Archive for the ‘Relationships’ Category

E Note-I Chose To Say, “No.”

Friday, October 30th, 2009

I make the tough choices that I ask you to make.

I make the tough choices that I ask you to make.

I’m a time coach who aims to authentically live out my advice. That means I have to face the same challenges you do. Like this one…

Next month, I’m traveling to California, North Carolina, and the UP in Michigan for speaking events and taking some personal trips too. That means I need to carefully guard my time so I can prepare for and keep up when I’m on the road. I’ve been blocking out my weekly schedule, leaving room for big projects and setting limits on my work hours so I can take care of my personal responsibilities.
Well a couple of situations arose that gave me pause. One was with a fantastic young professional where we’ve been trying to meet face-to-face for months. She couldn’t meet during the time slot I had available and suggested some alternative times next week.

I waited a day to respond.

You see, I needed to face the internal struggle between wanting to spend time with this fantastic individual and wanting to complete my preparation for the coming month. (I average about two networking meetings or phone calls a week so I do make this important activity a priority.)
Finally I decided that I needed to stick with my original plans. I sent her an e-mail affirming that I wanted to meet with her but that it would need to be a phone call because my time was booked out for the month.
She kindly understood and we’re arranging for the appropriate follow up. I felt relieved because I had kept my schedule aligned with my values and wasn’t compromising the short term gain of making someone happy for the long term advantage of being balanced and feeling good about both what I accomplished personally and professionally.
How about you?
Are you aware of what’s on your schedule and making the tough choices with courage and confidence? Especially if you’re a small business owner, the success of your business and the maintenance of your sanity depends on consistently making tough choices aligned with your values.
If you need support in knowing how and when to make these tough choices, contact me about one-on-one phone or e-mail Schedule Makeover™ coaching or sign up for Schedule Makeover™: To Build a Business course beginning on November 2.
It is possible to take back control of your time and your life and achieve work/life brilliance™!

Elizabeth
“Elizabeth was able to assist me in accomplishing one of the most important transitions in my life, starting a business. She helped me identify the obstacles and gave me helpful tips in overcoming them. Elizabeth is a wonderful person, and a breath of fresh air for every entrepreneur out there needing assistance with time management…

She, without a doubt, DELIVERS!!!”
-Kameaka M Graves, Graves Consulting LLC, Virtual Personal/Administrative Assistance (thegravescompany@gmail.com)

Brilliant Resources

  • Receive a FREE $20 Starbucks gift card: When you tell a friend about Real Life E® and they choose to enjoy a Schedule Makeover™. You can ask them to let me know you introduced them to Real Life E® or send me their names to ensure you receive your ticket to free coffee.
  • Yes! I’m available for speaking and training events. If you’re scheduling a conference or event, be in touch to reserve a date.

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach & trainer who empowers individuals to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through Schedule Makeovers™. Her empowerment coaching frees individuals from guilt, overwhelm, and frustration!

Discover how you can start enjoying your life TODAY! Look forward to talking with you!

Elizabeth has been featured in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC, and is happy to be interviewed for your broadcast or publication.

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Posted in E Notes, Encouragement, Entrepreneurship, Internships & Jobs, Mompreneurs, Psychology, Relationships, Schedule Makeover | No Comments »

June Newsletter-Have You Made Time to Grieve?

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
Michele Deville featured in Real Life E newsletter

Michele Deville featured in Real Life E newsletter

The most recent Brilliant Time Strategies newsletter just went out yesterday. In it, I featured Michele Deville, who in addition to being a coach, speaker, and author is a volunteer grief counselor.

If you’re going through difficult times and didn’t receive the newsletter, sign up in the bar at right, and you’ll receive a link on the Thank You page to this important information.

Don’t neglect yourself during hard times… when you take time to love and care for yourself, you heal and then have the capacity to love and care for others.

Take care,

Elizabeth

If you want to end your feelings of overwhelm and guilt and step into the future with confidence, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com I can develop an ideal schedule for you that helps you get through stressful times.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach and trainer who empowers women in business to achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance.

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Posted in E Notes, Encouragement, Health & Wellness, Psychology, Relationships, Rest & Rejuvenation | No Comments »

E Note-Calming Advice for Bride-to-Be

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

103I recently received this note from a bride-to-be:

“I am getting married in 5 weeks, and it’s just busy and I have a lot on my “plate”–some stuff I can’t control and some I can control.  I get stressed easily and uptight. I don’t want every change, road block, or honestly my stubbornness to get in the way of the joy and abundant life God has for me and my future husband. I want to break free of this. I am a very organized and sometimes controlling person so when I get impatient or my plans are thrown for a loop I get stressed and in a bad mood sometimes.

I feel like there is no time for everything I want to get done in one day! It’s frustrating.”

She’s not alone! This is a situation that plagues many brides-to-be or any one approaching a major emotionally involved event or project.

Here’s my advice:

1. Recognize that this is a stressful time of life. You not only have a ton to do with
preparing for the wedding but also are going through the grieving process of leaving your
your old life of singleness and starting a new season. It’s natural to feel sad/be more
sensitive.

2. Realize that you aren’t going to be able to do everything you want to do. As you plan the weeks before your wedding, ask yourself two questions:
-Is this an essential or optional wedding activity?
-Is this something that needs to be done before the wedding or can it wait?

Then focus on the essential activities that must be done before the wedding. If you get
any of the optional or “could wait” items done, great but don’t put pressure on yourself
to make them happen.

3. I understand the feeling of getting stressed or impatient when things don’t go as planned. I wrote a blog post on dealing with this topic: http://tinyurl.com/lhf3n3 Also,
I’ve found it helps enormously when I start my day asking God what He wants me to
accomplish and praying throughout the day that I will focus on loving God and loving
people instead of just “getting things done.”

Hope this helps all brides-to-be to take a deep breath and enjoy this beautiful season!

Take care,

Elizabeth

If you want to end your feelings of overwhelm and frustration and step into the future with confidence, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com I can develop an ideal schedule for you that helps you get through stressful times.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach and trainer who empowers women in business to achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance.

Some Other Bride To Be Resources:

Dresses, Food, Invitations, Etc. on Brides.com

Good Advice Bridal Shower

Becoming We on DivineCaroline.com

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Posted in E Notes, Encouragement, Relationships | No Comments »

E Note-How to Enjoy Graduation Season

Monday, May 25th, 2009

My brother's graduation. Go John!

My brother's graduation. Go John!

In the past two weeks, I’ve sat through four graduation ceremonies with more people streaming by in funny robes than Star Wars!

But thanks to the fact that I have learned (and relearned) how to live out my ideal schedule, I was able to enjoy seeing my brother and sister walk across the stage and also cheer on friends for their accomplishments (go Varnya!) It’s such a blessing to share in commemorating milestones without frantically checking e-mail or worrying about what still needed to be done. When you have a plan, you can rest in the moment and be fully present.

Although this may seem impossible right now, this kind of confidence and tranquility can be yours too!!!

Check out ScheduleMakeover.com and sign up for my newsletter through RealLifeE.com to discover the keys to work/life brilliance™. (The month’s newsletter features exclusive content from Sandi McKenna on saving time and money with 4 fabulous online PR tools–you won’t find this info anywhere on my blog.)

Have a brilliant day!!

Elizabeth

If you want to end your feelings of overwhelm and guilt and step into the future with confidence, contact Elizabeth today.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach and trainer who empowers women in business to achieve work/life brillianceTM through strategic time management. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

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E Tip-Franchise Owner’s Tips on Work/Mom Balance

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Tammy Huinker, Molly Maid Franchise Owner

Tammy Huinker, Molly Maid Franchise Owner

Hello friends!

In my last post, I featured Tammy Huinker who has successfully built a Molly Maid franchise while working just three days a week so she could spend plenty of time  with her three boys.

I’m very close with my family (including my mom, dad, two sisters, and brother) and enjoying spending time with many friends. But I haven’t experienced the blessing of children yet so I thought I would turn the floor over to Tammy and two other mompreneurs for their tips on balancing their mom and business duties.

Tammy’s Work/Life Balance Tips after 14 Years as a Franchise Owner:

Set Your Hours: Tammy decided up front that she wanted to work strictly 8-5, and once she had twins, she decided to work three days a week. By making and keeping her goal of reducing her hours from corporate life, Tammy focused on “working smarter, not harder” and experienced her dream lifestyle.

Find and Keep Great Employees: At the beginning, Tammy brought in an employee that could cover for her when she was out of the office. By training and trusting her staff, Tammy gave herself the flexibility to work less.

Keep Expenses Low: To purchase the franchise, Tammy took an SBA loan but made it a personal goal to pay off the seven-year loan in just five. The first “fleet” car she bought was brand new, but she “never did that again.” Now Tammy purchases used cars and rented for 12 1/2 years before building her own facility.

Her advice for building a business without burning out: “Start Small and Work Up.”

Sounds brilliant to me! Stay tuned for Work/Life BrillianceTM tips from two more mompreneurs!

Elizabeth

P.S.–If you’re interested in taking control of your business so you have more time with your family, contact me to set up a consultation.

To find out more about Molly Maid, go to: www.MollyMaid.com. If you’re in the Ankeny, Iowa, area and are interested in house cleaning services, you can contact Tammy at Molly Maid Ankeny at 515-964-4111.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time empowerment coach who frees business owners to achieve their dream lifestyles. She specializes in empowering women business owners to achieve work/life brillianceTM

Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

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Posted in E Profiles, E Tips, Entrepreneurship, Mompreneurs, Relationships | 1 Comment »

E Profile-3-Day Weeks Leave Time for 3 Boys

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

Tammy Huinker, Molly Maid Franchise Owner

Tammy Huinker, Molly Maid Franchise Owner

In 1995, Tammy Huinker had a 4-year-old, a corporate job, and a burning desire to own her own business. “This was a huge risk,  but something I needed,” Tammy says.”After years of thinking about starting a business, I decided I wanted to run a franchise. If I was going to take the plunge and put money into a company, I wanted the trials and errors at someone else’s expense!”

Tammy knew one of her big priorities was a schedule that fit with her family, including not working nights and weekends. “This left about 5 percent of the businesses,” Tammy laughs.  Of the ones remaining, Molly Maid fit her requirements in terms of day-time hours, a quality reputation, and a high level of professionalism.

In July, Tammy quit her job and opened her doors for business on September 1.

Family-Focused From the Start

“My son was already in a daycare situation, but at my other job, I had to pick him up at 6 p.m.,” Tammy says. “I told myself going into my business that I would work strictly 8-5 so I could drop him off and pick him up at 5:15 p.m. I decided I didn’t have to work 50–60 hours a week, and except for the occasional evening estimate, I didn’t work nights or weekends.”

Six months later, Tammy had a surprise–make that two! She was pregnant with twins.

“I brought in another office person–who is still with me–and when I had the twins, I went down to three days a week,” Tammy says. “My twins are 12, and I’ve only worked 24 hours a week since they were born, unless I’m covering for someone’s vacation.”

Still Growing Strong in Just Three Days a Week

Over the past 14 years, Tammy’s business has grown to include three office personnel and 23 cleaners. “I just feel it’s all in the management of having your business under control and people you can rely on,” Tammy says. “I could personally make more money, but I don’t want to put in 40 hours a week–that’s just my choice. I feel mentally healthier because my kids need me and love that every other day I’m home. I’m just a happier person that way.”

Tammy is a perfect example of building her business in a way that empowers her to live her ideal lifestyle. Discover more of the secrets to her success in next week’s post!

Until then, have a brilliant day!

Elizabeth

P.S.–If you’re interested in taking control of your business so you have more time for your kids, contact me to set up a consultation.

To find out more about Molly Maid, go to: www.MollyMaid.com. If you’re in the Ankeny, Iowa, area and are interested in house cleaning services, you can contact Tammy at Molly Maid Ankeny at 515-964-4111.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time management coach who empowers entrepreneurs to build businesses without burning out.

Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

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Posted in E Profiles, Encouragement, Entrepreneurship, Internships & Jobs, Mompreneurs, Psychology, Relationships | 1 Comment »

E Tip-How to Write an Effective E-Mail Update

Friday, January 30th, 2009

Real Life E LogoAs promised, here’s an example of my most recent e-mail update and some tips you can use when you reach out to your network. (Note: These are my opinions on how to efficiently keep in touch with a broad personal and professional network, not how to do regular, formal customer contact.)

When you write an e-mail update…

  • Keep it Real: Make sure the e-mail sounds like you, not a form letter. It’s OK to show your personality as long as you follow basic grammar rules and avoid potentially offensive language.
  • Keep it Relevant: Hit the high points of what’s been happening to you professionally and, if appropriate, personally (new baby or new spouse could be relevant–latest doctor’s appointment, not so much). If people want more detail, they’ll do a follow-up e-mail or call.
  • Keep it Clear: If you’re using this to market yourself as a business owner or simply as an up-and-coming professional, make sure that after reading the e-mail people know: what you’re doing, how to find out more, and how to help you.
  • Keep it Grateful: Thank people for how they have played a role in your success, and ask them to be in touch. If they send you a note or call, reply promptly. It’s important to give before you receive.

Bonus E-Mail Tips:

  • Thursday is one of the best days to send e-mails and have people open them.
  • BCC everyone on the e-mail instead of putting them in the “To” section
  • Remove people who ask to be taken out of your address book ASAP (Most people will love you keeping in touch, but some won’t.)
  • Links to your Web site or blog encourage people to find out more.

Now that you have a few basic tips on writing an e-mail update, here’s an example:

Subject Line: New Year, New Elizabeth

To: & From: Lines: My E-mail Address (BCC: Contacts)

Text:

It’s that time of year again… it’s cold (if you’re up North), there’s no major holiday for a couple of weeks, and your New Year’s resolutions are starting to lose their luster (ugh… do I have to go to the gym this morning?).

So I thought it would be the perfect time for an installment in the adventures of Elizabeth Grace Saunders ;o) What exactly has happened over the past year?

That’s a good question.

In short, I’ve visited 20 states for personal and professional travel, including 40 days of leadership training in northern Minnesota and 9 events with the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour.

In the midst of all of this gallivanting around the country, I continued to write magazine articles, marketing materials, and ghostwrite books with my company Grace Communications Inc.

Also, I spoke to over 1,000 individuals with my training, speaking, and coaching company, Real Life E.® (You can check out my new website, blog, and sign up for a newsletter and RSS feed at www.RealLifeE.com.)

My training helps women in business achieve work/life balance through “Time Strategies to Create a Brilliant Life in a Burnt-out World.” This encompasses how to change your mindset, focus your energy, and organize your schedule so you can increase your productivity without upping your hours.

And I’ve had a blast presenting “High Heels: How to Advance in Business Without Losing Your Skirt” to college students. In this talk, I cover embracing who you are as a woman, gaining the professional edge, and working effectively with men and women.

As a complement to my speaking and training, I also offer coaching, particularly for women in transition and female entrepreneurs. (If you or someone you know could benefit from this training, speaking, or coaching, please let me know. I’m here to help.)

I’m thankful for the past year, and I look forward to a brilliant 2009. Most of all, I am so grateful for the role each one of you has played in my life—both big and small. My greatest joy over the past 12 months has been starting or continuing my relationship with you.

If you have a moment, I would love to hear about what’s new in your world. I look forward to continuing our conversation.

Kind regards,

Elizabeth

P.S.—If you want to hear from me more often, subscribe to my blog RSS feed or monthly “Brilliant Time Strategies” newsletter.

P.P.S.—I respect you and your inbox. If you would prefer not to receive e-mail from me, just send a reply with REMOVE in the subject line, and I’ll take you out of my address book. Thanks!

Elizabeth Grace Saunders
Time Strategies Trainer
P. 847.732.3536
esaunders@RealLifeE.com

Real Life E ®
Dream! Dare! Discover! ®
www.RealLifeE.com

Grace Communications Inc.
Capturing Your Vision
www.gracecommunicationsinc.com

If you send this type of message out once or twice a year, you’ll be able to keep in touch with your ever expanding professional network without having to spend every waking moment on your Blackberry.

To brilliant networking!

Elizabeth

Time Strategies Trainer

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Posted in E Tips, Entrepreneurship, Internships & Jobs, Relationships | 1 Comment »

E Tip-How can I efficiently keep in touch with contacts?

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

Elizabeth Grace Saunders, Time Strategies TrainerOne of the greatest professional assets is who you know and who knows you. According to a study of over 600 MBA grads, with 56 % earning over $100,000, “Fifty-eight percent of respondents believe a person skilled at networking could see a “significant, substantial or dramatic” impact on income — even up to a 100-percent increase.”

That means “soft work” like networking can have a pretty substantial ROI.

Also, the source of the study, UpMo, pointed out that despite popular opinion, having a “wide net” of contacts can offer more value than only focusing on a few, deep connections.

This is really good advice, but for someone trying to maintain a sane schedule, it can seem very overwhelming to try to keep it touch with hundreds or thousands of people.

I’ve seen the power of networking in my own career and have developed these “triage” strategies for efficient, yet personal communication:

Top Tier:

  • Weekly Conference Calls–Every Monday at 10:45 a.m. CT, I touch base with two other young entrepreneurs–Lauren Berger and Morgan First. They keep me motivated and inspired and moving ahead on business development.

Mid Tier:

  • Monthly Mentor Calls–I check in with Tonya Ramsey, a business and personal mentor who listens to me talk through my thoughts and shares her wisdom. (Time: 1 hour Memory Cue: Next call scheduled through e-mail immediately following completion of a call.)
  • Monthly Coach Calls–I check in with Mitch Matthews, a business coach with A Kick in the Pants who helped me launch Real Life E® and now does “monthly maintenance” calls (Time: 30 minutes Memory Cue: Next call scheduled before the end of the call.)
  • Monthly Key Contact E-Mail–I send out an e-mail to a few business professionals who have offered me solid advice and asked me to keep in touch about my progress, like Lindsey Pollak. (Time: 15-30 minutes to complete Memory Cue: On monthly repeat in my Palm Z22.)

Bottom Tier (very important, but not very close contacts):

  • Mass Update E-Mail–Two to three times a year, I send a “here’s what’s happening in Elizabeth’s world e-mail” out to people in my address book who might be interested. In college, I sent these out to let people know when I had a new internship or when I was laid-off and looking for a new job. I find that even reaching out to people once every six months keeps them feeling connected to you and invested in your career. (Time: Because of my number of contacts, this can take about 4 hours Memory Cue: Typically send out anniversary updates for Grace Communications Inc. in October, Real Life E® in January, and sometimes send out a summer update (if there’s something super fabulous going on ;o)

In addition to using these strategies, I also do some networking on social media like:

These tools and using more formal communications like newsletters through iContact can definitely help you keep in touch with professional contacts. But I’ve found that my “triage” approach has really brought excellent quality results in both the corporate and entrepreneurial world.

Later this week, I’ll post my most recent update so you can get a feel for the kind of message I send out.

To maintaining a brilliant network without burning out!

Elizabeth

Time Strategies Trainer

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Posted in E Tips, Entrepreneurship, Internships & Jobs, Relationships | 8 Comments »

E Note-The Gift of Your Presence

Thursday, December 25th, 2008

Shoulders facing toward you.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders

Elizabeth Grace Saunders

Steady eye contact.

Understanding nods.

Verbal affirmations.

Absence of fidgeting.

This is how people who are fully present behave when you have a conversation with them.

How often does this happen?

Unfortunately for most people–rarely. Too often our conversations consist of “half listening” as we glance over our shoulder to check a blind spot before we change lanes. Or being half heard as the person we are trying to talk to “multi-tasks” by doing the dishes and shouting out orders to the kids as we are explaining a difficult situation at work. Or maybe we’re sitting across from a friend in a coffee shop but we feel insecure about continuing to share because we see her eyes darting every time someone comes through the door, notice her glancing at her watch, and see her knee bouncing with nervous energy.

Now I’m not saying there aren’t times and types of conversations where talking on the phone or “layering” tasks isn’t fully appropriate. (One of my favorite layering techniques is walking and talking with friends–it energizes my body and soul.)

But many times, we really want to have other people’s full attention, and they desire the same gift from us. This desire to be heard, to be listened to, to be made the most important priority (that no cell phone call can interrupt) is especially high when we have something close to our hearts to share: hurts, fears, thoughts, dreams, or uncertainties.

One of my gifts to my family members this season is that of my full presence

Elizabeth-fully present with her family at Field's Walnut Room

Elizabeth-fully present with her family at Field's Walnut Room

over these five days. That means no checking work e-mail, no trying to fit in a project, no answering work-related messages. Instead, I’m fully present with them in mind, spirit, and heart, as well as body.

Are you offering your friends and family this gift as you celebrate holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year’s? Are you really present or are you just worried about buying and wrapping presents?

One of the reasons I am extremely passionate about time strategies to create a brilliant life in a burnt-out world is that having your schedule under control gives you the ability to be fully present. When you’re disorganized and unsure of whether you have time to get everything done you need to accomplish, your mind is consumed with what you need to do 24/7–even as you’re opening presents! But when you know what you need to do, have planned the time to do it, and have the proper reminders in place, you can mentally, as well as physically, check out of the office and be fully present in your personal life. The same is true for checking out of your personal life when you need to be working—if you have all of the lists and reminders and plans in place to cook dinner, plan a trip, or pick up kids, you won’t need to be distracted by those thoughts while you’re supposed to be focusing on a project.

With everyone in my life, my desire is to be fully present. So when I’m with my family–like in our traditional Christmas Eve visit to Marshall Field’s Walnut Room pictured above–I’m there. Enjoying the ambiance and the laughter.

Then when I’m working with coaching clients–I’m there. Listening to them and reflecting on what they’ve said.

Then when I’m doing speaking or training–I’m there. Putting all of my energy and effort toward engaging and educating each individual.

If you’re not “fully there” on a regular basis, I encourage you to think about how you can start to give everyone and everything in your life your full presence in 2009. And if you’re struggling to do this on your own, I’m here to help. You don’t need to conquer your challenges alone.

To Christmas presence and peace!

Elizabeth

Coach. Trainer. Speaker.

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