.

When we're particularly busy or things aren't going too well in other areas, we tend to focus on just one thing and more often than not that tends to be work, or if work isn't going well we may over compensate in another area. We need to keep life in balance - the physical, mental and emotional, work, health, family, relationship, fun and things around us. If one area falls apart or isn't going well, then you should have enough balance in other areas to keep you going and get you through the worst. They are just as important and you need to make time for them all.

If you don't have one already... get yourself a Life Balance Wheel http://www.clareevans.co.uk/documents/LifeBalanceWheel.pdf. Take a look at where you are now and what would you like to change. Where do you stand overall and where do you want to make the biggest change? Think about how you would like your life to look and then start to make it happen.

I'll be making a conscious effort to make this a Joyful Week - I hope you do too!