Beat Summer Boredom: 10 Creative Do-It-Yourself Backyard Adventures
Beat summer boredom with backyard adventures. With a little imagination, and household materials, you can transform your boring backyard into an ultimate fun zone for kids.
#1 Go Long!
Keep your cool this summer by playing Sponge Football. Grab a sponge, dunk it in water and go long! It’s the perfect activity for a crew of kids so invite a few friends and split into teams and let the games begin.
#2 It’s a Three-Ring Circus
Thinking of sending your wild animals off to join the circus? Why not let them build one? Grab hoola-hoops to stage the attractions and let your child’s imagination run wild! Dress up as clowns, magicians or exotic animals.
#3 Confounding Contraptions
Chances are you have some gadgets laying around that don’t work. Grab a few screw drivers and pliers, and invite your child to dissect the machine. Not only will they learn about how it works, but it’ll keep them occupied for hours.
#4 Go Camping
Pitch the tent in the backyard, grab a few sleeping bags and let the adventure begin! Pretend you’re millions of miles away from the busy city, tell ghost stories and make S’mores. It’s all the fun of camping but with the convenience of indoor plumbing just steps away.
#5 Water Fight
Fill up the water soakers, balloons, buckets and whatever else you have handy, and declare a water fight. Not only will they burn off energy, but inadvertently, they’ll help water your garden.
#6 Blow Bubbles
Kids of every age are endlessly fascinated with chasing bubbles. Stock up on bubble solution or make your own with a simple mixture of 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap to 1 cup of water.
#7 Green Thumb
Visit the local garden store and let your child pick out a plant pot and seeds. Sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, lavender seeds, or whatever else catches their eye. Kids love watching their little seeds grow!
#8 Four!
Take a look in your garage for stray items to construct a mini golf course – extra boards, bricks, pipe, empty cans, buckets or whatever else you find. No pint-sized golf clubs? No problem – use a plastic bat or the cardboard tubes from wrapping paper!
#9 Lawn Bowling
Hunt inside your recycling for aluminum cans and set them up on one end of the yard. Grab a large plastic ball and see if anyone can get a strike. The best part of lawn bowling: no gutter balls.
#10 Disco Dance Party
Load your iPod with favorite high energy tunes and hook it up to an outdoor stereo. Do you dare have a dance off? Break out the Mash-Potato, the Twist and learn a few new moves from your kids.
Tell us your favorite Backyard Adventures! What do you do to beat summer boredom?
Divorce Dilemmas – One of the most difficult times of your life can also be a blessing
Dr Seuss said “I’m sorry to say so but, sadly it’s true, that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you.”
For a moment – whether brief or exaggerated – your life feels like it’s going down the toilet.
Everything you knew to be true has just shattered around you like cheap glass crashing on concrete and you’ve got more than a few cuts trying to pick up the pieces. The hardest part – the one person you counted on in tough times like these is the only one you can’t turn to.
Because he’s the one you’re getting away from, through divorce or separation.
Divorce can be messy, painful and confusing. No one says this is fair or that it will be easy – but at the very least, you can try for manageable.
Whether the circumstances are cooperative or uncooperative, if you find yourself drowning in your own divorce, here’s to throwing you a life jacket. It’s possible to make it through a divorce a better, stronger person – but first you’ll have to do your legal, mental, and emotional homework.
Carolyn Ellis, award-winning author and founder of Thrive After Divorce, helps people navigate through divorce. Those about to get a divorce, or even thinking about it: Ellis wants you to do your research.
“It’s important to become an educated consumer of the divorce system beforehand, because if not, you will be educated while your lawyer’s clock is running,” says Ellis.
From mediations to collaborative divorce to third party litigations, there are many legal options that don’t involve the often-unnecessary path of divorce court.
Putting together the right team is essential. Finding a lawyer that suits you, both financially and personally, can be a task in itself, as not all lawyers will be in tune with your best interests. “You need to be the quarterback of your divorce resource team,” Ellis advises, “you need to tell your lawyer your best outcome, where you’re willing to give and where you aren’t.”
“Ask questions, and shop around.”
The legal system can get quite complicated. Alexis Martin Neely, “America’s Personal Family Lawyer,” outlines a list of questions you need to ask:
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How do you bill for your services?
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Are you able to be responsive to my needs on an ongoing basis?
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How will you proactively communicate with me on an ongoing basis?
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Can I call about any legal problem I have, or just about matters within your specialty?
Neely is very clear: you need not be afraid to ask these questions of potential lawyers. After all, you will be paying them a lot of money. You need to be sure of what you’re getting into.
Ellis, in addition to offering advice on legal issues, also acts sort of as a life coach. She teaches her clients methods to better handle adversity in any capacity, not just in divorce or separation.
Urging people to be in charge of their own thinking helps them to see the positive, even in seemingly negative situations:
“Without an awareness of how important our mindset is, we engage in knee-jerk reactions or fight or flight responses,” Ellis cautions. This can lead to making irrational decisions that create further damage down the road.
Having your emotions and way of thinking sorted out leads to a better sense of control, and better able to cope with what you cannot control, she adds.
Keep the Kids in Mind
One aspect in your control is how to handle children.
“The single-greatest mistake people (undergoing divorce) make is not having a child-centered divorce,” says Dorcy Russell, CEO and founder of the Conscious Co-Parenting Institute.
“That means being concerned with the best outcome for the kids, and most of all, keeping adult issues out of both your relationships with the kids,” says Russell.
Russell knows of what she speaks. She’s a nationally-recognized expert in Parental Alienation Syndrome. PAS happens when kids are “brainwashed” to be hostile and aggressive towards one parent by the other.
The consequences can be severe, including increased tendencies towards drug abuse, cutting, early sexual activity, and in the future, trouble being a good parent themselves. There are consequences for the “brainwashing” parent as well, says Russell:
“If you keep processing your pain through them, they will turn on you.”
“Kids are way more resilient, adaptable and understanding than we think they are,” adds Ellis, “and they will respond in large measure in reaction to how you (respond).”
But what if the other parent truly did turn out to be a dirtbag? For example, the husband left with the babysitter, or the wife goes to jail for a terrible crime. It happens.
“That’s so hard,” says Russell, “just keep in mind that kids can and will form their own opinions.
And if you happen to be the one whose former partner is poisoning their young hearts and minds against, Russell advises constancy.
“Don’t be a victim, and don’t fight with your ex in front of them,” says Russell, adding you’ll only confirm their worst fears that you really are to blame for this mess.
Instead, be proactive, and find ways to deflect and defer any hostility.
How to break the news of a divorce depends largely on the child’s age. Older children might require more information. Give them as much as they need to know, but make sure not to speak negatively of your former spouse.
Breaking the News
It is important to make sure children know they are loved, that they didn’t create the divorce, that they taken care of, and that divorce is a grown-up thing.
“Often, kids are concerned with what affects their immediate lives,” says Ellis.
What matters to a child? Things like: if they will be moving, where the family pet will go, where his or her toys will be, and if they will still see their friends.
There are a few common-but-avoidable mistakes where kids and divorce are concerned. Putting children in the middle by making then messengers or spies, or dishing to them and thereby making them act as your therapist, are harmful acts to be avoided.
Dealing with your kids is a part of “the process of disentanglement,” according to Ellis. Former spouses still play a role in your life in this way, but it’s drastically different.
“They are no longer a romantic partner,” Ellis says, “they are a business partner in parenting the children, and should be communicated with as such.”
Communication can often be helped by structuring it around a business model.
Divorce is essentially the death of a relationship, which is in essence, a sad thing. However, if it came to an end in this way, it was for good reason. Ellis is quick to point out the positives a divorce can bring.
“Divorce can be an enormous gift,” she says.
“The amount of strength and emotional resilience that I have now, I would not have received in any other way.”
Be sure to check out MOMeo Expert, Carolyn Ellis, on day 30 of our MOMeo 30-Day Challenge!
Basic (green) training: How to start making your home office more eco-friendly
Working from home is already a head start towards “greening” your business. It reduces pollution as well as time spent stuck in traffic. You can always do more – there’s a wide range of methods to further green your workplace.
Here are five tips to get you started, from the very basic to the unusual. All will help reduce waste while saving energy, trees, and ultimately, money.
1. GET PAPER SMART
Recycle your wastepaper – This is one of the easiest and quickest changes to make. Many major centers now have curbside recycling programs. Check online for your municipal waste & recycling services, or seek out the nearest recycling depot.
Go electronic – It’s simple: print less often (which has the added benefit of reducing clutter). Read on-screen, send electronic copies of documents whenever possible, and print only when necessary.
Buy recycled – Most paper out there now has at least 30 per cent post-consumer content. Dig a little harder for 100 per cent recycled paper, which typically costs only slightly more.
2. REDUCE THE JUICE
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents or older fluorescents with energy-efficient fixtures. A 25-watt compact fluorescent bulb produces about as much light as a 100-watt conventional bulb but uses only one-quarter of the electricity. That’s the equivalent of 100 less pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Your computer consumes more juice than it needs to – Activate the power management settings on your computers, allowing them to enter “sleep” mode when not in use. Use an energy-efficient monitor. Set your screen saver to “none” or “blank screen.”
Plug your office equipment into a power bar – A computer running 24 hours a day can use up to $120 of electricity every year. Turn off lights and computers at night or when you leave the room. Not rocket science here, but cost-effective and easy.
3. GREEN OFFICE DEPOT
If you haven’t already, consider a laptop for your next computer – Laptops use about one-tenth the electricity of a desktop, and their convenience and portability are practical for outside business meetings and mompreneurs on the go.
Choose eco-friendly – Water-based correction fluids, pens and markers are safer and better for the environment than their solvent-based predecessors. Choose reusable and refillable products instead of disposables. Replace your water cooler with a quality filtration unit. Bottled water, even in five gallon quantities, isn’t a good deal and in many cases, the quality of filtered tap water exceeds that of bottles.
Go green when you clean your office – Swapping chemical cleaning agents for non- or less-toxic natural equivalents can go a long way, especially with little ones running around.
4. IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Set your thermostat lower by a few degrees in the winter and higher by a few degrees in the summer. For every 1 degree Fahrenheit reduction you make in the winter, three per cent in total energy use can be saved. Consider purchasing an adjustable thermostat, which can be programmed to reduce energy output overnight. Keep your blinds open in the winter and closed in the summer to reduce the load on your temperature system.
Speaking of little things, 47 per cent of households have at least one broken or out-of-date cellular phone. An equal number have dead batteries, chargers or outmoded, broken cameras, and 37 per cent have empty ink cartridges. Recycle these at your local office supply store or municipal recycling center.
5. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
Add a wind turbine – Residential wind generators can lower your electric bill by as much as 80 per cent. On blustery days, it can sometimes generate more electricity than needed, spinning the meter backwards— essentially selling electricity back to the grid.
Are your sales plugged? MOMeo’s 30 Day Challenge continues with Kim Duke – The Sales Diva!
Some of the comments and questions I receive from all over the world sometimes make me wonder if I’m the Sales Plumber instead of The Sales Diva!
Comments such as:
“My sales are plugged!”
“I feel blocked”
“Kim – my sales are stuck!”
Well lady – there’s a famous quote that applies to sales as well.
“A body in motion stays in motion.”
Is your sales pipeline plugged?
If your sales are plugged, slow or non-existent, it’s because of one word. Are you ready – it may HURT!
Inconsistency.
Your sales suck (and are stuck!) because you’re being inconsistent with:
networking
promotion
follow-up with clients and prospects
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all types of marketing that you’re avoiding
Did any of the above sting a little? I hope it did.
Because the “STOP. GO. STOP. GO. STOP” approach to your sales and marketing HAS to end, lady.
Remember –“a body in motion stays in motion.”
That is how MOMENTUM is created in business.
When you’re focused on consistently getting the word out to your prospects, clients, strategic alliances on a DAILY basis you will not believe what will start to happen.
New fabulous clients will pop out of the woodwork.
Strategic alliances will call out of the blue.
The media starts getting wind of you.
BIG opportunities you can’t imagine JUST SHOW UP.
Your bank account starts to blossom, not bleed.
Some bossy Sales Diva advice? Sit down and make a daily plan of at least 3 to 5 activities you need to do EVERY DAY that will grow your business.
So there.
Sign-Up for the 30 Day MOMentum Challenge: 30 Days to Build Unstoppable Momentum
Kim Duke, CEO of www.salesdivas.com is an international sales expert for women in sales. Sign up for her sassy and savvy advice at www.salesdivas.com and also receive her SMOKING HOT 30-page free report: The 5 Biggest Sales Mistakes Women Make.
Take That List and Blast It! 7 Tips to Organize Overwhelming To-Do’s Into Action-able Tasks
There is no way around the fact that moms are busy writing lists.
Girls, do we have a ridiculous number of lists or what? Grocery lists, birthday party guest lists, bucket lists, laundry lists, you name it.
We’ve got the list checked off, crumpled up and sitting on the floor of our purses (next to a few pennies and a couple of raisins).
I have decided it’s time for us to blast these lists into high gear so we can settle down, level up and get more done!
These all-important little lists we moms create are quite simply the equivalent of our brains on paper. Without them, we find ourselves wandering aimlessly, knowing it’s someone’s birthday, that we are forgetting something – and feeling just plain anxious about whether or not we are doing what we should be in life.
I don’t know about you, but I lose sleep over this kind of stuff and although I just turned 25 again (for the fourth or tenth time) I need my beauty rest these days.
Add a business or two to this mix of lists and you have a recipe for some seriously unproductive days. Can you afford to have wasted hours, days, weeks or even months? Me neither.
Organization is the key to minimizing chaos and increasing order in your life, which means you get more done and you enjoy the ride.
Here are 7 Simple Tips to help you blast your lists into actionable steps (that you can take in slippers, stilettos or sneakers):
1. Use a yearly calendar to designate monthly productivity themes. This way, every month you can focus on strengthening one aspect of your business or life (ie: online marketing, customer service, team management, financial systems, joint ventures, etc). By the end of the year, you will have spent 12 months consciously building 12 areas of your biz.
2. Always schedule family time before business and honor this commitment. Mark down one-on-one time with each family member every week BEFORE you create your weekly biz agenda. This tactic makes your family and loved ones your top priority, while sending a message that they are more important than your work. This goes a long way when it comes to friends and family supporting your business.
3. Calendar out your weekly to-do list every Sunday night, choosing a maximum of two major tasks per day. There are only 24 hours in a day, and 8 of them you should be sleeping. You also need to make time to eat, exercise and relax every day, which realistically only leaves room for 2 major tasks (at most) in any given day. There is no sense beating yourself up about it; just accept what is humanly possible and plan accordingly! Two big tasks max per day.
4. Break down big projects into smaller tasks by setting time limits and deadlines you can commit to 100%. If a task requires more than two hours to complete, it probably needs to be broken down into smaller items. Be aware of this as you create your weekly to-do list and utilize a timer to stay on track.
5. Prioritize tasks into “Must Do ASAP”, “Must Do Today” and “If I Have Enough Time…” and follow their completion according to level of importance. Completing ASAP tasks first will relieve stress and keep you moving forward. Conversely, doing easy tasks first sucks the time right out of your precious schedule, keeping the big stuff looming over your head (can you say, “stress!”) and delaying you from accomplishing what REALLY needs to get done. So, do the hard stuff first for maximum productivity.
6. Block similar tasks into specific days of the week. For instance, only take phone calls on Mondays, in person meetings on Wednesdays, write on Tuesdays and Thursdays, etc. Many entrepreneurs take phone calls every day which can disrupt work flow and distract you from your schedule. Setting up specific days for designated activities will increase your productivity and keep you feeling on the ball.
7. Avoid the tendency to multi-task. Multi-tasking is actually another way of saying ADD. When your attention is split into several different areas, you cannot fully focus on anything and completing a task will take you longer. Stay focused on one thing at a time and you will achieve greater results.
Implement any one tip on this list and you will see a big difference in your productivity and output levels, but utilize all of these techniques and you will see a profound effect on every facet of your life.
The most successful entrepreneurs stay organized and motivated on the right path in life by beginning each day with the end in mind. Take 15 minutes every morning to practice visualizing your ultimate goal in every area of your life: relationships, career, health, family, spirit, community … and play an active role in how each day will bring you closer to your dreams.
Britt Michaelian, M.A. is an exhibiting artist, bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker and a mom entrepreneur. With a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapy and as the Founder of Responsible Family Company and several other businesses, Britt has experienced firsthand the many ups and downs of starting and running a business while raising a family. Known as The Smart Start-Up Coach for Moms, Britt is now guiding moms through the start up phase of their entrepreneurial journeys. Sign up for free monthly Smart Biz Start-Up Q&A calls & the Work Smart Mompreneurs newsletter at brittmichaelian.com
The Virtual Office: Five timely tips for efficiently managing your team from home
Your business has really taken off. Your clients are multiplying like rabbits, and your project pile is growing. While the extra income is wonderful, you’re in danger of stretching yourself too thin.
You’ve already added a behind-the-scenes helper or two – but now, you need more you. Cloning yourself might be your ideal solution, but failing that, you need the next best thing. Once you find help, you have a new problem – how do you manage your team?
As a mompreneur, moving into an office may not be in the cards. If you’re going to virtually manage a team, says MOMeo Community Founder, CEO & Publisher of MOMeo Magazine.com Carla Young, it’s crucial to recognize the differences from an office environment:
“You don’t have the ability to look up and see what’s going on around you; that Joe is in a meeting, that Beth is wrapping up her big project,” says Young, “these things have to be communicated.”
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Therein lies the biggest challenge of virtual managing, says Young.
“Miscommunication in an email or instant message is so easy. It just takes one person taking something out of context, missing a key detail, or misinterpreting a request and you have chaos – missed deadlines, time wasted heading off in the wrong direction…”
“You think something’s off your plate,” says Young, and you just end up doing it later in a rush.
Tip 1 – Set communication protocols
Your emails should follow a standard format for future referencing. Encourage (and follow) a “one topic per email” policy. The subject line is there for a reason – reference the specific project. Don’t use long paragraphs, but make generous use of bullet points. Close each email with necessary and/or recommended action steps.
“Write emails so people can scan through them,” says Young.
Tip 2 – Use absolute clarity
Try not to use terms like “later” or “tomorrow.” It may seem obvious at the time, but several days later “tomorrow afternoon” can be confusing. If you mean Monday, March 16, at 2:00 pm, say so explicitly.
Tip 3 – Tap into technology
Your worst-case scenario: a team member is suddenly unavailable, and you desperately need some documents on her hard drive. There’s no IT team to give you access. You’ve only got two options – you can either knock on her door, or start from scratch.
The solution? An online document management system. All you and your team needs is Internet access. With central, accessible files, you’re protected from a worst-case scenario, but online management isn’t just insurance. It’s useful for checking and reviewing progress when traveling, and avoids the problem of version control. There is no shortage of selection, from Box.Net to Basecamp. Look into which one works best for you.
Tip 4 – Regular check-ups
“Even if you think you’re handling everything,” says Young, “you have to make time for that voice-to-voice contact.”
Scheduling a regular conversation, either in person or over the phone, does two things email and instant messaging doesn’t.
First, you’ll be better able to gauge if someone is overwhelmed, confused, or frazzled. Second, just by going over what’s being worked on and what’s coming, you won’t be caught off guard by misunderstandings over timelines or strategy.
Miscommunications have a way of self-perpetuating in email and instant messaging.
Tip 5 – Confirm understanding
Working with a virtual team, it’s especially difficult to pick up on the subtle things. You can’t assume they understand every last aspect and detail of whatever project you’ve assigned – it’s just not possible.
It’s important to take the time and guide them through the early steps.
“Don’t just say, ‘here’s the assignment,’” says Young, “or you’re both likely to waste a lot of time.”
Instead, type out the project details in an email, and follow that up with a phone conversation about it. Especially for new team members or new types of projects, build in a feedback milestone.
Ask your team to work for a short period of time and send a progress report or sample. Not only does this save time in the long run, it prevents frustration on both sides with having to start over because you wanted it “this way, not that way.”
5 Emergency Steps for Getting Unstuck: MOMeo’s 30 Day Challenge continues with Sarah Robinson
Here’s the thing. There are times when everyone – and I mean EVERYONE feels stuck.
Anyone who says they don’t is either fibbing or delusional.
I’m betting that if you are reading this, you are intimately familiar with feeling stuck – in your business, in your life, or even in both – maybe even this very minute. Please know that I have been where you are. Unfocused, unmotivated and unable to move forward.
The emergency steps I am about to share are based on my personal experiences getting “unstuck,” as well as the work I’ve done “unsticking” my clients.
My intention is to give you concrete solutions that, if you actively apply them, will get you unstuck and moving forward.
So let’s get going – okay?!
Emergency Step #1: Answer this question for yourself: Am I really stuck?
I think sometimes we use the words “I’m stuck” because they’re simpler, easier and far more palatable than figuring out what really might be going on.
So, what are some other possibilities that are a little closer to the truth?
I’m not really stuck…I’m actually afraid.
I’m not really stuck…I’m actually overwhelmed.
I’m not really stuck…I just can’t see how to do it MY way. (i.e. – my way is the ONLY way.)
I’m not really stuck…I just can’t change someone else. (i.e. “if THEY would only do right…”)
I’m not really stuck…I’d just rather be miserable in my comfort zone than take the risk of succeeding or failing.
I’m not really stuck…I just don’t really want to deal with this right now. Which sounds better: saying “I’m stuck” or “I’m procrastinating?”
Emergency Step #2: Move your body
But first…now is as good a time as any to put a little tough love on the table:
If you are unwilling to try this or any other step, you are choosing to stay stuck. So, I am going to ask you to take responsibility for that choice and revisit Step #1.
Put on some music and dance. Take a walk. Go to the gym.
Just get the blood pumping and your body moving. By shifting your energy away from the “stuckness” into doing something you CAN do, all kinds of possibilities, solutions and new ways of thinking will emerge.
Emergency Step #3: Break it down
It you are facing something that has you completely shut down in stuck-ness, break it down into ridiculously small baby steps. I mean steps so small they feel absurd.
Here is the question I ask myself when I feel stuck: What is the smallest step I know I can take without fail that will move me toward where I want to go?
Small steps lead to big steps and can eventually lead to an all out run. The important thing is to give yourself a small success to build upon.
Emergency Step #4: Choose a reward
I am ALL about rewards to get me off the dime! Choose a meaningful carrot to dangle in front of your nose to get you moving.
And here’s the trick with this emergency step: GIVE YOURSELF THE REWARD.
Complete the step, get the reward, then decide to do more. If you don’t give yourself the reward you promised yourself, you will stop believing yourself. Don’t put yourself in that position.
Emergency Step #5: Bag it, barter it or better it
This is a trick my mentor, Martha Beck, taught me. When faced with a task I can’t get moving on, I ask:
1) Can I bag it?
Let’s face it – many things on our to-do list really aren’t that important in the grand scheme of things. What’s the worst that will happen if I just don’t do it?
2) Can I barter it?
Just because it has to be done, does it have to be done by ME? Can I trade with someone who loves to do this thing?
As an example, two neighbors of mine exchange gardening and baking chores. Each does the thing they love most, and eliminates the thing they dislike. Pretty cool, huh?!
3) Can I better it?
Assuming it is a task that a) must be done and b) must be done by me – how can I make the experience as delightful as possible?
I’ll use bill-paying (which I loathe) as an example. I now have a special box, outfitted with my favorite pen, envelopes, stamps and a calculator that I pull out for bill-paying time. I sit in my favorite chair, play my favorite music, sip on my favorite drink and get my bills paid. Doesn’t change the task itself, but the experience is FAR more enjoyable.
Now that you actually have some tools for getting unstuck, I want you to answer the following question for yourself:
What am I willing to do in the next 24 hours to move myself from feeling stuck to going forward?
Sign-Up for the 30 Day MOMentum Challenge: 30 Days to Build Unstoppable Momentum
Sarah Robinson is a seasoned coach and business strategist who is passionate about the idea of escaping mediocrity – both personally and professionally.
Her blog, escaping-mediocrity.com not only journals her personal adventures in breaking free from the stranglehold of mediocrity, but also offers insights, tools and a “tribe” for those who feel pulled toward the same adventurous life.
Her expertise in personal and business change was developed through many years of working with and providing coaching to other entrepreneurs and start-up non-profits, where she honed her ability to “turn around” thousands of struggling individuals and organizations.
Gimme Ten to Create Momentum: MOMeo’s 30 Day Challenge continues with Susie Shina
Do you have a tough time getting in the mood to exercise?
Then GIMME TEN.
Instead of focusing on the hassle, the pain or the sweaty mess associated with exercise, CREATE MOMENTUM by knowing that 10 minutes of movement means:
• a better night’s sleep
• more satisfying sex
• less stress
• increased mental focus & clarity
• age-defying longevity
• better body confidence
When you commit to any kind of physical activity for just 10 minutes, momentum builds like crazy to continue everyday because the body loves:
• the “feel good” endorphin rush
• the increased oxygen to your brain
• Increase circulation & blood flow
• Release stress and tension
• the engaged mind/body connection
• the fat burn for a sleek and toned look
Not convinced that 10 minutes of a total-body exercise circuit will do the trick? Slip your shoes off, put on your favorite music and take action with this quick 10 minute home-office workout…
I’ll let you in on a little something…I made up Gimme Ten for myself. Although I know the benefits of exercise, sometimes I don’t want to work out either. I put a hot pink sticky note on the door of my studio that says “Gimme Ten.” It always works for me, without fail. It works for my clients, and it will work for you too.
Remember “Gimme Ten” for creating momentum to enhance your lifestyle when you:
- Just want to stay in bed.
- Think you don’t have time.
- Just want to come home from work and put your feet up.
- Can think of 10 billion things to do other than exercise.
Let the momentum build, get motivated and do something for yourself for just 10 minutes…you’ll be so glad you did!
Susie Shina is an award-winning author, lifestyle strategist and creator of the Fit for Biz Challenge. Her innovative Fit Enough concept has been featured on CBS, Fox, NBC, women’s magazines and hundreds of radio stations. www.befitenough.com
Sign-Up for the 30 Day MOMentum Challenge: 30 Days to Build Unstoppable Momentum
Susie Shina is a Lifestyle Strategist who creates sustainable fitness, nutrition, stress-reduction and self-care programs so clients can start getting the good stuff in life.
Here’s the stuff meant to impress the heck out of you
Award-winning author … Regular guest on CBS, NBC & Fox morning shows … appearances in Natl women’s magazines like Glamour, First, Fit Pregnancy … regular expert for WebMD … hundreds of radio interviews & featured guest host appearances … Corporate wellness program creator & consultant for Mars Chocolate … featured speaker for Fix the Family.
Fix America series … CEO of Lady Boots … co-creator of patent-pending eco-friendly fitness product that reduces cellulite (for real) launching in the mass marketplace this summer … host of Gettin the Good Stuff.
MOMeo 30 Day Challenge: Time Management Tips for Busy Business Owners
Here’s a question I get asked all the time:
“I don’t know how you do it, Alicia…with two little ones to care for and so few hours in the day to actually focus on your work. Somehow you manage to write your weekly ezine, hold a bunch of teleseminars each month, run your private and group coaching programs, AND create and promote new offers and new products all the time. I’m so impressed and inspired by you, but more than that:
I want to know how you do it all!?”
To be honest, sometimes I wonder myself! Something I often say to other (especially new) mothers is “despite what everyone tells you to do, do whatever works for YOU.”
In a way, that’s how I started running my business after I had my daughter. I just did whatever worked. I still do.
When she got a bit older, it was easier to manage both being a full-time mother along with running a successful business. Then enter baby #2 and it was back to square one. It’s not easy but it is possible. And here’s what’s really interesting (MOMeos, take note): I’m making about $5k more each month since having my son – and I’m working LESS.
A client recently pointed out that it seems the biggest growths in my business have been when I’ve been having babies – and she’s right!
Over time, I’ve figured out how to get the most important things done – while still being able to focus the majority of my time on my family. After all, that’s one of the reasons why I went into business for myself in the first place.
Here are the top three things that are working for me right now:
1. Setting my work hours
My typical work day looks like this: I get organized the night before for the next day. This jump-starts my day and makes sure that when I do get those tiny pockets of time to get something done, I know exactly what to do.
This makes me feel like I’m accomplishing stuff in between playing trains, having tea parties, coloring, swim and music classes, exploring the neighborhood or running errands.
But I don’t get any real work done until naptime. I work for an hour or so while the kids nap, five days a week. Then I put in some more time after they go to bed at night, whether I’m leading a teleseminar or catching up on emails. My biggest block of focused time, usually reserved for writing and product creation, is on Saturdays, when I work approximately four hours.
During a perfect week, that would give me about 12 hours of time dedicated to business. However, there’s never a perfect week (one or the other doesn’t nap, I have some pressing non-business-related task that I can only take care of when they’re sleeping, one of them is sick, etc.), so my best guess is that this gives me about 8 to 10 productive hours to work on my business each week.
2. Ignoring the phone
I’m serious when I say I ignore the phone. Some of my clients get heart palpitations when I tell them I NEVER jump when the phone rings and suggest they do the same. I don’t even have the ringer turned on the business line.
Does this mean I miss some important calls? Probably. But my virtual assistant checks my messages in a timely manner, takes care of what she can, and forwards the rest to me. I then call people back at a more convenient time for me.
3. Quick consults
When a prospective client wanted to speak with me about “just a few questions,” I used to gladly schedule a time to talk. But instead of a few questions, I’d be on the phone for at least a half hour, basically giving a free coaching/consulting session, and being frustrated with myself for not valuing my time more.
Until recently, when a potential client or customer requested to talk about working with me or about one of my products, they could schedule a time to talk for a much smaller fee than my usual hourly rate. If they decided to go forward with working with me, they could apply the fee they paid towards the program or product they were interested in. It’s fair and values both our time and investment in the process.
Now, however, prospects can talk with my virtual assistant should they need more information about any of my programs or products. If someone is interested in working with me one-on-one, we invite them to apply for a private coaching spot and if I feel it’s a good fit, we set up an interview to discuss moving forward.
BONUS: Make and use lists
I’d be lost without my lists! I’d never remember to do anything if I didn’t write it down. I keep a bunch of reporter’s notebooks around the house and anytime I think of something I need to do, I write it down in whatever room I’m in – whether it’s business or personal.
I periodically gather the lists and separate them into three main lists; personal, business, and other –a which includes the “someday I’d like to…” stuff; things that aren’t a priority but that I want to remember to do at some point – and check things off in priority order from there.
If you start applying some of these steps now, I guarantee the number of productive hours you spend on your business will increase. And you’ll also feel less overwhelmed and less stressed about trying to get it all done. So, which one of these strategies are you willing to implement today?
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Alicia Forest, MBA, has devoted the last 9 years of her professional life to achieving excellence in entrepreneurship. She now brings her years of hands-on experience to help struggling online business owners breakthrough their blocks to turn their businesses into 6-figure mini-empires.
With her signature spirited style, youthful energy and exceptional skills as a catalyst and educator, Alicia Forest is without question the go-to girl for guidance for online business owners.
Since 2001, Alicia regularly meets with clients from around the world to educate and inspire them to marry money and meaning in their business. Many of those clients create 6-figure incomes as a direct result of working privately with Alicia.
In 2006, Alicia authored her bestselling 21 Easy & Essential Steps to Online Success System™. This comprehensive tutorial walks small business owners and entrepreneurs through the process of building a successful and sustainable business online that’s guaranteed to bring them to a 6-figure income in half the time they could on their own.
Alicia’s first print book, 6 Simple Steps to 6 Figures for the Solo Service Professional: How to Create Your Lifestyle Business Based on Your Passion for Serving Others, will be available in 2009. You can learn more about Alicia and her courses, programs and products at her website, AliciaForest.com
Relationship Renovation…
Date night for Alice and Bart often meant shopping at Target or the grocery store. Nothing like choosing lettuce and light bulbs to stir the romantic embers. With a never-ending to-do list and the added responsibilities of a newborn, this dual-income couple found it increasingly difficult to nurture their relationship. Until Alice attended a group counseling session, discovering how to rejuvenate her marriage.
“I learned what brings me joy in my life,” says Alice, a marketing rep in Harrisburg, Pa., married six years. She requested her last name withheld to protect family privacy. “Both of us like to be outside,” Alice says of Bart while strolling recently with their 5-month-old son through their neighborhood. “We try to make time to be together where we’re not distracted” by errands or housework, she says. Long walks or road trips with a sleeping child in tow seem to do the trick. “It reminds me why we’re together.”
It’s no wonder marriages are pushed to the back burner when trying to manage children, a job, housework, financial strains and schedule overload. Unlike these other areas that vie for our attention, relationships tend to “quietly soldier on” until it’s too late, says James Córdova, director of the Marriage Checkup program at Clark University in Worcester, Mass.
That’s why even the most successful marriages need a relationship overhaul from time to time, according to psychologists and counselors interviewed for this story.
Here are a few marital issues cited by the experts and their suggested remedies:
Conflict: Where’s the Romance?
Resolution: Experience The Embrace
Hugs will never be the same after you’ve tried this mindful approach from Córdova, author of the new book, “The Marriage Checkup: A Scientific Program for Sustaining and Strengthening Marital Health.”
Enter the hug from a position that does not require straining, he says. “Breathe into the hug. Relax into the contact, turning your attention to the moment, the warmth, softness, pressure of contact. Allow an awareness of all the qualities of the moment. Walk through each of your senses. Experience the totality.”
Now stay this way for five minutes. “It’s quite a bit longer than most couples will hug,” Córdova admits. Rest assured, with regularity, the awkward barriers will disappear, “allowing a deeper, more embodied experience just to be with this unique person.”
“Our minds tend to want to rush off,” he says. “This is an opportunity to practice just being aware. It can be a real basis to foster intimacy.”
Hugging not your thing? Try a little eye contact to bolster your declarations of love, says Dr. Robert Moss, a clinical psychologist in Greenville, S.C. While words may be cheap, the nonverbal message is: “You are worth my time simply to gaze into your eyes and tell you.”
An eye statement tends to lessen the impact of many marital troubles, according to Marriage Counselor Ann Smith, of Reading, Pa. Greeting each other with the eyes should be the first priority upon entering the home after separation, she says. “Put it ahead of the mailbox and bills, even if only for two minutes to see the person you love. Then, when you open the bills, they do not seem so bad.”
Conflict: Who Has Time For a Date?
Resolution: Consider Bungee-Jumping
Undefined plans for a getaway or date next weekend or next month may never materialize, Córdova says. “We look for found time to grab in spare moments. Even though it seems simple, you have to make time because you are never going to find time.”
He recommends couples schedule regular, predictable time during which they can actively explore and experience the world, possibly try something neither one has done before. “They should practice a type of curiosity about each other and about the world.”
Couples who think they know everything about the spouse fail to understand that everyone is evolving, Córdova says. “If you’re bored with the person you are with it’s a sure sign you have stopped paying attention to ‘who the person I am with today is because certainly I’m not the same person as yesterday.’”
Every six months to a year couples should also plan a getaway so they don’t feel as helpless about their relationship and have something to look forward to, he says.
Conflict: Put Up Your Dukes
Resolution: It’s Called Communicating
If you know your spouse is frustrated about something, actively listen without trying to solve the issue, Moss says. You might address your partner: “If we can agree not to look for solutions, I can just to be there to hold you so you’re not alone, so I don’t have to feel like I want to escape.”
Anger is not necessarily a bad thing in a relationship, Córdova adds. Use dance lessons as an analogy for communication. “You are going to step on toes. If you say ‘ow’ and your partner does the same thing, naturally you learn to dance gracefully together.
You get to say ‘ow,’ that pissed me off, but you do not get to attack each other’s character.”
Conflict: The Thrill is Gone
Resolution: Attract A Crowd
Schedule gift deliveries several times a year when your partner least expects it, not just on Valentine’s Day, anniversaries or birthdays, says Moss, who latest self-help book offers marriage counseling, “For Better or For Worse: Am I in Love with a Giver or a Taker?”
“If your wife works, send it to her at work. Get in front of people a special surprise they will see. The attention from others activates positive feelings.”
On the other hand, be cautious about sending gifts as an apology, he warns. Like makeup sex, such gifts may subconsciously force your partner to start an argument to gain the reward.
Conflict: The Honey-Do List
Resolution: It Takes Two
Set aside problem-solving sessions twice a week for 45 minutes to an hour without distractions, Moss says. Take the phone off the hook, occupy the children and alternate presenting a problem, ensuring the listener understands the issue and agreed-upon solution. “If it’s two hours a week, you free up all the rest of the time to do positive things.”
Smith suggests finding a permanent location around your home, outside the bedroom and earshot of children, for face-to-face discussions. Ideally three to four times a week couples should meet here to debrief, away from whatever is bothering them, says Smith, executive director of Breakthrough at Caron, a nonprofit wellness program that helps break unhealthy life patterns.
JOIN US on Friday for PART TWO–How To Use Relationship Renovation Tips with your Co-Workers!
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- I love that @AlyPain tells it like it is --> STOP Blaming Your Children - Why YOUR Failure Isn't THEIR Fault - http://t.co/LPo51mgI
- Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, "Make me feel important." ~Mary Kay Ash
