deadlines

We always think deadlines can be useful. Well of course they are, they provide us with a sense of direction and purpose and a TADA! as we get something done in time. The other side of the coin is those who continually suffer from other people's deadlines, the so called provider-of-deadline-allowers. Ever thought of them?


The reality is that whether someone obligingly promised hand over heart to accommodate you, life may go differently. There can be technical malfunctions. There could be a cyclone. They might have the flu. They didn't look when crossing the street and their fresh undies were exposed. You simply can never tell what happened. Sometimes they are sorry they missed your deadline that you feel you have to pay for their counselling fees. Other times there are those who may lie to your face. (It is a very grey area. Tread with caution.)


Mooodlies recently had a deadline crossing. Actually Joi and my deadlines went up in smoke on more then one occasion. We were a bit taken aback but deliberately decided to not blow a fuse. Instead we discovered that a) some people who are deadline-providing-allowers are not as excited about their job as you are about them finishing it and b) have a plan b in order to always have another deadline-providing-allower on board you can count on.


Naturally you may not have the option of a plan b because you have signed a deal or legal arrangement with partner a. In that case another solution would have to be sought. At the end of the day though: life is life and can take us by surprise no matter how well we plan, fret, worry, dance or run with it. The key is then to relax in the knowing that life continues as before and that it's up to us how we react, not the other person. Also I would strongly suggest to work with people you trust, somehow they have the tendency to respect you and thus are happy to aid in your deadline addiction.


I would like to share the following with you that Joi so neatly wrote:


" I make stuff because it releases schools of fish from my thoughts
I make stuff because it keeps my hands busy
and my mind fizzy
I make stuff before stuff makes me.


It's the same reason I think in dialogue,
despise voice chats
see in pictures
even numbers (there are calculators for such problems)
I make stuff before stuff makes me.


When stuff makes me
I have no control of the the way I'm written
and that can't be good
as I end up with too much ears
and very little heart
or too much heart
and not enough tears
I make stuff before stuff makes me."


The world is made of stuff. Make it fun yeah!

speed of life

I'm SO enjoying reading positive things people are doing, whether it's a new start up, a transition with work, a change altogether or moving house. Truth be told the last 6 weeks if not more have been very very changeable. Many things have happened in my world and my whizz brain is still filtering some of it, I have started new endeavors with people and I'm generally much looking forward to what will happen next! A whirlwind of activity. It gets me excited! And more excited!


At the same token I received an email last night which got me thinking about the following. How would YOU respond if you had a dream, vision, startup, goal, ambition which has taken off and this would happen for example:

• some of your friends are getting a bit funny with you as they see you grow and find it hard to accept that fact as they seem to be stuck?
• your partner or family is not fully supporting your ambition and keeps coming up with "sensible" reasons to ward you off track and keep you where you were?
• your current employment has lost all its fizzle and you are actually rather be considering ANY other job then this before you can do what you love 24/7?

My point is that being hampered by people trying to put brakes on your speed of life is not only a turn off, it's silly. If a tsunami is coming little difference will be made with a wall built at the bottom of the hill. That water is coming one way or the other. Realize why those attempts at wall building are being made and recognize it for what it is: it's not your wall so press on regardless. You can be respectful in the process. Do ponder things to ensure you are not just being stubborn and above all else: don't get rude, play it nice. Or my credo: "be wise and shut up".

The aforementioned attempts at roadblocking are more likely to only make one more determined to succeed as it confirms our desire to get there. Now, I'm a big fan of pursuing and I'm less a fan of paperwork and finances. Or so I thought, which means I put my own roadblock in there for years. Once I decided to change that it's actually become more interesting and inspiring. How funny is that!

The trick is to be:

1. clear on your goals, have a time-frame and deadlines
2. have your finances in clean order (a good accountant helps too)
3. have a business plan (I'm working on one for Bonvivant now)
4. get a new support team if the current one is faltering should you need it
5. stick to your guns if you know in every fibre that you need to do this
6. start a mastermind group to help others too
7. get a life and enjoy something else that isn't work or your passion-passion > energy
8. remember to stay in touch with people who you love

So what are you working on right now?

time management

Do you get all the things done you need to? It seems a continuing saga for me. I do get it all organised, some things planned and some things on the fly. Prioritizing is an ever lasting event, and some things are put on the back burner; driveway, new wood burner installation. But things are surely changing. It's habit changing and simple gritty determination.


Task-lists generally give me the jitters but the fact is if I don't remind myself to simply churn through them I have a huge pile when I don't need it. So they help save my tush that's what. Basically I try to keep track of the following both in my brain and my diary (my diary is most accurate):

1. What I promised to do for someone else: husband, friends, work, professional relations and also includes myself (socially based)
2. The simple weekly to do's: groceries, bill paying, car stuff, house stuff. This includes haircuts and other fluffing (maintenance)
3. The long haul plans: business, farm, personal goals (long term)
4. Legal and banking paperwork (in case any slipped past in 1,2,3)

Everyone has different ways to get here. My husband is incredibly apt in keeping track of the mundane and boring things. He has Sheldon Cooper tendencies regarding "logic". Unsurprisingly my brain seems to lose details of these items as I consider them boring (yes yes I know they are important). I guess that would make me quite like Penny. Still: a Penny on a mission because all those loose ends drive me nutty.

Getting back to some time management tips: (inspired by Steve Pavlina )

• focus + list: what do you need to get done right now? ask yourself
• flexibility: know your goals and be willing to make adjustments while en route
• quick turn around: finish tasks as soon as you can as it keeps your mind clear and allows more time to do other things; don't procrastinate
• decide: best to fire and steam ahead: too much time to think can kill progress
• get rid of time wasters. Use the trash can liberally. Stop watching tv.
• be effective: "also known as the Pareto Principle, the 80-20 rule states that 20% of a task's effort accounts for 80% of the value of that task."
• don't disturb sign: make sure you're not interrupted when doing a job 
• self discipline:  don't get sidetracked.
• multitasking: if you can do something else while having to do a maintenance or activity that you simply have to do; see if you can combine the two.
• enjoy: go after what really inspires you. Don't chase money. Chase your passion. If you aren't enthusiastic about your work, then you're wasting your life. 
• eat and exercise well

And another thing: use your diary and cellphone with reminders. Every time I stop using my diary and think I can remember things on the go: I can't. I finally came to the conclusion that an organized and focused approach actually saves me wasting time and therefore have more "me-time" later, something that is a luxury item to me. 
I am interested to know what your experiences are.