Carpe Imperium, baby

Some days you have so much to do, it's hard to accomplish anything.

Everyone has moments of distraction and frustration when we realize we're focusing on the wrong things. We're working hard, but on the minor priorities that don't advance or improve our lives. Oh, boo-hoo. I hate getting off-track, too.

So here's what you do: Stop multitasking. Take a deep breath and give yourself a morning gone awry. Then get back in the game.

Hold fast to the rule that controls the quality of your present and future: Any activity that doesn't make your time function on your behalf in a long-term way can't come into play when you're facing multiple priorities. If you spin your wheels, you’ll miss the goal and you’ll be the only one accountable. So take control. Carpe imperium.

Do something positive to turn it all around, something that will bring your sequence for success back to reality: Make a magic list of 5. It's magic because as you write down what needs to happen, you become more motivated and stronger in your ability to make progress, and once you have that focus -- items on the list disappear.

Whether it's planning get-togethers for the upcoming holidays or preparing for your annual performance review, your true priorities become clear when you force your mind to lay them out in black and white. Once you have a list, you can concentrate on each task without feeling frazzled and pulled in multiple directions. When your list is complete for the day, not only will you have free time, you'll be able to enjoy it without wondering what you left hanging in the balance.

Make your list and enjoy your progress this afternoon.

xoxo
LT

Budgeting: Time is Money

Time is an unchanging thing – every one of us has the same number of hours in a day to accomplish our goals. But there are those among us who seem to have it all under control. How do they do it? The most effective, successful people exhibit not only an awareness but a mastery of time put to its best use.

There are so many competing needs and goals in our lives – how do you stay ahead and still have time to renew and rest? The first step is to determine how you spend your time now, then figure out how to improve your efficiency.

Are you a procrastinator?
Procrastinators are like sprinters. They know where the finish line is, but don’t pay much attention to how they get there. This means they know what needs to be done but don’t jump into action until the last minute, creating an environment of stress that isn’t always healthy. They work as hard as everyone else – probably harder than they have to, at times – but can’t always differentiate between priorities and unanticipated projects. All they respond to is the deadline. Why make it harder on yourself than you have to? Consistent work means consistent progress.

Are you a multi-tasker?
Multi-taskers of the world are going to slam me for this, because so many people don’t view the process of managing multiple tasks at once as a choice. But here’s what I’ve seen: If you’re working too many angles simultaneously, it takes more time to bounce from piece to piece, your focus on each task is diluted and the results are often less than stellar. If you work in order of priority and direct your uninterrupted concentration on each item, you will get more done and the outcome will be of better quality – much more reflective of your true effort.

Once you know what kind of time manager you are, you can isolate the behaviors that kick you off track and refocus your time and effort.

Here are some tips for making the most of your time:

Make a list every day. Keep it short and realistic, no more than 5 items. Go for the big payoff first. What can you accomplish that will make you feel the best? Crossing the most challenging task off your list first will motivate you to burn through the less crucial items with confidence and ease.

Keep a longer-term calendar and mark down upcoming project deadlines. Look ahead often, adding new items when they arise, and when you have time, try to make headway on tasks you can start.

Clear your space and your head will feel clear, too. If your surroundings are cluttered, you will feel distracted; if they are neat, you’ll focus less on the mess and more on the task at hand.

Schedule your break times and take them without fail. If they’re short and predictable time-wise, you will focus more effectively, because your brain anticipates the upcoming breather. Work in reasonable blocks of time and you won’t feel as stressed or overwhelmed – as long as you’ve budgeted enough time to complete your assignment.

Assign your time a monetary value. If each of your minutes spent is worth a dollar figure in your head, you’ll realize in short order how much less willing you are to blow them on Facebook, jib-jabbing about how the Sox fared against the Yankees and other inanities. Use your available time to get closer to your important goals – those are moments well invested and well spent.

Take care of yourself. Make sure to take advantage of fun, get good rest and eat as healthfully as you can. Those pieces of your life are as important to your overall success as anything you can accomplish at your desk, so don’t discount your needs. Plus, no one really loves a workaholic. It makes everyone else look bad!

Wishing you a productive day,

LT

Finding Your Muse

Here's an existentialist venture on a rainy Wednesday: What inspires you?

I recently read a quote by Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and it really nailed a major challenge in my work and in my life:

"Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly."

I'm keenly aware of what inspires me and try to share that enthusiastic muse with family, friends and clients. At the heart of LT is inspiring others, giving them permission to ditch the pieces of their lives that just don't ring true anymore. I try to help them find the courage to choose their best lives. And make no mistake: I fully believe that getting the life you want is a choice. It's just a matter of being willing to take risk.

But motivating others to change doesn't always produce the results we hope for. In order for change to become a framework of new positive habits, someone else can't just want it for you. You have to really want it. The goal that's just beyond your reach has to be deep under your skin, driving you to do more, to do better.

It does not come without its pains; of course, every new stage of life exacts its payment. Those among you who have made changes large and small know that it's hard work and it takes resolve, it takes a commitment to yourself and the greater scheme of your future. It doesn't matter how many times you try and fail -- you have to keep learning, to redefine your priorities and make time for them. You can break out of boredom or bad habits and rise to greater heights of happiness and fulfillment.

A simple example is this: If you want to lose weight, you have to make time to exercise. You have to really want to change the body you see in the mirror -- and make it more accurately reflect the person you are inside. It's a challenge but it's uncomplicated.

Here's one that's a bit more difficult to quantify: If you want to succeed professionally, especially if you want to transcend traditional success, you have to identify what makes you a rock star. This process will require that you tap into what truly inspires you. That intangible quality makes you invaluable and singular -- no one else can provide the genuine enthusiasm and drive you bring to the team when you focus on what moves you.

It definitely helps to have people in your corner who will encourage you to reach your goals. It makes a world of difference in moments of weakness and self-doubt that someone else believes in you. Sometimes it's hard to explain to others what you're reaching for, and it seems miraculous when someone else even gets it. But if you keep trying, you might just get lucky.

The bottom line is this: When you set priorities, for today or 10 years from now, remember that what you want for yourself is who you have the power to become. No one else can choose the change that's right for you.

Love, LT

Make Your Life List and Change

Unhappiness with a particular part of your life has a way of pervading other aspects until it becomes a self-made obstacle to success. It also, as you dwell, takes on epic proportions until you’re all but paralyzed, power dissipating, feelings of control crushed.

There are so many goals we hope to achieve in our lives, but until we make them priorities and commit to them, hope isn’t enough. It can’t crystallize without action. Whether it’s something small such as organizing your thoughts or something bigger, like writing a book or starting your own company, nothing will happen until you make it happen.

The key to making positive change is making a plan and following through, and believing it can be done. Recently I met someone who has embraced “yes” as a lifestyle, whose mission in life is to help others reach their goals – another true agent of positive change.

The website is www.mylifelist.org and you can join for free. It will help you to create a roadmap for your unique happiness, so that what you visualize for your future can become your new life. My Life List, beyond unfurling a yellow brick road for your personal adventures, teaches the importance of celebrating the steps along the way.

If you’re stuck and need some inspiration, this community will give you that and more. It will compel you to shake off what stunts your growth and embrace the changes that make it all real. Check it out!
LT

Reinvention 101: The Job Hunt in Six Parts

The numbers are out for March, and the news is staggering. In Massachusetts alone, more than 3 million people are out of work. So if you’ve been laid off, let me say this: You’re in fine company.

1. Indulge the spiral
Losing a job is right up there with death and natural disaster, among the major life changes that can trigger all kinds of emotional outfall. So the first thing to do is file for unemployment benefits (http://www.mass.gov). Then you get to take some time to recover emotionally. Freak out. Eat ice cream and lay on the couch. Sleep late. Google everyone you ever dated. Don’t shower for a while. Whatever.

And then? Rock on and don’t look back. Your new job, your full-time, every-minute job is now this: Keep hope alive. You’re going to bounce.

2. Embrace the clean slate
When you feel like your brain is ready to function again, start by thinking of your layoff as your opportunity to do what you meant to do with your life when you started out, fresh-faced and earnest straight out of school. Reassess, start a job journal, make a list – who you wanted to be as opposed to who you became. Did you stick with your old job despite feelings of frustration? Did you do less-than-stellar work because you were bored and burned out but needed the paycheck?

Well, the universe just gave you a mulligan. Enjoy the moment and the unemployment benefits for now. Nicer weather is on the way, your possibilities are endless, and you are not tied to any work you’ve done, or any dynamic that set you to that dreaded default setting. It’s almost like graduation season all over again.

3. Step to the challenge
Be productive with your time now, averting the slump of meaninglessness and depression and daytime television. As you peruse Monster and Craig’s List, think about your skills. If you were good at what you did before, jot down career highlights and your best experiences. Hit the high notes: Where did you really shine? What skills made you stand out from your colleagues? Five years ago, there were an average of three applicants for each available job. Today, it’s more like 10 for each job. Your modest strengths aren’t enough in a market such as this; employers need to know what made you a rock star. Write some cover letters that radiate with your considerable confidence and experience. Revamp your resume to reflect your focus.

4. Debut the new you
Once you’ve polished and printed your life’s work, it’s time to think about your goals. Who are you professionally? What defines the work you’ve done and does that work represent who you see yourself becoming? Right now, you’re marketing the idea of yourself. You just have to sell the best version of you ever invented. What do you need to improve? What does your image say? Someone from HR could call you tomorrow. Get a haircut. Prepare two impeccable outfits – have the second one ready for a callback and save yourself the scrambling. Assess whether your current interview attire will do. When was the last time it was worn? Has it been dry-cleaned? Is it still in style? Do your shoes shine? If you were frumpy and disgruntled in your last position, dump all that baggage and start over. Become in the mirror the person you would hire, with starch in your shirt and iron in your will. That person is going to tromp the competition.

5. Market your mojo
Now is the time to turn your career into a major motion picture. Launch an I’m Awesome campaign. Abuse your connections. Even if you’re hesitant to network, get over it. You have to call on every mentor, every friend who got promoted, every person you jib-jabbed with and got a business card from at a cocktail party. Those connections are now absolutely crucial to your future success. Hopefully your Blackberry is full of people who are just waiting to hear you’re available. Being known for a special skill is far more valuable than cold calling and blindly searching. Your career is a new fun version of the Kevin Bacon game: Who works where who can help me connect with the president of the supplier of the subsidiary of the company that’s going to bring me fame and fortune?

6. Perfect the positive spin
When you do get that interview and callback, and hopefully it will be soon – do not dwell on the negative. Most times, when a hiring manager asks a tough question, such as how you handled past challenges, he or she is gauging your resilience. Don’t be bitter – be smart and find the silver lining in what you’ve been through. Plus, positive people are more fun to work with and live happier lives. If you are tenacious and thoughtful in person, you will be among their ranks, with a great new job to show for it.

Tax Your Brain for Max Rewards

Do you think tax prep guys feel let down when their season is over? I mean, their offices are so crowded and they’re so popular, then … nothing.
Even if “you’ve got people,” admit it. You're way too pretty for that party. And too smart, too.
They might be human calculators with office cubes and refund guarantees but you’re just as powerful. With a few hours of commitment and some confidence, you can do your own taxes. Even if you go to a company or an accountant, they likely will file online on your behalf, anyway. Might as well save some money and cut out the middleman.
Filing taxes online is easy and offers many advantages – the most rewarding that you get your refund faster. And who doesn’t want a chunk of their hard-earned money back right this minute – before it’s handed away as part of the zillion-dollar stimulus package? Then don't put it off any longer.
Before you begin, gather all the documentation you’ll need. This includes:
W-2s, 1099s, Social Security statements, IRA and brokerage statements, records of mortgage interest paid, income and expenses paid for rental properties, as well as other income such as alimony received. You also will need proof of educational expenses (including interest paid on school loans). If you’re self-employed, you will need receipts of income and expenses. To take deductions, you will need proof of child care expenses, health care and dental receipts, moving expenses and charity donation receipts.
As you start the process, take it step by step, box by box – even if you don’t think a particular scenario applies to your situation. You might be surprised by an extra deduction or two. If you didn’t realize that you qualified for a deduction, don’t forget that you have three years to file for back payment, and get an even bigger refund. Just add an amendment for the year(s) in question to this year’s return.
If it happens that you owe Uncle Sam at the end of the road (and I truly hope this is not the case), there are a number of options for paying. You can pony up by credit card, you can set up a payment plan on the IRS web site (http://www.irs.gov), or you can request a hardship forbearance (which plenty of people will be doing this year, given the vast reach of our country’s economic breakdown). Interest and fees will accrue but until your financial picture does not require every cent you have, at least you’ll have a little peace of mind.
If you can’t quite get your act together in time for the April 15 deadline, you can file for an extension by downloading Form 4868. This is especially important if you think you owe.
Don’t forget to print your forms for your records when you’re done.
Then, when you've accomplished this amazing feat of math and perserverence, throw yourself a death-and-taxes bash with the money you saved. You don't even have to invite your accountant. Though it might be nice – he's probably feeling a little lonely.

Success out of a Suitcase

Traveling for work can be a far different experience than traveling for fun, so here are some tips to make the effort less trying.

PREP WORK
Make reservations and check in online before you leave for the airport. Some airlines even let you do it as early as a day in advance.
Check ahead what the hotel will provide for necessities before packing items you don’t need. Many business-class hotels make hair dryers, basic toiletries, an iron and an alarm clock available to their guests. Buy and keep on hand travel-size toiletries that you will need, pack them in your kit and leave them packed. A money-saving solution is to buy refillable bottles and monitor their levels when you get home to make sure you don’t run out.

PACKING
Invest in a set of wheeled luggage that’s light but durable. Take the appropriately sized suitcase for your trip’s needs. When you’re considering what to pack, choose coordinating pieces to cut down on the amount of clothing you need and to maximize ensembles including use of your matching belts, shoes, purses, ties, etc.
Keep your carry-on light and effective. No one wants to drag a heavy bag around from terminal to terminal. It should have inside a change of clothes, toothbrush, medication in the original prescription bottles, glasses/contact supplies, your important documents, your thumb drive, cellphone/blackberry – the essentials you couldn’t live without if your luggage were lost.

PAPERWORK
Prepare a small kit full of office supplies and keep it in your bag, so you never have to waste time looking for paper clips in the hotel store on your way out to a meeting. Limit the number of hard-copy files you need to bring by consolidating and keep them in a pocket of your carry-on.
Don’t print multiple copies of your presentation or handouts before you travel – keep important documents on your laptop and on a thumb drive. Print when you arrive. Or if you need large quantities and it’s more cost-effective, ship them to your destination so you aren’t lugging them along with you.

SECURITY
Keep a copy of your airline and hotel reservations with your ID and passport, everything ready and easily accessible; wear slip-on shoes and nominal jewelry to move effortlessly through security. Make sure your suitcase is easily identifiable and meets size and weight requirements.

TIME TO WORK
Plan for a seamless entry into work mode after your trip. Schedule some time, if possible, when you get into your room to organize and prepare yourself. Take stock of what you need, and make sure you have everything, so there’s no last-minute searching and fumbling. This will help you to focus and keep your cool under pressure. If you’re prepared, the strain of unfamiliar surroundings won’t have as significant an impact.

RECEIPTS
One frequent flyer/biz guru revealed to me his biggest travel organizing challenge: receipts for reimbursement. Depending on company policy, receipts are required for reimbursement unless you’re using a company credit card. There are bound to be some reimbursable costs and if you don’t submit for payment, you’re throwing money into the wind.
Keep a small notebook for expenses (Staples carries small pads specifically made for this task). Make a list of your outflow (cab fares, meals, printing costs) and keep track of cash spent. Get a receipt for everything and keep them all in the small folder at the back of the notebook. When you return to the office, you can transcribe the list from the notebook to a spreadsheet or whatever form is required by your company.

Being organized can’t keep you from having to travel but it can keep you on track so your work is as polished and proficient as it is at home. Organization can help you to reach new levels of personal and professional success.