Leadership Flagship

5 Tips To Spice Up Your Workplace And Become More Productive

October 18, 2018

Reblogged from: https://mzukowskiblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/16/5-tips-to-spice-up-your-workplace-and-become-more-productive/

We’ve all heard the words: home is where the heart is.

However for most of us, home has become a trap. A comfort trap, someplace we look forward to everyday simply to do nothing.

For those of us eager for change in our lives, this has become a huge problem. We no longer look around our rooms for inspiration or motivation, as we should. Instead, it’s become a daily reminder that today will be just the same as yesterday.

And if we don’t change the environment we live in, how can we hope to change at all?

But how do we turn out workplace into an inspiration, a playground for ideas to blossom from? A place for our inner child to go crazy and let loose?

The good news is, it’s an easy and fun change.

Tip #1 – Add Something Different

It’s been a while since something different found itself on your table but you’d be surprised with the impact it has. Something that’s never been there before can be your constant reminder that things/people can change.

Tip #2 – Keep A Journal Handy

We’re writers, content creators, artists, visionaries etc. We’re fishermen waiting in the water for an idea to swim by. Could be a million dollar idea or a five minute burst of energy. Whatever it is, jump at it and write it down quickly. Ideas are slippery suckers.

Tip #3 – Remove Distracting Items

This goes without saying. We’re trying to condition ourselves to become more productive in order to create something beautiful. We must remove any reminders of bad habits we have or distracting items that can draw our attention and make us procrastinate. Removing the bad habits in your life will make way for the good ones.

Tip #4 – Take A Break

Breaks are important. Working the whole day online; blogging, researching, reading, connecting with your readers, is not easy and without a break, you’ll end up working less efficiently or worse, giving up. I’d recommend a stress ball or Rubik’s Cube on your table just to take a 10-minute break and zone out.

Tip #5 – Have Water/Snacks Handy

I can’t even begin to tell you the importance of more water in your daily schedule. Strictly from a mental perspective, water improves concentration and cognition. It also helps balance your moods and emotions and helps maintain memory function. Keep a bottle handy and some healthy snacks handy to improve the quality of your work.

Road to Happiness

We’ve all heard the words: home is where the heart is.

However for most of us, home has become a trap. A comfort trap, someplace we look forward to everyday simply to do nothing.

For those of us eager for change in our loves, this has become a huge problem. We no longer look around our rooms for inspiration or motivation, as we should. Instead, it’s become a daily reminder that today will be just the same as yesterday.

And if we don’t change the environment we live in, how can we hope to change at all?

But how do we turn out workplace into an inspiration, a playground for ideas to blossom from? A place for our inner child to go crazy and let loose?

The good news is, it’s an easy and fun change.

Tip #1 – Add Something Different

It’s been a while since something different found…

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This Strategy Makes Procrastination Impossible

October 17, 2018
Darius Foroux October 16, 2018

How often have you started a new habit that you already quit after several days? If you’re like me in the past, the answer is something like, “all the time.”

Forming a new habit is hard. I don’t have to tell you that. We all know how difficult it is to live a prosperous and healthy life. If it were easy, everybody would do it.

We also know that our chance of succeeding is much higher if we start small, right? It’s common sense. “Don’t take on too much in the beginning—you’ll have more reasons to give up.” So goes the advice, which is solid. I’m not going to argue with that.

But far too few people actually start small. In fact, I see more people starting big than starting small.

Why is that? I think we can get too excited about making a change or doing new things. When we dream about making a change in our lives and start believing in it, the excitement usually takes over.

That’s why we end up doing too much too soon.

“But how can I prevent myself from getting too excited?”

To be clear, I don’t think excitement is bad. You need energy to make a change. And it’s great to be fired up about achieving something in your life. Always remind yourself that you want to stay fired up. Because when things get hard, we can lose that fire.

So when you start forming a habit (writing, working out, reading, eating healthy) or learning a new skill, remember that it should not feel like a challenge. The activity should be easy. If that’s not the case, we all procrastinate—even the most self-disciplined people do that.

When you start something new, it’s not about your results. When I started writing every day, I couldn’t care less about how many words I wrote. Or when I started getting daily exercise, I didn’t care what type of exercise. I just wanted to make sure I did it.
- Wrote for 4 minutes? Great—you did it.
- Went for a 20-minute walk? Great—you did it.
- Read a book for 2 minutes? Great—you did it.
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, which is about changing your life by forming small habits, writes about this idea in his new book. I like how he removes all barriers for starting a habit. He writes:

“A new habit should not feel like a challenge. The actions that follow can be challenging, but the first two minutes should be easy. What you want is a “gateway habit” that naturally leads you down a more productive path.”

Remember, the action itself is not easy. But as James says, the first two minutes should be easy. And what you’ll find is that you can scale down nearly any habit or activity into a two-minute version.
- Want to read every day? Read one page.
- Want to meditate every day? Sit in a meditation position.
- Want to study for an exam? Open your book.
I like this strategy because it nearly makes it impossible to procrastinate. When I look back at all the times I’ve procrastinated, it was always related to getting overwhelmed. When you haven’t even started something, the end result seems a million miles away.

That’s how you end up saying, “screw this.” So instead of focusing on the BIG outcome, focus on the SMALL start. Look at what you want to achieve in your life. Then, look at what habits will make that happen.

For example, want to be a CEO? Most leaders are readers. So you might want to start a daily reading habit. Then, scale down the habits you need to succeed into a two-minute activity.

“And then what?”

The goal is not only to get started—it’s to keep going. Nobody wants to read one page a day for the rest of their lives. To me, this strategy is all about getting used to doing something every day.

Look, changing your lifestyle is not an easy thing. Let’s say you’ve been living in a certain way for 30 years. What do you expect? That you change overnight? You and I both know that it takes time. So we should change our perspective accordingly.

Your first priority should always be to form the habit—something you do regularly. And remember: Habits are not about results.

No one cares about how many pages you’ve read, how hard you’ve worked out, or how long you haven’t smoked a cigarette. You should only care about what you did today—and don’t focus on metrics.

Life is a competition with yourself—not others. And if you want to win, you must make it easy for yourself.
10 Small Habits That Have a Huge Return On Life

October 17, 2018
DARIUS FOROUX SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 (Edited by M.Wood 10/17/2018)

Everyone can adopt any habit they want. Don’t worry about how you will change. Focus on what habits you want to form and why.

Over the years, I’ve adopted many different “positive” habits. To me, a habit is positive when it improves the quality of my life. A lot has been written about forming habits. How hard is? How long does it take? What’s the best way to break habits? How do we adopt new habits?

My experience is that everyone can adopt any habit they want. There’s only one condition though: You need a good reason to make a change…and in 99% of cases, the reason to change comes from personal suffering, sadness, or hurt. At some point, you can’t stand your current behavior anymore.

Don’t worry about how you will change. Focus on what habits you want to form and why.

After one of my friends recently asked me about my current habits, I decided to share them here — with a brief explanation of why the habits are good.
1. Do a full-body workout with weights 3 times a week
Strength training has several benefits. It protects bone health, muscle mass, keeps you lean, increases energy levels, and prevents injuries… Like many people who lift weights, I started with split routines.That means you work out different muscle during every session. With most routines, you’re training a specific muscle only one time per week. It turns out that muscles need more stress to become stronger.

Ideally, you want to train all your muscles, 3 times a week. It’s simple, practical, and it works.
1. Set 3-4 daily priorities
This is one of the best productivity strategies there is. We all know that focus is what brings us results.

No focus? No results. So how do you focus? By limiting your options and tasks. Elimination is the key. Be very clear about what you want to achieve every single day, week, and year. Every day, work on 3-4 essential (and small) tasks that will bring you closer to your weekly and yearly goals.
1. Read 60 minutes a day
I get it, you’re too busy to read. Or maybe you just don’t like to read. Well, you’re not getting off that easily.

Reading is essential for your cognition. But you already knew that. How about this? Reading will also turn you into a better thinker and writer.

“But I still don’t like to read.” Well, there are many things in life we don’t like, but we still do them. Instead of telling yourself you don’t like to read, learn to enjoy it by doing it every day.

And like magic, one day, you’ll love to read.
1. Sleep 7-8 hours a night
I never sacrifice my sleep for anything. I recently canceled a meeting in the morning because I slept late. The night before, I was reading a good book that totally consumed me.

After reading, I started taking notes. And before I knew it, it was 2 am. I had to wake up at 7 am to make the meeting. I canceled the meeting. I’m not going to sleep for 6 hours so I can make a meeting when I know that I’ll be tired the whole day.

Some people can perform well with 5 hours of sleep. But most of us need more. If you’re part of the latter group, make sure you get enough sleep. And be dead serious about it. If you’re not in a position to cancel meetings etc., sleep early.
1. Walk 30 minutes a day
If you can’t MAKE the time to go for a daily walk, you’re not in control of your life. I don’t even walk for the health benefits. Sure, walking keeps the body moving and is good for you.

But I go for a daily walk because it breaks the pattern of our mundane lives. Look, we can’t deny that life is routine. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

But when you walk outside, you’re forced to be one with the world. It heightens your senses. You can go alone or with someone else. You can have a good conversation. Or you can simply enjoy the surroundings.
1. Follow the intermittent fasting eating pattern
I don’t eat anything after my dinner. And I skip breakfast. That means I “fast” for 15-16 hours every day. There are some health benefits associated with intermittent fasting. But we have to be careful with making claims.

The reason I like it is that it makes me feel and look better. Plus, I can eat whatever I want during the day without gaining any weight.

I don’t eat junk food. I stick to whole foods with high nutritional value. Also, my first meal contains a lot of unsaturated fat and protein. And finally, make sure you consume the calories your body needs to operate (2000 for women, 2500 for men, on average).
1. Be present
We’re so focused on our goals that we forget to enjoy the present moment. This is one of my biggest pitfalls.I really need to remind myself EVERY SINGLE day that I should enjoy the now.

We’re always waiting until we achieve something. “I will be happy then.” Nope, you won’t if you’re always stuck in the future. Find a trigger that brings you back to the present moment.

For example, I recently bought a new watch. During the same time, I was reading a lot about this spiritual stuff. Now, every time I look at my watch, I say, “What time is it? NOW.”
1. Practice kindness & love
We all treat our love like it’s a depletable resource. That’s false. Love is unlimited and never runs out. You can give it away as much as you like. But your ego stops you from doing that. You always want something in return.

So give this a try. Realize that you have an unlimited resource. Give some of your love and kindness away every day. Don’t worry about keeping score. You have enough love anyway.
1. Journal or write 30 minutes a day
I need to get my thoughts in order every day. I do that by writing. That helps me to focus on what matters to me. That’s why I journal. Even when I’m not writing articles, I sit down and journal — only for myself. I don’t write in my journal for others.

Journaling is also an excellent tool to [help you] become a better thinker and person.
1. Save 30% of your income
If you can’t save 30%, save 10%. Saving is not about how much. It’s about how often.

You save by cutting out useless things you do daily or weekly. You don’t need to buy a latte every day. You also don’t need to buy “organic” cashew nuts for $10.Save on the small things. They will turn into big lumps of cash in time. Especially if you invest that extra cash.

And that is also the secret to these 10 habits. They are all small. And the daily progress you make seems insignificant.

You will only see the return it has on your life over time. You must stick to these habits until your life gets better.And when that happens, you’ll keep going — not because you have to, but because you want to.
Why Being Likable Can be a Remarkable Life Skill

October 17, 2018
LARAE QUY OCTOBER 5, 2018

(Edited by M.Wood 10/17/2018)

Sometimes I focus on being likable; other times, I focus on how to get the job done…

Entrepreneurs and leaders also struggle to maintain the balance between likability and effectiveness. At times it’s important to establish personal connections and develop new relationships. Other times you’ll need to impress new clients and competitors with your competence and capabilities.

Although Steve Jobs got away with it, being a jerk doesn’t add value in most cases. The tough question for leaders is when to pour on the charm.. and when to roll over the competition to get the best deal.

A gap is created when your ability to get the job done is more important to your investors and employees than your likability. To be ruthlessly effective, [take no prisoners] and it could affect your reputation in both the market and the organization.

The well-researched OCEAN model has identified 5 personality characteristics most important in people’s lives.

The five traits are:
- Openness to experience,
- Conscientiousness
- Extraversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident).
These five traits stabilize over time and persist despite circumstances. They have an impact on how well you do in life.

Of the 5 personality traits, research has identified one above the rest that predicts professional success: Agreeableness. In other words, likability. Likable people possess the admirable traits of politeness, respectfulness, and listening skills.

Let’s take a closer look at why being likable can be a remarkable life skill:
1. Be likable for the right reasons
Unfortunately, likable can be viewed as a synonym for wimp—the affable person who goes along with everyone to keep the peace. Wimps don’t want to upset others and will go out of their way to be nice. They let people walk all over them because they don’t have the backbone to take a stand on something that’s important.

As a leader, you may need to place pressure on employees or investors to maintain the competitiveness of your company. Likable people are not afraid to dig in their heels when they see ways to things better. They’d rather be called a jerk than pass up an opportunity to pursue a far-reaching vision (i.e. Steve Jobs).

Wimps let themselves be influenced by the values of others. Likable people get along with others but stand up for what they believe is right.

How To Make It Work For You: Identify the core values that are most important to you. Values are a collection of your personal experiences, trials, and successes. They’re not something to be selected from a list because they sound like good ones. If you’re stuck, you might need to look at a core values list to remind yourself of what truly resonates with you. Narrow that list down to the five most important. If everything is a core value, then nothing is a priority.

2. First Impressions set the tone
Research by Princeton psychologists reveal that when we see a new face, our brains decide whether a person is likable within a tenth of a second. A single word does not need to be exchanged with the other person.

It’s imperative to walk into every first meeting or encounter with confidence because it will show on your face. This confidence translates into likability by other people. The same study shows that longer exposure doesn’t significantly alter impressions, which means our initial split-second assessment is what matters.

Can you correct a bad first impression? It’s not easy but other research has found that if you provide people with information that allows them to see you in a new context, over time you can change their opinion of you.

How To Make It Work For You: First impressions are the result of positive body language. Walk with purpose and confidence, maintain a strong posture, offer a firm handshake, smile, face the person to whom you are talking, and make eye contact. If their eyes start to wander, it’s a clue they’ve lost interest in you.

3. Lasting impressions Are Also Critical
It’s important to make a good first impression, but we also need to make a good last impression because often this is the one that stays with us.

Research by Daniel Kahneman shows that people tend to judge an experience based on how they felt at its peak, and at its end, rather than the average of every moment of the experience.

This is called the peak-end rule and it applies whether the experience is pleasant or unpleasant. Experts agree, however, that a positive memory of the overall experience stays with us far longer than a single memory of either a peak or end moment.

How To Make It Work For You: If you leave a negative initial impression, you can counteract it with a positive peak and end. It’s key for you to recognize how/when that first impression became negative and follow up with a gesture that will be stored as a peak experience in the mind of the other person. Hold the door open, buy a drink, or offer to broker an important introduction—all of these are small gestures that can leave a strong lasting impression.

4. Honesty can be painful, but it’s worth it
Convivial folks tend to go along to get along, so it’s easy to understand why many people confuse likable people with people pleasers.

Sincerity and honesty are important components of likability. We gravitate toward people we trust. Likable people are not afraid to speak up even when there’s a good chance they’ll upset someone. If they don’t agree with something said, they’ll say so.

They’re diplomatic and choose their words with care to lessen the potential to offend, but they speak the truth. That’s why we trust them.

How To Make It Work For You: If there’s something you need to say, even if you’re uncomfortable, just say it.
- Take these precautions: be certain before you open your mouth that your words are constructive and not perceived as a personal attack.
5. Curiosity opens many doors
If you want to be the most interesting person in the room, curiosity is the social requirement. Studies conducted by George Mason University psychologist Todd Kashdan found that being curious is essential if we want to cultivate and maintain relationships.

Curiosity is what gets the dialogue going and is the secret juice of relationships.
A big mistake many people make in conversations is that they focus too much on how they plan to respond to the other person. As a result, they don’t process what has been spoken. The opportunity for a spontaneous response is missed because they hadn’t really listened to what was said.

Several studies published in the Greater Good Science Center reveal that curious people have better relationships and connect better with others. People are attracted and feel socially closer to individuals who are curious.

How To Make It Work For You: Ask a lot of questions. People like to know you’ve listened to what they said. A simple follow-up question shows that you listened and care about what they said and who they are as individuals. When you ask questions of people, you gain their respect and appreciation.
Stop Extrapolating Your Perceptions

October 17, 2018
DARIUS FOROUX OCTOBER 11, 2018

In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius said: “Stick with first impressions. Don’t extrapolate. And nothing can happen to you.”

I bet that you’re extrapolating your perceptions all the time. Let me give you a few examples and tell whether I’m wrong.
- “House prices will probably keep increasing.”
- “That person will never change.”
- “My business will keep growing.”
- “I will never learn from my mistakes.”
- “He doesn’t like me.”
We often have these type of thoughts multiple times a day. The root of this problem is our quick judgment.

Scientists have quantified the speed of light and sound, but when it comes to thoughts, it’s not that easily measured.If that’s really true, we’re faster than the load time of Google. The median load time for Google.com on mobile is currently 600 ms.But that doesn’t mean we should follow through on every single thought that pops into our mind.

Don’t follow through. Every time you start thinking about future events or start making mental movies, keep count on a post-it note or small piece of paper. But here’s the trick: Don’t follow through on those thoughts. Because if you do, your mind will turn into total chaos.

That’s a simple stoic exercise that I picked up from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius: That’s how you always stay calm. But sticking with first impressions is very difficult because we’re all impatient. We’re so eager that we immediately make judgments after our first impressions.

Can you believe that? Let’s say you make a quick judgment like that — or something similar. Admit it, we all do it! But let’s look at what that means. You see? The first impression is that you didn’t get a reply. It’s not this: “Why didn’t I hear anything back? She probably doesn’t care about me. Other things are more important to her.”

Correct, eat yourself up from inside. It’s not worth it.If you want to stop extrapolating, you need to be more stoic. Looking at things for what they are is not that easy. Ryan Holiday, someone who has studied stoicism, and wrote The Obstacle Is The Way, said it best: A conflict at work. A dip in your sales. A disagreement with your spouse. If you can’t—do something else.

Have different things in your life that you can give your attention to.
- For example:
  - Look at things for what they are. What’s within your control? Is there something you can do right now? Can you make the situation better? Then do it. And do the job well.
  - “It takes skill and discipline to bat away the pests of bad perceptions, to separate reliable signals from deceptive ones, to filter out prejudice, expectation, and fear.”
- Do your own thing — always
  - Never make assumptions. Only look at impressions and don’t think about what everything “means.”
- We’re fast thinkers
  - Researchers that did experiments with measuring the speed of thought, found the following: Thoughts can be generated and acted upon within 150 milliseconds.
- Always learn a new skill
- Get some exercise every day
- Work on your goals“
This is your life. As long as you’re not harming yourself or others, you can do whatever you like!
- Just stop thinking about what everything means and start looking at things for what they are.
- Perfect. You’re doing your own thing. You’re not a slave to your thoughts or other people’s actions.
- The point is that you want to be very clear on what you’re doing in your life, at any moment. If I’m asking you, “what are you doing?” You should have a clear answer.