Distraction: The Silent Business Killer

As I was helping my daughter with her math yesterday, she was thinking about the school play, her upcoming birthday party and playing a game of Sequence with her grandparents. In other words, her mind was on anything but making a chart to plot the coordinates on the graph paper.  The end result was total frustration for her and using up most afternoon doing math rather than having time to play outside.

Are you staring at your computer screen wishing you were outdoors or at the beach? Are you zipping from task to task without finishing any of your goals for the week? Are you feeling internally frustrated that your hard work is not coming through in your business?

In this noisy world of ours, focusing and concentrating are very challenging tasks! It is so tempting to answer email while writing an article or answering the phone whenever it rings. Facebook, Ning and Twitter give us immediate information gratification but they are like a black hole in terms of our time management.

Having the discipline to stay focused on the path is critical to business growth. When we are sidetracked mediocre work results and business stagnates. Mediocre work does not attract new clients, inspire creativity or lead to focused business growth and an internal feeling of satisfaction.

In order to know where you are getting stuck, answer the following questions:

1. Where are you losing focus?

2. What gets you sidetracked?

3. How do you refocus?

4. What good focusing habits do you do now and how can you strengthen those?

Think of your favorite actor before and during an amazing performance in a play or movie. They are striving for excellence and have a laser focus during the performance. I believe Anthony Hopkins in “Silence of The Lambs” as Hannibal Lector is a perfect illustration. He embodied a serial killer with each movement and his focus was palpable. Now, sustaining that intensity is not realistic for hours on end but at the critical points in your day extreme focus may be necessary.

Commit to observing yourself for a few days and if you feel inspired, recording when you are most distracted. Also, pay closest attention to when you are very focused and accomplish a great deal. Plan your work accordingly; whatever requires intense focus such as writing an article needs to be done during the focused time of the day.

Next, challenge yourself to pick 3 things for business growth that happen first in the day before anything else gets done. What about finding a new joint venture partner or co-sponsoring an event with another business? It is exciting because you are visualizing the future for your business and trying something you have never done before. Business growth and stategy won’t get lost in the mix of a busy day when they are done first.

I wish laser focus as your business blossoms,

Lydia

What Does It Mean to Be A Conscious Entrepreneur?

My friends,
over the last two weeks I had over 20 conversations with people about consciousness. I asked every single one of them what it meant to them to be a conscious entrepreneur.

The answers were so varied that I felt shocked. I realized that consciousness is such a broad term, open to interpretations and world views.

Here are some definitions I got:
- I am aware of my inner gifts and I want to bring them out to the fullest
- I feel guided by God and don’t have the need to be in total control at all times anymore
- I work more in harmony with the world, aware of the consequences of my actions
- I work from my soul first, then align my actions with my soul’s desire

Now, this is what I consider a conscious entrepreneur:
Somebody who is committed to aligning their every action with their end goal of contributing to the world.

All of the above show a desire for all of us to combine logic with heart, spirit with commerce, feminine energies with masculine, profit with contribution, basically we are moving towards integration.

Now to you. I’ll set up a little incentive for you to participate:
Anybody who contributes an insightful comment to this discussion, gets a whole 30 minutes with me, 1:1 coaching on subjects of mindset, branding, leveraged business models or marketing.
Also, the winner (as determined by Lydia) will be featured on our blog, Facebook and Twitter and this community in the beginning of May.

Deal?
So, go for it, let’s get a discussion going, shall we?
What does it mean for you to be a conscious entrepreneur?

5 Easy Habits To Make The Most Of Your Day

Good habits create successful businesses. What success strategies are a part of your routine?

“Habit: a tendency to do something as part of a routine.”

After interviewing Misty Gibbs of www.myinspirationlounge.com yesterday, I realized again the importance of daily routines as a way of not only meeting business goals but leveraging your effort and time.

Misty just naturally incorporated a few of the following habits into her work every day and is receiving the benefits in the fast-paced growth of her business.

1.  Focus on 3 tasks that must get done everyday for the business to grow. Do these first so your day does not get away from you! Maintenance tasks like checking email, checking stats for your business and keeping up with Facebook and Twitter can easily use up your work time. They are important to keep up with so schedule 15-30 minute increments 2 times per day so you don’t get caught in the time terminator!

2.  Be aware of when you are the most creative and use that time to write or plan new initiatives for your business. Think boldly and visualize by taking time away to dream and step back from your work. It does not happen in front of a computer!

3.  Read, research and connect with others outside of your office space.  It will help your creativity, keep you up on current trends in other businesses and give you the opportunity to better serve your clients. Be sure to choose people that are positive and passionate or online destinations that inspire and are free from negativity.

4.  Ask for support from friends or a business partner to brainstorm new ideas or create synergy in a new joint venture project as part of your marketing strategy and outreach plan. Women are extending themselves and giving of their knowledge and time in unprecedented ways. Connect with other feminine leaders to find out new trends and feel inspired by their energy.

5.  Stand in your truth and value yourself! Every business is unique and the way that women juggle work and family is awe-inspiring. Look at what is working well in your business and put your energy and time in that direction. Don’t drain your energy on what is not working. Let it go! Celebrate the small successes and be able to honor yourself and your gifts.

Take a bird’s eye view of your business and observe what good habits you have in place. Focus on what is effortless and makes work joyful!

Lydia

Practice Being Mindful: The Benefits Are Priceless

Do you feel guilty setting aside time for yourself in the day? Are you constantly meeting the needs of others and forgetting to fill yourself up? If you answered yes to either question, you may be missing a lot of your own life by doing too much and not appreciating the present moment.

As life becomes more saturated with media and information, the choice about where to focus your attention is even more valuable. Giving back to yourself so that you feel energized and focused  makes you more productive in your work, benefits your body and creates lasting relationships both professionally and personally.

Here are 5 ways to give yourself a little vacation:

1. Breathe: When you relax and become mindful, self-appreciation is boosted. Yoga and meditation are 2 great ways to practice breathing while being present.

2. Be Present: Focus on the present moment when your mind starts to race ahead. It will allow you to make crystal clear decisions without distraction. Exercising immediately clears your head because you focus on whatever sport or activity you are engaged in.

3. Be Gentle: Stop criticizing yourself and being harsh! It is energy-draining and a waste of time (your most valuable resource). By relaxing and being mindful, you will have a greater appreciation for your contributions to the world. Get together with a good friend who reminds you of why he or she chose you for their friend.

4. Be Kind: Accepting others just where they are without judgment or criticism takes practice and mindful presence. Our thoughts and actions toward others have a direct link to what is happening in our lives.  If you are jealous and greedy, you will not be in a position to attract abundance. Spiritual practice (in whatever from you choose) is a wonderful way of increasing tolerance and acceptance.

5. Let Go: Going over and over something or ruminating about the past keeps you from focusing on the future. It may also directly impact your body by having a higher level of stress. Once you have talked or written about what is bothering you, release it. Put your energy into what you would like to manifest in your life.

Here are a few quotes from my mentor Dr. Maya Angelou that help me to feel inspired and to practice mindfulness every day.

“I believe that it’s wise for all of us to keep in mind that we’re in process, and to keep on our traveling shoes. Nobody’s here to stay. We’re in process.”

“I believe that the force that created life is betting that human beings will do something quite wonderful–like live up to their potential.”

“If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.”

I wish you unlimited joy as you practice being mindful,

Lydia