Procrastination

Aug 30 2017

The payback of perseverance …

I spent a gruelling bank holiday weekend building a defence barrier against a stream at the bottom of our garden with extremely heavy railway sleepers. Fortunately at intermittent times, I had family and friends to add moral and sometimes physical support to see it through to the end.

In this instance, it was physically exhausting but I could see and remained focused on the long term objective and benefit it would bring. Much like business, I was looking to stop things slipping away in an eventual landslide as a known factor, in this case running water!, could take control if I didn’t see this through.

Perseverance to see things through to the bitter end can be exhausting. If we remain unfocused and unmotivated it can easily be lost. Procrastination steps in to offer her enticing wares to steal you away. Interest can wain and attack the psyche as to how important it now is and conspires with procrastination taking you off the well thought plan.

So how do we battle with these two enemies of our mind? Here are a few guidelines to consider and work with:

Clarity: Know the reasons for reaching your objective. If unclear, get the clarity you need so you have purpose.
Intention: Don’t base it on a whim. Work out what and who you need to help achieve it. What is the strategy? Establish the timeline. Not just the end but for each step along the way.
Recognition: Know and acknowledge what you have achieved against your time frame. The goal is 100% and at the beginning you will be full of energy to reach it. If you get past the middle, the end is in sight. The middle is the tricky area where continued focus and recognition is required. Share your successes with others and have the courage of your own conviction to see it through.
Live now: All too often we dwell on the past. That has gone and changes cannot be made so live now. Negative memories do not contribute to our moving forward so let them go. Refrain from allowing these emotions or feelings to keep a hold over you.
Review: Check daily on how you are progressing. What areas need tweaking or have slackened. How well are you doing against targets and celebrate each passing goal reached.
Regeneration: I learned a long time ago the importance of making time for yourself. Move away from the task or project completely for a spell. Easier said than done when the pressure to complete is mounting but the best thing you can do is take a scheduled break. Do some exercise (I practice martial arts to get my frustrations out, I apologise now to my training partners!). Work on your sleep and what you eat/drink. Listen/read articles based on stress release.
Optimistic: Remain positive along the journey. Check in with others who know of your objectives and each day, or at least every other day, write a note to yourself on how well you’ve done to date. One client used to write these positive affirmations at the end of each day and stick his successes in a jar. At the end of each month, he would tip them all out to read which helped keep the morale going.

Back to our wall by the stream. It was completed and the sense of achievement still fills me with pride days after having built it and will for some time yet as the garden takes a different form resulting from what has been achieved.

Henry Ford once famously stated “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” So the biggest aid to perseverance is Positive mind talk. In this time of assumed negativity, buck the trend and start thinking positively! See how things start to happen for the better.

If you are feeling downtrodden or your team has lost that spark, contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk, where you will be assured a warm, friendly welcome and the chance to discuss ways we can work together to get that drive back once more.

Jul 03 2017

Building on past setbacks. How to develop your resilience…

People often refer to how Thomas Edison persevered over others’ scepticism of his diversity. There are others, such as James Dyson, who likewise fought through challenges. Taking 15yrs, 5100+ attempts creating a bagless vacuum.

Resilience is the ability to get back up when knocked down or not going to plan. So why is it so important?

People often comment on how I overcame throat cancer diagnosed in Feb 2008. I use this as an example for most wouldn’t even know I suffered with it or the hard work it took to be able to eat the simplest of meals but this is another form of resilience. I would not be beaten, so now enjoy a wide variety of foods that otherwise I would not have had if not for resilience.

In business/life, it is critical that we neither dwell upon nor wallow on how things appear unfair. Resilient people acknowledge and learn from mistakes or situations, using this as ammunition or stepping blocks to forge forward.

Resilience is as much about the mindset and self-talk as it is about viewing the glass as half full, not empty (or as some have said, “Neil, your damn glass is overflowing”!). It is about how you perceive life and situations. We will always be subjected to knock-backs but it is how we deal with these that our strength of character and persistence originates. Here are some areas that I noticed the aforementioned people used:

GOAL SETTING: Obviously, as a business coach, I believe this to be one of the most important areas. You can set SMART goals and make sure they align with your beliefs as well as values to insure a higher chance of success.

PERSPECTIVE: put things into perspective. They may seem overwhelming but assess what affect this may have long-term. Incorporate these areas into your goals and know how to break them into manageable or relevant parts.

POSITIVE THINKING: Consider how you talk to yourself or mind-chatter when something goes wrong! Do you focus on the negative or look at it as a lesson to be learned? Convert to the positive, eg “That didn’t work” to “knowing that, how can I…”. Reframing the way you talk externally and internally changes the mindset.

SELF-CONFIDENCE: Believe in yourself and work from the success you have achieved including those at school, college, University and the workplace. Self-confident people will also learn to take risks (as did Dyson). Confidence encourages taking these necessary risks from as early as taking the stabilisers off our bikes for the first time!

LEARN: Mistakes can be painful. The first fall once the stabilisers have been removed, but we move forward by getting back on (excuse the puns) and learning from the experience. Never stop learning and always find ways to improve from reading, watching experts, observing others and taking risks.

FLEXIBILITY: Kodak, Encyclopaedia Britannica and Woolworths ignored how the world was changing. Sticking by the old format and failed spectacularly. Constantly refer back to your objectives/goals making sure they can bend to accommodate new elements for development. It is important to work to a plan, however, constantly review and change where necessary.

RELATIONSHIPS: A great asset to have in building your resilience is a strong network of friends, family and colleagues. Stephen R.Covey wrote about ‘Interdependence’ emphasising the importance on building strength through experts around us who support us in areas of uncertainty or needing help.

REACTION: Bad news or negative actions can have a devastating effect on how we respond. For example, going back to the cancer, the news was not only shocking but impacted on the future. Treatment options were considered and chosen, developing a positive plan.

SLEEP & EXERCISE: As much as releasing endorphins, which stimulate positive thoughts, exercise helps stress-management. Being in a sedentary job, I go out walking at least 5 miles per day, helping clear the mind and giving focus when I return to work. Whether it be the gym, walking, cycling, a sport or, as is my other love, martial arts, find an exercise you enjoy and insure you get quality sleep to rest your body and mind too.

This is an area Coaching to Success are well versed in so if you or members within your team are finding Resilience to be out of reach or slipping through your grasp, then contact Neil to discuss how he can help by emailing neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238.

And why not get a feel for the person by checking out our short ‘interview’ video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

Jun 06 2017

Avoid making ‘Goal Setting’ mistakes…

In this day and age of ‘too much to do’, how often do we set off with the best intentions only to find time flies past. We start off well with apparent progress. We feel good about the progress and what lies ahead but then…

We neglect to look back at previous successes. Motivation wains and before we know it, we convince ourselves that it probably will not work anyway!

Don’t worry if this sounds all too familiar, I too used to fall foul to procrastination or setting unrealistic goals. Having learned by my own mistakes and concentrating on what obstacles are in the way of us achieving our end objective, I felt this was too important to keep to myself so happily share some of the findings with you now.

Error 1: Unrealistic Goals

Having worked in sales and being set unrealistic targets, I can really relate to this. The acronym SMART(ER) Goal Setting should never be underestimated.

Let your imagination go and allow doubt to have a say but not to rule! Once you have set a goal, step back and assess the facts to check that it is achievable and in the set time frame. Remember, “A dream is but a dream but a goal is a dream with a deadline!”.

For example, my wife decided to Walk-the-Walk (26ml through London at night in aid of breast cancer research). She did not wake up on the morning of the event and think to herself “I’ll do that”. It took months of training to obtain the right level and as a result she achieved it within her time frame.

SMART(ER) goal settings focus on being Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound and recent additions include Evaluate and Re-adjust.

Error 2: Underestimating Time

Time and valuation seem to constantly occur as being underestimated. Looking at time, think back on previous projects. How many were rushed at the end or not completed within the time frame at all?

This is one of the killers to motivation.

Look to use tools such as ‘scheduled’ to-do lists. Allocating time for the goal or parts therein. Consider project planning tools such as ‘Tasks’ in Outlook or search the web for ‘Top 10 best project management software’ to see what is appropriate.

And always, ALWAYS allow extra time in your estimate to allow for unknowns and/or setbacks.

Error 3: Not reviewing

Unless the goal is so simplistic that it does not require breaking into segments, ‘Evaluate’ where you are along the given path and then making relevant ‘Readjustments’ (See ER above in SMARTER) is tantamount to signing off failure.

If still on target, celebrate the success. The reward does not need to be high (I like to treat myself to a decent coffee and half hour break to enjoy it once these blogs have been completed) but treat yourself, acknowledge yours or the team’s success.

If not, re-adjust so the end can still be met.

Error 4: Too many goals

Once we start it is so easy to keep going with the ideas and goals but there are still only 25 hours in a day (or, so one of my ex-bosses used to believe!). Time-Management is a misdemeanour as you can’t manage time (unless you are Dr.Who) but manage what you have to do, in the time before you.

If there are many aspects to the overall goal, I use the Wheel of Progress which is a great tool to compartmentalise each section. Contact me if you wish to talk about this.

Simply, consider the ‘R’ in SMART and be realistic in what you can achieve. Success relies on quality not quantity and achievement of a few things at a time.

Error 5: Too few areas

In as much as it is important not to set too many goals, it is equally important to make sure there is a range of goals.

Doing ‘fun’ objectives that bring you joy are important to offset those ‘tasks’ that are necessary within your work goals that may not be that interesting or enjoyable.

This can be important elements to the Wheel of Progress mentioned earlier.

Error 6: Setting Negative goals

No one does this intentionally but all too often we set negative goals that affect our belief in our abilities to achieve them.

For example, to improve work life balance, refrain from setting “stop staying behind at work” to “leave work by XXX and spend more time with YYY)

Negative goals suggest we have to give something up. Look to reframe them with a ‘Positive’ outcome which becomes a more desirable objective.

Error 7: Depreciating failures

Really? I need to look and appreciate my failings?

No matter how focused you are on the outcome, reaching every goal is not always possible. With the confidence to accept this, it becomes possible to learn from them.

Each of the above areas need to be considered and worked on when setting goals/objectives.

It is not easy to give honest views of what we can achieve in the time we have due to other influencing pressures but to achieve them, all too often you need to find that strength to be truthful not only to yourself but the task ahead and the realistic time frame.

At Coaching to Success, Neil specialises in helping individuals or teams to set realistic goals and then support them through the challenges ahead to insure they are met. If you or those around you could benefit from a one-to-one with Neil to see how he can help, contact him by emailing neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238 to discuss how Coaching to Success can help you.

And why not get a feel for the person by checking out our short ‘interview’ video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

Apr 11 2017

Why does time always run out on me?

We can often get to the day’s end wondering where the time disappeared to and that certain planned tasks have, for another day, been missed.

It must be time-bandits, that’s the only sensible and logical result. Sherlock Holmes would say ‘If you’ve eliminated all other possibilities whatever remains must be the truth.’ … or is it?

It is amazing how busy we ‘think’ we are when in fact we allow other aspects that are not relevant to what we need to do take control. With this in mind, here are some areas that Coaching to Success use to recapture time and accomplish your objectives:

Using a notebook, online diary or memo pad etc, write your thoughts, actions and conversations along with when you carried them out. Do this for 7 days and on the 8^th, assess to see how much time has been wasted on unproductive activities.
Manage procrastination: The easiest way is to turn off Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest or other forms of social media and updates of every new email landing in your inbox. Be honest with yourself, how vital is it that these tools are needed instantaneously or can scheduled visits suffice?
Before anything else, plan your day’s activities. Spend 30 minutes at the beginning of your day. Do not do anything until this has been accomplished.
Remember to incorporate slots of time for those un-expected interruptions such as returning a call or working on some prices needed quickly etc.
Do you leave your phone on when attending important meetings? Or do you give your undivided attention to the person your holding discussions with? If so, schedule appointments with yourself for carrying out important tasks and treat yourself as you would a most valued client.
Practice not answering the phone just because it is ringing and emails just because they show up. Schedule a time to answer email and return those calls.
At the beginning and end of each new task, decide what results you want to achieve. Check (a) whether it was and (b) within the time you allocated for it. Learn from this for future.
Put up a ‘Do not disturb’ sign when you must get the work done. This is for yourself as much as others who want to impose on your time.

There are many ways in which Coaching to Success can help you and your business improve productivity. Managing what you have to do in the time allocated is just one area but we have many other tools to help you out too.

Should you be interested in discussing how we can help you increase productivity or improve your work/life balance, then contact Neil, neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238 to arrange a free consultation on how Coaching to Success can help you. Also, to get a feel for the person, check out our short ‘interview’ video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

Mar 28 2017

Perseverance … The key to Success (Part 2of2)

In our last feature, we looked at working hard, responsibilities, preparation, being original and those voices of doubt created by our own minds. This feature will continue on that theme with the ultimate objective of giving you ideas on how to remain focused, to persevere and, ultimately, reach the final goal.

Remain optimistic: There will always be knock-backs, so go forth knowing this. Unanticipated encounters or setbacks are there to be embraced as learning curves. I love using the story of Thomas Edison who was approached by a reporter along the lines of “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?”, Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”. When you started, the idea was as bright as Edison’s light so don’t let the light go out. Take each step and find the positives. No matter how many times you may feel that you have failed, remember, all the greatest achievers have marched on regardless of adversities.
Don’t run, walk: How many times did our parents or teachers tell us this? There’s no difference here either. As a business coach, I help individuals and businesses set steps to reach their next objective so no matter where we feel our business is, remove negative feelings of not reaching a goal when setting the next! I would suggest taking a little time out to see where you have come from and where you are now. Understand the journey and welcome the next challenges,
“What else?”: Any of my clients who are reading this will know this is a favourite question of mine when we search for options or ideas. This will also apply to that list of phone calls that need to be made or the large project that needs breaking down, just do one more thing and stick at it for another half hour,
HELP!: Don’t go it alone. Pull in work colleagues, friends, family that will help you on your journey. Network with positive people who believe in you. As a karate instructor, I find helping others to learn also improves my own understanding as I then need to know more to help them become better in the art. The full circle becomes self-perpetuating.
Rest the mind: Earlier in my management career, I found a member of staff worked much better than others during the afternoon. I also begrudged the fact that they were the only one taking a lunch break in a fast paced, demanding environment. It soon dawned on me that I was an idiot for not seeing it. They TOOK A LUNCH BREAK! This not only fed their body with energy but also their mind got a chance to relax and let go of the morning’s pressure. So guess what, I actively encouraged staff to take time out. Beyond this, look at what you eat, your levels of exercise. Your hobbies outside of work. Take care of yourself by looking after body and mind.

Well there we have it, 10 steps to help you persevere towards your ultimate objective. Don’t lose hope and always push forward with a smile and determination.

To help you along that journey, to set the steps and offer not only the motivation but also a confidante and someone to hold you accountable, contact Neil, neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238 to arrange a free consultation on how Coaching to Success can help you. Also, to get a feel for the person, check out our short ‘interview’ video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco