Energize Your Work From Home Practices

We enjoy working from home and have been doing this for most of our work life. There is no better option for us however we do hear that some people when they begin to work from home struggle to find the joy. Today we have 4 Fun Ways Help You to Energize Your Work from Home Practice. Be sure to share any ideas, comments or questions below.
 
Over the past few years more and more people are choosing to work from home rather than an office. Whether you're a freelancer, run a small business from your home, or work remotely for a company, there are ways to tweak your work practices to keep you feeling motivated and stave off procrastination.
 
1. Adapt Your Commute
This may sound weird and fun all at the same time so stay with me here. If you live in a big city like I do, commuting is probably everyone's least favorite part of working. Crammed onto the subway or stuck in an endless traffic jam, commuting can be the bane of your working life. But it serves a very useful purpose in separating your home life from your office life. You can recreate that effect at home by developing a 'commute' routing before you start your work for the day.
Make it a habit to go for a brisk walk or go to the gym first thing. Make yourself a coffee before you sit at your desk. Do something that marks your entry into a new working day.
 
2. Use Your Senses to Get Focused
Research has shown that the sensory experience of your environment influences how you feel about it. Your daily trip to the office provides a range of sensory experiences that are new and exciting and not like home. Think of what sounds, smells, and sights can help motivate you. Maybe some fresh flowers, scented candles, and soothing or uplifting music will make working from home more comfortable. What we have found that works for us is to play quiet and calming music that helps with focus. Focus Music, Binaural Beats Concentration Music for Studying, Super Intelligence is one of the titles that we will listen to during our workday.  There are many benefits to listening to this type of music. Check out this article we found here https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-are-binaural-beats
 
Make your home workspace a pleasant place to be.
 
3. Connect Through Video
Isolation is a real risk for people working at home. Make the most of the video conferencing technology that's available and connect with colleagues and clients. Have a regular time slot where you're available for video meetings, so they don't intrude on your focused working time too much.
 
Video meetings also mean you have to look professional instead of slopping around unwashed, in sweatpants!
 
4. Prioritize Your Self-care
It can be tempting to let your self-care slide when you're working at home. Unless you have some discipline, one day can be much like another, and you can find your inspiration and motivation lacking. Or you might find you're staying up later and later and not having enough energy to be productive during the day.
 
Begin to focus on one aspect of self-care every week. Make a list of the self-care items that are important to you, starting with good sleep hygiene, fitness, healthy eating, and relaxing with friends and family. Be sure to include enough downtime so you can pursue your favorite hobbies and sports.
 
The better you take care of yourself, the more productive you will be at work. We wrote about self-care here and you might find it helpful for your own work from home self-care practices - https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/taking-care-of-yourself-daily-practices-checklist
 
Be sure to share any ideas, comments or questions below this post.
 
Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you.
 
We invite you to stay in touch with us through our newsletter for all our latest ideas and products that will help you in your work from home journey. ​​https://forms.aweber.com/form/46/118824146.htm

If you are looking for a resource to put Joyful Productivity in your business we recommend the course Joyful Productivity By George Kao. This course was a game changer for us. Our work days went from being miserable to enjoying each day in our home office. Check it out here and let us know how we can help you.

​We have been working from home for many years now and feel it is the best way to work. It has also been said that many people when beginning to work at home have some challenges with productivity. Today our topic is Adopt These 4 Tips For More Work At Home Productivity This Year. What we know is that more and more countries worldwide begin hiring remote workers, this may leave you asking if you are truly able to be productive while working at home. This is a great question to ask, especially before you start a new business or job that may require you to be productive working from home. 

You Must Develop The Skill of Discipline

The biggest aspect of being able to be productive when working from home is to have discipline. Discipline means you must be able to work even when someone isn't standing over your shoulder and policing your breaks. This independence can be a challenge in the beginning for someone who finds themselves constantly drifting into the kitchen for an extra snack or wanting to check the score of the game on TV. We wrote a blog post Practice These 10 Tips for Improving Self-Discipline In Your Best Life here that you might find helpful here https://www.wendybottrell.com/blog/practice-these-10-tips-for-improving-self-discipline-in-your-best-life Be sure to share any ideas, questions or comments below and let us know how we can help you

You Must Have A Separate Workspace

When it comes to working from home, you will never be productive if you do it from your couch or the kitchen table. The fridge and the TV are just too strong of distractions. It would help if you created a separate workspace. It doesn't have to be a full office, but at least a desk and a room where you can close the door to keep out distractions. I once lived in a small apartment where there was no room for a separate office space. I went out a purchased a piece of furniture that looked like a clothes wardrobe and it opened up to a wonderful home office space with everything I required to do my work each day. 

Know What Helps You Focus

One thing about working from home is that you won't have an office environment to help shift and keep your focus when it is time to get work done. Therefore you have an idea of what environment you work in and focus best in. This way, you can create the same environment at home. Once you figure this out, you will have no problem keeping on task and being productive while working from home. 

Have Fewer Distractions During Work Hours At Home

The final issue with working at home is the number of distractions you are exposed to. If it's simply a noisy neighbourhood that is the problem, then this is easily remedied with a white noise machine. If your partner and kids also work from home, this can create a major problem when you must focus on work. You will want to know how to work around this issue and be sure that you can work without constant interruptions. 

Overall, it can be difficult to judge in advance if you will be productive when working from home. As long as you have a place, plan, and low level of distractions, it is highly likely that you will be able to work productively at home without an issue. 

Share any ideas, comments and questions below. 

Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. 

Learn more about us here – http://wendybottrell.com

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What we know for sure is that walking is the link to living a healthy and vibrant life. We believe walking inspires the mind, activates the body, and nourishes the soul.

Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - This is appropriate for all fitness levels, though it is tailored to beginners. You will also get a tip a day, which gives you a little more insight into how to walk, what to wear, going outside or using the treadmill, and even journal entries about your experience. Be sure to sign up here for the FREE Walking Challenge - 

Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you.

There seems to be this belief that working from home is hard and full of distractions. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. Today post might help if you Want to Limit Distractions When Working From Home? Use These Simple Practices
 
When you want to be more productive when working from home, you will need to learn to limit these distractions, which you can do using the methods below.
 
Have a Dedicated Office Space
 
Although it may seem convenient to work from your couch, chances are you won't get near as much accomplished when you don't have a dedicated workspace in your home. At the very least, you should have some sort of desk available, as well as a door that you can close to your office space to keep people out.
 
This doesn't haven't be a designated office if your home doesn't have space. It could simply mean setting up a desk in a guest room in your home. Just make sure it isn't the kitchen, where nearby food can prove to be as much of a distraction as working from the couch.
 
Don’t Have A TV In Your Office
 
Though it may seem tempting to keep up with your favorite sport while working from home, having a TV in your workspace is never a good idea. TVs usually only cause distractions and limit your productive time. It isn't just the TV, besides the computer, you are working on, you should try to keep your office generally electronic free. And if this means you need to leave your cell phone in another room of the house, then so be it.
 
Have Calming Music On
 
If other people have to be at home while you are working from home, it can be difficult to focus when you hear them talking in the background. If you live in a noisy neighborhood, noise from outside may cause you to lose focus as well. It's best to have some white noise going in the background to help keep you focused on the task at hand. This can be anything from a fan to calming music. You can additionally experiment wearing headphones as you work if this is permitted for your job.
 
Working from home can be a struggle, especially if you've got others in your household that work from home as well. Just make sure that you have a dedicated office space to work, free from most electronic distractions. It would help if you also experimented with background noise to find what sounds help you stay focused at work best.
 
Share any ideas, comments or questions in the comments below if you Want to Limit Distractions When Working From Home? Use These Simple Practices.
 
Be sure to connect with us and let us know how we can help you.
 
Looking for a business coach? We recommend George Kao. Over the years we have taken many courses and training. What we have found is that many of them didn't resonate with our desire to create a business from home that brought joy to our lives. The message we heard the most is grind it out, hustle, work long hours, making business is hard. Well, you get the message, right? The courses we share here are to help you learn and grow your business from an authentic point of view. We invite you to learn more about George here https://udreambig.weebly.com/resources.html
 
Check out our Health and Fitness blog for ideas if you are looking for help in the area of moving well, eating well and thinking well. https://wendybottrell.com
 

We enjoy working from our home office and it has taken us some time to figure out these Top 3 Simple Design Features of the Ideal Home Office For Your Best Day. Check them out and be sure to share any ideas, comments or questions below. 

We know it can be difficult to be productive when you have to work from home. Although you may not realize it, your workspace may be designed poorly for its purpose—thus impeding you from being able to work. Below are three design features that you should include in a home office to make it ideal.

1. Natural Light

 
Although artificial light is great for lighting a room that doesn't get enough natural light, sunlight is key to keeping you alert, awake, and focused during the workday. It would help if you kept this in mind as you are planning your home office, as this factor alone can cause you to choose a different location than what you originally had in mind. Besides just including natural light in your office, you will also want to plan where it will hit—otherwise, you may find yourself unable to see your computer screen during some parts of the day!

1. A Desk

 
As much fun as it can sound to work from your lap on the couch, an ideal home office must have a desk. This is because you can't effectively work unless you have a place in your home designated for work. And don't cheap out on this desk either. Find one that you like, is comfortable, and the right height for you so that you can sit straight and extend your arms comfortably. If you find that sitting all day is hard for you, consider getting a standing desk or one that will work with an exercise ball as a chair to feel more comfortable when you work.

1. Organization

 
A key feature of every ideal home office is to have a form of organization. If your job requires a lot of documents, then consider adding a filing cabinet. If you have many odds and ends for work that aren't paper, consider getting a shelf and boxes you can label with their contents. This will keep your mind from becoming distracted by clutter and make it easy to find things when you need them—both of which will help you work more effectively in the long run.
 
What we have learned is when it comes time to the design of your ideal home office space, keep these three design features in mind. If you can create an office space with natural light, a desk, and an organizational system, you will be surprised at how effectively you can work—even if it is from home!  

How important is the design of your home office to you for your best day? Share your ideas, comments and questions below. 

Be sure to check out our Health & Fitness blog to learn more about us - https://wendybottrell.com

It’s never a good sign if you think that you aren’t as productive in your home office as you should be. If this sounds like you, then engage the following five hacks in your life to improve your home office productivity. Today we will share our ideas that Actually Improve Home Office Productivity With These 5 Simple Ideas.
 

1. Change the Light

 
Although artificial light is great when you need to work early in the morning or perhaps quite late at night, it simply isn't ideal for keeping your mind focused and awake. If you can, use natural light as much as possible when you work. This may be as easy as opening a window or as difficult as moving your office to a new location.
 

1. Check the Noise Levels

 
Is your home office unbearable noisy? Do you often hear the sounds of people talking or the neighbor mowing the lawn? It's time to consider investing in a white noise machine or running a fan, as this will increase your productivity. You could additionally try listening to music—make sure it's simple and not distracting.
 

1. Close the Door

 
If you frequently leave your office door open for others to come in and ask you questions while you work, this could be destroying your productivity. It's time to close the door and let people know you will help them when you are done working. If you don't have a door, then consider at least getting an office partition.
 

1. Remove Distractions

 
No one can effectively work when surrounded by constant distractions, so do everything in your power to remove any distractions from your home office. Get rid of the TV, leave your cell phone in another room, and maybe even get rid of that distracting desk knick-knack you are always playing with. Whatever it takes!
 

1. Keep Your Home Office Clean

 
Last but not least, and definitely one of the most important in our opinion it is that you need to keep your home office clean. Clutter is not only distracting, but it also damages productivity as it makes it difficult to find anything on your desk. Whether it is a physical or digital mess, time to take a few minutes to clean it up! It might take a few minutes, but it will help you tremendously in the long run.
 
No matter what you think your problem is when it comes to remaining productive in your home office, use the above five simple ideas to turn it around. And before you know it, you'll be the most productive person working in your home office!
 
Be sure to contact us and let us know how we can help you.

Check out our Resource page for Courses to help you grow your business starting today 

 Make Change With A Business Reset

For the month of October, we are writing and sharing ideas about making a life and business reset. Not sure about you but I have had one of the most stressful years of my life. We have been resetting life all year. Working on a more joyful life experience. 

We know that stress is one of the common reasons people seek out medical care and it doesn’t have to be that way if we just are willing to make a few simple adjustments to our lifestyle and our business. 

Here are some common signs of needing to take a closer look at your life and make changes that will benefit you in the long run.

You Are Experiencing Burnout

The first sign that you are in need of a reset in your business life is when you are experiencing burnout. This often happens when you are either working too much or focusing so much on one thing, that the rest of your life is being neglected.

It is possible to have burnout even when you don’t feel “busy” constantly. Burnout can happen from focusing too much on one area of your life or business, which makes it to where you are so exhausted with that certain activity or aspect of your life, the rest of your life is kind of falling behind.

Our experience with burnout has helped us to take the approach of making tiny steps for big changes. Once we began to practice this much of the overwhelm was reduced and we began to feel better. Here is our blog post on Tiny Steps For Big Changes - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/how-to-make-big-changes-by-tiny-steps 

You Keep Trying (and Failing) New Things

Have you noticed that you keep trying new things toward a specific goal, but then you quit pretty soon afterward or lose your steam? This is a really good time to do a reset and begin to find where your priorities are. 

This isn’t always just a case of having no follow-through. Sometimes, it is because you need to reevaluate things, remind yourself why you set these goals, and figure out what tasks would be better suited for you to complete those goals.

You Haven’t Worked on Your Goals in a While

Maybe you have goals that you thought you really wanted, but you never seem to work on them much. Things happen and lives get busy, but if it has been months or even years, then now is the time to either decide how to reach those goals, or replace them with something else you are more passionate about. 

We have a full post on goal setting to help you if you haven’t worked on your goals in a while here - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/behavior-based-approach-to-goal-setting-and-goal-achieving 

You Feel Stuck, Helpless, or Unmotivated

And lastly, if you have been feeling a little stuck, lost, or just unmotivated, it is time to look at your life and figure out what isn’t quite working for you. These feelings can come from many things, from your mental health to just being overworked. 

Start writing in a journal to figure out why you are experiencing these emotions, and work on a life reset so you can get down to what is happening and why you feel this way.

We began using a journal back in 2015 after my mother died. It was a sad, stressful time and I made the decision that I preferred to get my feelings down on paper than live in all the pain. It was the best thing I did at the time. Here are some benefits of using a journal for a life reset: 

Studies Have Shown:
✓ People who journal experience better moods.
✓ Journaling helps to reduce stress.
✓ Regular journaling is an effective tool to fight depression and anxiety.
✓ People who journal don’t get sick as often.
✓ Healing from medical procedures occurs faster in people who journal as opposed to those who don’t.


Where the Magic Really Happens When Your Journal
✓ Your mood improves
✓ Your anxiety lessens
✓ You gain clarity
✓ You see things as they are
✓ You become a Problem-Solver
✓ Helps you to see the rhythm of your life
✓ Journaling becoming therapy
✓ You get to know yourself better
✓ You resolve disagreements better
✓ You discover the truth about yourself 

There is a Journal for Everything
✓ Gratitude
✓ Success
✓ Goal
✓ Habit
✓ Fitness
✓ Food
✓ Health
✓ Bullet

Journaling Tips For A Life Reset
✓ Write by hand
✓ Choose your journal to fit your needs
✓ Start simply 
✓ Ignore the word count
✓ Embrace inspiration
✓ Choose the best time of day
✓ Go into detail
✓ Focus on the emotion
✓ Don’t beat yourself up
✓ Make journaling part of your routine
✓ Forget perfectionism
✓ Try a brain dump
✓ Let therapy happen
✓ Use a writing prompt
✓ Get artistic

Share any ideas on how you experience the best business life reset in the comments below. 

Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you.

October is Health & Fitness Reset Month - At-Home/At-Office Training Tips

There has never been a better time to consider workout at home or in your office if you don’t already do this. As entrepreneurs, it is important for us to take care of our minds, body and spirit to thrive in business.

We believe that working out at home/office is the most convenient way to get your exercise done without the fuss of trying to get to a gym especially today. 

Over the years we transitioned from going to a gym to train and began working out at home. Now we can not imagine going to a crowded, noisy gym to get a workout in. 

Maybe you have decided that you want to workout at home or at the office. When we began training at home, we started with circuit training and High-Intensity Interval Training. 

The challenge is, you may not know how to start and how to make the plan work for you. Here are a few at-home training tips for you to keep in mind. These can help you get started, stay on track, and enjoy the results of your workouts. 

Create a No-Equipment Circuit

The first tip would be to start your at-home/at-office training with no equipment. This may sound odd however using your own body weight and your own body can help you greatly. It will allow you to get used to the circuits, the exercises and practice the proper form.  

Remember to have a warm-up before starting your work-out. A warm-up conditions and prepares the muscles for the more rigorous activities of your work-out plan. And your workout must end with a cool down, a moment wherein the muscles are given time to relax after a heavy work-out session.

Space your physical activities such that the body is used to a variety of physical activities, ranging from the simple to the more complex, from cardiovascular exercises to strength exercises. Two to three work-out sessions for a week is a good way to start. 

As you progress in your activities, you can now increase the frequency or duration of your exercises.

Start off with Lower Intensity

Start off with a lower intensity workout plan. When I began to work out again after many years of health struggles this is exactly what I did. I started with a borrowed Tae Bow video and started where I was at that time. At first, it was about ten minutes of a thirty-minute workout. And each workout I would do just a little bit more. Sometimes it was only a few seconds more for that day. Over time I was able to do the whole video and then I added more as I got in better shape. 

My idea was I wanted to WIN at my workouts and not feel frustrated or bad about what I was doing. As long as I was progressing it felt fantastic. And this is my tip for you. Get the WIN each time you exercise and keep progressing for the WINS as well as reaching your long term goals. 

Keep to Shorter Workouts

When you are a beginner keep your workouts shorter at first. This goes hand in hand with lower intensity to start off with. Just keep your workouts to around 30 minutes. This allows you to get your circuit in and realize the WIN. It also will give you an idea of what you can do in a short amount of time if you need to change it up later and go for longer or shorter workouts due to work changes or lifestyle changes. 

By keeping these tips in mind and working each one into your at-home training, you can come up with the best possible workout solution for your needs. You will also find it easier to increase the intensity of your workouts and adjust them as needed. 

We know that getting started can be the biggest challenge, especially if working out is new for you. This was us many years ago. It does not have to be such a challenge and we recommend the Home Workout Revolution System. To help you get started we are giving away a FREE Turbulence Training 4-Week Bodyweight Training Program https://bit.ly/36rnwQv

This is a complete program ranging in workouts for the complete beginner all the way to advance training. We use this as a part of our training program, and this is why we have the confidence to share it with you. The Home Workout Revolution System allows you to train anywhere you have an internet connection with a complete follow-along workout that will challenge a beginner all the way to the advanced trainer. You can find the details and our affiliate link here  https://bit.ly/33mXrQl and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with us to let us know how we can help you.

Share any thoughts and questions about at-home/at-office training in the comments below. 

​

Over the past few months, we have been thinking about the idea of a health reset. With our current global situation causing stress for so many people we believe this fall is the absolute perfect time to consider a health reset.

We feel that a health reset for our business is important not only for our physical wellbeing but for the health of our business. As entrepreneurs if we are not taking care of our health and vitality how can we expect to have a healthy and vital business.

People often make health goals right before the first of the year as part of their New Years’ resolutions.

But there is another time of year when it is equally powerful, and that is in the fall season.

There is something about fall that feels like a fresh start. Your summer is over, you probably don’t have any vacations or trips planned for a while, and kids are back in school and as business owners, we are in the last stretch of the year to meet our financial and business goals.
This time of year is perfect to take a look at your healthy habits and lifestyle and see if you want to make any changes to achieve your personal health goals and your business health goals.

Revisit Your Health & Business Goals

A health reset in the fall is going to help you revisit any health and business goals you had at the beginning of the year. You probably had quite a few health goals when the year started but have forgotten about them or left them behind when spring and summer began.

The same is true for our business goals especially this year. It has been a tough year and this fall might be a perfect time to consider what you want to achieve over the next three months.
Fall can feel like a new beginning and have a few months to focus on you before the end of the year. Before the holidays begin, take the opportunity to look at your health and business goals and see what you want to change, or what new goals you might have.

Start Your Resolutions Before the New Year

There is no reason you have to create goals only on January 1st! In fact, this is notorious for creating unrealistic health goals that only last a few days or weeks, then are forgotten about for the rest of the year. Not only in the fall, but seasonal goals can be a lot easier to accomplish.

Look at your goals as if you are going to accomplish them within 2-3 months. That way, they are much more realistic and within your reach, and don’t feel so overwhelming.

If you know you want to have a resolution for the new year to reduce 50 lbs, why not start now with small changes that you can continue with next year?

And if there is a specific goal you started out this year with and you are not quite there now is the perfect time to refocus on it for the health of your business.

We have written about taking Tiny Steps for Big Changes over the past few weeks and here are a couple of links that might help have a new viewpoint on changes.

https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/…/the-power-of-incremental… & https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/…/how-to-make-big-changes-…

Help Balance Out Holiday Treats

With the holidays coming up, you may want to get started on striking a healthy balance, so you can create new habits and practices over the holidays.

OK, so you might be thinking that talking about holiday treats for entrepreneurs isn’t valid. Overindulging in the next few months might not be the best practice for your business at this time.

Easing into the holiday season by making new habits and those tiny changes and still allow to live life helps you maintain a healthy lifestyle, whether it is coming up on Thanksgiving or you want to prevent binging on holiday treats.

A fall health reset is about choosing small habits to implement into your life that is not good just for today, but you can continue throughout the remainder of the year and well into next year.
Be sure to share any thoughts in the comments below on Health Reset in the Fall With These Simple Ideas
​
Get in touch with us if we can help you

I am in a Joyful productivity practice group over the next six weeks developing the mindset of joy in my work. We are two weeks in and so far the feelings of joy I am experiencing in my life are improving. The reason I joined this mastermind group is for the experience, the learning and the practice of living intentionally with joy in my work and personal life.
 
You see a few years ago I heard the idea that we must learn to live with joy rather than think of happiness.
 
Happiness is fleeting however joy is a feeling that stays with us no matter what is going on in our lives. Once I heard that it made me think about my life from living intentionally with joy. If we practice joyful productivity in all that we do it just might make a difference to how we feel. At least this is how I am experiencing this idea in my daily intentional practice of living with joy.
 
Sometimes we think of productivity only from the perspective of work and yet we believe that to live joyfully we have to be aware of all aspects of life.
 
It might be challenging to think of exercise as a joyful experience if the only way that this has been thought of as painful and not enjoyable. The same might be true for eating well, thinking well or even play if these ideas are not a part of your daily practice of intentionally live with joy.
 
Today I will share thoughts on what does productivity has to do with joy.
 
There’s a link between productivity and joy. However, the connection may not always seem to be a positive one. In order to be joyful, you may think you need to be less productive and work fewer hours. And when considering what it means to have increased productivity, you may envision yourself tirelessly devoting all your time to work. So how could you possibly be joyful?
 
The truth is, these views aren’t entirely accurate. Productivity can lead to joy. It’s not a zero-sum game. You don’t have to choose one or the other. You can have both. Let’s look at the ways that productivity can increase your overall sense of joy and as a result your wellbeing.
 
Sense of Pride

Most of us experience a sense of pride in a job well done. Being productive gives you a sense of accomplishment. You’ve completed something and can cross an item off your to-do list. It feels good to know that you’ve gotten a task done and that you have something to show for your efforts. Using your time productively instills a feeling of satisfaction and we find that this fills us with joy.
 
Perception of Contribution
 
We all want to contribute, right? This can be to our families, to a cause, to our own livelihood, or to society at large.
 
Being productive allows us to feel that we’ve contributed to something. When we get a job done or achieve a goal, we know we’ve worked to give something of ourselves and that we’ve seen it through to the end. Knowing you’ve made a contribution is important to overall joyfulness.
 
Increased Confidence
 
When you’re productive, you gain a sense of capability. You see what you’re able to accomplish in a set amount of time and feel motivated to move forward to complete other tasks.
 
On the other hand, procrastination leads to feelings of guilt and anxiety, which strip you of your self-esteem. Obtaining that feeling of self-worth can be a strong motivator for continued productivity.
 
Feeling of Purpose
 
Finally, when you’re productive, you can experience a real sense of purpose. The important thing to remember here is that the activities you’re completing must be meaningful. Being productive for the sake of staying busy isn’t enough to contribute to positive feelings. What you take on must be important to you if you want the action to seem purposeful.
 
These are just some of the ways that productivity can increase your joyfulness. The two really do go hand in hand. At least this is our experience.
 
If you are looking for a Joyful Productivity course I highly recommend Mindful Time Management for Joyful Productivity with George Kao - I have just finished this course and the learning in this program has been super helpful in developing joyful practices that are meaningful and easy to implement right away.  You can find all the Joyful Productivity course details here and to find all George's Authentic business courses here is our page
 
Share your thoughts on what does productivity have to do with joy in the comments below.
 
Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you.
 
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Grow Your Business With Incremental Change
 
Yesterday we shared a blog post about tiny steps for big changes. And now you might be ready to jump in to begin to make change you and your business.  You want to implement things that will transform certain habits into positive areas, right? Awesome! No human on Earth is perfect, but those ready to make changes experience the most growth.
 
When we think about change for our business there are two parts, the first part is personal change and the second part is how we implement that personal change to grow our business. A mentor told me a long time ago that to successfully grow a business you MUST grow yourself first.
 
Why Tiny Steps For Change?
 
 ✓ Sharing ideas on small changes is that it’s much more realistic to incorporate them into your life straight away
✓   But that doesn’t mean they lack impact!
✓ Small changes could relate to any aspect of your life, if it involves striving for improvement
✓   We appreciate that it’s sometimes difficult to accept change.
✓   You can break things down into minimal changes that will eventually equate to the big change that you need
✓   Practicing small changes every day can ensure that you are continually developing
 
30 Small Changes You Can Take Action on Now
 
Pick one idea and begin to practice it until it is a habit then add another
✓           Wake up earlier
✓           Don’t waste time complaining
✓           Create a powerful morning routine
✓           Cook a simple real food meal once a day for your best wellbeing
✓           Express gratitude and appreciation – journal
✓           Walk to work
✓           Write down your goals - putting your goals down on paper makes them more powerful
✓           Turn your phone off every night
✓           Drink more water – this is super important
✓           Add vegetables to every meal
✓           Ask open-ended questions of yourself, your team and your clients
✓           Take up a new or favorite hobby – this helps to reduce stress
✓           Keep a journal of ideas – write at least 10 new ideas each day
✓           Have dinner with family every night
✓           Turn off notifications while working
✓           Give yourself time to respond to invitations – learn how to keep your email inbox empty for your joyful productivity
✓           Tell your loved ones how much you care
✓           Take a course for your business
✓           Walk your block with a litter bag – give back
✓           Create a savings account
✓           Say hello to your neighbors
✓           Try to solve a Rubik’s Cube
✓           Open a college fund for your children
✓           Learn a new word in a different language
✓           Ask a customer to assess your service
✓           Organize a drawer in your desk (or home)
✓           Organize your computer files
✓           Treat yourself to a new food or learn a new real food recipe
✓           Floss one tooth
✓           Do squats, pull ups and push ups
 
Share you thoughts on The Power of Incremental Change For Your Best Life
 
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Today we want to talk about the idea of how to make big changes by tiny steps. You’ve heard the quote -

 “Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, life's hard.” ― John Bytheway

We know that thinking about change by tiny steps is much easier to do and allow yourself to WIN more often. The WINS you allow yourself to have keep you inspired and motivated to keep moving forward for the Big Changes you say you want. 

Over twenty years ago when I began to make changes in my life this is exactly the strategy I used. You see I had just been called to the hospital because my mother had an accident which caused her to break her hip and she needed a full hip replacement. As I was in the emergency room with my mother, I knew that night that if I didn’t make some drastic changes to my life I was going to be her twenty years down the road. You see I was 100 lbs. overweight, had low energy and just felt horrible most of the time. Big changes were necessary and I was the only one that could make those changes. 

Consider this: How many times have you told yourself that you must quit your job and try something else? How many times have you paid for a gym membership, and yet, you haven't set foot in the gym? The truth is that people resist change. They are afraid of the unknown and prefer to be in control. After all, we are creatures of habit. 

What if you could transform your life without actually making big changes? Think of it as a gradual process that you complete at your own pace to WIN with each tiny change. Here are six tiny steps to get started! 

Open Your Mind 

The first step is to open your mind and embrace change. We are wired to resist any changes that disrupt our bad habits and living patterns. Unless you beat inertia, you'll never be able to transform your life. You must find your WHY. We have written about finding your WHY many times it is that important and here are a few articles we have shared recently that might be helpful for you - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/three-solid-tips-to-win-with-your-health-fitness-goals  https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/to-be-be-better-mind-body-spirt & https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/what-motivates-motivates 

Find your WHY and then allow the tiny changes you make day in and day out to become the good habits for big changes over time. 
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Stop Caring About What Others Think of You 

Let’s say you want to relocate to a new city, but your parents disapprove. They keep saying that you'll feel alone, have trouble finding work, and waste a ton of money. Even the tiniest change has its challenges. However, this isn't a reason to give up. 

Stop caring about what others think of you. It’s your life, your decisions, your regrets. Focus on the things that make you happy, come up with a plan that will give you the WINS for each tiny change, and go for it! 

Be Grateful 

No matter how much you want to change your life, be grateful for what you have right now. Find joy in the smallest things, such as a walk in the park or the time spent reading a good book. 

Gratitude will bring you joy. That will keep you going and boost your inspiration and motivation. Negative thinking may be holding you back and increase your resistance to change. 

Celebrate Every WIN of Your Journey 

The bigger your goal, the longer it takes to achieve it. However, this shouldn't put you down. On the contrary - take the time to celebrate and enjoy every step of the process. 

Go out and have fun, share your accomplishments with friends, family,  or call a friend - do whatever works for you. The whole point is to be grateful for how far you've come. 

Stick to It 

Stick to the changes you have made. Be sure you are not rushing the WINS. Make each tiny change a good habit before moving forward.  Don't jump from one thing to the next. Be consistent and take small steps toward your goals. 

For instance, if you start walking or practising yoga, do it every single day. Want to build your own business? Do something in this regard on a daily basis. That could be setting up a blog, creating a Facebook fan page, or connecting with potential clients. 

Share your thoughts on How To Make Big Changes By Tiny Steps that have inspired you. 

Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you.

Making lasting change can be a challenge and today we want to share 3 ideas for you to help you choose the most important tiny changes for your best life. In our experience over the past, almost 25 years of successfully making tiny changes the 3 we will share today have been ones we use regularly.
 
Deciding what you want to do with your life is one of the most difficult things you'll go through. Adulthood doesn't come with a manual, and it's easy to make mistakes along the way. One way to minimize risks is to make tiny changes rather than trying to transform your life overnight.
 
As human beings, we have the power to choose. Whatever you do, it's your choice. But how can you tell what's right and what's wrong? After all, the possibilities are endless. Take these three steps to choose your most important tiny change for a better life:
 
Set Meaningful Goals
 
Whatever you want to accomplish, make sure it's meaningful to you. Stop setting goals for the wrong reason. Know your WHY when creating any goal. Your WHY goals will keep you inspired long after the initial excitement is gone. We only say this because this has been our experience.
 
Want to start a new career or have your own business? Do it because you want to, not because your parents are pressuring you or your friends believe it's the right thing to do.
 
Think of what would make you happy and bring joy to your life. Don't try to change things just for the sake of doing something new. If you do that, you'll eventually lose your inspiration and motivation.
 
Keep It Simple
 
Most people have big goals, such as owning a dream home, travelling around the world, getting in the best shape of their life or making a fortune. While there’s nothing wrong with dreaming big, these things take time and are hard work.
 
Let's say you want to have a stunning home at the seaside. Break this goal into small, simple steps. Assess your income and expenses, determine how much your dream home would cost, and what’s involved in the process.
 
Or let’s say you want to begin a fitness program. The first step is to figure out your WHY. WHY do you want to get fit? I was able to figure out my WHY over 20 years ago when I watched my mother lie in a hospital bed waiting for hip replacement surgery. At that time, I was 100 lbs. overweight, out of shape and struggling with low energy. It was clear to me that night that if I didn’t make some positive changes in my life I was going to be my mother 20 years down the road. Today I can tell you that I am in good shape, fit, energetic and it is all because of that strong and clear WHY.
 
The first step is to write clearly and in detail your WHY and then figure out what changes you'll have to make to accomplish your goal.
 
Tackle one challenge at a time. Keep it small and simple.
 
You could begin by taking a second job or starting a side hustle. Put some money aside every month. As your side business grows, turn it into a full-time venture. Later, you'll be able to get credit and buy that dream home.
 
Or you might begin getting outdoors for a walk. When I began I could barely walk around the block. That was the starting point. Every day go a bit further. You see it doesn’t matter where you start, it only matters that you don’t quit. With a clear why and strong, meaningful goals you will stay on course.
 
Be Consistent
 
Whatever changes you make, turn them into habits. It's not enough to get out for a walk once a month. The consistency of getting out each day for a walk will get you the results that you desire.
 
If you feel like giving up, remember WHY you started in the first place. Focus on your end goal and remind yourself that everything you do brings you one step closer to the destination. Don't give up - your hard work will pay off. It's just a matter of time. And always remember it is how you choose the most important tiny changes that matter most for you.
 
"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different?" -C.S. Lewis
 
Share any thoughts and ideas on the most important tiny changes you have made.
 
Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you.
 
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We have been practicing the habit to declutter our mind for a long time now and today we wanted to share some ideas that might help you declutter your mind for your best business life.

One of the things you notice when you start decluttering is how so much of the clutter in your house reflects the clutter in your mind. If you’re hanging onto clothes that don’t fit, or the ugly vase your mother gave you for Christmas or the exercise bike you might get around to using, you don’t just have a problem with too much stuff. You have a problem letting go. Chances are you’re also hanging onto a whole bunch of bad feelings, ill-founded assumptions, old grievances and future worries.
 
If it feels good to declutter your house, it feels even better to declutter your mind. Here are some useful expert tips to make some space in your mind.

• Use some meditation techniques

You don’t have to do the full sitting on a cushion in a darkened room thing to benefit from meditation techniques. If you’re feeling overwound, some simple breathing techniques can help you calm down and focus. For a few minutes, focus only on your breathing and nothing else. If your mind wanders or gets back into the worrying groove, you must put that aside and come back to focus on your breath.

• Write it down

 
It can help to write down anything that’s on your mind. Once all those worries are down on paper, you can prioritize them and work out a plan to deal with them. You can also assess them to identify what’s essential and what isn’t. When you can see what’s important, you can focus your energy and free up some of that mental space!

• Stay in the present

 
Brooding over the past and worrying about the future take up a lot of space in your mind and achieve precisely nothing. Let go of regret over past mistakes or resentment of past slights and move on. Keep your focus on what you can influence right here, right now.

• Do one thing at a time

 
Multitasking is not only overrated (it’s very inefficient), it also leads to greater anxiety, and you never do any one thing properly. Focus on doing things methodically and thoroughly. As you finish one task, move onto the next.
  

• Control all the incoming data

 
We talk about being available 24/7 and the 24-hour news cycle, but there is only one person who can control that. You. You can choose to switch off your computer, smartphone, and tv and control the amount of data your brain is trying to process.
 
Decluttering your mind will pay off in all sorts of ways you hadn’t imagined. You will be more productive, less stressed and more motivated.

Share your thoughts in the comments

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We have compiled a handy checklist for the work from home professionals. This checklist will help ensure that you get off to your best possible start.

We have been working from home for a long time now and understand that there can be challenges when you are beginning a business. 

Not every line will be relevant to you, and if that is the case, just skip it and move on to the next one.

Work from Home Checklist

• Choose a Dedicated Work Area
• Computer
• Healthy Snacks
• Easy Access to Water
• Extra Computer Monitors
• Internet Access
• Headset/Microphone
• Comfortable Seating
• The Right Software
• Proper Lighting
• Set Boundaries with Friends/Family
• Communication Tools (i.e. Skype or Slack)
• Task Management Tools (i.e. Asana or Trello)
• Let Your Team Know How to Communicate
• Create a Work Schedule
• An Idea Journal (online or offline)
• Learn How to Take Screen Videos or Screenshots
• Do You Have a Time Management Method?
• Schedule Social Breaks
• Do You Have/Need an Accountability Partner?
• Tidy and Declutter Your New Workspace

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We left a few empty spaces in case you wanted to add anything. If you do have more ideas please share them with us in the comments

While this list may not be exhaustive, it is a great start to making sure you set things up right from the get-go.

Be sure to contact us if we can help you