Month: February 2014

What’s on Your To-Do List?

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Sometimes I wonder how we all survived before sticky notes. They sure come in handy for jotting down my daily reminders and holding myself accountable!

 

The discipline of writing out a daily prioritized task list (organized by importance and urgency) is a hallmark of a productive person. I begin each day with a to-do list, and it certainly has made me more focused and effective. (And, yes, when unexpected items arise, I add them to the list and cross them out after completion. There’s power in a sense of accomplishment!)

 

Here’s an idea. What if we took this concept beyond its daily application and take a “sticky pad” approach to planning our lives? After all, the most successful people begin with dreams and then establish goals and plans to make them come true.

 

How can the sticky note approach work for you?

 

Poor or random planning puts your dreams in jeopardy and, at best, makes it take that much longer to realize them. But, even if you’re not naturally a goal-setter, it’s not difficult to become one.  Start by imagining what you want your life to look like. What are the large-scale goals you hope to achieve? Think of areas like your education, career, service opportunities, family, finances, health, experiences, passion areas, and interests.

 

Once you’ve established your long-term goals, you can set some shorter-range goals that will help you achieve them. You can set one-year, six-month, and one-month goals, all of which will ultimately contribute to the larger picture.

 

At the same time, don’t forget those daily to-do lists!  You’ll be amazed how much more you accomplish. It doesn’t have to be a fancy leather-bound day-timer to keep you on track.  Many times all you need is a vibrant-colored sticky note placed somewhere visible to remind you what you hope to accomplish that day! Oh, and once all your items are checked off the list, be sure to take some time to celebrate for a job well done. You deserve it.

 

“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.”

Lawrence J. Peter

 

What kinds of goals have you established for the short-, intermediate-, and long-term? What strategies have you learned to help accomplish them?

We’d love to hear your ideas!

 

 

 

Take the Integrity Challenge!

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Words have incredible power. They can be uplifting or destructive. They can be true or false. They can stay with the person to whom you communicated, or go in a million different directions outside of your control. This is especially true if you express them in an email, Facebook®, Twitter®, or text—so watch out!

These days, this is an increasing problem in our schools. We often hear educators expressing their concern about the lack of respect emanating from students, toward each other and toward faculty. How can we build healthier cultures in our schools—and in our homes and workplaces?

One contributing factor to this problem is the growing use of technology in our communications. Our words, conveyed via device rather than “in person,” are becoming more brazen. These days it doesn’t take much for a spark to ignite a fire.

Words reveal much about our character and emotional security—especially when we talk about someone who is not present. They speak to our trustworthiness, loyalty, kindness, and respect. What do your words reveal about you?

“Let your conversation be without malice or envy,

for it is a sign of a tractable and commendable nature.”

~ George Washington

Here’s an idea. One way to demonstrate “excellence” is to only say things about others that we wouldn’t mind them overhearing. Try this “Integrity Challenge” for a week and you may be amazed by how it affects your choice of words, and ultimately, your character and spirit! It makes us more tactful and respectful, and less judgmental.  And, it helps build a stronger culture by the way it impacts others around us.

Then let’s take it a step further. What if we started a movement to take this “Integrity Challenge” to heart? What if we challenged ourselves and those around us—our families, friends, co-workers, teachers, students, etc.—to live by this principle and see the difference it makes? What if it became a way of life in how we think, relate, and communicate about others? Can you even imagine the possibilities? It might just change the world—in a wonderful way!

We’d love to hear if you’re going to take us up on the challenge. Please leave a comment below to let us know you’re in. Then share the link to this blog—and the challenge—with your friends and colleagues. After awhile, check back in with us and let our online community know how it’s going.  What differences can you see in the atmosphere of your home, workplace, or school?

 

 

 

 

8 Ways to Communicate You Care

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Valentine’s season reminds us of the value of relationships—and not just romantic ones.  Not only do sweethearts profess their admiration and affection for each other, but so do parents to their children, children to their teachers, friends to friends, and so on. In a rare creative moment, I once wrote a love letter using strategically placed candy hearts to share my thoughts. Bingo!

At the same time, Valentine’s Day can expose our vulnerability to these conflicting priorities: relationships versus things. While our society has progressed in many respects over the past 50 years, it’s clear that we’ve regressed in terms of relational health and depth. Sadly, with the distractions of technology and busyness, it seems to be getting worse.

Have you thought about what you really value in life? What are you communicating about your priorities to the ones you love—whether intentionally or unintentionally?

Relationships are enduring—things are not. The way we communicate this to our loved ones lies in how we prioritize our time, attention, and money. You can use the following list as either a self-check or a to-do list. Either way, we hope it gives you some inspiration and ideas for communicating your love to others:

1. Be fully in the moment. When you’re with someone, be completely engaged (not on your phone, your Facebook, your Instagram, your Candy Crush game, etc.)

2.  Keep family and close friends at the top of your priority list in terms of time, energy, etc. Don’t just give them leftovers.  They’ll notice, even if they don’t mention it.

3. Focus on the important, not the urgent.  Sometimes maturity and experience are the best teachers on this lesson, but the sooner it’s learned, the better! Our tasks may seem urgent, but our relationships should take priority. This is especially important when our children want or need to talk.

4. Tune in to their uniqueness. Gifts, experiences, and expressions engender different responses from each of us. What uniquely means the most to them? Customize your giving wherever possible and you’ll surely hit the mark.

5. Express appreciation regularly. Be grateful for the people in your life and tell them how much you appreciate them. You don’t always have to communicate with outward displays of affection. Sometimes simple actions, like saying, “I appreciate you,” packing a family member’s favorite lunch (with a note in it), or doing an unasked favor can be just as meaningful.

6. Praise them in front of other people.  Say something nice about them when they are in earshot. You will help build their self worth and indirectly communicate how much you value them. (Great parenting pointer!)

7. Set aside time and money for special occasions and gifts. This may be harder for those whose “love” languages are not gift giving or quality time.  But for those who really need these things in order to feel loved and appreciated, they mean the world.

8.  Forgive offenses quickly and let them go. After all, you’d want your loved ones to do the same for you, right? Related, pick your battles carefully and when arguments do arise, keep your cool.

It pays to examine how we prioritize our time, energy, and finances to build strong relationships with family and friends. Do you the people you love know you care? How so?

8 Financial Mistakes You Can Help Young Adults Avoid

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Money, money, money. Few things in life generate as much interest yet demand more responsibility. And, while money itself will not bring happiness, mismanaging it can surely ruin a person’s chances for success and cause personal and financial strains.

Young people who are not prepared for the responsibilities that come with managing their finances can run into major problems, and often end up dropping out of college. A 2011 report by the Pew Research Center found for people ages 18 to 34 without college degrees, two thirds said they left to support their family, and 48 percent said they could not afford college. Why? One reason is that far too many college students are financially illiterate.

You can help the young people in your life avoid some common financial derailers—not just in college but for life. The principles of wise financial management aren’t that tough to master. You simply need to know the basics and abide by the disciplines and key principles. It also pays to avoid these eight most common financial mistakes:

1.     failure to set goals and plan/save for major purchases

2.     failure to set aside an emergency fund for unforeseen expenses

3.     spending more than you earn and failing to budget and monitor expenses

4.     incurring too much debt, including student loans and excessive credit card usage

5.     incurring significant fixed expenses relative to your income that can’t be reduced in difficult economic times (e.g., spending too much on housing and cars)

6.    impulse buying and lack of value consciousness when shopping

7.     inadequate financial knowledge

8.     lack of discipline and personal responsibility   

This list isn’t just for young people—everyone needs to keep these principles in mind both now and in the future. Periodically review how you’re doing in each of these areas, and encourage the young adults in your life to do the same. (Remember, they’re watching you, so be sure to “walk the talk!”) If we can successfully avoid these traps, we’ll ALL be in better financial shape!

What are your observations and experiences regarding young adults and their finances?  Our online community can benefit from your insights and suggestions. Please comment and share your thoughts!