Great Minds | Blog

How Do You Think About Time?

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:26:33 GMT

Do you find yourself continually running out of time or not getting everything done that you had hoped to? Do the phrases "I can't believe that's the time" or "I didn't get that finished today" seem all too familiar. In order optimise your time it is essential that you manage yourself effectively.

Whether you have lost focus and motivation or have found yourself overwhelmed with activity, step back and analyse yourself, prioritise your effort and organise your daily actions.

From my experience in training and coaching leaders, managers and entrepreneurs to be their best, I understand that people think about and process time differently. For example, you probably know some one who never wears a watch, yet they always know the time or indeed the opposite – someone who checks their watch every few minutes because they are not sure of the time.

How you relate to time depends on what you focus on. Perhaps you spend your time thinking about the future or maybe you tend to live in the moment.

If you are future orientated you tend to be very aware of time and always wondering what you are going to do next. Planning and prioritising techniques work well for you keeping you goal focused and on time for appointments. In addition to that use the following tips to make most of your time:

Resiliency and Self-Belief

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:18:14 GMT

For many it has been a tough and challenging year and some have experienced all kinds of difficulty in their lives. While it's natural to feel distressed and distraught, there is a stronger urge within all of us to bounce back and recover.

Change is a Certainty

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:44:07 GMT

Change is taking place at an ever increasing rate. The business world is quickly responding to changing market trends and new customer habits. But what about personal change?

Do you embrace change readily and easily or have you been slow to respond or somewhat hesitant? Perhaps you been waiting for the right time, a better opportunity or a push in the right direction?

Crowned with Confidence

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:48:34 GMT

As I write this article the word 'confidence' returns 124 million results on Google. It's no wonder as confidence is surprisingly difficult to tie down precisely and regardless of how much we have, we crave more.

Relight Your Fire

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:51:43 GMT

Recent research suggests that compared to last year Irish people are working an extra 6-10 hours per week with only 32% stopping to take a full lunch. Despite countless articles written each year aimed at helping create balance and quality in life, we are still overworking and expecting to achieve more. We all know that when we burn the candle at both ends, productivity decreases and we are left overwhelmed, overworked, overstressed and overcommitted.

Yes, it’s the holiday season and of course a break from the norm will recharge your energies, however in terms of yielding sustainable improvements in productivity the benefits may only short lived.

In order to enhance productivity in the long term, you need to maintain and develop the greatest asset that you have – yourself. It’s essential that you take time to refresh your skills, enhance your knowledge and develop your mental capabilities. Take time to tap into the potential you always knew you had. Read a book, listen to a great speaker on audio or attend a programme focused on developing your potential.

Ensure that you are sharp enough to deal with all the obstacles that the recession is throwing at you. Invest in yourself so that you are physically charged and mentally alert. You will then be able to step back and work effectively on your business and not in your business. Assess if your fire is burning out and add some spark to it again. Recharge, reignite and reenergize and be the best you can be.

The Importance of Attitude

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:55:56 GMT

One of the most important factors in determining our success in life is our attitude.

William James an American psychologist and philosopher captured the fundamental significance of attitude in his profound words; "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind."

Attitude is a mental state relative to what we believe and affect our entire live. We express our attitude in our words and actions. It is an habitual way of thinking that can either lean towards an optimistic or pessimistic viewpoint. Whether your thinking is “full-glass” or “empty-glass” in nature, you have the ability to choose your own attitude.

Attitudes are greatly influenced by association which means they are contagious. The best way to develop a positive mental attitude is to surround yourself with optimists. Positive people have a magnetic influence which attracts help and support that assist them in achieving their goals. They have developed a ‘can do’ attitude and a resilient nature that propels them forward.

Once you begin to condition your thinking, you will develop a positive mental attitude that will greatly accelerate your future success.

The P's that Get Results

Fri, 01 May 2009 15:04:52 GMT

When it comes to getting results there are two qualities that you must possess.

What could you do in 100 days?

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:58:54 GMT

Today marks Barack Obama’s 100th day in office with his achievements measuring up to our expectations. He has planted and nourished seeds of optimism and already he is reaping “green shoots of growth” and “glimmers of hope”.

Focus on the Solution

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 2:09:59 GMT

When we find ourselves in difficulty we often get out minds completely caught up in the problem – we think in circles and can’t find answers to any of our questions.

The Power of Goals

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 2:54:54 GMT

Stephen had always been a hard worker – through school and college he’d put his whole heart and soul into getting what needed to be done exactly when it was needed. His diligent nature meant that he was always on top of his work and had plenty of time to enjoy his social life as well as getting the most out of class-time; always working towards getting the exam results and qualifications he needed as well as making the friends that brought happiness and excitement to his life.

We Rise to a Challenge

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 2:55:19 GMT

Often, it takes being backed into a corner to bring out the greatest weapon in the arsenal of our minds – our resourcefulness. Last week I was driving home from Dublin with my mother. It was only after we’d made our way onto the motorway (a stressful experience at the best of times) that I looked down and saw, to my horror, that in the middle of my fuel gauge a little red light was lit – I was about to run out of petrol and we were maybe as much as an hour from the next filling station. Panic began to set in: the cars around me seemed that little bit louder than before and the crash-barrier seemed to be speeding by that bit faster. I told my mother what was happening and right away she had ideas dancing off the tip of her tongue as to what we could do. She suddenly remembered where there hard-shoulders further ahead, thought of places where we could leave the motor-way and was able to suggest all kinds of places we were likely to find filling stations nearby.

We are at our creative best when challenged. In order to unleash the full potential of our ingenuity we must set ourselves challenges, make ourselves approach each problem on its own and solve it.

Do you Procrastinate?

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:53:47 GMT

Well if you do, you may want to read this article at another time!

“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today” is a familiar proverb that advises us to complete the tasks at hand, yet time and time again we fall victim to procrastination. Despite detailed plans, clear objectives and digital accessories that beep at us, we still defer what needs to be done until a later date and often fail to do at all.

Unfortunately, the consequences of missing deadlines are similar to having a credit card - we do not realise how much damage we have done until we get the bill! Procrastination not only affects our work, but it also gives us feelings of guilt, regret, stress and inadequacy.

When you begin to understand the personal and emotional reasons behind procrastination you will realise why you put off your plans and goals.

One of the major reasons we avoid tasks is fear of failure. Interestingly, those who avoid failure can even avoid success. Either way, they are often too concerned about what others think of them. They would rather show that they lack time and not ability. The fear of failure, can also disguise itself in the form of perfectionism - waiting until everything is perfect before the task can be considered complete. There are also those who procrastinate because of indecision. By not making decisions, they free themselves from the responsibility of a poor outcome. Some procrastinate because they enjoy the last minute rush and thrill of striving to reach the deadline within limited time constraints.

Whether you actively look for distractions, put things off entirely or are just not happy with the quality of your work, then you are procrastinating. Identify why you procrastinate so that you understand how you can overcome it.

Why be Led when you can Lead

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:08:32 GMT

Your growth as a leader can start now. Leadership is not about just running large organisation or coaching a team. Being a leader is all about setting a clear vision, nurturing growth and developing others as well as yourself.

Capture Opportunities

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:00:17 GMT

Last year brought changes we didn’t expect. The media’s coverage of the economic climate has had its influence, leaving some of us feeling anxious, uneasy and uncertain. Many businesses are confused about how to progress and develop within these uncertain times.
But the truth is that there will always be something. People have got through tough times in the past; they did this by having the right mindset. We all have done things before that seemed impossible at the time. The mind is a powerful instrument. It can deliver literally anything that we want but right now it is focusing on what we don’t want, closures, failures, and crashes.

We need to turn our attention to what we do want because, when you begin think differently about what lies ahead, you will begin to organise yourself and resources so that you accelerate your achievement this year and beyond.

The first thing we have to do is learn to deal with change. We are used to so much change today. Change is everywhere. But we are slow to respond. Why? Because one of our greatest fears come from not knowing what lies ahead. Nobody knows what’s going to happen! Every economist is paid to have a different opinion about the future, but it’s not what happens that matters; it’s how we respond to it that counts.

Don't be Swamped by your Beliefs

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:31:17 GMT

Not long ago, I returned to a place I’d often visited in my youth. As with all things, the place had changed over time, but there was one detail in particular that struck me. A swamp, once a muddy mess, to wet to walk over, to plant anything in or to be anything more than an eyesore in the minds of the people familiar with the area, including myself, had been drained and in its place now stands the most beautiful playground: swings and roundabouts, goal-posts and high-jumps. The delight and laughter of the children in what had once been seen as a useless waste-ground were enchanting.

With a change of perspective, we can see opportunities that had always been there but just out of sight. So often, all that holds us back is our beliefs, our views and our perspective.