Productivity and Work Life Balance - It Can be Done!

Is it possible to be productive without working so hard? Evidently so according to The Business Insider's article on the ability of the French to work shorter hours and produce more. 

Clients who take my Overwhelm Busters® classes learn about a productivity study conducted at a major corporation some years ago. A group of employees were asked to spend an hour of their work day doing absolutely nothing (this down time was in addition to their lunch hour). At the conclusion of the study those who did nothing for an hour a day saw an increase in productivity.

When we give ourselves some down time our brains get an opportunity to process things and come up with creative ideas or solutions to our most pressing problems. Why not take a lesson from the French and give ourselves a break? 

This summer is the perfect time to do your own experiment. Give yourself some well-deserved rest and down time and see how much more you get done. Let me know how it goes by leaving me your comments!

Linda Hardenstein, MPA, PCC, is a personal achievement coach who helps women professionals leverage their high potential, develop authentic careers and make powerful decisions that increase their profitability and effectiveness. Contact her through her website.

 

 

Achievement: What Does Smiling Have to Do With It?

I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of grocery shopping. I am however, an expert at reading environments and advising my clients how to make their work spaces more productive, inviting, empowering and profitable. That's why a local grocery store captured my attention. I always feel good in there. An early morning shopping trip is an uplifting experience. It sets me off on the right foot and keeps me positive all day. What is it that always makes me go back to this store? Everyone who works there is friendly and willingly gives away a smile. 

Do you want to feel less stress, be happier, enjoy work more, attract more clients, business, job opportunities, friends? Give a simple smile a try. Here are some reasons why smiling is so good for us:

Have you ever noticed how impossible it is not to smile back at someone?Try an experiment and see how many smiles you can give away today and notice the impact on you. Leave me a comment and let me know how your experiment worked!

Linda Hardenstein, MPA, PCC, is your personal achievement coach, helping you create peak performance environments and find new directions in your career and life to boost your power to achieve.

Creating a Home Office that Supports Your Success

Yesterday I posted "What Does Your Office Say About You" and received a comment asking for additional tips for people who have a home office that no one else sees. It's my pleasure to provide three tips for creating a home office that supports your success.

It is just as important, maybe even more so, to consciously establish an office that supports you in being successful in your business if you're working at home. Why? If you're a solopreneur, you're most likely alone a good part of your workday. So you've got to stay motivated, focused and energized and a powerful, harmonized, balanced, nurturing space can help you do that.

• Claim Your Space. Some people I know who work at home have no designated "office space."  They are what I call "office gypsies" -- have lap top will travel. They may work at a kitchen table, in the living room or bedroom, or go to a coffee shop. If you're finding it hard to stay focused, you're easily distracted and not grounded, this could be a contributing factor. Stake a claim on a designated space for your work. I work individually with clients to review their office set up to make sure it functionally supports their work style and provides a good foundation from which they can be successful. I've even helped people who work in their garage create work spaces that support productivity and prosperity!
  
• Surround yourself with only things that you love. If you work alone its important to stay motivated. Being at home it's easy to get distracted by chores, TV, or other at home temptations corporate folks don't face. Working in an environment that is inviting helps you stay motivated, focused and energized because you want to be there. Situate your desk so you have a view out the window, keep fresh flowers on your desk. Add personal touches like pillows in chairs and colors that make you feel calm.  Remember, what surrounds you either energizes you or drains you. You want your workspace to be uplifting so it can encourage your creativity! 

• Place things in your office that represent the success you want to achieve. For example, maybe one of your goals is to be on the cover of a national magazine. Make up a mock magazine cover with your picture on the front and hang it on the wall to remind you of where you're headed.  (This is a lot easier to do in a home office than in a corporate office!)  If you want greater prosperity put something in your office that makes you feel rich. (In my work with individual clients we pick items that are most meaningful to them. I review their space in person or on-line to let them know where the objects should be placed so they support the goals they want to achieve. Aligning your space with your goals helps to remove hidden blocks to success and accelerates the achievement of your goals.)

I hope this additional information helps you create a space that is productive and empowering. Let me know if you have questions about creating your own peak performance environment by leaving a comment or emailing me directly at Linda@LindaHardenstein.com.