Business skills - Time management

Time management is basically about being focused. The Pareto Principle also known as the '80:20 Rule' states that 80% of efforts that are not time managed or unfocused generates only 20% of the desired output. However, 80% of the desired output can be generated using only 20% of a well time managed effort. Although the ratio '80:20' is only arbitrary, it is used to put emphasis on how much is lost or how much can be gained with time management.

Some people view time management as a list of rules that involves scheduling of appointments, goal settings, thorough planning, creating things to do lists and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.

But there is more skills involved in time management than the core basics. Skills such as decision making, inherent abilities such as emotional intelligence and critical thinking are also essential to your personal growth.

Personal time management involves everything you do. No matter how big and no matter how small, everything counts. Each new knowledge you acquire, each new advice you consider, each new skill you develop should be taken into consideration.

Having a balanced life-style should be the key result in having personal time management. This is the main aspect that many practitioners of personal time management fail to grasp.

Time management is about getting results, not about being busy.

The six areas that personal time management seeks to improve in anyone's life are physical, intellectual, social, career, emotional and spiritual.

The physical aspect involves having a healthy body, less stress and fatigue.

The intellectual aspect involves learning and other mental growth activities.

The social aspect involves developing personal or intimate relations and being an active contributor to society.

The career aspect involves school and work.

The emotional aspect involves appropriate feelings and desires and manifesting them.

The spiritual aspect involves a personal quest for meaning.

Thoroughly planning and having a set of things to do list for each of the key areas may not be very practical, but determining which area in your life is not being giving enough attention is part of time management. Each area creates the whole you, if you are ignoring one area then you are ignoring an important part of yourself.

Personal time management should not be so daunting a task. It is a very sensible and reasonable approach in solving problems big or small.

A great way of learning time management and improving your personal life is to follow several basic activities.

One of them is to review your goals whether it be immediate or long-term goals often.

A way to do this is to keep a list that is always accessible to you.

Always determine which task is necessary or not necessary in achieving your goals and which activities are helping you maintain a balanced life style.

Each and everyone of us has a peek time and a time when we slow down, these are our natural cycles. We should be able to tell when to do the difficult tasks when we are the sharpest.

Learning to say "No". You actually see this advice often. Heed it even if it involves saying the word to family or friends.

Pat yourself at the back or just reward yourself in any manner for an effective time management result.

Try and get the cooperation from people around you who are actually benefiting from your efforts of time management.

Don't procrastinate. Attend to necessary things immediately.

Have a positive attitude and set yourself up for success. But be realistic in your approach in achieving your goals.

Have a record or journal of all your activities. This will help you get things in their proper perspective.

These are the few steps you initially take in becoming a well rounded individual.

As the say personal time management is the art and science of building a better life.

From the moment you integrate into your life time management skills, you have opened several options that can provide a broad spectrum of solutions to your personal growth. It also creates more doors for opportunities to knock on.

Practical money skill for life - selling

According to Rich Dad series, one of the important skills to learn is selling. I decided that I wanted to learn selling. This is because I realized the fact that I am always selling my ideas and information to someone everyday whether I like it or not. Selling is part and parcel of life!

For examples, if I were to do a presentation, I would be selling the presented information to the audience. If I were to be in a discussion, I would be selling my views and ideas to the rest of people in the meeting. If I were to go for job interview, I would be selling to my prospective employer that I am capable of doing the job. If I were to negotiate for more time, I would be selling to the party that this assignment need more time.

How should I go about learning selling skill? Of course the best option is to have a coach to guide me. If I cannot get any, then this is my own learning formula. My idea on learning any skill is a three steps process. Firstly, I will read and listen to the theories on the skill that I will like to master. Secondly, I will experiment or practice the skill based on theories that I have learned. Thirdly, I will reflect on the practical experiences gained so as to learn from mistakes. I will make adjustments if necessary until I get a satisfactory result.

As I could not find a coach, I took actions based on my own learning formula. I bought a few books on how to do sales. In addition, I enrolled myself in a few courses and seminars. The information in the courses and seminars completely blow me away. I wished that I had learned all these things in school.

One of interesting things that I have learned is the part on building rapport with your prospect. To build a rapport with a new acquaintance, there are a few things that I can do so that I have a higher chance of success.

Firstly, I have to observe how fast or how slow or how loud or how soft that person speaks. I may start the conversation by introducing myself first and then politely ask him to do an introduction of himself. Then I will observe his speech. If he speaks fast, I will follow suit and speak fast. If he speaks slowly, I will follow suit and speak slowly. If he speaks softly, I will follow suit and speak slowly. If he speaks loudly, I will follow suit and speak loudly. Basically, the idea here is to let him feel that I am like him since we have a common tone of speech.

Secondly, I will observe the language that he uses as he goes along. Alternatively, I will ask him whether he prefer to speak another language that we both know. If he speaks English, then I will speak English. If he prefers Mandarin, then I will speak Mandarin. The idea here is to let him feel that I am like him since we both prefer the same language

Thirdly, I will observe his body language. If he stands comfortably while talking to me, then I will stand comfortably too. If he stands straight in full attention while talking to me, then I will do the same. If he sits back and relax while talking to me, then I will do the same. If he sits up straight while talking to me, then I will do the same. Again, the idea here is to let him feel that I am like him. This idea will form the basis for a good rapport.

Another interesting thing that I have learned is the power of cold call. Basically for every ten cold calls that I have made, one prospect will likely to become my customer. The ratio may various from person to person. Some people have better ratio. Maybe out of every 10 strangers that they cold called, they get will get about 2 customers. Some people have poorer ratio. Maybe out of every 20 strangers that they had approached, they will only get 1 customer.

In conclusion, I realized that selling skills is not just about selling something to someone. It is all about networking and relationship building. If I apply these ideas one-step further in my life, I am basically enhancing my rapport with colleagues, friends and loved ones. If I apply the power of cold calls to get to know people during seminars and events, I will gain more friends eventually.

*DISCLAIMER*
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The Paradox Of Money - Thinking about money is continuing

If one has no money, one will have trouble even feeding oneself, leave aside shelter etc. What should be our attitude towards money? How much money should we accumulate and how much should we give away. How many morals and principals can be broken to get more money? And why should we earn more money than absolutely essential? There are many questions about money that come in to mind. Because since ages its money and power that has motivated human beings.

For few of us power matters more than money. And paradoxically money always brings power with it. But power may or may not bring in money. For example if you are the most important person of your country but highly principled, you will have total power but very little money. On the other hand some corrupt dictators have accumulated money beyond any imagination.

For few of us there are other pursuits than money and power. A good scientist gets more excitement with his inventions than any amount of money or power. For each of us there is a different motivator. Money seems to be one of the most common motivator. Cutting costs, raising prices and making more profits, this is the mantra of most of the industries and enterprises. Stock market has attracted people since long only because of the probability of making quick money. Why should lotteries become popular? Should not we depend upon our hard earned money? But lottery tickets are bought around the world. Buyers hope that they may get lucky and earn more money than they could otherwise on a single day. Gambling of all types is again driven by money as the only factor. We can list as many activities as we wish that are driven by attraction for money.

Does money and more money and much more money than others give more peace of mind? Does it give more happiness or more contented life? The answer is not yes in most of the cases. Rather more money brings in more problems. Where to invest? Which bank to choose? What about those who are always requesting for donations and loans? How to keep them away? And what to do with money after one has met all the needs? Buy a still bigger mansion or holiday all the year or begin collecting antiques?

Money. If you have less, you want more and if you have more you don't know what to do? That is the paradox of money.

8 Myths About Money

Much like our views about many things -- people, relationships, food, and health to name a few -- our beliefs came from our parents, our teachers, and other adults in our lives. And it goes back even further, beyond them, back to the circumstances through which they lived, or what they learned from their parents, what their parents learned from their parents, and so on. These beliefs are ingrained, and because they’re usually subconscious, the cycles are continuous -- until someone breaks them. You can break the cycle. Beliefs about money are many and varied, but in my research, I’ve discovered that there are a few that predominate.

Money is scarce. Several of us have parents or grandparents who lived through the Great Depression, an era that rooted an entire generation in a scarcity mindset. These people passed onto their children the idea that money was in short supply and that when it did surface, spending had to be limited and saving was imperative. If any of the following ever crossed your mind—“A penny saved is a penny earned,” “Don’t dip into savings,” or “We can’t afford it” -- then you have this perspective and rainy days loom ominously. Money doesn’t grow on trees. These threats create a fearful relationship with money.

Money is evil, dirty, or bad. Several of us have parents or grandparents who believe that the road to bad places is lined with green. They’ve only ever seen the drawbacks of the rat race, the downside of the money chase, and the audacity and indulgence of those with too much money. Some even believe that wealthy people are bad people. Novels and films often highlight the idea that it’s the crooked ones who make the money. The meek shall inherit the earth. Such prophecies create a hands-off relationship with money.

Money comes monthly. The most common way to make a living is to be employed, either with a company or as a skilled professional, with a weekly wage or an annual salary. Historically, this provided the safe, sure thing required by heads of households. Yet, that level of risk was usually balanced with an equal level of reward -- low and low. For most, even those who do very well, working for a company or as a skilled professional is a constrained opportunity. Except for the outrageous exceptions, the average CEO of the average company making six figures a year will still experience only a small increase in salary during his or her lifetime. Slow and steady wins the race. Such fables create a cautious relationship to money.

Money is not for me. Some people feel that they don’t deserve to be wealthy or that there is only so much of the millionaire pie to go around. Creating wealth and financial freedom is available to everyone. It is our right to be wealthy, and my hope is that people take their space and know they deserve it. By making money, you are not taking it from someone else; this isn’t Bonnie and Clyde Go to the Bank. By making money, you create a greater capacity to contribute, and it’s your duty to do this. Better them than me. Such adages create a defeated relationship to money.

Money is a man thing. There was a time that men made and managed the household money. That time was not so long ago, and some of you may have grown up with such conditioning. Though there are gender tendencies, for example, men tend to carry more money in their pocket than women and are more likely to invest than women, the reasons behind this are not genetic; they are realities falsely fabricated from years of conditioning. Women and men need to understand that money knows no gender. One of my programs that really resonates with up and coming wealth builders is “Wealth Diva: A Man Is Not a Plan.” This is a must-do seminar for every man and woman, and the daughters and sons they love. Let him bring home the bacon. Such perceptions create an apathetic relationship to money.

Money is good medicine. For some people, retail therapy goes a long way; there’s no difficulty a new blouse can’t cure. At the moment, we live in a culture of consumerism, and many of us use money to fill the unsatisfying holes in our lives. Some people grew up with a sense of entitlement about money, assuming their parents or a trust fund would always pay for everything, and in the process, they became careless about what they had. This is a vicious and unproductive cycle. The new car gets old, the closet fills up with clothes, and the toys pile up in the playroom. This is notto say there aren’t wonderful things to buy and spend our money on; after all, money should be fun. But as with overeating, too much spending on the wrong things can get any of us feeling sluggish and sad. Shop till you drop. Such bombarding messages create a disrespectful or nonchalant relationship to money.

Money is always a menace. For too many of us, money was always a problem. Bills were a hassle, keeping up with the Joneses was exhausting, entrepreneurs were considered nuts, and one’s station in life was, well, stationary. And getting rich would be worse. Money can be such a burden, not to mention all that paperwork and responsibility. These views of money create a perspective that money is actually a problem, not a solution. It’s hard enough just to survive, let alone thrive. Such pessimism creates a negative relationship to money.

Money talk is taboo. Many of us have been brought up to believe that conversations about money are in bad taste. Money and financial success, and failures, are considered personal subjects that shouldn’t be discussed and certainly shouldn’t be taught. Few of us asked our parents how much money they made, and even now, there are people who don’t know their spouse’s salaries. The results have unintended consequences and have created a world where very few people are having real conversations about money and finances, the very conversations they need to learn and succeed. These things are not discussed in polite society, dear. Such a scolding creates an ignorant relationship to money.

In each of these examples, it’s clear that unless your parents made a conscious choice to think and act differently, they conditioned you to have the same mindset as them. If you make a decision to break this cycle, you will have the opportunity to teach your children to have more productive beliefs about, and a more profitable relationship to,money. As you come to understand the beliefs you hold, you will work to change them. Through the action steps in this process, and with the help of mentors and respected friends, you will change your behavior. By sharing your desire for new beliefs and asking your mentors and respected friends to help you spot the subconscious limitations you may be putting on yourself, you will teach your brain to follow your behavior. Begin now by restating your beliefs. For example, if you’ve discovered that you hold any of the above examples as beliefs, you will

1. Change “money is scarce” to “money is abundant” and support a courageous relationship to money.

2. Change “money is evil, dirty, or bad” to “money is good and acceptable” and create a hands-on relationship to money.

3. Change “money comes monthly” to “money comes from a range of sources” and create an opportunistic relationship to money.

4. Change “money is not for me” to “who better than me for money to come to” and create an empowered relationship to money.

5. Change “money is a man thing” to “I can and will know about and understand money,” and create a thoughtful relationship to money.

6. Change “money is good medicine” to “money is a tool to help make my life better” and create a respectful and concerned relationship to money.

7. Change “money is a menace” to “money is a solution” and create a positive relationship to money.

8. Change “money talk is taboo” to “money talk is vital” and create a knowledgeable relationship to money.

You can see how much better it is to be courageous, hands-on, opportunistic, empowered, thoughtful, respectful and concerned, positive, and knowledgeable than to be fearful, hands-off, cautious, defeated, apathetic, disrespectful and nonchalant, negative, and ignorant. The choice is yours and it looks like you’re well on your way. You’ve already taken a huge step by deciding to actually take the first step. By making the decision to start right now, you have created the opportunity to raise your financial consciousness and change your life.

Money Worries Killing You. Stop thinking about money

Recently, as I was surfing around the web, I found yet another website offering misguided, uninformed and irrelevant advice to people who are stressed, depressed or anxious. The site had the following advice for sufferers:

“Most people who become stressed, anxious or depressed do so because they are experiencing financial difficulties. Debt is a big problem for a lot of people, and many struggle to service debts because they are on a low income. Other factors include poverty, unemployment, and a feeling of worthlessness because financial aspirations haven’t been met. Money is one of the biggest causes of stress and depression in the Western world.”

It is a statement I have seen and heard from many people, from medical professionals to sufferers and of course, in many publications and websites. I’m sure you too will have either been told money is the root cause of your problems or heard it from various sources.

Identifying money as the root cause of stress, depression and anxiety is wholly inaccurate and completely wrong. Financial circumstances, no matter what they are, CANNOT cause you to become stressed, depressed and anxious. In fact, they have NOTHING to do with the root cause of these problems WHATSOEVER.

It is so easily proved it’s amazing that some people believe otherwise.

If financial hardships and poverty cause people to enter into an episode of mental trauma, then everyone who is poor, is in debt, or earns a low income must, by definition, be stressed, depressed or anxious. You are saying that if you are poor you must be stressed, depressed or anxious. Agreed?

Following on from this, logic would then dictate:

If you are wealthy, without debt and earning a high income, you cannot be depressed, stressed or anxious because the root cause doesn’t exist in your life.

To simplify: Poverty causes stress, depression and anxiety. Wealth does not.

Clearly, reality is greatly at odds with this.

Not everybody who has debts, earns a minimum wage, is poor and endures financial hardship is stressed, depressed or anxious. Indeed, many people throughout the world live in extreme poverty and yet they’re happy. Like me, I’m sure you know people who have very little but are perfectly happy with their lives.

And let’s not forget that many famous, wealthy people also suffer from stress, depression and anxiety. Abraham Lincoln, Rod Steiger, Winston Churchill, Robbie Williams are names that spring immediately to mind. In my own case, I reached my lowest point having paid off all of my debts including the mortgage and having more assets than ever before in my life.

None of it mattered to me at all.

The last line also gives an insight into how self-worth doesn’t derive from financial success. I drove a $25,000 sports car, owned two houses outright and had many investments and yet I felt life had nothing for me, that having lost everyone and everything I ever loved I’d completely ruined my life beyond repair and I just couldn’t take anymore.

So you can see, financial hardship does not and cannot cause you to become stressed, depressed or anxious. And financial success doesn’t mean that you’ll be free from mental trauma. That’s because the root cause as to why anyone enters into an episode of stress, depression and anxiety is because they perform flawed, harmful modes of thinking to make sense out of the circumstances they are faced with.

Address the modes of thinking at the root of these problems and you’ll take a giant stride towards conquering stress, depression and anxiety whether you’re as poor as a church mouse or as wealthy as a king.



Author's Bio


Former anxiety sufferer Chris Green is the author of “Conquering Stress”, the internationally acclaimed program which will help you to permanently conquer stress, depression and anxiety without taking powerful drugs. For more information please click here => http://www.conqueringfear.net