In today’s fast-paced world, keeping track of tasks, goals, and daily responsibilities can feel overwhelming. That's where the Weekly Action Pad comes in—a powerful tool designed to help you take control of your week with intention and clarity. Whether you're a busy professional, a student balancing multiple responsibilities, or someone looking to structure your days more effectively, The Weekly Action Pad can help you stay focused and productive. Here’s how you can make the most of it. Create your master to-do list The first step to making the WAP work for you is to create your master to-do list. You can do this on pen and paper, in your bullet journal, or even in a Google doc - whatever works for you.  To be clear, your master to-do list is a list of EVERYTHING you have to get done (or you don’t want to forget). Importantly, don’t restrict your list to work tasks alone. In addition, include all your personal stuff. For example, I’ll write down things such as doctor appointments, food prep time, as well as errands, time with kids, and anything else that’s going to take my time.  The goal here is twofold. Firstly, this step will clear your head - so you can free up maximum bandwidth. It’s crazy how much I used to rely on my memory to remember stuff. I had no clue how much mental energy this stole from me. And when you have a lot to do, you want maximum headspace to tackle it, right?  Secondly, by writing down everything, you can make sure you plan everything. It’s a step in the right direction for work-life balance and self-care. Since using the WAP, my work-life balance has improved by a mile.  Identify the tasks you’ll complete this week Next, look through your master list and identify ALL the tasks you want to complete in the next seven days - and write them onto your Weekly Action Plan.  A good tip is to organize your tasks by PROJECT. For example, I have: A collection for different clients A collection for OTHER (generally one-off work projects) A collection for home You get the picture :-)  Instead of a disorganized list of unrelated tasks, you now have a sense of what you have to do for each of your projects/areas of focus. It’s a simple way to create a calmer, more organized mind.  Mark up your due dates  Not all tasks are completed equally. It’s the 80/20 rule where 20% of your effort will deliver 80% of your results.  I’ve found you’ll always be most productive and effective when you focus on the highest leverage tasks. The first step to identifying these is to mark on your DUE DATES.  With your deadlines listed on your WAP, you can get a feel for when you must complete each task. This is such a smart move! In the past, I used to forget tasks - then have to rush them at the last minute. This created so much stress and pressure. But with my WAP, I can organize my week and plan my time so I’m never rushing at the last-minute [unless I want to.]  Prioritize your tasks Next, use the PRIORITY column to identify how important each task is. I like to use:  TOP priority - I MUST do these tasks urgently (without fail, zero excuses!) IMPORTANT - Still important, but I have more leeway DELEGATE - these are tasks I want to get done, but someone else can do them for me.  DUMP - on reflection, these tasks don’t move the needle and I can scratch them off my list This simple exercise helps you get clear on what tasks will make the most impact on your goals and your life.  In the past, I used to work through my list from top to bottom or I’d focus on the low hanging fruit because I wanted my list to look shorter! The problem with this approach is the most important tasks just didn’t get done.  But figure out your priorities and you can end each day feeling in control and accomplished - even if you only achieved a handful of items.  Estimate timeframes Have you ever completely over-estimated how much you can get done in a day?  Me too!  In the past, rather than making a list that felt achievable, I’d make a list that would make me feel accomplished. The only trouble was, by lunchtime it was clear there wasn’t a chance I’d work through everything - and so my motivation and enthusiasm plummeted.  TIme estimates ensure you don’t set yourself up to fail.  Simply write down how many minutes you think each task will take (don’t worry if you’re wildly wrong in the beginning, this is a skill you will sharpen the more you do it.) Then when it comes to planning your day [Step 6] you’ll be able to take better decisions about when you do each task. You wont overbook yourself and you will get more done.  E/N/D Formula Have you noticed how some tasks energize you, other tasks drain you, and some tasks have no impact at all?  This awareness is at the heart of the E/N/D formula. When you know which tasks:  E - energize D - drain N - neutral  Use these categories and you can make better decisions about when you plan to do each task.  For example, if you know that writing a blog post energizes you, you can schedule this task for the post-lunch slump. Similarly, if you know calling your accountant will drain you, schedule this task for when you have high energy.  It’s a simple categorization that boosts your productivity - significantly.  Plan your day Here’s where your WAP gets really interesting.  With your tasks categorized into due dates, priorities, time estimates, and energizing capabilities, you can plan each day far more intentionally.  Forget picking a task at random!  Instead, you’ll find it easy to pinpoint the task you need to do now, next, and later.  Priorities keep the needle moving  Due dates ensure nothing is late or forgotten  Time estimates help you maximize your time and squander fewer minutes The E/N/D formula helps use your energy wisely for maximum impact   Finally, don’t forget to celebrate your successes! Use the Weekly Action Pad to note your achievements, big or small. Recognizing your progress is crucial for maintaining motivation and building positive momentum for the week ahead. The Weekly Action Pad is more than just a to-do list—it's a strategic tool that helps you prioritize, focus, and manage your time effectively. By following these steps, you can transform your week from chaotic to calm, ensuring that you stay on top of your responsibilities and make meaningful progress toward your goals. Are you ready to take control of your week and boost your productivity? Grab your Weekly Action Pad today and start planning for success!

If you have intentions to make the new year your year, don’t wait for New Year’s Day. Instead, make time this month to set yourself up for success.  If you start the next year on a launchpad rather than a standstill, you’ll accelerate into January with focus, clarity, and determination.  Here are SEVEN things to try… 1. Review your year. The current year is full of lessons and learnings. Make space for a deep-dive review of the year that’s about to close, and you can take the best bits with you.  We’ve created a comprehensive journaling tool to help you close out the year. Download here.  2. Get clear on what’s most important.  There’s so much that could fill your time. But imagine who you’d become with more clarity, focus, and movement in the direction of your top priorities. When you define your core values, you create an inner compass that aligns you with what matters most.  It’s easy to define your THREE core values with this fun deck.  3. Set a context for the next year.  Activate your Reticular Activating System to identify the things you want to call into your life.  When you define a word for the year ahead, you empower yourself to say YES to the things that matter and NO to those that don't align. This episode of Writing Your Best Self describes finding your focus word.  4. Review your habits.  James Clear says, “you get what you repeat”.  Do your habits help or hinder you? Are there some new practices you want to integrate into your life to ensure you can thrive?  Be honest with the things you do on autopilot and decide if it’s time to make some tweaks.  5. Make a Live List.  Goals are brilliant for injecting focused activity into your life. But who do you want to BE and how do you want to FEEL? A Live List is a powerful journaling tool that guides you to explore how to live a more intentional life.  In the words of Oscar Wilde, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.”  Create a Live List, and you'll find it easier to experience that 'rarest of things'. Get the low-down on creating your Live List along with a template to complete inside this digital tool.  6. Create your support structure.  Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”  Who will surround you in the next year and help you thrive? For example:  • Is it time to join a mastermind?• Would you go further with an accountability buddy?• Do you want to find more online groups where ‘your people’ hang out? • Does your friendship group nourish and support you?  7. Set a three-month goal.  Goals give you a clear direction to focus your time, energy, and resources. Goals help you feel accomplished and productive by empowering you to achieve the things that matter most.  The trick is not to leave your goals to chance. Instead, architect them - it will maximize your chances of success. The Self Journal contains all the planning, tracking, and review templates you need to crush it. Best of all, it's a three-month focus - long enough to achieve something significant and short enough to push off procrastination. What could you achieve by the end of March next year? Here’s to making the new year your best year yet. 

How often do you find yourself wishing for more time? While you can’t add extra hours to your day, you can create the illusion that you have more than enough time to do it all. This is where daily planning techniques add so much to your life. As Jim Rohn says, “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” Keep reading to discover 10 powerful and proven daily planning techniques. Use them to master your minutes, stretch your hours, and make each day a win. 1. Prioritize your to-dos Not every task on your to-do list is completed equally. It’s the 80/20 rule where 20% of the tasks will contribute to 80% of your impact. If you have an overwhelming to-do list and little chance of getting everything checked off, start by prioritizing. Get clear on which tasks will move the needle the furthest and focus on completing them first. Your Weekly Action Plan can help with this. Once all your to-dos are logged, use the PRIORITY column to indicate the importance of each task. You could use a code to help with this. For example, ‘1s’ are top priorities, ‘2s’ are important, ‘3s’ could be delegated, while ’4s’ shouldn’t be on your list at all! 2. Allocate time needed When you have a lot on your plate it’s easy to overestimate what you can do in a day. This can slow you down. When you start out super optimistic only to realize there’s no way you’ll complete it all, your motivation plummets. You can prevent this scenario happening by getting realistic about what you can achieve in any given day. A super simple way to do this is to decide [in advance] how much time you think each task needs. For example, you need an hour for your yoga class, 2 hours to write a blog, 90 minutes for that sales presentation, and 45 minutes to get on top of your emails. When you can see how many minutes are required to complete each to-do, you can take on the right amount of tasks. That’s enough to stretch you a little, but not too many that you end up drowning in overwhelm. 3. Leverage deadlines If you’re the kind of person who thrives under pressure, deadlines can help you get stuff done. Instead of working from a to-do list alone, pin down when you want to get each task finished. It’s a simple planning exercise that helps eliminate Parkinson’s Law. This states that tasks will take up the time window you give it. So if that blog should only take 2 hours, but you give it four - that’s how long it will take! With deadlines marked down, you force yourself to focus and work at a pace. You also force yourself to stay on track. It’s a simple, yet powerful daily planning strategy that will help you get more done. 4. Practice zero white space In terms of managing your deadlines, working to a zero hours calendar is the perfect way to do this - it’s something your Self Journal’s daily timeline is designed to help you do. Zero hours simply means leaving no white space on your timeline. At first this may sound overwhelming - that’s until you realize that you can incorporate breaks, relaxation, and fun stuff into your plan as well. Time is your most precious, non-renewable resource. When you budget your time in this granular way, it becomes a lot harder to waste it. When you allocate specific timeslots to different tasks, you’re less likely to squander your minutes. This is why zero hours scheduling is a daily planning practice that helps top performers get top results. 5. Plan EVERYTHING When your work keeps you busy or your business takes up most of your time, it’s easy to lose your work-life harmony. Work is the default priority and so gets your most focused time leaving everything else for the leftovers. Most of us will have to work stupid hours and long weekends to deliver some projects. But when this pattern becomes the norm rather than the exception, not only do you risk burnout, but life can get very one-dimensional. That’s why your daily plans should include everything you want to do - not just work stuff. Plan in your yoga class, coffee with friends, meal prep time, reading, social media, Netflix binges - in short, everything that you want to see in your day. Remember, what gets planned gets done. 6. Keep plans in front of you The best plans keep us focused and driven throughout the day. That’s why I recommend you keep your daily intentions in front of you - because you can’t ignore what’s staring you in the face! Use a tool such as your Weekly Action Pad to keep your weekly plans top of mind. Then map out your day in 30-minute chunks in your Self Journal. When you know what you need to do now, next, and later you reduce decision fatigue. Instead of wasting valuable minutes in between tasks, you can move seamlessly from one to the other. It’s a simple, but effective way to sharpen your focus so you can get more done in less time. 7. Make it a habit Your habits are those things that you do on autopilot. As such, they require minimum conscious thought. Instead, you just do it! As you can imagine, good daily habits can profoundly impact your life. It’s as Sean Covey says, “Depending on what they are, our habits will either make us or break us. We become what we repeatedly do.” So if you’ve not already, make robust daily planning a daily habit. It can be tricky to train yourself to build a new habit. We’re human and we like our comfort zones - which means we resist change [even change that’s good for us!] The good news is you can hack habit building with a habit tracker such as the Habit Roadmap. Simply check off each day that you successfully plan your day. You’ll quickly build a winning streak that you won’t want to break. Do your habit enough times and before you know it, it will become part of who you are. 8. Plan tomorrow, today Be honest now! How much time do you spend each morning figuring out your day ahead? If you’re not careful, you can easily spend up to 30 minutes getting your head around your priorities and dropping into your work zone. Imagine how much more productive you could be if you were able to hit the ground running - diving straight into your first task the second you sit at your desk rather than faffing with a plan. It’s for this reason that some time management experts advocate planning tomorrow, today. It only takes a few minutes. There’s another advantage too. When your brain knows what’s coming up, it starts to process and come up with ideas - especially when you sleep. In other words, plan in advance and you could start the day with a rainbow of fresh ideas. 9. Reflect We’re all different, which means some daily planning techniques will work like rocket fuel for you whereas others will fall flat. The only way you can figure out the difference for yourself is to reflect. So take time to get clear on the planning techniques that light a fire and drain your energy. You don’t need to spend long. Just take a couple minutes at the end of each day and week to figure out what worked for you - then tweak. It’s the power of marginal gains. Make a series of tiny tweaks over time and you’ll deliver compound results. 10. Use a daily planner Your brain has a finite amount of bandwidth. What’s more, your brain isn’t designed to remember a ton of things. Instead, it’s better at problem solving, idea generation, and creative thinking. So don’t steal bandwidth unnecessarily by keeping your daily plans in your head. Instead, get them onto paper. This powerful practice will help you work smarter for a number of reasons. It reduces decision fatigue - because you don’t have to think about what’s coming up. It also keeps you focused by reminding you what you need to get done. You can also gauge whether or not you’re on track by comparing where you are in the day with where you wanted to be. A tool such as the Self Journal can help with your daily planning: - The daily timeline lets you get granular with your day in 30 minute chunks - The ‘today’s targets’ section ensures you’re focused on your priorities - The reflection space helps you pull out your wins and learnings Bill Gates said, “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” Daily planning techniques help to keep you accountable to what needs to get done so you can move the needle in a pace and direction that suits you. Don’t risk making it up as you go along - you’ll waste a lot of time. Instead, leverage these powerful daily planning techniques. It’s an easy way to check off your to-dos, win the day, and ultimately achieve your goals. Which techniques will you try?

“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” - A. A. Milne It’s not uncommon for to-dos and commitments to feel overwhelming. When your life is moving faster than you can keep up, a sense of unease can weave its way through your body - and that doesn’t feel good!  In turn, stress starts to bubble up as you begin to worry about when you’ll get everything done - and who you should aim to please first.  But here’s some good news… We often think lack of time is the core problem. It’s not! It’s not the amount of time you have that matters. It’s what you’re able to accomplish in the time that you do have.  This is where organization counts.  If you’re always reacting, you’ll find yourself on the back foot - and that’s frustrating because you’ll feel like you’re always playing catch up.  But take back control of your life by organizing what you can, and you’ll free up bandwidth, time, and energy. In turn, you’ll feel more spaciousness, freedom, and peace of mind.  Best of all, organization doesn’t need to feel rigid and routine. Find the tactics that work for you, and you might actually create the space you’ve been craving.  Here are FIVE tips to try.  Get it out of your head!  You’ll be surprised how much bandwidth and energy you eat up through overthinking.  When a laundry list of things you have to do [and people you have to please] is constantly swirling around your head, the intensity starts to rise. In turn, it’s harder to think straight or focus which means your productivity plummets even further.  One of the best things you can do for yourself is to get everything out of your head and onto paper.  • Make a to-do list. • Jot down things you have to remember and do in your journal or notebook.  • Capture dates on your calendar • List out your errands With words on paper, your brain no longer needs to hold all that information - because it can trust you won’t forget. Best of all, you get the pleasure of a dopamine hit every time you check something off! [Don’t underestimate the power of this.] With the help of pen and paper, you get to reclaim headspace, focus, and energy and redirect all those resources onto tasks and activities that really do move the needle.  Not only will your brain [and your life] feel more organized, but you’ll find the overwhelm will dissolve a little too.  Leverage your schedule Your schedule provides an invaluable insight into your life. Chances are the things on your schedule get done. With that in mind, are you using your calendar/planner to its full potential?  Whether you use a Self Journal, a Self Planner, or a calendar, these tools are incredible for organizing your time and your life.  Instead of leaving things to chance, make space for them - not just meetings, but date night, playtime with your kids, phone calls to the people you want to feel close with. Schedule in time to make your meals, go to the gym, or do the exercise class. Make time for your to-dos AND make time for the fun activities, which light you up.  The more diligent you are with the way you allocate your time, the more organized you’ll feel [and the less stress will show up.] Prioritize your tasks There are so many things you could do.  But not every task is created equally. Some tasks act like levers to trigger a big impact. Other tasks are more inconsequential and while it might feel good to check them off, they don’t make a big difference to your life.  When organizing your tasks and your schedule, take a moment to assess your priorities too.  Focus on the rocks.  Then prioritize your workload using a tool such as the Weekly Action Pad or the Eisenhower Matrix.  The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful time management framework that can help you categorize tasks and make your workload more manageable. You can grab the PDF download here. Organize your goals As humans, we have an inherent desire to continually get better. It’s one of the reasons we always have a desire for more. It’s not that we’re not satisfied. Instead, it’s your growth needs calling! You don’t arrive at your final destination when you break through that glass ceiling! Instead, a whole new plain of possibility opens up for you.  This is why who you become as a result of going after your goals is just as important as the goal itself.  The journey along the way shapes who you are - because goals force you to get out of your comfort zone, face your fears, and step into a bigger and bigger version of your best self.  This is the real power of goal setting… When you set goals, you create a context of what’s important and where you want to go. Through the process of developing a goal, you decide what’s important - and what’s less so. In this way, goals become a compass that helps you figure out which tasks to do - and which to drop.  So don’t leave your goals to chance.  Instead, figure out the action steps you need to see through to move the needle in the right direction. Set yourself a deadline too because it will create the urgency to move.  And remember, it’s not the giant leaps alone that make the difference.  The momentum you create through your daily habits is equally powerful because consistent actions ignite the compound effect - which leads to exponential growth. For more tips about organizing and setting goals, watch this training video. Organize your thoughts and ideas Are you the type of person who has a million and one ideas?  Our ability to think, innovate, create, and problem solve is one of the joys of being human. Ideas really can change your world. It’s as Jim Rohn said, “Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.” The problem is a lot of our good ideas and insights get lost in the flurry of life. Ideas and insights are often fleeting… there one second and gone the next as a new thought loop kicks in. This is where notebooks become insanely valuable.  You can use them to capture your ideas as they show up - and then write through the chain of thought to see where an idea has the potential to lead.  Discover 20 ways to use notebooks to boost your productivity, creativity, and performance. Journaling is a process and practice that’s equally valuable. Daily journaling can help you organize your thoughts, strengthen your mindset, and help you understand the way your life is unfolding. As Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.”  For more journaling tips to boost your effectiveness, check out this podcast.  It’s great to be spontaneous and go with the flow. There’s freedom in feeling you can do what you want, when you want.  The challenge is to balance that desire while being productive and effective.  Fortunately, organization will help you get your ducks in a row - so you’re able to do more in less time… giving you the spaciousness inside which your best self can flourish.  You’ve got this!

Do you have too much to do - and too little time to do it in? If so, welcome to the club! I get how easy it is to thrive on the feeling of being busy. You can blame your upbringing for that! We’ve been told over and over that hard work equals success. In school and the workplace, long hours and hustle is rewarded. But at what cost? A busy work life may lead to big career or business achievements, but this path can be costly. When your belief system automatically priorities work, the rest of your life gets resigned the left-overs. And when you’ve given your all to work, it’s hard to find the energy, time, and enthusiasm for everything else. This is how areas such as your relationships, health, mindfulness, finances, and home life can all take a tumble. Ouch! The reality is lasting fulfillment isn’t found in promotion after promotion. Instead, we need to feel successful in ALL areas of life. That’s the real power of shooting for work-life harmony. Good news! This is something your wall calendar can help you achieve. Let me show you how… 1. Where are you now? When you’re pulled along by day-to-day commitments and you’re stuck in a routine, it’s easy to overlook the bigger picture and ignore any niggling doubts. We’re creatures of habit and we feel comfortable with what we accept as ‘normal’. That’s the power of gifting yourself a benchmark. You can’t ignore what’s staring you in the face! Use the BestSelf Benchmark to rank all areas of your life on a scale of 1-10 [10 is AMAZING and 1 is a DISASTER!] When you’re finished, you’ll be able to see what areas of your life are working - and which aren’t. Your Benchmark score reveals opportunities for improvement and ways to create more happiness and success. Armed with this knowledge, you can set new goals, establish different routines, and make the choices that will increase joy in each life area. 2. What do you want? With your BestSelf Benchmark score in, you can decide what you want to work on. For example, maybe your work/career score is high, but your relationships or home life are flagging. Perhaps it’s time to focus on your finances or dedicate more time and energy to your health and wellness. Take a few minutes to think about what you want - and write it down. Here are some prompts to help: - What would a 10 look like for each life area? - What do you want more of on a day-by-day basis? - What’s on your bucket list that you’d like to tick off in the coming months? - What goals do you need to set? - What habits do you need to establish? 3. Make it happen Show me your calendar and I’ll be able to tell you about the kind of life you live. Life is busy. You will feel pulled in countless directions and you won’t be able to do it all. But the reality is, what gets planned gets done. If you fill your calendar with nothing but work stuff, how can you expect to create the best relationships or be in the peak of your health? In comparison, if your calendar allocates time for your kids, your partner, your writing passion, your weekend adventures, and your daily run, there’s a much stronger chance it’s all going to happen. That’s the power of your wall calendar. A simple, but highly effective tool for creating work-life harmony and ensuring ALL areas of your life get the attention they require to thrive. Yup, your calendar can be your ticket to happiness! Here are five top tips for getting the most of yours. Pin it on the wall - you can’t ignore what’s staring you in the face. Plan in time for your bucket list items - don’t say you’ll go skydiving, visit Italy, take a pottery class, or write your book ‘someday’. Instead, use your calendar to make it THIS day. Get it planned, and it will get done. Schedule protected time - do your kids complain because you’re always working? Does your partner complain that you’re always tired? Don’t leave time together to chance. Scheduling date nights, kids play dates, and conversation time doesn’t mean you have ‘problems’. Instead, it means you care so much about these parts of your life, that you refuse to give them the leftovers. Plan in planning time - a busy life can keep you stuck in the weeds. When you’re always fire-fighting, you overlook the big picture. Schedule time on your calendar to get clear on where you want to go. Book in planning dates with yourself and also your partner or family. When your vision is clear, it’s harder to head out on the wrong path. Make time for fun - you always turn up at work and you don’t miss those important meetings or business events. In the same way that you mark these on your calendar, write down fun activities too. From trips to the theater to a mystery tour next weekend, these fun events fuel happiness. 4. Don’t forget the nitty-gritty Your wall calendar is perfect for keeping the big picture top of mind. But don’t lose sight of the day-to-day. Time is your most precious resource. The way you allocate your minutes determines the life you create. A planner [such as the Self Planner or Self Journal] will help you get granular with your time. Use this tool to: - Schedule time for work and play - Make time for your daily run or yoga class - Create space for your mindfulness practices such as meditation or journaling - Prioritize meaningful conversations with your partner or your children [the Intimacy and Little Talk Decks can help with this] - Make time for YOU Remember, what gets planned gets done. It is possible to find the time to do more of the things you want. You don’t have to let work be the center of everything. Use your calendar and planner to keep you accountable to your priorities and you’ll find it easier to think bigger and achieve more while you enjoy today. That’s a promise!

What’s the best way to start something new STRONG? It’s tempting to jump straight into execution, but there’s a chance you may get better results if you tie up any loose ends before you start. Take the coming New Year. You may be itching to get started with new goals and ideas, but did you know you can lay the foundations for even more success if you do these five things first? Check this out… 1. Set a benchmark Where are you in your life right now? Put a line in the sand by taking the BestSelf Benchmark Quiz. Simply score each area of your life to create a holistic overview of how things stack up for you right now. This self-awareness is power. When you invest in a self-development journey, it’s tempting to focus on specific goals. However, meaningful happiness comes from work-life harmony where you feel good across your life - not in one area alone. Your benchmark score helps keep this intention top of mind by giving you a clear insight as to how your life stacks up SIX life areas [not just the ones that get your primary focus]. 2. Write down your wins [ALL of them] What have you accomplished so far this year? It’s easy to overlook the little things. It’s easy to forget accomplishments too - especially if they happened earlier in the year. There’s a high chance you’ve moved the needle a lot further than you think [even if you didn’t achieve all your goals]. Grab your journal and write down your wins. It’s worth focusing on one life category at a time to ensure you create a comprehensive list. For example: - How did you move forward with your money? Have you established any new habits? Did you pay off a debt? Did you make a good investment? - What about your relationships? Did you create a habit for deep conversation? Did you spend more quality time together? Did you hit any milestones? - How about your business or your career. Did you master new skills, launch something new, or get a promotion? Don’t forget fun things and new experiences too. For example, where did you go? When did you leave your comfort zone? What new hobbies did you try? Seeing all your wins written down will show you where you invested your time. It’s also a reminder of how rich and varied your life actually was… now you can use this as fuel to fire you up for what’s ahead. 3. Review your bucket list What did you tick off your bucket list this year? [If you’ve not written yours yet, here’s an article to help you get started.] A bucket list is a simple, but powerful tool that can help you live a life of no regrets. If you create a physical list [rather than keeping ideas in your head], you’re more likely to make the things on it happen. Plus, you then get the satisfaction of checking items off knowing you’ve achieved something important to you. Take some time to review your list and mark off what you did. Then… 4. Decide what else you can do It’s a weird mindset! As time ticks away, it’s tempting to put a mental line in the sand and decide to wait until next year. But the reality is January 1st is just another day in a continuous day/night cycle! So don’t waste time unintentionally. Instead, think about what else could you do before the year is out. For example, how could you: - Make the most of the remaining weekends? - Tweak and adjust your daily plan so you can do things now rather than waiting for later? - Set new habits in motion? Life is there for living… you can create whatever you want! 5. Finish things off Finally, something is liberating about stepping into a New Year with a clean slate. So check over your goals and figure out what’s needed to tie up loose ends and complete this year. For example: - Finish that course - Make those calls - Create that content - Write those chapters - Stick to those habits Sometimes goals aren’t meant to be finished because your priorities shift or other things turn up. But if your goal is there for the taking, don’t let go! There’s something reinforcing about seeing a goal through to completion. It’s proof that you CAN do it and this alone gives you a huge confidence and resilience boost. And that’s not to mention what lies on the other side of a completed goal. Part of the prize of completion is the new doors and opportunities that open because you saw things through. So push yourself that little bit harder [without burning out of course!] Check out of social media, Netflix and other unintentional time drainers if you know you need fewer distractions. Then power up your planner and schedule your time to get stuff done. Your best self is calling!

Time is your most valuable resource. If you’re able to maximize time, you’ll get more out of life. It’s as simple as that - or is it! It’s one thing to smart schedule and effectively plan your time on a day-to-day basis. It’s one thing to clear your pressing to-do list and stay on top of all your commitments and responsibilities. But a nitty-gritty focus alone also brings risks. If you’re too focused on what’s right in front of you, there’s a chance you won’t see the bigger picture. It’s as Bill Gates said. “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” If you can only see what’s directly in front of you, it’s hard to think ahead and plan proactively. Instead, you end up fire-fighting while reacting to what’s happening now. This strategy ensures you survive, but it’s not enough to ensure you thrive. But integrated big-picture thinking into your life approach, and all that changes. What is big-picture thinking? Big-picture thinking is a fundamental skill that provides the perspective and strategic overview to move your life in the right direction - in the immediate as well as the longer-term. Big-picture planning is the difference between being nose-up to a situation and looking down with a bird’s eye view. Take that step backwards and upwards, and suddenly, you see things that were previously invisible. You view problems through fresh eyes. You create space to imagine radical solutions and you join up threads to map out a clearer path to your next steps. - You can plan five steps ahead instead of taking decisions on the fly. - You can see how a decision you make today could open doors in five years time. - You can even see what you were at risk of missing, under-estimating, or under-valuing. Without big-picture thinking, life can become too reactive - and that can leave you disappointed and frustrated. Three tips for big-picture thinking 1. Make time for it Sure, life is busy! But don’t let the hustle and bustle of everyday life become the reason you don’t think about the bigger picture. Instead, take time out to think about where you’re going. Also, give yourself the space to check in to see if you’re still going in the right direction! As your best self evolves, you’ll no doubt change your mind about what you do want [and that’s OK]. Each time your comfort zone expands or you achieve another goal, your frame of reference shifts. New opportunities and possibilities open up for you. If you schedule in regular big-thinking time, you’ll be able to capitalize on your growth spurts - and create your best life as a result. 2. Cultivate the ability to think bigger It’s easy to get caught in your regular thought patterns. We’re creatures of habit, which means we like what we know - because there’s security in that. But unless you challenge your habitual ways of thinking, you’ll continue to generate similar results. But that changes when you inspire yourself to think differently. For example: - 10x your idea. What would your current goal look like it you made the outcome even bigger? Sure, you don’t have to aim for that, but allowing yourself to think along those bigger lines can open up something new. - 10 ideas. Push yourself to generate more ideas once your initial steam is exhausted. [The Edison Deck will help you cultivate this skill.] When you ‘have’ to think beyond what feels comfortable, bigger ideas inevitably come. - Cultivate courage. Your limiting beliefs and current identity place restrictions around what you believe is possible for you. Courage forces you to step outside your comfort zone and expand who you are. As your perspective shifts, you see the path in front of you differently. - Think further ahead. Where do you want to be in ten years time? What do you have to do today to make that vision a reality? Allow yourself to see through bigger timescales, and you can transform the vision you have for your life. For example, you may not be able to create a charitable foundation this year, but you could in ten years time. 3. Plan for it Don’t leave your big-picture ideas to chance, instead, translate them into concrete plans. Keep planning your week and individual days, but at the same time mastermind your year ahead. A wall calendar is a great tool for this. Map on any key and fixed dates [such as anniversaries, birthdays, vacations, and events]. Mark on any milestones and existing deadlines too. then look at the white space that’s left. How can you maximize the time you have?What steps are you missing to get to where you want?What could you do next if you were to achieve everything on your calendar? Now, next, later Some goals can be achieved extremely quickly. For example, you can start a journaling, running, or meditation practice right now. All you need is 10 minutes and you’re off! Other goals take longer. And there are other outcomes which can’t even be started until you’ve laid the foundations. Big-picture thinking creates the space for you to identify these foundations in advance - so you can begin working on them now. It’s the difference between being in the perfect place ten years from now - to looking back with regret, wishing you’d started something earlier. You’ve got this!

When you want to make improvements to your life, it’s tempting to focus on one thing. For good reason. When you achieve a significant goal, your life often takes a big step forward. What’s more, you find yourself in a whole new space, which in itself can open doors and create fresh opportunities. But this approach comes with a risk. If working on one area of your life means you drop the ball elsewhere, things can get wonky! Is it really enough to be crushing it in your business or your career if your relationships are failing and your health is suffering? Enter work-life harmony. The concept that lasting happiness and fulfillment comes from finding success in all the areas of your life that matter to you. Work-life harmony is subtly different to work-life balance. When you lead a busy life and have multiple demands pulling on you, it’s hard to juggle it all - all of the time. Sometimes your work has to get the lion’s share of your time. Other times you have to take a step back and focus fully on your wellbeing. Work-life harmony is about allowing the pendulum to swing towards specific areas of your life - at the speed and pace your circumstances demand. Best of all, it’s a metric you can measure so you can track how your life changes over time. Why quantify work-life harmony? Work-life harmony is a personal thing. What represents harmony to one person is different from someone else. What’s more, our personal definitions change over time as our circumstances evolve. For example, when you first start a business you’ll want to go all in. When you become a parent, family time becomes a sharper focus. The key is to ensure you’re happy with the place you’re at - and if you’re not, that you know what you need to change to feel better about your life. This is where quantifying your work-life harmony can be so useful for anyone on a personal development journey. Your score creates a baseline - a start point… your line in the sand. It allows you to pinpoint where you are right now - so you can decide where to focus and check back in to monitor your progress. With a baseline in place, you can double-down on your efforts knowing they will drive you forward. Even better, you can see tangible progress over time [which gives you a motivational boost in itself]. Easier goal setting A lot of people find it hard to set a goal. They don’t know what to pick or they have too many options to choose from. When you lack clarity it’s a lot harder to take focused action. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up doing nothing. But when you know where you’re at in different areas of your life, it’s a lot easier to pin down the actions that will make the biggest difference. Remember… even though we’re talking about different life areas, they all interlink and influence each other. They’re not really separate. For example, your mindfulness levels will influence your relationships, which in turn impact how you show up in work/business. In short, don’t be surprised if the right focus on one specific aspect of your life has an exponential impact on everything. When you quantify your work-life harmony, you’ll know where to place your attention. How to score work-life harmony Its super easy to calculate a meaningful score that will empower you to take action - here’s how… STEP 1: Identify the life areas that are important to you. We recommend six: Health & fitness - how do you feel in your body? This includes exercise, diet, and energy levels. Work & career - how fulfilled and successful do you feel in the work that you do? Social & relationships - who’s in your circle? How fulfilling are your friendships? How satisfied are you with your social time? Mindfulness - this includes your stress and anxiety levels along with your mental clarity and ability to create calm even in chaos. Finance - how secure are you with your money and do you have what you need to live the life you want? Home & family - how is your home environment and how fulfilled are you in your closest and intimate relationships? STEP 2: Score each area. On a scale of 1-10 [where 1 is terrible and 10 is incredible], how do you score each area of your life? It will help to pull out a notebook and explain your scores. Not only is this a useful reference point, but it will help you get clarity on your next steps. STEP 3: Calculate your average Divide your total score by six to give you an average. A ten is the perfect score [and also a ‘perfect’ life!] STEP 4: Revisit every three months With your score calculated, here’s what you can do next: Look at the areas of your life where you’ve scored low. What could you start doing to increase your satisfaction in that area? What are you doing in your life that’s detracting from your score? What could you stop doing? How could you plan your time to achieve work-life harmony? Whatever you decide, plan to make it happen. [The Self Journal or Self Planner will help]. Finally, revisit your score every three months and keep a track of your progress. It’s a super simple step that will help you think bigger and achieve more while you enjoy today. Calculate your score You can quantify your work-life harmony score with the help of the BestSelf Benchmark Quiz. To take the quiz, CLICK HERE. When you take the quiz, we’ll calculate your BestSelf Score. You’ll also receive personalized recommendations on the tools that will help you succeed. What are you waiting for! Take the quiz now and start increasing your work-life harmony at Bestself.co/Benchmark.

Do you have big ambitions for your life, but struggle to get everything done? Do you keep telling yourself that you’ll achieve that big goal when you clear something else from your deck? It’s easy to make time the reason you let go of a big ambition, but it doesn’t have to be that way. When you get yourself planned, you can stretch your time and make much more of your 1,440 minutes a day. And when you’re ready to start, these five powerful planning tools are here to help. 1. Annual wall calendar You can’t ignore what’s staring you in the face! With a big picture overview of your year, you can see at a glance what’s coming up and what you’ve already achieved and checked off. Use your wall calendar to map out any vacations, key dates, and high level deadlines. With these important dates top of mind, you can plan your year accordingly to ensure you don’t miss a beat. You can even check off each day as it passes to create an annual countdown [and some additional accountability]. 2. A monthly calendar Similar to your whole year overview, a monthly calendar allows you to see the next four weeks at a glance. Use it to keep track of dates and deadlines to ensure you never double-book yourself. You can also use a monthly planner to achieve your goals. You can also use this powerful tool to assess your choices for work-life harmony. - Have you factored in enough social time? - Do you have any days booked out for fun? - Is there really enough time to achieve that deadline without burning out? When you can see all your commitments and deadlines written down, you’ll find it easier to make decisions when fresh opportunities come your way. 3. A weekly to-do list Each day, you have a finite amount of bandwidth to play with. If you have a lot to do, don’t waste that head space mulling over repetitive thought loops or desperately trying to remember things. Instead, empty your head onto paper so you can put maximum focus on tasks that move the needle. Your weekly to-do list is the perfect place to practice this. Instead of keeping your list of weekly tasks in your head, get them onto paper. A to-do lists serves a number of important productivity benefits: - You won’t forget anything - so no last-minute rushes or panics - It helps you delegate - It helps you organize your thoughts and tasks - Checking completed tasks off makes you feel good - It captures the specific action points you need to accomplish When writing out your weekly to-do list, aim to create a Weekly Action Plan system to win your week [the Weekly Action Pad can help]. Instead of a simple lists of tasks, a Weekly Action Plan helps you prioritize and structure your week for maximum performance and productivity. For example: - Time est: When you know how long a task will take, you can make better decisions about when you’ll fit it into your week. - Due: With deadlines clearly written down, you can be sure to plan your work so you can deliver tasks on time. - E/N/D: When you know whether a task will energize or drain you, it’s easier to pick the optimum time to get that to-do done.   4. A daily planner Each day, you’re gifted 1,440 minutes - and it doesn’t matter who you are… we all get the same amount. The question is, what are you going to do with your time? How will you convert those minutes into a life you love? With so many opportunities and so much to do, your daily plan is key to maximizing the time you’ve got. If you could only use one planning tool, this would be it. Get granular with your planning. Get real with the places you squander time. Get prioritizing and quit procrastinating! Plan your day for maximum productivity and results. For example: - Plan your day in 30-minute chunks - it will make your minutes stretch further - Practice gratitude - it unlocks feeling of positivity and abundance which help skyrocket your performance - Focus on your top three tasks - if you could only achieve three things, what would those tasks be? When you prioritize, you’ll move the needle even if work remains to be done - Leave zero white space - this doesn’t mean overwhelming your workload. Plan in time to chill, read, or binge on Netflix. When every minute is allocated, none of it is squandered. If you want to invest in a daily planner designed to help you achieve your goals by boosting your productivity, performance, and positivity, check out the Self Journal. 5. A Habit Tracker Did you know that you are the sum total of all your habits? Habits are a powerful tool because these are the things you do on autopilot - without having to think about them. Whether we like it or not, we all run on habits. It’s what makes you clean your teeth, make your bed, or always have cake with your morning coffee! If you want to inspire your day, commit to infusing it with habits that will take you closer to your goals. For example: - If you want to write a book, get in the habit of writing 500 words a day - If you want to be a public speaker, do a live each day - If you want to run a marathon, make a daily run a habit When you know what habits will take you closer to your goals, you can plan your day to incorporate them. A habit tracker will help you with this. Use your tracker to monitor the habits you want to adopt and create a chain of wins. Before you know it, that chain will be so heavy, your new habit will be on autopilot. BestSelf’s Habit Roadmap allows you to track a range of weekly and daily habits over a period of 13 weeks. It’s a powerful tool that will help you develop good habits that stick. If you want to be your best self, robust planning is a non-negotiable. Without solid plans, you’ll waste time, get stuck in the weeds, and head for overwhelm. Don’t allow lack of time to be the reason you push off your big goals and aspirations. Instead, get smarter with your time. Don’t waste it. Make it stretch further. Invest it wisely, and you will think bigger and achieve more.