Staying Positive

It's hard right now to keep my normally upbeat outlook. It seems like there is bad news at every turn. So, what's to do...try. Try to stay positive and don't stop trying. What do I do?

- Exercise. It boosts my energy even when I'm too tired to do it. I feel better about myself and it inevitable lifts my mood.

- Think. I take the time to reflect and make a conscious effort to live a good day.

- Talk. I pick up the phone and seek out the "sunshine" of my most favorite people in life.

Try, try, try..every day.

Staying Organized

If you know me personally, you know I am a planner. I’m a firm believer in calendars, shopping lists and to-do check lists. When left to my own devices, I often get distracted so here’s what I do...

-I write down everything! And then I organize my thoughts in to priorities
-I think about what I need to do to achieve my objectives. I consider if I need to involve others, ask for help, delegate responsibilities and, I write it down!
-I plan out the time I need to get it done. Really, I plan the time it needs to be finished and then I work backwards. This technique helps me to get where I need to go on time and deliver on commitments within agreed upon timeframes.
-Finally, I actually do it. I can’t say how critical this piece is. I do what I planned to do. Now, sometimes there’s a conflict, a “fire” or the inevitable need for flexibility, but I plan for that too. Things can be reorganized, rescheduled, but the trick is to actually do the “re” part of the job and get it back on your List.

And the best feeling, when you get to check those items off!