Page 3 – Personal Growth Cafe

October 9, 2018February 1, 2018

Create a Better Work-Life Balance and Get Your Life Back

Do you feel like you’re so busy that you don’t have time for a life?

Do you feel as if you’re constantly running behind?

There are ways you can learn to negotiate your work life so you become more productive.

Once you become more organized at work, you can more fully enjoy your time away from work as well.

If you’re not stressing about your job, you can relax when you’re at home and live a more balanced life.

How can you be more productive?

What can you do to improve the quality of your life?

Here are a few ideas to find work-life balance:

1. Slow Down. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and it seems like you’re running in circles, sometimes the best thing you can do is to slow down.

Take the time to prioritize.

Going faster doesn’t mean you’re more productive or that you accomplish more things.

Doing things right the first time will save time in the long run.

2. Stop Procrastinating. There are certain things about any job that are mundane.

If you take the time to do the tedious parts of your job, you can breathe a sigh of relief sooner.

Schedule an afternoon to finish those pesky tasks so you can move on to more interesting (or even fun!) things.

3. Share The Work. You don’t have to do everything!

Recruit some help from your fellow employees or family members.

Delegate responsibilities, and you’ll get everything done in a timely manner.

This facilitates teamwork and makes everyone feel like they’ve made a contribution.

It also gives you some relief while your helpers gain a sense of accomplishment.

Don’t make things complicated. As humans, we tend to make extra work for ourselves even if it’s unnecessary.

Why reinvent the wheel?

If something works, don’t try to fix it.

Always remember the KISS method: Keep It Simple Silly.

4. De-clutter. Streamlining your workspace helps you focus on your work.

Arrange your desk so you can reach what you need the moment you need it.

Sifting through multiple piles costs you valuable time, causes frustration, and can even prevent you from completing important tasks!

5. Learn To Say No. When your workload is maxed out, be assertive about saying Help your boss understand that your plate is full and you’re not being insubordinate.

6. Stay within your scheduled hours. Once you’ve learned to keep work from cutting into your personal time, you will become more empowered to enjoy life outside the office walls.

7. Implement Technology. Use technology to your advantage.

A small time investment in entering information, such as addresses and other contact information, into a computer system can save volumes of time later.

Once you’ve implemented a system, it’s much easier to make changes to information and stay current.

It also makes it easier to keep up with detailed customer information.

8. Eliminate Distractions. If your personal life interferes with your job, set some boundaries.

Be firm when you have work to finish.

Leave your cell phone in the car or switch it off during work hours.

Discourage frequent personal calls or visits.

Delay socializing with co-workers until your work is done.

Once you’ve learned to streamline your workday, you’ll find that you no longer dread going to work and bringing it all home!

Imagine knowing that you’re ready to start your day instead of playing catch up from yesterday.

Be sure to start using these ideas today to enjoy a great work-life balance and a more fulfilling life!

What do you think of when you leave work?

What are you going to do differently this week to have time for yourself and your family?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 9, 2018February 1, 2018

When I organize my space, my life has order.

October 8, 2018February 1, 2018

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

October 8, 2018February 1, 2018

Attracting Positive People Into Your Life

According to the law of attraction, we’re always transmitting positive or negative energy.

Others pick up on this and respond likewise.

When you attract like-minded positive people, together you can focus on obtaining your desires.

Positive people will encourage and support you.

On the other hand, negative people will tell you that you can’t achieve your goals, and that they’re too hard or unreachable.

If you’re continually bombarded with negative phrases in your thinking, such as “I just can’t make ends meet,” “There’s never enough,” or “I just can’t seem to get ahead,” then you’re attracting more negativity into your life.

The universe will always respond to your song, so make your song harmonious with your desires, not your frustrations!

If you find yourself focusing on your small paycheck, physical ailments or unfulfilling relationships, it’s time to make a change.

Maybe your parents were role models of criticism instead of encouragement, or maybe you’ve always surrounded yourself with negative friends.

Whatever the reason, it’s time to break this cycle of negativity.

Consider raising your standard of expectation.

Find people to associate with who emit positive energy.

When seeking other positive people, think of people you admire and identify their traits you especially enjoy.

You’ll be generally attracted to people who have a similar sense of humor or who hold the same set of values.

Here are some ways to attract positive people and create more positive energy in your life:

1. Look for positive qualities in other people.

It’s far easier to see someone’s faults before seeing their goodness. Challenge yourself to look only for a person’s good qualities.

2. Be aware of your own finest qualities and project these qualities to the world.

This contributes to your self-awareness and increases your self-esteem.

3. Exercise compassion toward everyone, including yourself.

Negative energy obsesses about unattainable goals.

However, positive energy allows us to realize when we’re doing the best we can.

4. Value others’ opinions.

Positive energy is open-minded.

Listen to all points of view and do your best to understand them, regardless of how different from your own they are.

Trying to change someone’s mind is usually futile, so, even if you’re right, save your energy, understand their opinion, and move on.

1. Refrain from judging.

Give others the benefit of the doubt.

Negative energy is critical in judging others and loves finding fault.

Judging produces negative energy and attracts more of the same back to you.

2. Be honest.

Express your true self in thoughts, words, and actions.

3. Don’t be afraid to admit to having occasional negative thoughts and emotions.

We’re all human, and negative thoughts are a part of human nature.

The key is not to dwell on them.

4. Celebrate the success and happiness of others.

Negative energy is jealous, but positive people are thrilled when others succeed.

Use someone else’s success as a motivator to make you a better person.

5. Balance fulfillment and serving others.

If you spend your life trying to please others, you may find yourself ignoring your own Positive energy is balanced.

6. Persevere in spite of fear or defeat.

We all experience defeat and disappointment!

Rather than bemoaning a setback, use it as a chance to learn something new and prepare for your next challenge.

7. Follow your dreams and desires.

Embrace your joy every step of the way as you achieve your goals.

People with positive energy approach the world with an open heart and a sense of humor.

They refuse to be colored by cynicism and bitterness.

They strive to see the best in the world around them, revel in the success of others, and diligently pursue their own goals.

Becoming a positive person today will help you attract more positive people into your life tomorrow.

The more positive people that surround you, the more you’ll feel joy, contentment, and fulfillment in your own life!

Who do you consider as a positive influence in your life?

What has he/she done that makes you feel positive about your life?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 7, 2018February 1, 2018

How to Give Constructive Criticism

Have you ever been on the receiving end of criticism and felt that you just had the wind knocked out of you?

While most criticism is intended as helpful advice, many people have poor communication skills and the message gets lost in the delivery.

If you’re responsible for supervising any group of people, whether small children, a sports team, or employees, it’s inevitable that you’ll need to deliver criticism.

When that time comes, keep in mind that positive criticism gets much better results than negative criticism.

Here are some ways you can constructively criticize behavior to promote positive changes:

1. Sandwich it. One of the best ways to deliver criticism is through a technique called the hamburger method.

Keeping this process in mind will help you stay positive when correcting someone.

Start with something positive (the bun), discuss the problem (the burger), and then finish with another complement (the bun).

When discussing the situation, refrain from attacking the individual. Focus on the behavior or the situation, not the person.

2. Be direct. When you’re approaching someone with a complaint or criticism, deal directly with the problem.

This is no time for subtle hints.

Come right out and say what you need, and then offer a workable solution.

You can avert problems before they start by making sure your directions leave no room for misunderstanding.

When you need to correct someone, ask him or her to explain their perspective of how to handle their task.

A difference in expectations could be causing the problem.

If so, state clearly what you want so they have an opportunity to change the problem.

3. Move on quickly. Once you’ve established what you want, let this issue rest and give the other person time to process and implement changes.

Over time, sometimes continued prompts may be needed, but most people will be able to implement change as long as they don’t feel threatened.

The ideal situation is where the person listens to your feedback, understands the desired outcome, and then finds a way to achieve that outcome.

You can encourage this behavior with explicit expectations.

4. Avoid public humiliation.

Unless you’re addressing an entire group who can all learn the same lessons from your criticism, speak to individual employees privately.

Showing respect by not embarrassing them in front of their co-workers will lessen any adverse reactions and can lead to a more effective conversation about the issues.

If your workplace is made up of cubicles, borrow someone’s office or a conference room to converse privately.

Avoid starting office gossip by having a private conversation in the midst of open cubicles and curious ears.

5. Be specific. Relay exactly what the problem is and determine a solution. Vague criticism can be just as harmful as harsh criticism.

For your best results, when giving details, strive to strike a balance between being overly critical and being indistinct.

Rather than saying, “We need to see improvement from you,” try, “Our sales numbers are down for this quarter.

I need you to schedule more sales meetings for the next month.”

When delivering criticism, always consider the other person’s point of view before making your comments.

Constructive criticism can be helpful and even appreciated if done effectively.

Use these techniques to deliver your criticism and you’ll foster a positive environment where everyone can thrive.

How can you help others become better by providing criticism?

How can this help make you better as well?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 6, 2017October 10, 2017

I create positive habits in my life.

A habit is a pattern of behavior that is an automatic response or action. This happens after doing a particular routine for a length of time until it becomes natural.

I have had many habits in my lifetime. Today, I choose to create constructive and positive habits.

By focusing on healthy and productive routines each day, I begin to create positive habits. Nourishing my body with healthy foods every morning is a healthy habit I maintain each day.

Setting aside time each day for self-reflection and prayer has also become a positive habit in my life.

My character is made stronger by positive habits. These habits have become a part of me. I am a stronger and healthier person because of my healthy routines.

I continue to create healthy behaviors and habits leading to my positive transformation and growth. I become healthier as I practice my healthy routines.

Today, I honor my existing positive habits and continue them because they are a part of who I am.

I create more positive behaviors and continue doing so until they also are a part of who I am. In doing so, my patterns of behavior continue to be constructive and healthy.

What are your healthiest habits?

How have you created new positive habits?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 6, 2017

Be a man of value not necessarily of success. – Albert Einstein

October 6, 2017October 10, 2017

Managing High Job Expectations

Do you have a boss who expects nothing less than perfection? Managing high job expectations can be challenging, but it isn’t impossible.

You simply need to develop coping skills so your stress never gets the best of you. In fact, you can learn how to deal with the stress of high job expectations in a way that allows you to become more effective at your job!

How to Manage Your High Job Expectations

There are many different tools that can help you deal with high job expectations.

The goal is to handle your job expectations more effectively so you can feel better and accomplish more in less time.

For those with a boss who always expects the best, this is a must!

Prepare for the stress. When you know you’re going to be stressed out or that expectations will be high, you can proactively prepare for it to take the debilitating properties out of the equation. For example, if you’re worried about the uncertainties that can’t control, involve others to find out the answers.

If it’s literally impossible to predict, then all you can do is accept the fact that you can’t control everything and make some contingency plans that will help you feel more confident and comfortable.

Rehearse for stressful situations. For instance, if you know that you will be making a presentation in front of an audience or that you have to present information to your boss, rehearse your presentation using the same materials you will use for the real deal.

This will allow you to see your areas of opportunity so you can work on gaining the confidence you need. When you rehearse, you take the unknown out of the equation so you can simply focus on doing your best without adding any additional anxiety.

Be aware of your thought processes. Many times, when there are high expectations placed upon us, we start thinking negatively. For instance, when your boss is being demanding, you may think to yourself, “There is no way I can ever get that done! I’m incapable!” This kind of self-defeating talk gets you nowhere.

You need to replace the negative thought processes with thoughts like, “Stress challenges me to do more and be more.” You will be able to excel when you disallow any negative attitudes and replace them with empowering thoughts.

Organize your work. When you create an action plan, you’ll find that it’s easier to deal with high expectations. Create a list of the things you need to get done, and prioritize them so if you start to feel distracted or stressed out, you can always defer to the plan.

When you have a plan, your performance will live up to your expectations and you will find that you are less likely to give in to stress and frustration.

As you can see, there are some simple, yet effective, ways to deal with high expectations.

Remember: when people expect a lot from you, it really means that they believe you’re capable of great things. It’s actually a compliment!

How can high expectations tend to lead you to stress?

What can you do to meet and beat the expectations and work efficiently without stressing yourself?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 5, 2017

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. – Henry Ford

October 5, 2017October 10, 2017

I can learn the triggers of my stress and target them.

I am proactive about my peace of mind. Peace does not come to me accidentally – I seek it.

Each day, I take a mental inventory of how I feel. I identify the things that caused me stress and the things that brought me joy and I am in constant pursuit of true happiness.

Self-reflection on a regular basis helps me become aware of the things that cause me stress. I plan to protect myself against these things in the future and strive to avoid them altogether.

I know what makes me feel stressed and I know how to counter anxious thoughts. I am in tune with my body and mind. My body sends me physical signals I can identify as cues when stress overwhelms me and I choose to obey these cues.

To reduce my stress, I plan ahead in order to stay organized. I complete my work early so I can be relaxed near deadlines.

I am not alone in this life and so I allow myself to trust others and ask for help when I need it most.

That is why I take on the appropriate amount of responsibility that I can handle and I either postpone or delegate anything above that.

I have the courage to walk away from situations that cause me stress. I am guilt-free because I choose to sow peace over conflict, and I understand that peace comes from within. I choose to let it radiate from within me!

What triggers your stress?

What are your physical signs of stress?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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