By Georgina El Morshdy Have you made the shift to home-working? Are you looking for tried and tested tips to maximize your productivity? If so, you’re in the right place! The pandemic means more people are working from home than ever before. Sure, this style of working has some big advantages. For example, there’s no commute and you can even get household chores done in your free time - leaving more space for your personal life when work is over.  But there are challenges too - such as getting yourself motivated or ensuring your work doesn’t bleed into your home life and create friction.  Fortunately, this collection of sure-fire tips will enable you to boost your efficiency and turn your home workstation into a powerhouse of productivity. Here’s to beating the procrastination pixies and getting a ton of stuff done - while creating a healthy work-life balance.  1. Claim your space If you share your home with other people (or pets!) claiming a space that you dedicate for work is essential. Having a workstation that’s just for your job can help you mentally separate work from home. Ideally, you’ll want to choose somewhere that’s as far away from busy areas as possible. This means avoiding your kitchen and living areas, as other people are likely to act as regular distractions. If you don’t have a dedicated home office or a spare room, then choose a space that’s quiet and free from disruptions. As millions of people are currently proving, even a rarely used cupboard or walk-in pantry can be easily converted into the perfect workspace! With your space chosen, be sure to create boundaries with anyone else that you live with. Make an agreement about when you can and can’t be interrupted. This powerful ground rule will help you be more productive by giving your work a protected space.  2. Maintain a schedule Depending on your work commitments, you may have a strict schedule you need to adhere to. Even if you don’t, enforcing a routine can be a helpful way to maximize your productivity. When you first start working remotely, it’s a little too easy to start enjoying the flexibility it offers. However, learning how to work from home means setting yourself boundaries. Once you create a schedule you can stick to, you’ll find it much easier to complete important tasks and find yourself working with enhanced efficiency.  A tool such as the Self Journal or BestSelf Planner can help you organize your day and manage your time. Both of these tools have a timeline feature that allows you to timetable in appointments and tasks as well as keep track of your tasks and to-dos.  When you leverage an external brain like this, you reduce decision fatigue, free up bandwidth, and minimize the risk of overwhelm and overload.  3. Have essential equipment to hand Nothing decreases your productivity like having to search for essential items every few minutes. Taking the time to set up a dedicated workspace means you’ll have everything to hand, as and when you need it. Instead of having to scrabble through drawers looking for a pen or getting lost under desks trying to find a laptop charger, make sure you’ve got everything you need before you start your working day. Having to search for missing tools or equipment throughout the day not only wastes time, but it also increases stress and frustration. By having a well-stocked working area, you can enjoy working from home and cultivate a stress-free environment.  You’ll be surprised how much time you’ll waste if you need to continuously look for things. And it’s not just the lost time. Each time your train of thought is disrupted, it can take up to 20 minutes to get back into the flow.  4. Take a break Although many employers understand that working remotely can be difficult, others are less empathetic. If your employer is putting increased pressure on you, you might find that you’re actually working longer hours from home than you would if you were actually going in to work every day. Although it might seem counterproductive, taking a break is actually one of the best ways to increase your productivity. As well as giving you the opportunity to reset your mind, regular breaks encourage you to refuel and get a little extra exercise, which will set you up for more productivity and greater levels of success.  5. Stay motivated Some people thrive when they can set their own schedule and manage their own workload. Some people love the quiet of home working because there are fewer impromptu meetings and office noise. Others find it difficult to work when they are outside their usual workplace set-up.  The key to navigating this is to find ways to motivate yourself.  From listening to upbeat music to rewarding yourself when milestones are hit, find the ways that work best for you.  Making Remote Working Work for You Although many people enjoy working from home, it isn’t everyone’s idea of the perfect working environment. Whether you’re working remotely through choice or due to the current lockdown restrictions, these handy tips will help you to improve your productivity while minimizing stress and give you the opportunity to enjoy working in different surroundings. 

By Georgina El Morshdy The BuJo buzz is spreading! More and more people are turning a blank notebook into a powerful tool to get organized, juggle multiple balls, and take back control of their life. More in depth than a diary or calendar, you can use your bullet journal to track, plan, or schedule as little or as much as you like. But how to start a bullet journal in the first place?  In this detailed article, we’re going to take you step by step through the process of getting started so you can hit the ground running and take advantage of all the juicy benefits that bullet journaling offers you.  Let’s go!  What is a bullet journal?  OK, so let’s start at the absolute beginning. In case you’ve heard of bullet journaling, but aren’t entirely sure what a bullet journal actually is, here’s a quick definition.  A bullet journal is a combination of a diary/calendar/to-do list/planner/general organizer! Using bullet points as the core way of capturing and recording information, a bullet journal is a tool that helps you organize your life and get stuff done.  It differs from diaries, calendars, and other planners because you create your BuJo in a blank notebook. In other words, you’re not restricted by someone else’s methodology or layout - instead you’re free to create your own. It’s why bullet journaling is a big hit with creatives and artists as well as those who are productivity obsessed!  And best of all, it’s SUPER simple to get started. All you need is:  An idea of what you want to track, measure, schedule, and plan A blank notebook  And a pen  And then you’re good to go.  You don’t need to stop there. If you’re a stationery lover, then bullet journaling is a brilliant excuse to stock up on all sorts of accessories and tools including washi tape, stickers, and stencils. But you don’t need these to get started, that can come later as you find your flow and create your style.  Why start a bullet journal?  When you have too much to remember, too many things to do, and too many places you need to be, you can’t rely on your memory alone. The human brain is amazing. It can create, solve problems, and formulate ideas, but it’s not so good at remembering!  In fact, it takes a lot of bandwidth to remember stuff so if your head is full of memos and to-dos, you end up reducing the amount of space you have for everything else.  Far better to empty your head and get your life organized on paper so you can free up much needed headspace. But that’s not all… plan on paper and you can see your commitments and tasks reflected back at you. In turn, you can juggle things around and see the big picture without giving yourself a massive headache!  Bullet journaling also helps protect your sanity. When you’re juggling multiple roles and a ton of other commitments and tasks, it’s easy to get overloaded and overwhelmed. But with your BuJo to get you organized and scheduled, you can crack on with the task at hand - knowing you’ve got everything covered later.  This is how to start a bullet journal and get more done! There’s nothing more frustrating than feeling like you’re squandering time and falling behind because you’re forgetful or keep dropping the ball. A BuJo can help you keep it all together so you can crack on and live your best life.  In short, bullet journals are great for getting organized, boosting your productivity, and enhancing your performance. It helps you create work-life harmony too because when you plan for everything you can fit in everything.  There’s another angle too.  One of the things bullet journalers love most is the blank page - because it can become a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. You’re not restricted by a particular layout or structure. Instead, you can create your own spreads to suit your particular lifestyle and goals. This creative aspect gives you freedom for doodling, hand lettering, stencils, stickers, and all sorts.  So unleash yourself onto the page and create something unique that works for you.  How to start a bullet journal - the essential spreads Your bullet journal can track anything - the only limit is your imagination. I’ll share some ideas to inspire you a little later, but first let’s explore how to start a bullet journal by discussing the essentials.  1. Your MONTHLY spreads 2. Your WEEKLY spreads 3. Your DAILY spreads If you’re using your bullet journal to get organized and increase your productivity, then you’ll want to plan your time at these three levels. MONTHLY SPREADS  @planningroutine   @mabujork   @bahcampos   @oikawastudies   Use your monthly spread to create a big picture of your month. In this spread, you can capture:  ● Appointments and meetings● Deadlines● Social or family commitments ● Key dates (such as birthdays or anniversaries) ● Courses, vacations, and days out Put everything in one place to create an easy reference point. It’s a simple way to ensure you never double book yourself, take on too much, or forget to be in the right place at the right time.  Whenever a new commitment or request crops up, simply add it to your monthly spread - remembering to juggle things around if you need to.  Even better, have a few months on the go so you can plan further ahead. WEEKLY SPREADS © habitsbuzz.com   © thepetiteplanner.com   Next up are your weekly spreads. This is where you’ll create a big picture overview of your week.  It’s a cliche, but time is precious. There will be a lot of things you want to do, but maybe struggle to find the time. It’s not as if you’re sitting around twiddling your thumbs either! Instead, you’re always busy - juggling work, running around after your kids, and taking care of stuff in the home as well as trying to make more quality time just for you.  Your weekly pages can help you make the most of your minutes - so you can get more done in less time. You have plenty of options for layouts. You can go super simple where you just create space for the days of the week. Or you can create an organizer planner where you include features such as: ● Days of the week● A list of priorities● A to-do list● A habit tracker ● A meal planner● Health, wellness, and movement● Self-care commitments  An organizer/planner works because it helps shape your thinking too. Instead of just lumping tasks to different days, you get to figure out your priorities and ensure you’re always working on the right stuff. DAILY SPREADS Now we come to my favorite part of how to start a bullet journal.  Before I started planning my day with a journal, I used a to-do list. It seemed to work. I enjoyed checking off completed tasks and I felt more organized knowing everything was written down. My problem was staying on top of that to-do list! Even when I was working full out, I’d still finish the day with too many tasks unfinished and untouched.  It didn’t feel good. I hated feeling behind and I found myself sacrificing more and more of my free time in an attempt to keep on top of it all.  Turns out it wasn’t my workload that was the problem. It was the way I was managing it.  Time is like money in the sense that you need to spend it within a budget. Instead of giving tasks an open ended time window, force yourself to get stricter with how long you expect each task to take. It’s the same with the tasks you do take on. Are you always working on the top priority task, or are you filling your day with stuff that keeps you busy but doesn’t make you productive?  My daily spread helps me set up my day for a win.  I still have a to-do list on the go, but I now schedule tasks in the same way I schedule meetings. That way I don’t knowingly overrun and I don’t set myself up to fail.  I also use my daily spreads to keep my goals top of mind and to figure out my priorities. It’s a powerful strategy that ensures you get all the important stuff done - without feeling overwhelmed or burned out.  Here are some suggestions for your daily spreads: © forevergoodlife ● A daily timeline split into 30-minute sections - so you can get granular with your planning● Free space - to write out your to-dos● Note space - for jotting random ideas and reminders as they crop up ● Today’s targets - for getting clear on your priorities● Space for errands● Space for a daily gratitude practice● Room to record your wins and successes Don’t forget your index Before long, your bullet journal is going to start to fill up. Your index will help you find everything quickly and easily. Simply number your pages as you go and make a note of what’s on each of them in your index. And to cut down on writing, consider using a key as well.  From color-coding, to stickers, to hand drawn symbols, a key makes it easy to mark things in and join up the dots.  How to start a bullet journal - creative spreads With the basic spreads covered, you can then allow your creativity to roam free.  You can turn those blank pages into ANYTHING that you want to track. Here are some examples to inspire you:  ● Books to read● Gratitude● Goals ● Shopping lists● Habit tracker● Bucket list● Braindump ● Savings tracker● Review of the month/week/year● Travel plans● Meal planning● Mood tracker ● Future log How to start a bullet journal routine  We’ve looked at how to start a bullet journal, but how do you make this powerful practice a part of your life?  The more you put into your bullet journal the more you’re going to get out of it. It’s true; bullet journaling is a flexible system that you can dip into whenever you like and whenever inspiration strikes.  But when it comes to your productivity and performance, you’ll get the best results if you BuJo daily.  This is where your routine comes in.  We recommend you plan your weekly spreads on a Sunday - as this will give you an edge for the week. Rather than wasting time on a Monday morning, you can hit the ground running.  If you can, plan your daily spreads the previous evening as this will give your subconscious mind time to process everything you’ve got coming up (ever noticed how you wake up with a solution to a problem you went to bed with?)  And for your creative spreads, you can dive in as and when you like - or whenever you get inspired to try something new. The key is to find a system that works for you.  Play with it, explore it, and above all enjoy it! Get inspired by what other bullet journalers are doing too, but don’t allow yourself to get side-tracked or disheartened by all the beautiful spreads that you see.  If your practice helps enhance your life then that’s the right system for you.  Bullet journaling can be a game-changer. It’s a way to save your sanity, enhance your productivity, and boost your performance.  And now we’ve solved the problem of how to start a bullet journal in this article, you can get cracking. I promise you won’t regret your new habit for a second.

By Georgina El Morshdy Do you wish you felt successful and fulfilled in more areas of your life?  If so, you’re not alone. In our fast-paced world, there are always new opportunities to explore. No wonder there’s a part of us that wants more money, better relationships, optimum health, more peace of mind, more success in work etc.  But maybe these desires are inevitable? After all, humans are built to grow and evolve, which means it’s normal to have a gnawing sense of ‘what next’ and ‘what else’. The secret is to find your perfect balance. I.e. To craft a life that feels full across all the things you care about [knowing there will always be space for more].  These are powerful times.  We live in a world of infinite possibilities and a finite amount of time. You can’t do everything, but you can do the things that get your time, energy, and resources.  Here are three powerful ways to create the work-life balance you desire for your life today… Key #1. Remember what’s most important Here’s a great quote from Dolly Parton. “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”  At the end of your days, it’s unlikely you’ll wish you spent more time at your desk or in your inbox. Instead, you’ll wish you’d had more adventures, quality time with your loved ones, or time spent doing the things YOU love.  We have to keep this perspective front of mind - because it’s so easy to let our priorities shift when a deadline is looming, or a pile of to-dos remain unfinished or untouched.  It can be helpful to spend some time exploring and writing about what you desire.  What do you want?  Ask yourself this question and get some clarity on your answers. Journal. Go deep. Uncover the self-awareness that reveals what work-life balance looks like for you.  When you know what you want, it will be crystal clear what’s working and what isn’t. This knowledge gives you power - because you’ll see where your focus is needed.  Key #2. Plan for work-life balance You’re right; this key is so obvious… but are we leveraging this key to its fullest potential?  As the saying goes, “what gets planned gets done”.  Time is your most precious, non-renewable resource. Each day, your time bank fills with 1,440 minutes. The question is, are you squandering that time, or are you allocating minutes intentionally across all the things that matter?  It’s hard to create a work-life balance if your relationships and hobbies have to make do with whatever’s left after you’ve finished your work.  This is why we need to create protected space in our schedule for ALL the things we care about.  Allocating time to tasks and activities helps us stay focused on what matters in the moment. Scheduling keeps us more time aware too - meaning we’re less likely to disappear into a social media abyss and come out feeling pressured and behind!  A good plan will show you how you can make space for it all.  Giving you more control, success, and fulfillment in your everyday life.  Key #3. Start creating work-life balance TODAY Mañana, mañana! How many times have you promised yourself that?  It’s so easy to push things off until another time. Kicking the can down the road reduces pressure and creates some breathing space.  But that’s not all...  It’s easy to convince yourself that things will be different in the future. It’s easy to believe that your circumstances would have changed enough for work-life balance to be easier to find.  For example:  When I have more money, I’ll be able to make more space  When the kids start school, I’ll have more time to get healthy When I’ve got a promotion, I’ll have more control over my schedule When I’ve refitted office, I’ll be more productive Etc. etc. etc!  Heads up! Some tough love is coming... These words aren’t promises to your future self. Instead, they are excuses that your present self can use to eliminate the need to do anything different today.  The reality is if you can’t reshape your schedule [or switch up your priorities] to focus on what really matters now, chances are you won’t be able to in the future either.  Especially because the future isn’t real anyway.  It’s just another moment of NOW.  In the words of Eckhart Tolle, “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”  With that in mind, pull out your journal and get to writing… What tweaks and shifts can you make - starting NOW - that will create the work-life balance you desire?  Remember, you don’t need to change everything overnight. Work-life balance can emerge as a transition as you get more aligned and clearer with what you want.  What’s more, your definition of work-life balance is a moving target that will change - because you will change as you move through your life.  The key is to do something now. As James Redfield said, where “attention goes, energy flows”. Set that intention for yourself, and things will change and transform as a result.  But don’t take my word for it.  Apply these three keys for yourself and see what magic emerges for you as a result.  You’ve got this. 

By Georgina El Morshdy The problem with a funk is you end up procrastinating. Wasting time can push you behind, which can spiral into feelings of more stress and pressure.  Days like these don’t feel too great - especially when you have deadlines to meet and things you want to get done.  The goods news is there are inspired ways to kick-start motivation and get yourself going.  And if you’re one for introspection, you’ll love how some simple self-questioning can not only get you unstuck but ensure you emerge with more clarity and self-awareness.  Keep reading because I’m going to show you how - in three simple steps.  Step 1. Acknowledge your feelings.  First up, it’s super important that you don’t make yourself wrong for how you’re feeling. ALL feelings are valid. As humans, we have the privilege of experiencing a spectrum of emotions - and we can take something from all of them [even the ones that challenge us]. A positive aspect of feeling demotivated is you can understand how it feels in your body. This can become a learning experience because you get to figure out how to support and guide yourself through these emotions.  In practice, this means owning where you are and dropping the judgement, criticism and any temptation to beat yourself up! After all, it’s tough to get motivated when you’re stuck in negative thoughts and emotions - you don’t need to dig that hole any deeper than it already is!!!  Then, once you’ve allowed yourself to feel the emotions [without guilt], it’s time to understand better what’s driving them.  Step 2. Get to the root of what’s causing the lack of inspiration and motivation.  If we don’t get to the root cause of procrastination, we get distracted by the more obvious surface level causes.  Here are some common reasons for getting into a demotivated place:  1. Boredom. You’re bored. You just can’t find the energy or the ideas or the creativity. You feel lethargic, your brain is foggy, and you just can’t get yourself fired up no matter what you do.  2. Too difficult. Whatever you’re procrastinating over feels too hard. For example, you might tell yourself, “I can’t do this”. You might feel defeated before you’ve even started, and you may fear the consequences of not being able to do said task.  3. Lack of purpose. You don’t feel purposeful, and part of you is wondering, “What’s the point?” 4. Lack of control. You’ve been asked to do something that you don’t want to do [but you have to], and your rebellious streak is resisting!  5. Fear. You know what you have to do, but your own limiting beliefs and stories hold you back and get in your way.  What is the reason for you?  Step 3. Use introspection to reframe and refocus Finally, have a conversation with yourself to take back control of your energy and emotions. Your journal is a great place to do this because you have the space to untangle your thoughts and feelings and discover all the nuances.  Here are some prompts to help direct your introspection for each of the procrastination causes we explored in step 2.  Boredom.  If you’re not feeling it, trying to push through the boredom can make a task take you ten times longer than necessary.  A more effective strategy is to put your energy and attention on something that inspires you and lightens you up.  Ask yourself in your journal what things you can rely on to change your mood. For example, read, take a walk, get into nature, reward yourself to get a shot of dopamine.  Learn more about YOU and what you can do when you know you’re in a funk to change your mood so you can move forward with your life more powerfully.  This mini wins tool can help.  Too difficult.  Too difficult is often a story that’s rooted in a belief about our skills and capabilities.  Turn to your journal and ask yourself why it’s too complicated.  • Separate the facts from the fiction. • Where is your proof? • What are you making the difficulty mean about you?  Then flip the meaning and see the situation as a challenge instead of a problem.  Finally, work through your strategy for getting it done. For example, can you ask for help? Is there some training in which you can invest? Do you simply need to start believing that you do have what it takes?  Overcoming difficulties is one way to make yourself stronger - essential for the journey of your best self.  Lack of purpose. This one can take some soul-searching.  As humans, we have an instinctive desire to feel purposeful. If you feel demotivated because you feel a lack of purpose, you may have some tough choices to make. Maybe it’s a sign that you need to remove this from your life - you can explore your thoughts further in your journal.  Alternatively, look for ways to inject purpose into the task.  • How does your WHY factor in? • How can you infuse your passion or connect the situation with your mission? If you can change the story to reframe the meaning, you can unlock a rush of inspiration that can take you ANYWHERE.  Lack of control.  You may not be able to influence external circumstances, BUT you are in complete control of your reaction to them.  Get introspective about this and have the conversation in your journal…  • What can you say to yourself to give you the feeling of control?• How can you create an environment where you feel autonomous and in the drivers’ seat of your life? • What aspects of the situation are under your influence? Use your journal to help reclaim your personal power because your motivation will soar as a result.  Fear.  This is a BIG one… And also the one that holds the most growth potential.  It’s normal to feel scared when circumstances don’t feel certain. As humans, we thrive on the feeling of safety, BUT growth always happens outside of our comfort zone.  The truth is you can do SOOOOOOO much more than you give yourself credit. The human spirit is amazing. We are so resilient, creative, and brave.  The secret is to transform your relationship with fear so you can embrace it, rather than running in the opposite direction.  After all, how often has your fear been the compass that shows you the way forward into your next realm for growth?  Use your journal to get clearer on what you’re afraid of. [Here’s a cool downloadable tool with guided exercises to help you do that].  Be radically honest with yourself.  It takes bravery and courage to be specific because you have to go deep, but when you can define the demons, it’s a lot easier to face them.  Time is your most valuable, non-renewable resource What’s more important than the amount of time we have is the way we use our minutes.  Sure, you will have days when you feel off and just can’t find your flow. That’s all part of being human. But understand how to unleash inspiration, and you’ll access a power source for life.  Introspection is a powerful skill to master because it helps us to understand better who we are.  And when we know what’s happening under the surface, suddenly, you can move through whatever is sapping your energy with self-compassion, understanding, and empowerment.  That’s personal power. 

By Georgina El Morshdy It’s inevitable. Your biggest goals and dreams will push you out of your comfort zone. When you want something you’ve never had, you’ve got to do something you’ve never done - and that can be scary.  It’s as Jack Canfield says, “everything you want is on the other side of fear.”  With that quote in mind, it follows that your relationship with fear will influence your experience in life. Specifically, the more you’re able to navigate the unknown and the uncertain, the more life you’ll be able to handle.  That’s why your best self can thrive when you learn to transform fear into focus. When you learn to navigate the discomfort that lies in the uncertain, you’ll become stronger and braver.  But what’s the best way to do that?  Keep reading because we’ve got you covered with THREE powerful strategies that inspire you to leverage fear as a tool for personal growth. Each of these strategies will empower you to move through your fears, so you don’t get stopped. In turn, you’ll create the skills and strength needed to achieve more of what you want to have, be, and do.  Let’s dive in... 1. Take action despite your fear Circa 2009, I decided to do a tandem parachute jump for charity. It’s something I always said I wanted to do but wasn’t sure if I’d have the guts to go through with it! But after visiting a children’s hospice with a group of students, I felt compelled to raise some money for the cause. The parachute jump was on.  It may have been over a decade ago, but I can still remember how I felt as the plane took off and climbed to the necessary height.  I was strangely calm and terrified all at the same time! I distracted myself with the view and simultaneously felt sick at the thought of plummeting to the earth at the speed of terminal velocity!  When the time came, I obediently followed the instructions to move to the side of the plane. I gingerly dangled my feet over the edge into the abyss and resigned myself to the inevitable.  Then we fell… and I was in ecstasy!  The feeling of freefall was like nothing I can describe. The experience was electric and exhilarating. Insane amounts of joy filled my body, which made me feel alive and fully present.  It’s a memory I’ll treasure forever and an experience that makes me proud - even to this day.  The lesson in this story is there are times when you just have to go for it. I could easily have talked myself out of that jump. I didn’t have to do it, but I’m so glad that I did.  There will always be a reason to stop when you reach the edge of your comfort zone. Your logical, analytical brain that’s desperate to keep you safe will always find a reason why you shouldn’t take action.  Sure, there are times when those fears are valid.  But there are other times when you need to override the reservations and do it anyway.  Chances are, the joy you’ll feel on the other side will be more than worth it. What’s more, the second you do something you didn’t think you could do, is the second you transform who you believe yourself to be.  Best of all, when you conquer one fear door, a whole new level of life opens up for you.  So go for it!  2. Visualize yourself doing the fearful thing One of the most powerful tools you have access to as a human is your imagination. You have the power to see any eventuality inside your mind… and you can use this power to your advantage.  Research has found that your brain struggles to differentiate between reality and imagination.  In other words, something you’ve visualized and something you’ve done feels the same to your brain.  This is one of the reasons why athletes see themselves winning and performers see themselves crushing the stage.  Here’s why this practice works… New things feel scary because you’ve never done them before. As a result, you have more worries than reference points of success. Fear will always show up when we’re not certain we can do something. It’s a safety and protective mechanism. We’re reluctant to fail because that triggers fears of rejection and criticism. We don’t want to get hurt either.  But the second you know you can do it, your worries dissolve away.  You don’t have to wait to have a real-life experience to take the edge off your fears.  You can create the illusion of experience through the power of visualization. Try it and see for yourself the impact it has on your life.  3. Journal to understand and transform your fears Inside your journal, you can have a no-holds-barred conversation with yourself where you can reveal all your fears and frustrations.  You can rant.  Sound off.  Throw a tantrum if you like!  You can get ALL the worry, confusion, fogginess, and frustration out of your head, which kick-starts a transformation.  Here’s how journaling can help:  • Take the edge off your fear. With your fearful thoughts revealed on the page, the fear doesn’t feel so heavy or intense.  • Shift your perspective. Empty your fears onto the page and you might find that the situation isn’t as overwhelming as you thought initially. • Acknowledge the fear instead of denying it - which empowers you to do something proactive to change the situation. • Create space for new thoughts and ideas to flow in. • Open the door to a new flurry of questions - ones that take your thinking and idea-generation down the path of empowerment.  In other words, you can use your journal to transform fear into focus.  Journaling can also help you to move the energy associated with those fears. When you write how you feel, you can start to process your emotions - even release them. It’s why journaling can inspire you to cry, release anger and frustration, and free up space.  The power of journaling is that it offers a safe space for raw self-expression. The only person who can judge you in your journal is you! If you can give yourself the love and compassion to feel what is, those feelings will soon dissipate.  And anyway, you can always dispose of the ‘offending’ journal entry if you choose!  [Listen to this podcast for more tips about transforming fear into focus using your journal.] “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.” — Henry Ford Humans have unlimited potential.  Just look around and you’ll find countless examples of people who’ve overcome the odds to achieve incredible feats.  If you can conjure something into your imagination, then you can also do that thing. The only barrier in your way is your relationship with fear.  But expand your capacity to hold fear, and your life will open up in the most empowering of ways. So try these strategies on for size. Make it your mission to expand your comfort zone consistently. It’s one of the most potent ways you can thrive and create a life you love. You’ve got this. 

By Georgina El Morshdy I remember reading that human attention spans have shrunk in recent years - a trend that seems to coincide with smartphones’ arrival. Back in the year 2000, on average, humans could manage around 12 seconds before getting distracted. Fast-forward to today, and we’re tracking around 8 seconds.  For context, a goldfish manages nine seconds [yep, the human attention span is now less than a goldfish!]  When you look at how life has changed, you can see why this trend may have happened.  In today’s digital world, we’re bombarded with information. The world has gotten very noisy, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. With so many stimulants and so much choice, there’s always an exciting avenue to dive down.  The risk is life becomes superficial and surface level. If you’re always getting ready to jump to the next thing that captures your attention, there’s no space for depth and deeper work. And let’s not forget the detrimental impact that a short attention span can have on your productivity and performance. If you’re forever distracted, it’s going to take you a lot longer than necessary to get things done - and that’s a waste of your minutes [and ultimately your life].  So what’s the solution?  The short answer is to increase your concentration intentionally. Be above average when it comes to the amount of time you can spend before you get distracted.  Here are three powerful techniques that can help you do that.  “Concentration is the secret of strength.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson. 1. Eliminate distractions This first tip is obvious but super important. It’s all about removing the temptations. Let’s say you decided to stop eating chocolate. Would you put a big bar of your favorite treat on your desk? Probably not because that would be torture! Chocolate will be the only thing on your mind.  It’s the same principle with all the things that create a distraction. If you remove them, you’re not going to get interrupted when you’re mid flow.  This means switching off your phone when it’s not appropriate to take calls or browse the internet or social feeds.  Switch off notifications too. You don’t need to see the most recent email or Slack message the instant it pops in. Instead, schedule some catching up time on your planner when you’ll do that.  And if it’s people entering your space that creates a distraction, consider locking the door and putting a KEEP OUT sign on it! I appreciate this can be challenging with kids, but consider the payoff. If you’re able to get tasks done faster, you’ll have more quality time to spend with them once you’re done.  2. Don’t multitask On the surface, multitasking sounds like such a smart thing to do. If you can get two things done at the same time, then why not? For example, writing an email while on a group call or sending invoices while  catching up on some online training  Here’s the problem… Multitasking is a myth. You can’t do two things at once. When you’re multitasking, what’s happening is your brain is switching rapidly from one task to another.  This isn’t efficient because you waste time switching trains of thought. And because you’re jumping around, you can’t get into a deeply creative space.  Instead, focus on one task at a time. [The exception might be listening to a podcast while doing something that doesn’t require much bandwidth such as folding the washing or emptying the dishwasher!]  This tip will make you more productive, and you’ll feel more accomplished, too, because you’ll be able to get under the skin of the things you’re working on. You’ll create space for a level of depth that will create dividends in your life.  3. Do more things that you love Have you noticed that you can stay focused for hours when you’re following your passions and doing something you love? When you’re absorbed and deep into your flow, you’re a lot harder to distract because you’re so focused and consumed.  When you’ve lit this kind of fire, even if someone does want to distract you, you may be too absorbed to notice!  The lesson here is to look at how you spend your day and ask yourself whether you’re satisfied or bored?  If you’re bored, you will be distractible. If you’re doing a task that you hate, you’ll look for any reason to put it down and move to something else. The solution is to work on your willpower - or review your schedule. The more you can stay in your zone of genius, the more you’ll switch on your fire, and the easier it becomes to concentrate fully on the task at hand.  Lee Iacocca said, “The ability to concentrate and to use time well is everything.” It might take some discipline and more intentional management of your time and schedule to create an environment where deep concentration comes more naturally, but the payoff is enormous.  If you’re a human who can concentrate, you’ll get more done quicker, build capacity for deep work, and have more control and influence over your time.  Surely these rewards are worth the effort and the commitment it takes to move your concentration span beyond that of a goldfish!  

“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 ever get overwhelmed into inaction? Does your to-do list weigh heavy, drain your bandwidth, and prevent you from getting the clarity you need to make sound decisions and move forward? If so, you’re not alone… When you’re juggling too many balls and doing your best in a multitude of roles, your mind can get foggy. Mental clutter is a big problem and it’s costly… If we can’t take action, we can feel stuck and stagnant. When we lack clarity, we can’t focus enough to identify the choices that could change our lives for the better. If that sounds familiar, then this article is for you - because I’m going to show you how to declutter your mind so you can get the mental clarity you need to make good decisions and feel in control of your life. Let’s dive in…  1.  Remove decision fatigue  Decisions take mental energy meaning the more decisions you have to make, the less bandwidth you have. One way you can free up headspace is to cut the number of everyday decisions you have to make. There was a reason that Steve Jobs always used to wear the same black turtleneck, jeans & sneakers. Wearing the same thing every day meant he didn’t have to stand in front of his wardrobe deciding what to put on. Don’t worry; you don’t have to purge your closet to remove decision fatigue - unless you want to! Instead, achieve a similar outcome with the help of: • Planning meals in advance• Implementing a morning routine that switches on your best - on autopilot• Scheduling your day in advance [using a tool such as the Self Journal] so you don’t have to keep spending time figuring out what to do next 2.  Create external brains Another way to sharpen mental clarity is to stop trying to remember everything! The human brain isn’t at its best when it’s used as a memory bank. Instead, it thrives when it has the freedom to solve problems or get creative. With that in mind, set the intention to get things out of your head and into systems or onto paper so you don’t have to waste your time and energy recalling key information. For example:  • Create a robust note-taking system - so you don’t end up with piles of sticky notes, scribbles in various notebooks, and no idea where it all is. • Write tasks and errands onto a to-do list [the Weekly Action Pad is great for this]• Set up calendar reminders so you don’t forget birthdays or other key dates• Carry a notebook so you can jot down ideas or journal through thoughts when they show up All these simple practices will free up valuable creative energy which you can use elsewhere.  3.  Don’t multitask It’s a myth that you get more done when doing multiple tasks at once. The human brain can’t actually multitask. When you’re multitasking, you’re actually switching rapidly from one task to another - because your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. But that’s not all… Multitasking prevents you from diving into deep focus and deeper work because your brain never has the time to sink beyond the surface-level and superficial. In fact, multitasking steals your time because it takes a while after each switch to get back into the zone again. It may feel counterintuitive, but doing ONE thing at a time is a powerful way to get more done AND feel clearer in the process. Where are you wasting bandwidth and cluttering your mind needlessly? 4. Systematize and automate  Are there parts of your life or your business that you do over and over again? If so, take the time to figure out how you can shift repetitive tasks into a system so you don’t take up brain space and waste your energy repeating stuff unnecessarily For example:  • Are there automation tools you can introduce so you don’t even have to do those repetitive tasks at all? • How about set alarms to remind you to drink water• Or using a tracking watch to keep you accountable to your health habits 5.  Prioritize  Your time is finite and limited. This means if you want to win the day, you’ll have more success if you focus on the tasks that move the needle the furthest. It’s the 80/20 rule where 80% of your results come from 20% of the tasks you complete. Here’s a mindset shift that can help you cut the overwhelm you feel from a growing to-do list… Simply remind yourself that NOT all tasks are created equally. Instead, figure out the key tasks that will move the needle the most - then focus all your energy to complete those first. We recommend you set a maximum of THREE targets a day. Sure, you can include quick to-dos alongside this, but ask yourself... if you could do only three things - which ones would make the most impact. When you’ve identified those key levers, schedule time to do them and set your focus. Take action now! Mental fog can really drag you down. It can drain your productivity, steal your motivation, and ensure you hit the pillow feeling anxious that things are piling up. But with the right mindset and action steps, fogginess needn’t slow you down. With the help of the techniques we’ve explored in this article, not only will your brain feel a lot less cluttered, but you’ll accomplish more on a day-to-day basis too. What is the action you'll take immediately to declutter your mind? Pull out your notebook and make your plan now - you’ll be glad you did! 

It’s not unusual to reject the feeling of being boxed in. It’s one of the reasons people have resistance to scheduling their time in 30-minute chunks and committing to firm plans. You worry that rigidity will squash your creativity, stifle your imagination, and take away your free time.  It turns out the opposite may be true.  Here’s the thing… You can enhance all of those things when you create a daily structure in which to play. This means:  • Determining your priorities and the order in which you’ll tackle them • Giving each task a time window  • Carving out designated timeslots for everything from work tasks to time with family and friends In the same way that healthy boundaries help keep children and pets safe, a robust, granular schedule that organizes your daily life will give you more freedom to explore what’s most important to you.  The idea that you’ll find more freedom in structured time schedules can feel like a paradox!  So if you’re still unconvinced, keep reading because I’m going to share some tips so you can make this concept work for you.   1. A daily schedule removes decision-making Your brain is at its best when it’s in a creative thinking and problem-solving mode. When your mind is joining up the dots, making new connections, and innovating, you’re in the perfect mindset for uncovering the one idea that may change your life.  Your brain can also store and recall information and make decisions, but these activities drain your creative energy.  This is where a daily structure is your best friend.  When you know what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it, you reduce the number of decisions you have to make.  When you finish one task, you don’t have to invest brainpower trying to figure out what you’re going to do next. Instead, you just look at your plan and carry on.  [Insert Picture of a daily schedule if we have one] Fewer decisions mean less brain fog; leading to increased productivity and creative output.  2. Structure clarifies expectations and roles Have you ever held back from taking action or implementing a brilliant idea because you weren’t sure if you had the remit or not?  Structure can also clarify your permissions and boundaries.  When you know where the edges are, you can push as hard as you want within those constraints. You don’t have to second-guess yourself or worry if you’re stepping on someone else’s toes. You know exactly where you stand, which means there’s no need to limit your thinking or your actions.  When you know your playground, you get the freedom to play all out in that space. You get to take calculated risks, try out new ideas, and discover your hidden strengths and capabilities. It’s a great place to be that’s going to inspire your best self.  3. A daily structure sharpens your focus A robust schedule empowers you to focus on what matters most - in that moment and environment.  For example, if you designate Wednesday afternoons for deep work, you don’t have to worry about the other things on your to-do list during that time. Instead, you can switch off all distractions and double-down on the task at hand.  Similarly, if your workout slot is 8:30 every morning, you can forget everything else and focus entirely on your fitness routine.  In this way, structure stops you feeling guilty that you should be doing something other than the thing you’re doing currently!   When you know your daily time schedule has everything covered, you can relax and be more present.  And with less energy wasted, you’re going to get more done.  4. Reduce stress and overwhelm  A hefty to-do list is enough to bring most people out in a sweat! You can’t help but worry when and how you’re going to fit it all in. In turn, your productivity and quality decline because it’s harder to focus and concentrate.   Your daily schedule helps eliminate this overwhelm because you can see how everything will get done. It’s how your plan creates security and confidence that you won’t get behind.  In turn, you have the freedom to crack on and make amazing things happen.  Don’t be afraid of structured time schedules!  Your daily structure has the power to:  • Boost your productivity  • Sharpen your focus • Increase your creativity • Make you more present in the moment • Strengthen your problem-solving skills • Reduce stress and overwhelm  • Deepen your work  • And more!  So get into the habit of planning your time robustly. Not only will you get more done in fewer minutes, but you’ll unleash your creativity too.  And who knows where that’s going to take you…