Real Life E® » E Tips

Making Progress

reallifee — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:24:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again. Some of you may have already begun your New Year’s Resolutions for 2012, or may still be reflecting on what you have achieved in 2011. Below, time management coach, Elizabeth Grace Saunders, shares tips for making real progress on your goals– any time of the year.

**How to See Real Progress**

The key to accomplishing anything from finishing a project to going on a trip to climbing a mountain is consistent action in the direction of a goal:

1. Write down what you want to accomplish in a place where you will see it every day. (For instance at the top of my calendar, I have a list of the next places I want to travel. You can also put your goals on your to do list, tape them to your cabinet door, put them up as a screen saver. Whatever works for you.)

2. List out the next steps. For instance, if you’re planning a trip, write down these types of activities:

Look at calendar for potential dates
Call friends and/or family to see if these times work for them
Check out flight prices & set an alert to let you know when costs drop
Think through lodging/transportation options
Look up the prices online
Check if you can use rewards points
Browse the Web or go to the library or bookstore for ideas on activities
If traveling abroad, check on necessary paperwork/immunizations and start to schedule appointments
Buy travel insurance
Decide if you need to make any purchases & make a shopping list
Put up out of office messages
Etc., etc., etc.

3. Make note of anything with a very specific deadline or that needs to be done a certain amount of time in advance (like one month). Look over your calendar and set aside specific days when you will have a reminder to complete these activities on time.

4. Start telling people about what you’re doing so you have some positive peer pressure to keep moving forward (or get a coach to keep you accountable–in an encouraging way ;o)

5. Set aside a certain time each week when you will move forward on less time sensitive activities that need to be completed to move toward your goal. For instance, one hour on Saturday mornings. When you get to that time, spend that hour working on whatever is next. (It’s OK if you don’t finish a whole action item, you just need to be making consistent progress.)

6. CELEBRATE your progress! Give yourself some type of reward for moving forward such as a stop at your favorite ice cream place, a call with a friend, or buying a new book. (Whatever you find motivating!)

7. Watch as you accomplish your goal. It’s amazing how consistent action leads to results. Think of the little bulbs that put down roots and put up stalks and burst into flower. Seemingly “overnight” results come from consistent effort.

To stop feeling frustrated, get clear on what you want, plant seeds, cultivate them, and watch them grow!

Have a brilliant week!

Elizabeth

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E® a time coaching and training company that empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident and accomplished through an exclusive Schedule Makeover^TM process. Real Life E® also increases employee productivity, satisfaction and work/life balance through custom training programs.

Elizabeth has appeared in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC. She was selected as one of the Top 25 Amazing Women of 2010 by Stiletto Woman and as a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Council featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Mashable, and many other media outlets.

Elizabeth’s time coaching clients have the opportunity to go through her exclusive Schedule Makeover^TM life transformation process through phone coaching and custom action guides or in-person training.

Relationships and Stress

reallifee — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:36:57 +0000

When you’re feeling stressed, you need the support of friends and family the most. The only problem is that this is usually when you least feel like taking the time, or even having the time, to connect. But don’t stress! Below, Work/Life Balance Coach Elizabeth Grace Saunders, shares her secrets for relationship success:

It’s the stuff movies are made of…

Almost every good plot line includes something about relationships with friends, family members, colleagues or significant others.

And it’s truly a gift to have people that care about you, who want to spend time with you and notice what you do or don’t do. In a way, it’s a validation that your life matters and has significance.

But when you find yourself feeling time pressured, the treasure of relationships can start to feel like an oppressive burden.

In these situations, common (but often unhealthy) responses to additional requests or perceived request on your time are to:

Silently withdraw
Resentfully complete the activity
Sharply lash out

These type of reactions then start to drive a wedge between you and the person on the receiving end and can leave you feeling guilty and frustrated.

But there is a better way.

Here are four steps for completing a sleight of mind trick when you feel overwhelmed by requests from those around you.

1. Treasure the Gift: The opposite of love is not hate, but apathy. Take a moment to appreciate the presence of someone in your life who notices how you spend your time.

2. Consider Your Options: Reflect on the situation and consider whether anything could change. Could you come home earlier? Would you be able to spend less time in front of the computer?

3. Express Your Perspective: Instead of assuming the other person can naturally see the pressure that you’re experiencing, commit to expressing what’s going on inside you. It could sound something like this: “I really appreciate that you want to spend more time with me, and I feel badly that I can’t meet all of your requests because of ______. Are there any particular ways I can show you that you are a priority to me?”

4. Keep Your Commitments: When you say you will do something, follow through. Even if you have to say, “No,” sometimes, people will appreciate it when they can rely on you to stick to your, “Yes.”

Following these four steps, will help you to feel better about your relationships and about yourself. This sleight of mind is not about “being fake” but about choosing how you will respond when you experience the sensation of feeling pressured.

Personal and professional relationships are an investment of time and energy.

But they are worth it.

In some ways the movies are right: your relationships with people that matter to you make the best plot lines–make sure they’re part of your life story.

To your brilliance!

Elizabeth Grace

About Real Life E®

Work Better, Not Longer

reallifee — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:32:40 +0000

You don’t have to work 24/7 to get better at something. Instead, concentrate on the quality and focus you bring to your work hours.

In his recent article, “If You’re Busy, You’re Doing Something Wrong: The Surprisingly Relaxed Lives of Elite Achievers,” Study Hacks Blog expert, Cal Newport describes this unique phenomena. With a few tweaks to your practice, you can improve the effectiveness of your work. So check out Cal’s article and accomplish more with peace and confidence today!

About Real Life E®

Vacation Disconnect

reallifee — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:30:15 +0000

Even if you can’t take an out-of-town trip, you deserve some”unplugged” time. Check out expert time coach, Elizabeth Grace Saunders’ reflections and how-to suggestions on untethering yourself from your electronic devices.

I recently had a Real Holiday…one where I left behind my computer and all of my other mobile devices.

Was it unnerving to think about disconnecting from the world? Absolutely.

Prior to leaving, these type of voices ran through my head:

It’s so difficult to prepare for technology-free time.
What if someone needs me?
They’ll be soooo much to catch up on when I return.

But I chose to not let fear of being out-of-complete-control stop me from letting go and ended up making an interesting observation in the process: Even though I have good boundaries with technology (no e-mail pop-up alerts, no instant messaging, etc.), some part of me feels constantly on alert when I’m constantly connected.

Within even a few hours of weaning myself off of technology, I sensed an “inversion” of my focus–in a good way. My thoughts and feelings shifted from a vast network of people and priorities to a greater awareness of myself and my surroundings. In turning my devices off, I was able to turn on my ability to experience the moment and be completely present.

Although an “unplugged” holiday might not fit into your schedule right now, I highly recommend that you test out this principle in your own life. Investing time in intentional detachment can help you unwind and connect with yourself.

Here are some tips on how to refresh:

Set aside a block of time free from outside obligations. A day or more is best but even a few hours in the morning or evening will do.
Switch off and–better yet–remove yourself from connected devices. For instance, if you’re cocooning at home, leave your devices in the office. Or if you’re heading out, leave your computer and phone at home.
Keep a journal close at hand to record your thoughts.
Give yourself permission to connect with your intuition and do what you feel like doing in the moment from taking a walk to working on a creative project to staring out into space.
As you near the end of your time, jot down a short list of what you’ll need to do upon “re-entry” so you don’t fear the transition into a fully connected existence.

Time away from technology acts as a “re-set” button that leaves you better connected with yourself and better able to connect with others.

To your brilliance!

Elizabeth Grace

About Real Life E®

How to Wrap Up Your Work Day–on Time

reallifee — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:08:14 +0000

Stuck at Work?

I personally use these strategies to stop working on time and still complete the most critical tasks:

In the afternoon, I take a quick assessment of how many hours I have left and what needs to be done to hit my ending goal. This could mean moving on to a new project, pushing to complete an assignment, or revising my expectations for the day.

To really ensure I stick to my end time, I schedule activities right after work. It could be something as simple as a scheduled phone call, a walk with a friend, or going to a networking event. Knowing that I will cause inconvenience to someone else by working late really helps me stop myself. (My clients who have trouble starting work in the morning use this trick at the beginning of their day.)

As a final level of reinforcement, I time block out my evening. Like Tim Ferriss says in The 4-Hour Workweek, you have to clearly define what you will do to fill the void created by working fewer hours. For me that means inviting friends over for dinner or planning a specific projects like going grocery shopping or doing laundry. By giving myself a clear objective, I remind myself that working beyond my set schedule comes at a cost. If I procrastinate or over commit, I know I’m keeping myself from doing other activities. This motivates me to plan my time and my responsibilities so I can stick to 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and then stop—guilt free!

How do you leave work on time…?

Elizabeth

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth on Forbes: Do You Feel Like You’re Always Working?

reallifee — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:49:26 +0000

Even though you may love your job, sometimes the perpetual cycle of work, work, and more work can be just too much. You don’t want to be consumed by work, but somewhere along the way, it just happened. You need to find some balance. Pronto! Otherwise, you’re in danger of burning out.

Fortunately,there are a few simple adjustments to your mindset and daily schedule that can make a big difference. In her newest article, “Why Does it Feel like I’m Always Working?” featured on Forbes.com, expert time coach and work-life balance master, Elizabeth Grace Saunders, discusses simple solutions you can start implementing today. Overcome feelings of guilt, and tactfully stop over-committing by setting boundaries. You can work hard but still have time to play hard- every day!

So take a break from your work, and check out Elizabeth’s Forbes Article now.

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E®, which provides life coaching for individuals who struggle with time management.

Real Life E® empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident and accomplished through an exclusive Schedule Makeover^TM process. Real Life E® also increases employee productivity, satisfaction and work/life balance through custom training programs.

Elizabeth’s time coaching clients have the opportunity to go through her exclusive Schedule Makeover^TM life transformation process through phone coaching and custom action guides or in-person training.

Elizabeth’s Guide to Setting Boundaries and Saying No

reallifee — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:50:08 +0000

Elizabeth Grace Saunders, Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Owner of Real Life E®

In her article, “Setting Boundaries & Saying No…Nicely,” expert time coach Elizabeth Grace Saunders explains how to navigate situations where it could be difficult to say, “No.” Check out this article for professional, courteous scripts that you can use for e-mail or in-person responses.

Stop stretching yourself too thin, and say “YES!” to reading Elizabeth’s article on The 99%!

About Real Life E®

Pet Time: Dog Routines

reallifee — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:44:49 +0000

If you’re a dog lover, your four-legged friend is your ultimate companion. But when you’re feeling overwhelmed, you barely have time to exercise yourself, let alone make sure Fido gets enough exercise too. Keep yourself and your dog healthy and happy with a few well-placed additions to your dog care schedule.

Building a routine for your pet is mutually beneficial. Taking 20-30 minutes to walk your dog before tackling your next project can give you just the respite you need to clear your mind and get pumped up to move forward. Plus, walking your dog enforces a strong leadership position with your pet. For most dogs, trotting around by themselves in the backyard can be rather boring. Check out these tips to ensure that both you and your furry friend are getting the healthy exercise and mental stimulation you both need.

In addition to exercise, dogs crave love and attention and thrive on an established routine. This is especially important in terms of potty breaks and feeding times. Also, dogs need enough sleep to function effectively. If possible, consider designating an area of the house, such as a cushion or crate, for your dog, and keep your own bed a dog-free zone. This will allow your pet to have some ownership of his own special space and will ensure that you get a full night’s sleep as well. Take a peek at this Ideal Dog Schedule written from the perspective of a dog. Then tweak it to your own daily schedule and your pet’s preferences.

As part of your pup’s schedule, try incorporating a 10 minute block of training time everyday. Here’s a List of 10 Commands Every Dog Should Know. Don’t stress about you or your dog performing perfectly. Make it a fun activity to break up your day, and an opportunity for much-needed bonding time. When your dog masters some of these commands, you may be surprised how his overall behavior improves too.

Now that you have a playful, obedient, well-fed pup, you’ll want to show off your pride and joy. Make sure your dog’s well-groomed and that you keep up on necessary hygiene needs. Most dogs are pretty good self-groomers, but it’s important that you keep up on monthly flea and tick care and perform maintenance on their nails, eyes, and ears as needed. This can be done by Establishing a Grooming Routine.

Now, grab the leash, pick up that brush, or fill up that food bowl! But most of all, have fun! Your beloved dog is waiting for you!

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E®, which provides life coaching for individuals who struggle with time management.

Ditching the Dread… Of Success

reallifee — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:04:02 +0000

We’ve all experienced that roller coaster of project-related emotions at some point in life. While performing at the top of your game is initially empowering and motivating, the pressure to continually outperform yourself can be debilitating. An activity that once filled you with joy, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment now fills you with dread. Well, it’s time to ditch that dread and gain your confidence back! In her recent newsletter, Elizabeth describes the inspirational turnaround of a wonderful client. Try out some of the tools and strategies in the latest client success story below.

Starting a new project in an area where you have excelled but almost killed yourself in the process is terrifying …

What if you can’t produce the same level of results?
What if you lose yourself and quality relationships in the process?
What if you end up feeling terrible the entire time you’re doing the work?

These are all valid feelings when your past experience tells you that the only way to get big projects done is to work at a frenzied pace.

Fortunately, there’s a better way.

Last winter, I worked with a successful, well-published writer who also taught in a university graduate school Masters of Fine Arts program. She was stuck.

“I am scattered and making erratic progress with this or that. I want to make solid steps forward. I want to reclaim my life and place in the literary firmament, get healthy and in shape, and have fun!”

She also had just been diagnosed with ADHD and was wondering how much of an impact ADHD had on her life-long frustrations with writing and other areas of her life. One of her most important goals was to move forward on her next big creative project–a collection of linked short stories. It had been a long time since her first book had been published, and she needed to regain professional momentum…

“My friends are mostly writers and successful. I have lots of ink in the New York Times that I have written and that has been written about me. So I have talent. I also need to know what I need to do, like a solid schedule? work impulsively? Okay I know the answer to that.”

She did know the answer, but turning the answer into practical action took time coaching… We came up with an initial plan of how she could get in a good, solid, writing time in the morning. Then each week, we worked on assessing the results and evaluating how to move forward based on what happened.

“I found the process very stabilizing because I tend to be all over the place with trying things. You were able to roll with the way I operate and yet be a strong force in your own right. It was helpful having you to run things off of, especially when I got stuck–which was about every week.”

We worked together on different morning writing routines. The first involved: drinking coffee, eating breakfast, taking the dog out, meditating, getting dressed, and then starting to write. The second involved just getting coffee and starting to write. The end result was a fusion of the two with pouring a cup of coffee, meditating a bit, taking out the dog and then writing.

The end goal wasn’t to have this creative writer crammed into a rigid schedule but to have something that turned writing (her top professional priority) from a dreaded activity to a peaceful part of her daily schedule.

Over the course of our work together, she found that if she followed her morning routine and put herself in her writing space for two hours (with a timer set), the inspiration came and the writing moved forward.

Writing didn’t need to be something that she dreaded.
Writing didn’t need to be something that took over her life.
Writing could be something she choose to move forward on each day.

At last! Freedom to do quality work without losing herself, her relationships or her sanity was possible!

“I’ve found that the actual schedule that I longed for would absolutely drive me around the bend so I have a flexitarian schedule and am getting things done.”

“Having and sticking with a schedule is the single most important thing I can do for myself as an artist, as a woman living a rather complex and exciting life, and as someone newly aware that many of my problems stem from having ADHD. Nothing, nothing, nothing will move me forward like following my schedule will. Period.”

The same could be true for you.

You can take away the fear surrounding moving forward on a big project by developing, practicing and adjusting your custom routines.

To your brilliance!

Elizabeth

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E®, which provides life coaching for individuals who struggle with time management.

Why Can’t I Finish?: The99Percent.com Guest Post

reallifee — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:20:19 +0000

When was the last time you totally completed a really important task, or drove a big project across the finish line?

In her insightful guest post, “Why Can’t I Finish?” on The99Percent.com, Elizabeth uncovers the (often hidden) mental battles that can keep you from finishing. Then, Elizabeth gives her one-of-a-kind, practical advice on how you really can cross that finish line! The end is near- read Elizabeth’s Article now!